Author Archives: Hon Hoang

Healing the Wounds of War

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CLA’s Operation Mend is dedicated to improving the quality of life for wounded service members, veterans and their families. It is the only program in the nation dedicated to plastic and reconstructive surgery, and medical and psychological treatment for post-9/11 military service members. The program has helped more than 850 patients and 450 caregivers at UCLA Health’s top-ranked medical facilities with world-class experts and the latest in medical technology.

Operation Mend warrior Misty Rose Sow was inspired by her family’s military service to enlist in the U.S. Air Force. She served as an Aircraft Guidance and Control Specialist with the 552nd AGS and the 71st Rescue Squadron during Operation Enduring Freedom. By the end of more than three years of service, Misty's mental health was in crisis. She said, “I had so much trauma stored in my body, it felt like the physical body could barely contain the buried emotions, and the body itself was having challenges to function at even 30 percent."

A fellow veteran told her about UCLA’s Health’s Operation Mend program. At UCLA, a holistic approach that blends Eastern and Western medicine resonated with Misty as she began her healing journey. Misty said, "There are stages of healing after trauma, and I used to believe it was surviving, existing and living; I had no idea thriving was even possible until Operation Mend.”

The program was born when Ronald Katz and his late wife, Maddie, both Bruins, were watching a news report about Marine Corporal Aaron Mankin, who was burned on more than 25 percent of his body when his vehicle drove over an improvised explosive device in Iraq. Inspired by his story of resilience, the couple decided they needed to find a way to help.

Operation Mend at UCLA was launched in 2007 through this vision and the couple’s generosity. UCLA brought together stakeholders including Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, Brooke Army Medical Center in Texas and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to provide medical, surgical and psychological treatment to post-9/11 veterans and service members injured in the line of duty. An inventor and entrepreneur, UCLA recently honored Katz with the Fiat Lux Award for his philanthropic giving and volunteer service to the university.

Operation Mend helps to eliminate barriers to treatment and provides services free of charge to qualified patients, as well as providing travel and lodging for warriors and their families. The program receives no financial support from government agencies and there are no co-payments, cost or authorization requirements for care at UCLA. To continue this important work, Operation Mend has received approximately $75 million from more than 5,000 donor contributions.

Corporal Mankin became Operation Mend’s first patient. To provide extra care and support, Todd Katz ʼ83 and his wife, Dana, created the Operation Mend Buddy Family Program. The program matches warriors with local individuals or couples, who offer social support, arrange outings, share meals, and help the warrior and their caregivers through the process. The Katz family not only created the program, but together with their children, they served as the first “buddy family” for Corporal Mankin.

This hands-on opportunity for volunteers to make a meaningful difference in an injured person’s recovery is rewarding for everyone involved. Dana Katz told UCLA, “It's been a great thing to be a part of over all these years. To watch people connect, watch people heal and get back to life."

The Katz family continues to be deeply involved in ensuring Operation Mend achieves its goals. Ron and Maddie’s sons, Todd and Randy Katz, together with their families, established the Ronald A. Katz Center for Collaborative Military Medicine at UCLA in 2013. The program furthers the work of Operation Mend by building partnerships between the University and the U.S military to address the unique challenges of caring for wounded veterans.

UCLA has a longstanding commitment to supporting veterans and service members, and has been U.S. News and World Report’s No. 1 Public University for Veterans seven years in a row. This past November, Chancellor Block along with health care professionals and leaders from UCLA Health joined Operation Mend patients and their families to march in the New York City Veterans Day Parade. In his message to the UCLA community he said, “America’s Veterans reflect an extremely diverse group of backgrounds and identities, but they are bound together by their selfless service to our nation. This Veterans Day, let us honor them and take inspiration from the example they set.”

Operation Mend gives wounded service members a chance to rewrite their future. U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Darius Johnson was severely wounded in Afghanistan, suffering burns to 30 percent of his body, a traumatic brain injury, punctured lung, broken jaw and severe arm injury. He came to Operation Mend through a friend’s referral, and was treated for his physical injuries. He also completed the Intensive Treatment Program for Post-Traumatic Stress. Today, Darius is married and pursuing a master’s degree. He says, "The program gave me the tools to accept that what happened wasn't my fault; it was beyond my control. You can't do this stuff on your own, and you can't do it halfway."

For more info, visit uclahealth.org/programs/operationmend.

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Gen Z in the Workforce Part II

Part II: A Mental Health Discovery

If you work with them, you may have noticed that the newest generation entering today’s workforce has some unique characteristics. In our last article about Gen Z in the Workforce, we discussed the business philosophies predominant among 22- to 26-year-olds, citing their application of cancel culture, preference for remote work and desire for work-life balance. On the surface it’s not always evident what factors shaped these philosophies but upon closer examination we hope to convey a better understanding of this group and help ease their transition into the workplace.

In this issue, our focus will center around Gen Z's mental health. According to McKinsey, Gen Zers are reporting higher rates of anxiety, depression and distress than any other age group. One reason was the pandemic, which affected everyone, but it disproportionately impacted Gen Z over older generations. That weighed heavily on their state of mind while exacerbating their overall concerns about finances, safety, securing a job and workplace preparation.

When it comes to their overall mental health, social isolation and loneliness stemming from the pandemic have played a role in their overall well-being. These issues, as reported by Deloitte, are associated with higher anxiety, depression and suicide rates. Physical distance led to the use of social media for meaningful and in-person socialization. As digital natives, they've turned to the internet for companionship and interaction. Working remotely only increased those feelings. Psychiatrists at Evernorth Heath Services say, "Gen Z are the loneliest, least resilient demographic alive today… No other generation feels less connected."

In a recent study of stress, Deloitte reported, "47% of Gen Z state financial insecurity contributes to their anxiety." Their biggest financial problems are student debt, inflation and the high cost of living. Affordable housing remains a challenge, since wages have mostly remained stagnant and homeownership has become unattainable in today’s market.

Gun violence is another contributor to their state of mind. Let us not forget that they are the children of Sandy Hook and mass shootings/school shootings are their reality. The American Psychological Association reports that 75% of Gen Zers said that mass shootings are "a significant source of stress," while according to a new survey from Blue Shield of California and Harris Poll, gun violence ranks as the top concern with 84% saying they experience negative mental health impacts. Some reports even indicate that Gen Z thinks about mass shootings at least once a week.

