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On Sunday, February 14th, forget the Valentine’s Day cards, boxed chocolates and overpriced dinners and head over to the Elbow Room in San Francisco to show your love for the indigenous people of the Southern Mindanao Region of the Philippines. “To Mindanao with Love 2” is a performance event that celebrates the resiliency of the Lumad people. The Lumad are the collective name of distinct indigenous tribes from the area. They face an on-going human rights crisis as paramilitary groups violently purge the region of suspected left-wing sympathizers.
According to Human Rights Watch, since May 2015, thousands of Lumad have been forced from their homes to avoid the crossfire. The situation is made more dire by the destructive influence of corporate lumber and mining.
“To Mindanao with Love 2” uses the power of music to raise awareness about the Lumad’s plight. Proceeds from this event will provide direct support for the evacuees.
Rachel Lastimosa, Bernardo Josue, and Mario de Mira aka Nomi talking with Nonogirl. Photo by Claire Warren.
Joining us today producer Robynn Takayama talked with the following artist-activists who will shed more light on both the event and the struggles of the Lumad. They include:
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Rachel Lastimosa, lead vocalist with Dirty Boots, who just returned from cultural and social integrations with the Lumad communities in Mindanao
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Bernardo Josue, a filmmaker who spent three months in Mindanao back in 2013
- Mario de Mira aka Nomi, an organizer with Migrante-SF, a Filipino migrants organization and staff at the Filipino Community Center. He spent time with Lumad communities in Mindanao on medical mission in 2013.
Oliver Saria helped produce this segment.
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