Re GAWAD KALINGA'S "AN AFTERNOON TEA" IN PASADENA, CALIFORNIA

October 23, 2010 -
I just got back from the Gawad Kalinga's (www.GKIWorld.com)"An Afternoon Tea" with the theme of "Women Inspiring Women Inspiring Change." Honorees included 6 authors and Chef Cecilia de Castro. Tony Meloto, the founder of Gawad Kalinga flew in from the Philippines to attend the program. Chef Cecilia De Castro handled the elegant fare with scones, sandwiches and other delicious tidbits with tea, coffee, and calamansi seltzer, served in bone china and silver.

The six authors were: Cecilia Brainard, May Respicio Koerner, Carina Monica Montoya, Myrna De La Paz, Marjorie Light, and Ludy Ongkeko. Philippine Expressions made the books by these authors available. The writers' bios follow:
A gathering of trail blazers...

Cecilia Manguerra Brainard, author and editor of fourteen books which include the internationally acclaimed When The Rainbow Goddess Wept and other titles such as Growing Up Filipino, Vols. l and ll and her latest, Angelica's Daughters, A Dugtungan Novel, which she co-authored;

Carina Monica Montoya, also known as Carina Forsythe, author of Filipinos in Hollywood, Los Angeles's Historic Filipinotown and Let's Cook Adobo cookbook designed for children;

Mae Respicio Koerner, author of Filipinos in Los Angeles;

Myrna de la Paz Mulhern, writer, producer, director, lyricist and filmmaker of ABADEHA: The Philippine Cinderella.

Marjorie Light, a Fil Am writer, performer and DJ who has contributed an article in the book, Babaylan: Filipinos and the Call of the Indigenous on Decolonization and the Filipino Arts Community in LA.

Ludy Ongkeko, a columnist for the Philippine News since 1971, a tenured professor for many years with the University of Southern California and author of "Forty Years of Writing in America."

Live music was provided by Linda Madrid, Jane Provido, Andy Tecson, and Bob Schroeder. Floral artistry was provided by Grace Na; Jewelry design by Victoria Duque, professional makeovers by Au Mauricio.

A lovely afternoon put together by lovely women, including the hostess, Gloria Lilly, and Tess Castro.



















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Top photo: l-r:Myrna De La Paz, Linda Nietes, Cecilia Brainard, Hermie Ongkeko, Ludy Ongkeko
Next down: l-r: Cecilia Brainard, Chef Cecilia De Castro, Guest
Third down: l-r: Cecilia Brainard, Carina Monica Montoya

Fourth down: l-r: Carina Monica Montoya, Gloria Lilly, Myrna De La Paz, Cecilia Brainard
Fifth down: l-r: Cecilia Brainard,Mae Respicio Koerner
Sixth picture down: l-r: Carina Monica Montoya, Myrna De La Paz, Linda Nietes, Cecilia Brainard,
Seventh down: l-r: Cecilia Brainard, Carina Monica Montoya
Eighth down: Mae Respecio Koerner, Myrna De La Paz, Linda Nietes, Carina Monica Montoya, Cecilia Brainard
Ninth down: With guest
Tenth down: The Lilly's backyard
Eleventh down: The Lilly's fabulous house
Twelfth down: High Tea