Another problematic issue affecting their mental health is their lack of confidence in securing a job when they graduate. Although the U.S. Bureau of Labor reports low unemployment, they face significant challenges. RippleMatch, a recruitment automation platform specializing in early career candidates, recently did a study where they reported on average 50% of Gen Zers say they are not confident they will find the proper role, and 57% plan to submit between 100-200 applications this year. In my experience working with our most recent grads, they reported that 95% of the time they never heard back from potential employers. To make matters worse, securing employment can take anywhere from 6-8 months. The discouragement from their job search experience contributes to their anxiety and depression, leading to feelings of helplessness and hopelessness. 

Research has also shown that poor mental health makes Gen Zers feel less confident at work. Forbes reports that their pandemic-based college experiences, such as canceled internships and limited in-office work, impacted the rhythm of how soft skills are learned. The soft skills companies value include business etiquette, how to dress, how to introduce yourself, building workplace relationships, networking and behavior in an office environment — and not knowing how to fuel their insecurities and heighten imposter syndrome.

The Society for Human Resource Management found that "Gen Z reported lower personal confidence and self-esteem than all other generations." These young adults have reported feeling misunderstood by their managers and that the expectations employers have of them are unattainable.

With so many of these issues impacting the workplace, there are some steps that employers can take to help ease some of the anxiety so prevalent among this generation. One way is to adopt a compensation model that rewards employees for voluntarily participating in skill-based training. Doing so would help develop the soft skills necessary to succeed in their role. Not only would this serve as an incentive for employees financially, but it would also help employers address skill gaps. 

Additionally, managers could receive coaching on nurturing relationships with their direct reports and creating a safe space for learning. They could use their one-on-ones to teach about expectations and deliverables and how to meet them. They could also serve as mentors who actively participate in Gen Z professional development by exposing them to some of their day-to-day activities, like hosting meetings and interacting with leadership.

There is some good news. Gen Zers increasingly express their desire to work in the office, which would undoubtedly expedite their professional development and help boost their confidence. This group is also adamant about caring for themselves and prioritizing mental health; with many resources available to help, they will find their way like every generation before them. Finally, they're eager to learn and will set aside their business philosophies to advance their career. With time and patience, they will eventually catch up; it's up to us to help them.

In Part III of Gen Z in the Workforce, we will celebrate Gen Z and why this generation is so important and worthy of our time and investment. 

The Career Engineering series features the expert advice of Amy Rueda, a 25-year veteran of executive search, who has placed CEOs and C-suite executives across multiple industries and functional areas. Her passion for leading diversity initiatives that focus on change management and employee engagement is reflected in her portfolio of accomplishments. Amy studied political science and was born and raised in Los Angeles.

Email your career questions to connectfeedback@alumni.ucla.edu and Amy will try and answer them in next month’s issue of Career Engineering.

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Diversity Digest Spotlight - UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center: Research for Community with Veronica Terriquez, M.A. ’04, Ph.D. ’09

Denise Pacheco, M.A. ’04, Ph.D. ’11, Senior Director for UCLA Alumni Diversity Programs & Initiatives connected with professor and Director for the Chicano Studies Research Center at UCLA, Veronica Terriquez, M.A. ’04, Ph.D. ’09 to learn about her work with the Center and its impact on community.

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he Chicano Studies Research Center (CSRC) emerged in the midst of social protest against profound disparities in educational access for the Mexican-descent population in the United States. Established in 1969 as a result of student organizing, the CSRC formalized a directorship in 1971. Today, that director is alumna Veronica Terriquez, M.A. ’04, Ph.D. ’09.

From the San Gabriel Valley in Los Angeles County, Veronica Terriquez earned her master’s degree and Ph.D. in Sociology from UCLA. She now proudly works toward advancing ethnic and racial justice on campus and in the greater California community as the director of the Chicano Studies Research Center. As a graduate student, Terriquez worked in the school of education’s Institute for Democracy Education and Access conducting quantitative research benefiting the public. The skills Terriquez gained through her graduate studies have served her well in leading a center that conducts research to advance public knowledge and non-partisan civic engagement.

“The CSRC is accountable to the university and broader community. I am a public servant and have been trained in conducting research for societal benefit,” says Terriquez.

She takes great pride in the Center’s commitment to foster multidisciplinary research efforts. One priority of hers is to promote diversity in Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM).

“There is so much opportunity to make UCLA the number one institution in STEM for Latinx, first-generation and other scholars of color.”

In other work, the CSRC has led collaborative, cross-disciplinary research on young people and their experiences in California. Latinx youth outnumber their peers in other racial and ethnic groups in California making the Center’s sponsored research even more critical for the state.

“The COVID 19 pandemic really laid bare how much young people were suffering in the lowest income communities which are disproportionately Latinx, African American, Southeast Asian, Pacific Islander and American Indian. Our participatory action research addresses educational disparities, health and mental health issues, workforce development and labor rights, as well as opportunities for civic engagement.”

The CSRC's initiatives aim to address social inequalities and promote a healthy multiracial democracy. This work includes the California Freedom Summer (CFS) Participatory-Action Research Project and the Latina Futures, 2050 Lab. Through university-community partnerships, CFS trained 114 college and high school students as Summer 2022 fellows and youth action researchers in 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations to mentor other young leaders, conduct voter education and exploratory research that could inform future grassroots campaigns. In collaboration with the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute, in 2022 the CSRC launched the Latina Futures, 2050 Lab( LFL), which envisions a society in which Latinas have an equal opportunity to lead and everyone thrives. This initiative is driven in part by the fact that Latinas experience a significant wage gap and also remain extremely underrepresented in critical fields that will determine the future of our state, our country and our planet.

“Through our initiatives, we are supporting research, community programing and leadership development opportunities that center equity and inclusion,” said Terriquez.

