Fil-Am youth hold symposium to raise awareness on Asian hate

Young Filipino-Americans in Los Angeles recently held a symposium to help combat the spate of Asian hate crimes in Califorinia.

The move followed the attempted mugging and attack of Fil-Am journalist Nicanor "Nikki" Arriola and his wife outside the California State Capitol in March, and the physical assault of the Roque family in 2022.

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"The reason we are involved is [because] we see our families," said Rozlind Silva of the Kabataan (Youth) Alliance. "We see how little support there is from people who are supposed to be helping us."

Arriola and his wife, Julienne Ochengco, said they are now waiting for their case to go through the legal system.

One of the alleged assailants in the case, Keylen Xavier Lee Farley, has been in custody since March while a second suspect remains on the loose.

While they’ve gotten community support from Fil-Am activists and other groups, the couple, who now lives in Carson, said they have been having trouble navigating the legal process.

"We also get scared but we’re going to keep going," said Arriola. "This is not just for us but for all the other Filipinos who can’t speak up."

The community is expected to be in full force when the Arriolas return to Northern California next month, as the legal proceedings continue against their attackers.