FWN Vagina Warrior Award for Kamala Harris July 22, 2005

Good afternoon. My name is Marily Mondejar and I am the President of the Filipina Women’s Network, a nonprofit association for women of Philippine ancestry. I want to thank all of you for taking time to join FWN on this memorable occasion.

We gather this afternoon to honor a remarkable woman.

In every community there are humble activists working every day, beat by beat to undo suffering and correct injustices. They sit by hospital beds, petition elected officials, pass new laws, chant taboo words, write proposals, raise money, solicit support, demonstrate and hold vigils in the streets, and lobby their friends and family to fight the good fight.

These women have often experienced violence and injustice either personally or have witnessed them within their communities. They have grieved, transformed, and committed extraordinary work to make sure violence doesn't happen to anyone else. These women have been at the heart of the Filipina Women Against Violence campaign. We call these women Vagina Warriors. Creating new paradigms, new ways of thinking and doing. Vagina Warriors lead the way.

• In 2000, 28-year-old Claire Joyce Tempongko was stabbed to death by her boyfriend in front of her two children, despite her repeated calls for help to the police and other agency contacts. Her killing prompted the public investigation of San Francisco's citywide response system to handle domestic violence.

• Claire-Joyce's death drew attention to the high numbers of female domestic violence homicide victims of Asian Pacific Islander origin. A high percentage of these victims were Filipina women. In a time of danger and escalating madness, one incredible woman has embarked a campaign to change paradigms and perceptions of violence against women and children.

• As the first elected woman district attorney in San Francisco, she dedicated her campaign to improve San Francisco's prosecution of domestic violence cases.

• This exceptional woman developed outreach programs to many ethnic communities of San Francisco such as the API Domestic Violence Victim Services Project, she expanded community courts, set up free legal clinics to serve immigrant neighborhoods, most recently in the Chinatown and Mission districts, has taken a leadership role locally and statewide on programmatic and legislative advances to protect women and children of all races and ethnicities.

• This phenomenal woman is San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris. She is leading our community to a better future, making a difference in all our lives.