Learn more about and contribute to the Chicano Studies Research Center and the programs highlighted by Dr. Terriquez in this article by visiting the following websites:

• Chicano Studies Research Center
• California Freedom Summer Action-Research Project
• Donate to the California Freedom Summer
• Read a feature story on the California Freedom Summer Action-Research Project
• Latina Futures, 2050 Lab
• Latina Futures Law & Policy Symposium
• Latina Equal Pay Day study analysis and handout
• Contribute to the CRSC Director’s Fund (select CRSC Director’s Fund from the dropdown menu)

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Timeless Tailgaters

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ne of America’s greatest pastimes is the college football tailgate party. It’s a tradition like no other. The atmosphere is rife with school spirit, the savory smell of food on the grill fills the air, and laughter and music can be heard all around. The Rose Bowl Fun Zone in Lot H has become the gathering place for real Bruin fans, where friends become family, and families pass down a time-honored tradition to succeeding generations. This is where the die-hards come to live it up.

Set against the backdrop of a perfect Southern California day, the highly-anticipated Homecoming game against the Colorado Buffaloes and Coach Prime (Deion Sanders) brought Bruin Nation out in full force. For brothers Richard ʼ79 and Gary ʼ81 Bacio, this has been a family affair dating back to 1965 when their father first brought them to UCLA games at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, when they were only nine and six years old, respectively. Richard recalled that the tailgates started with their parents and their friends, until he and his brother came of age and kept the tradition going, When the Rose Bowl became the home of UCLA Football in 1982, they were able to secure their prime tailgate location next to the Alumni Band, and they became a staple in this tight-knit community. He said, "To put it in perspective, I have not missed a Bruin home game since October 1978, which was my senior year at UCLA." Regardless of the team’s record in the standings, you can always expect to find the Bacio brothers, along with their wives, friends and children, spending their fall Saturdays at their favorite spot. "What makes tailgating special to me is all the great people I’ve met through the years. Most of those lifelong friends I have tailgated with for over 35 years! In fact, we say that we are all 'family.' What we all share, like a family, is our love of UCLA and, specifically, UCLA Football."

Not too far away, at the other end of the row of blue and gold canopies was a large crowd of mixed-age Bruins at the Kappa Sigma Bruins tailgate. Hosted by the fraternity’s advisor for the L.A. region, Mark Anderson ʼ80, this tent was alive with energy along with food and a beverage offered to Kappa Sigma members and guests free of charge. The tent hosts anywhere from 25 to 75 people each game, which includes Kappa Sigma alumni, current undergrad members, sometimes their parents and occasionally a sorority from UCLA. Anderson has been tailgating for over 43 years. He started with four people, a few lawn chairs, some tables, snacks and coolers, and later added canopies, flagpoles and a barbecue. They originally set up next to the alumni band to support them and enjoy their spirit and music and have stayed next to them the entire time.

Across the way from the Kappa Sigma tailgate was a row of 10 Bruin tents, each with different decorations, food offerings and cultural makeup. According to Desarie Martinez, host for one of the tents, this was a blended family that’s been coming together to tailgate at the same location for over 32 years. They shared food, played games and laughed out loud over drinks. It began with Oscar McCullar and his wife around 35 years ago, and the trail of tailgate tents only grew. Despite many of them not having graduated from UCLA, their love for the school is undeniable. Oscar’s 36-year-old grandson, Rich McCullar Jr., has been tailgating with the family since he was four and even sports an intricate tattoo of his grandfather, Oscar, wearing a Rose Bowl shirt on his left arm. His father Rick McCullar summed up their dedication, “It’s all about love and family. That’s why we come here year after year no matter how the Bruins are doing.” 

Situated next to the Alumni Band, there’s a group of Bruins who specialize in the food served at their tailgates. On this day, they were frying up a pair of steaks on the grill paired with some good wine from Strasburg, France. Other days, depending upon the time of the game, they’ve served paella, gourmet pizza and tamales for breakfast. Ed Alvarez ʼ70, Anna Magini ʼ74, M.N. ʼ77, Gary Phillips, Cert. ʼ91, and his wife Nancy, have been tailgating since 1988, a tradition that began with Danny Gant who was with the Santa Clarita Bruins. They’ve traveled to away games, attended tailgates at other schools, and they’re convinced there’s no better place than the party at the Rose Bowl. Gary said, “You can’t beat the weather, the gorgeous mountains in the background, the grass under your feet and the band playing next to you. What’s not to love?”

The love for UCLA is apparent at every Rose Bowl tailgate. Generations of Bruins, whether by degree or fandom, showcase the rich diversity of the Bruin community, bringing with them the spirit of friendship and sharing of food and drink and good times. With music blaring, drinks flowing, flat screens showing the day’s football highlights, and tailgate games like foosball, cornhole and beer pong underway, these parties are a Bruin tradition like no other.

Recent Articles

Bruin Creative Writing Stories

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ast September, we announced a creative writing assignment with a simple premise: In less than 500 words, tell us a story that begins with "I found a hidden door in Kerckhoff and it took me..." Several Bruin creatives had fun with it and submitted these stories that capture the imagination. Can you guess which was generated by A.I.?

Shoshi Buge, M.A. ʼ02

Aletta Cooke ʼ19

Dulcinea del Toboso, M.A. ʼ98

Darlene Gaston, MBA ʼ82

Charlene Gupta, J.D. ʼ96

Hon Hoang ʼ14

Anthony Izaguirre ʼ73

Delia Mizrahi, First Year Student

Deborah Rapaport Ishida, M.D. ʼ69

Nick Todd ʼ85, M.A. ʼ87

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Bruins for Life: A Gathering of Bruin Football Alumni From All Eras

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certain camaraderie is forged through competition.

Through victories, defeats, home games, road games and practices, memories among coaches and teammates are formed on and off the playing field each season, and last long after the stadium lights shut off. Given UCLA’s storied history of success in athletics, it comes as no surprise that Bruins from each of its 25 varsity programs have built and maintained friendships over the years.

Last September, generations of coaches and players from UCLA’s football program had a chance to reunite and reinforce their camaraderie at an inaugural reunion hosted by the Bruin Varsity Club aptly titled Bruins for Life: A Gathering of Bruin Football Alumni From All Eras.

“Kenny Easley and his desire to reunite UCLA football players, not just his teammates, but all players, was the impetus for this event,” said Bruins for Life Committee event organizer, two-time Emmy Award-winning television producer, and former Bruin standout linebacker Raymond Bell ʼ78. “This reunion was about Bruins, friendship, sweat and grit from players of all eras. We’re brothers, and when Kenny expressed the desire for us to put this event on, we went for it.”

Kenny Easley was regarded as one of the nation's best defenders, playing free safety for the Bruins from 1977 to 1980. His No. 5 jersey is one of nine Bruin retired numbers. Following a prolific career in the NFL, Easley was the sixth Bruin to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2017. In 1991, he was inducted into the UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame and the National Football Foundation Hall of Fame (College Hall of Fame).

After nearly three months of planning thanks largely to a committee led by Easley, Bell, John Sciarra ʼ76, Frank Stephens ʼ84 and others, with the assistance of Bruin Varsity Club Director, Sam Glick, UCLA football players of all generations made their way back to Westwood and Pasadena for a time of reunion and reflection.

The two-day event began the morning of Friday, Sept. 15, with UCLA football alumni guests attending that day’s football practice at the Wasserman Football Center. Here, football alumni had the opportunity to introduce themselves to the team and connect with the current generation of Bruin athletes. 

That evening, 200 attendees enjoyed a cocktail reception and dinner banquet inside the Centennial Ballroom at the UCLA Luskin Conference Center. It featured a UCLA Football highlight reel and guest speakers such as former Bruin Head Coach Dick Vermeil and Nicole Donahue ianni, daughter of the late Terry Donohue ʼ67, M.S. ʼ77, UCLA’s winningest football coach.

“A reunion like this means that the time invested in these young people was worth it. They’ve developed into great, mature people today,” said Coach Vermeil. “We had the turnout that we did because our players care about each other and care about the program.”

From 1974 to 1975, Vermeil compiled an overall record of 15-5-3 and led the Bruins to their first Pac-8 Championship in a decade. His time in Westwood was highlighted by UCLA’s 1976 Rose Bowl Game appearance where the Bruins upset No. 1-ranked Ohio State 23-10, a universally held crowd-favorite memory for many in attendance at the reunion.

Echoing Vermeil’s sentiment, former UCLA running back Jonathan Franklin ʼ12 commented, “It’s great to be back together. We’re a brotherhood, and if we can get a chance to be together and support the program, especially with all it's done for us, we need to take it.”

Franklin played for the Bruins for four years, setting a school record for career rushing yards (4,403) along the way. Since his time in Westwood, Franklin had a brief professional playing career with the Green Bay Packers and now works for the Los Angeles Rams in community and external relations.

The next day, UCLA football alumni were invited to watch the UCLA vs. North Carolina Central football game at the Rose Bowl. Attendees toured the newly-opened California High School Hall of Fame and the 1922 Locker Room at the stadium, attended the Wooden Athletic Fund’s Then Now Forever Pregame Tailgate and sat with other participants to watch the Bruins cruise to a 59-7 victory over the Eagles. Notably, UCLA football alumni were recognized on the field at the end of the first quarter and were even personally greeted by Coach Chip Kelly and members of the coaching staff.

“Having the opportunity sit on the committee and see this weekend come together is really rewarding,” said Frank Stephens. “This was a big opportunity to come back and share what everyone has been doing. It’s like reuniting with long-lost brothers. We were on the field battling with each other and to come back has been special.”

In only three seasons with the Bruins, Stephens' tenacious play has still ranked him 10th overall in career tackles (313), 12th in career sacks (19) and 20th in career tackles for a loss (31). Since his time in Westwood, he’s enjoyed playing football professionally, working for UCLA Athletics in both administrative and coaching positions for over 16 years, coaching at the high school and collegiate levels, and other opportunities within restaurant management. 

The event’s youngest-attending alumnus, Paco Perez ’19, saw the weekend as a great opportunity to connect with Bruin greats from all generations and see what his future holds after football.

“I was inspired to attend to get inside the heads of UCLA legends and see what life could look like ahead of me. I’ve already been able to take a lot of my lessons learned at UCLA and use them in my career.” Since graduating, Perez has enjoyed careers in both HVAC and aerospace. 

Looking ahead, organizers look to continue this reunion, build support for the football program through its alumni and strengthen their gridiron-based camaraderie for years to come.

“To have a Bruins for Life event encompassing all eras is pretty magnificent,” said Bruin quarterback great John Sciarra ʼ76. “I think the next event that we do, we’ll have over 400 participants, and we’ll probably be back within two years. To be able to catch up with teammates and meet players from all generations is a remarkable opportunity.”

John Sciarra was an All-America quarterback and an award-winning scholar while at UCLA from 1972 to 1975. After graduation, he played two years for the British Columbia team in the CFL, then six years in the NFL (1978-1983) for the Philadelphia Eagles, leading the league in punt returns in 1979. Sciarra was inducted into the UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame in 1994. Following his football career, he enjoyed a career in business and retirement services.

Raymond Bell is optimistic for future reunions. “We’re thankful that UCLA came on board to help get this event off the ground. Everyone came forward to get this thing going and move it forward, and we look forward to seeing it grow in the coming years.”

While it is yet to be determined when the next reunion will take place, the alumni of UCLA’s football program will continue to hold on to the memories and friendships made both on and on the field. After all, they are Bruins for life.

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All UCLA football alumni are welcome to attend practice at the Wasserman Football Center and receive two (2) complimentary tickets to every UCLA Football game at the Rose Bowl. Tickets can be claimed at Will Call outside Gate B at the Rose Bowl. Visit the Bruin Varsity Club for more information.

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Pilipino Bruins

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ilipino Bruins have played an essential role in cultivating a vibrant and diverse UCLA community since the University's earliest days. Students, staff and faculty have championed, educated and celebrated the Pilipino experience to create a more inclusive and welcoming environment.

(Note: Pilipino and Filipino are used interchangeably in this article and mean the same thing. Philippine locals use Pilipino because there is no phonetic equivalent to the letter "F" in the Philippine Islands’ indigenous languages.) 

Trailblazers

In 1898, America claimed the Philippines as a colony following the Spanish American War. Pilipinos became American nationals who could migrate freely, but were excluded from citizenship. Students who excelled academically were encouraged to become pensionados and study at U.S. universities with the understanding they would return to the Philippines to teach or work in government. In UCLA’s 1927 yearbook, you can find their photos as members of the Filipino Students Association.

Pilipino Americans face unique challenges. The community has developed its own ways of supporting younger generations and ensuring their success. At UCLA, this support takes the form of mentorship, advocacy and sharing the importance of family, food and music. 

One early UCLA student, Helen Agcaoili Summers Brown ʼ37, M.A. ’38, was born in Manila and moved with her family to Pasadena. Brown had a 30-year career as a Los Angeles Unified School District teacher and counselor, where she advocated for cultural diversity awareness. With no resources available, she began documenting and preserving Pilipino American stories, building a library of books, pamphlets, newsletters and newspaper clippings. Affectionately called “Auntie Helen," when she retired, she brought her library to the community. The Pilipino American Reading Room and Library (PARRAL) opened in 1985 as the first library in the United States to focus on the Pilipino American experience.  

In the early 1900s, many Pilipinos left their homeland in search of better economic opportunities and settled in California’s Central Valley and the Pacific Northwest where they worked in agriculture and faced widespread racism. Flora Arca Mata ʼ40 was an early Bruin who broke barriers as Stockton’s first Asian American full-time teacher. She attended UCLA with the financial help of an older sister who worked as a farmworker. Unable to find a teaching job in California, she and her husband moved to the Philippines. Mata recalled in an interview, “Why is it that America would educate the minority and not give them an opportunity to use this education?” Returning to Stockton after WWII, she was hired as a substitute and then a full-time teacher. Her experience and tenacity paved the way for future generations.

During the turbulent Sixties, a student movement emerged at UCLA as activists envisioned an education that would reflect their cultures and experiences. Off campus, the 1965 Delano Grape Strike revolutionized the farm labor movement in America. At great personal risk, the strike started with 800 Pilipino farmworkers affiliated with the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee. They were joined by Cesar Chavez and the National Farmworkers Association who called for a grape boycott and what began as a labor dispute became a five-year struggle for civil rights. It wasn’t until 2013 that Governor Jerry Brown signed Assembly Bill 123, requiring the State curriculum to include the contributions of Pilipino Americans to the labor movement. 

A generation later, John Delloro ’94, M.A. ’96, taught popular UCLA courses on Asian American and Pacific Islander labor organizing and leadership. A well-known student leader and activist at UCLA, he worked to save Tagalog language classes and was part of the campaign for Pilipino American studies that led to the establishment of the current Pilipino studies minor. He made a profound impact as a co-founder of the Pilipino Workers Center in Los Angeles and became one of the youngest presidents of the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, AFL-CIO. 

Often you may find family connections among UCLA Pilipino students. Melissa Jamero ʼ11, M.A. ʼ15, is the granddaughter of Herb Jamero and grandniece of Peter Jamero. She is Senior Fund Manager at UCLA Rolfe/Campbell Humanities Group. Peter Jamero, M.S.W. ’57, and Herb Jamero, M.S.W. ʼ58, were trailblazers in higher education, earning master's of social work degrees from the Luskin School of Public Affairs. Peter was raised on a Filipino farmworker camp operated by his parents. He wrote “Growing Up Brown: Memoirs of a Filipino American” and “Vanishing Filipino Americans: The Bridge Generation.”

Meg Thornton received the 2012 UCLA Pilipino Alumni Association Royal Morales Community Achievement Award. She is the student and community engagement coordinator for the Asian American Studies Center. She says, “Folks like Uncle Pete were instrumental in building a social services network of Asian Americans to do advocacy work at the local state and the national level. They educated the policymakers and organized for more funding.”

Student Advocacy

Student activists transformed higher education, demanding courses that would reflect the experiences of underrecognized communities. Inspired by the student strike at San Francisco State in 1968 that won the first College of Ethnic Studies in the U.S., UCLA students advocated for the establishment of the Asian American Studies Center in 1969, along with the Bunche Center, Chicano Studies Research Center and American Indian Studies Center. The Asian American Studies Center is one of the longest-running research centers of its kind in the country.

In commemoration of its 50th anniversary, the Center is recording oral histories with some of its 50 community founders. The Collective Memories Project will serve as a major resource and historical document. Jesse Quinsaat, J.D. ʼ76, was a student activist who compiled the groundbreaking “Letters in Exile; An Introductory Reader on the History of Pilipinos in America,” the result of a need among UCLA Pilipino students to investigate their little-known history. 

This era also saw the founding of UCLA’s Mother Organizations in response to the underrepresentation of students from historically marginalized communities. Samahang Pilipino was founded in 1972 to focus on the needs of Pilipino students. Florante Peter Ibanez, M.L.I.S., M.A. ʼ06, helped establish the group while working at the UCLA Asian American Studies Center. Ibanez is a member of the “Bridge generation” that followed the early immigrants, called Manongs. Samahang Pilipino’s song “One Family” celebrates the bonds between generations.

Samahang Pilipino began advocating for more Pilipino representation at UCLA. Casimiro U. Tolentino ʼ72, J.D. ʼ75, was a law school student and one of Samahang’s founding members. In his efforts to learn more about Pilipino history, he created and taught a class called “The Pilipino American Experience in California.”

Samahang Pilipino Cultural Night (SPCN) has shared the cultural experiences of Pilipino and Pilipino Americans since 1978. Using dance and dramatic role play, the event has also been an opportunity to address the importance of Pilipino representation on campus. In a landmark accomplishment that paved the way for others, SPCN was the first student-run cultural night to perform at UCLA's Royce Hall. 

Students formed the Pilipino Recruitment and Enrichment Project (PREP) in 1979 to address barriers to higher education. UCLA students use their own experiences and insight to better equip young people for college success. 

Breaking Barriers in Athletics

Raymond Townsend ʼ78 overcame stereotypes to become the first Pilipino American in the NBA. Part of legendary Coach John Wooden's 1975 UCLA national championship basketball team, he was a first-round pick by the Golden State Warriors in the 1978 NBA draft, where he helped establish the NBA’s Pilipino Heritage Night, which continues to be celebrated today.

Decades later, Kyla Ross ʼ21 served as an undergraduate assistant coach for UCLA gymnastics. Ross made history as the first female gymnast ever to win an Olympic, World and NCAA Championship and the only gymnast in UCLA history to win all four individual NCAA event titles. A member of the 2012 "Fierce Five" Olympic team, she has received 22 perfect 10s. 

Today’s Pilipino students are using their success to make a difference and continuing the tradition of lifting up the next generation. Devon Mallory ʼ21 broke barriers for underrepresented dancers as the first male member of the UCLA Dance Team. A first-generation Pilipino Black American, Mallory is now teaching others as the coordinator and lead instructor for the Las Vegas Raiderettes.

Educating the Youth

An engaging and illuminating account of Pilipino American history was shared in the popular "Pilipino American Experience" course by community scholar and activist Royal Morales from 1983 to 1996. Affectionately known as "Uncle Roy," he turned his classes into events as he brought history to life through stories, music and popular weekend field trips.

Morales addressed problems among Pilipino youth and co-founded Search to Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA). UCLA Pilipino alumni pay tribute to his legacy with the annual Royal Morales Community Achievement Award, presented to those who contribute to improving the UCLA Pilipino community.

Around this time in 1985, Helen Brown was opening her library and establishing the Pamana Foundation, a nonprofit designed to support the library and its activities. Among the incorporators were Brown, Tania Azores, M.A., Ph.D. ’87, the first at UCLA to teach the Tagalog language in 1992, and Brad Bagasao ʼ73 and Dr. Herminia Meñez Coben, who taught Pilipino Folklore and Society.

Tagalog classes were scheduled to be discontinued in the late 1990s until students stepped in to advocate for their importance. UCLA now offers both lower and upper division classes and a minor in Asian languages. The efforts of students, staff and faculty have been vital to many milestones, including the 2009 addition of the Pilipino studies concentration. 

Outreach, Retention and Support

In 1988, in a setback for the UCLA Pilipino community, the University determined that Pilipinos had achieved “parity,” with the rate of incoming freshmen matching the public high school graduation rate. This decision to exclude Pilipinos from affirmative action had a lasting impact and resulted in a 31 percent drop in enrollment.

Dismayed by the University’s decision, UCLA’s Pilipino community responded by creating their own outreach and retention programs. Samahang Pilipino Education and Retention (SPEAR) emphasized the need for “bayanihan,” students supporting other students. In 2000, as enrollment among Pilipino students continued to decrease, Samahang Pilipino Advancing Community Empowerment (SPACE) was established to promote access to higher education through peer tutoring, internships, conferences and field trips. In 2009, the Pilipino Council of Mabuhay Collective at UCLA brought the many organizations together.

To strengthen the bonds formed in college, UCLA’s Pilipino alumni, led by Corky Pasquil ’91, formed the UCLA Pilipino Alumni Association (PAA). Pilipino alumni have built a community of Bruins to encourage academic and professional development and support students through mentorship, scholarship and networking.

To invest in Pilipino students, the UCLA Pilipino Alumni Association awards the Lovell Sevilla Scholarship to a current Bruin who is working to improve the lives of others. PAA established more than a $200,000 scholarship endowment fund for deserving UCLA students. The scholarship honors Lovell Sevilla ʼ89, a counselor at the UCLA Honors program for over two decades and UCLA PAA Scholarship Director from 1995 to 2000, where she grew the program from one $500 scholarship a year to 10 or more scholarships totaling over $10,000 annually. 

PAA also hosts career panels, networking mixers, mentoring opportunities and social events to make an investment in professional development and personal growth. Through engaging with students, staff, faculty and alumni, they are building connections to create lasting change.

A.R. Mateo '07 is a UCLA Pilipino Alumni Association Board member, currently serving as their scholarship director. As a student, he participated in Spring Sing, UCLA Madrigals, UCLA Chorale and the Graduate Mentor Program. Last year, A.R. helped organize the first ever UCLA Basketball Pilipino Heritage Night. He says, “There's a sense of family and generations within the community. When you have representation it means a lot.” A portion of every ticket sold went to the UCLA Pilipino Alumni Association for scholarship support.

His brother, Derek Mateo ʼ96, M.A. ʼ99, is a double Bruin and was among the first to graduate with an Asian American studies major. He co-founded the LCC Theatre Company with Randall Park ʼ97 and David Lee in 1995; more than 20 years later, it is the largest Asian American college theater group in the country. Derek, an active member of PAA, says, “We are one of the largest non-white communities in California, and we are an at-risk community. We are trying to support our students so that they can succeed.”

Pilipinos in Politics

Although there are more than four million Filipino Americans in the United States and 1.6 million in California, they have been underrepresented in politics, both local and national. Mark Pulido ʼ95 was the first Pilipino American to be elected student body president. With a bachelor's degree in history and Asian American studies, the former president of Samahang Pilipino went on to be elected the first Pilipino American mayor of Cerritos, California, in 2014.

In 2004, Ben Cayetano '68 became governor of Hawaii, the first Pilipino American to hold that title in any U.S. state. As lieutenant governor and then governor, Cayetano improved Hawaii’s educational system, including establishing a first-of-its-kind after-school program for elementary school latchkey children, based on his own childhood experience.

Jenny Punsalan Delwood ʼ06 once served as UCLA’s student body president and led a successful effort to incorporate holistic review into UCLA admissions policies. She currently serves as the deputy chief of staff for Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, where she oversees constituent services, strategy, budget and more. 

The Stories Continue

The Department of Asian American Studies at UCLA was founded in 2004 and has become a national leader in promoting the study of the diverse experiences of Asian and Pacific Islander Americans. The department is the largest of its kind in the country with more than 100 majors and minors, and offers over 70 Asian American studies courses.

The Asian American Studies Center is creating an open-access, comprehensive record of the Asian American and Pacific Islander experience. The AAPI Multimedia Textbook recently received a $10 million grant from the California Legislature. UCLA historian, Jean-Paul R. Contreras deGuzman, M.A. ʼ07, Ph.D. ʼ14, is among those working on the project. A past recipient of the UCLA Distinguished Teaching Award, he founded the Tuna Canyon Detention Station Coalition to preserve the history of World War II incarceration of Japanese immigrants.

Building on a century of Pilipino experience and advocacy at UCLA, the Asian American Studies department launched the Pilipino studies minor in 2020. Lucy Mae San Pablo Burns, associate professor of Asian American studies, has been advocating for its creation and is holding informational sessions on the new program. Burns told UCLA, “We have yet to imagine the community that the minor will bring together. I’m excited to see how students are going to transform the minor and what they are going to do in it.”

***

While this is the first Connect article on the contributions of Pilipino Bruins, it will not be the last. Share your thoughts or recommendations of other Pilipino Bruins or organizations making a difference to connectfeedback@alumni.ucla.edu.

For more information on the Pilipino Alumni Association or to support their scholarship efforts, visit https://alumni.ucla.edu/pilipino-alumni-association.

Special thanks to A.R. Mateo, Derek Mateo, Justine Ramos ‘20 and Meg Thornton for their time in sharing their knowledge with us for this article.

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Gen Z in the Workforce Part I

Part I: Understanding Gen Z Philosophies

Last summer, I had the privilege to teach a career management course for the Class of 2023, called The Classroom. The Classroom is a six-week program to help our most recent grads from UCLA transition from the classroom to the workforce. The sessions addressed the benefits of:

• Returning to the office
• Managing the stress of finding a job
• Building resilience after rejection
• Job search preparation

As any teacher will tell you, I learned a lot from my students. In this three-part series, I will share my observations, experiences and research of Generation Z (ages 26 and under) to help us better understand their impact and how they are impacted by today’s workforce.

I started off skeptical and was pleasantly surprised to find a talented, thoughtful and passionate group of young professionals with trepidation about their future. But while this generation has inspiring intentions, their philosophies may not favor them in the short run.

So why does Gen Z get such a bad rap from the generations that came before them? I suspect it is because their activism and philosophies are often misinterpreted. More often than not, they are not afraid to speak their mind and fight for institutional and societal changes. Whether it’s the proliferation of cancel culture as their weapon of choice to protest bad behavior, or their demand for work-life balance despite having limited work or life experience to balance, or being quick to admonish a company they perceive as toxic or that condones hustle culture, many seem to lack the patience and understanding that every job and every company will have some unpleasantries that come with the territory.

When cancel culture is applied to the workplace, its intent is to hold to account bad behavior. Yet, the tactic has been known to be administered arbitrarily, impulsively and recklessly, sometimes destroying someone's livelihood. There is no grace for contrition, no opportunity to apologize and be forgiven, no chance for redemption or understanding that, at some point, every single one of us has made mistakes and errors in judgment. By creating unattainable standards of perfection, the culture of the workplace is transformed from one of free expression to fear of expression and extreme caution. It’s inevitable that the next generation after Gen Z will also hold them accountable for any transgressions.

There is no doubt that the pandemic forever changed how companies operate, and it completely changed the way we work. The preferred choice for Gen Z is to work remotely. However, unlike previous generations, Gen Z has not had the benefit of experience and tenure to understand how to pivot and manage expectations and deliverables. Most of Gen Z has been deprived of at least two years of in-person work experience and have fallen behind in some of the necessary skills to adapt and succeed in the workplace. That is what makes their stance problematic. Some have yet to attain the credibility and credentials to continue working remotely.

Gen Z's call for improved work-life balance has had both positive and negative reactions. Working remotely during the lockdown has actually improved work-life balance and resulted in additional benefits, like the reprieve from brutal commutes and hurried weekends, cost savings and more family/personal time. On the flip side, starting a new job takes much energy, especially in the first year. One has little control over their workload, directly impacting their work-life balance. We typically learn by osmosis and by modeling the behaviors of those around us, which would be a challenge if one was exclusively working from home. Inevitably, one must spend significant time learning the job, vernacular, databases, names of colleagues, products and the employer's services. These skills are needed to master one's craft and manage one's workload and, more importantly, the boss' expectations. Previous generations have referred to this as “paying your dues” in the workforce before being able to reap some of the benefits, such as more work-life balance.  

This generation has also been known to throw in the towel when the expectations of their employers become too much. In all fairness, they may have seen their Gen X parents pay the price of climbing the corporate ladder; even if it came at their expense. They are not wrong for wanting a healthy and productive environment in which to thrive. Every company strives to provide that environment, but more often than not, they fall short of those ideals. Reasons for dysfunction could be various things, like reorganizations, changes in leadership or even difficult employees that corrupt the environment. The lesson is not to cancel or “quiet quit” your job but to persist through adversity and become a stronger, wiser, more employable person from this experience.

Overall, Gen Z is on to something. We should all strive to create a healthier work environment with flexibility, autonomy and accountability. Most of what they aspire to change will come to pass, but it will require patience, time and diplomacy to get it done. While well-meaning, they are still learning to diplomatically voice their concerns and work through the hierarchy that slows change.

There is more to come. In part II of this series, we will take a deep dive into the well-being of Gen Z. Post-pandemic, there has been a 25% increase in reported cases of depression and anxiety among college-age youth. Moreover, that has directly impacted their confidence, interpersonal relationships, and ability to function personally and professionally. Finally, in part III, we will discuss why this generation is so important and why we should invest our time and energy into their personal and professional development.

How can you help Gen Z? One way is to utilize UCLA ONE, short for Opportunity, Network and Experience. It is the professional networking platform for Bruins. It is a vital resource for Gen Z Bruins to find jobs and internships. You can post vacancies in your organization and offer guidance as an alumni mentor or industry expert. It’s a place where Bruins can help Bruins thrive.

The Career Engineering series features the expert advice of Amy Rueda, a 25-year veteran of executive search, who has placed CEOs and C-suite executives across multiple industries and functional areas. Her passion for leading diversity initiatives that focus on change management and employee engagement is reflected in her portfolio of accomplishments. Amy studied political science and was born and raised in Los Angeles.

Email your career questions to connectfeedback@alumni.ucla.edu and Amy will try and answer them in next month’s issue of Career Engineering.

Career Engineering Home Page

Diversity Digest Spotlight - Bruins in Sustainability: The Intersectional Environmentalism of Nisha Bansal '20

Cory Rosas ’16, Director for UCLA Alumni Diversity Programs & Initiatives (DPI) connected with recent graduate and featured speaker for DPI’s upcoming program Mixin’ It Up: Empowering Communities for a Sustainable Tomorrow, a program that will bring alumni and students together to engage in conversation around intersectionality and sustainability inspired by the 2023-24 UCLA Common Experience selection “Intersectional Environmentalist,” to learn more about her experience at UCLA and how intersectionality has impacted her work in, and passion for, sustainability.

N

isha Bansal is a recent graduate who majored in environmental science and public affairs at UCLA where she worked for UCLA Housing’s sustainability team as a sustainability associate on The Hill and was involved with the Undergraduate Students Association Council (USAC) facilities commission focused on underutilized campus spaces. Following graduation, Bansal began working as an environmental science consultant with a private company and has recently transitioned to working with Partnership for Growth LA (PFGLA), an intersectional community development corporation that seeks to address issues such as food access, job and economic security, primary education support, and workforce development in a manner that builds community ownership.

Bansal credits her South Asian background as inspiration for her investment and interest in environmental issues from a young age, “My parents shaped a lot of my early environmental and conservationist thinking. They immigrated to the United States from India with very little, which instilled in me the importance of making the best use of our resources. Culturally, we don’t always think of it as being environmentally conscious, it’s more so about embodying a way of living that happens to be more connected to nature. As a kid, my mom was always growing fruits and vegetables in our backyard, and family road trips to national parks were a summer staple.”

Seeing connections between her own South Asian culture, particularly as it relates to food and the community built around food, and her coursework at UCLA drove her to seek out professional opportunities in sustainable food systems. As the program manager for Freedom Farms, a program tasked with creating a network of local urban farms to offer more food access and healthy food focused education to Los Angeles community members, particularly South and West LA community members experiencing food insecurity, Bansal has been able to fulfill her passion for sustainable food systems while supporting local communities.

"The goal of Freedom Farms is to establish 37 urban farms or community gardens in the city of LA in the next 3 years. I am interested in how we can make our food systems more local and community-centric, so that we can engage the folks in our city who have historically lacked access to fresh produce and to equitable, sustainable spaces like this.”

A recent demographic profile conducted by the City of Los Angeles Department of City Planning tells us that South LA is a multicultural community with 64 percent of residents identifying as Hispanic or Latino and 25 percent identifying as Black or African American. South LA is also a known food desert, places where there is a lack of access to fresh foods and a lack of supermarkets available to serve the surrounding population, making the work of Freedom Farms critical in providing access to fresh produce.

“My goal is to establish a program that is self-sustaining and can be replicated across other cities. I’m looking forward to the impact that this program will have, not just in terms of improving food access, but also in shifting perspectives around food sovereignty and what it means to be connected to what’s on your plate.”

Bansal will be a featured speaker for UCLA Alumni Diversity Programs & Initiatives’ upcoming program Mixin’ It Up: Empowering Communities for a Sustainable Tomorrow, a program that will bring alumni and students together to engage in conversation around intersectionality and sustainability inspired by the 2023-24 UCLA Common Experience selection “Intersectional Environmentalist.”

You can learn more about Mixin’ It Up and other Diversity Programs & Initiatives signature programs by visiting our website.

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UCLA Epicenter Connects Students With Businesses for a Win-Win

T

his past summer, the UCLA Alumni Association became the new home for the UCLA Epicenter, further bolstering the Association's services to the UCLA community.

Founded in 2017, the Epicenter’s mission is “to augment students’ academic curriculum with project-based experiential learning in collaboration with industry partners.”

As Executive Director Raffi Simonian ’85 sees it, “The whole purpose of the Epicenter is to connect education to a career. They may earn a degree, but many do not know what to do with it. That’s where we come in.”

One way the Epicenter accomplishes this is through an intensive 10-week project-based experiential learning program, Innovation Challenge. This program is conducted in partnership with a variety of industries, ranging from tech to nonprofit organizations. To date, the Epicenter has partnered with and helped organizations such as Amazon Web Services, Slalom, Harman International and LA28 (the nonprofit committee planning the 2028 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games).

By partnering with these organizations, UCLA students are then provided opportunities to help industry leaders take on everyday challenges facing businesses today.

For example, to combat the concern of organizers about the declining viewership of the Olympic Games, a group of students designed the MedalUp app. Aimed at younger global audiences, it provides gamified experiences and competitions within close communities, allowing users to collect points and earn coupons and rewards from corporate sponsors. This idea won gold at the Spring 2023 Innovation Challenge and the product is now with Amazon Web Services, which will take it from concept to a fully developed product.

“That’s a big incentive for organizations to partner with us,” said Simonian. “We help solve their problem. Whether it's a social impact problem or other business problems, our students can provide feedback from their perspectives, increase engagement from other students, and even help develop actual products or services. We provide invaluable experience and exposure to connections and careers, and can even help students have a job lined up following graduation.”  

With the UCLA Alumni Association serving as the new home for the Epicenter, the opportunities to connect students with alumni have only expanded, adding to the Association’s extensive services through its Alumni Career Engagement office. The Epicenter now has a vast offering of pre-existing infrastructure resources to take advantage of, and as a result, is able to further service both current UCLA students and alumni for years to come.

“We want to connect alumni back to their alma mater, and part of that means making sure students can be hired by businesses run by Bruins,” said Simonian. “Our 10-week program is almost like a 10-week interview for some of our participants. We know our alumni may have business problems, and our current students may be able to solve them. These students are not only their future customers, but more importantly, they’re our future leaders.

“Through the Epicenter, alumni can help give back to the students. They [alumni] can either become coaches, speakers or mentors. Instead of reaching out to consulting firms to learn how to connect with younger generations, alumni and their businesses have bright UCLA students as a resource. They're helping the students gain experience. They're giving back to their school. And they're getting a solution to their business problem. It’s a win-win for everybody.”

For more information, including how to get involved, please visit the UCLA Epicenter website.

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