Michael Vargas (he/they)

3rd Year Political Science Major

Political Affairs Coordinator

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Hello mga kasama! My name is Michael Vargas (he/they). I am a third-year Political Science major and your Political Affairs Coordinator for the 2022-2023 school year. I am responsible for educating all of us, including myself, on the political history and issues of the Philippines, both past and present. I work to organize and mobilize our members to act upon the injustices faced by our people, as well promote a welcoming space where diversity of opinion is not only valued, but respected and upheld. I also co-chair the Andrés Bonifacio Leadership Emergence (ABLE) program with our Community Affairs Coordinator. Throughout my time as Political, I will work to ensure that our mission statement, the Katipunan Clause, is upheld and that the legacy of our namesake, Andrés Bonifacio, is carried forward.

 

I was born and raised in Palmdale (literally no one knows what it is) (661 lets goooo), which is a small desert city about an hour north of LA and three hours from San Diego. I lived there for 18 years, where I played baseball (for one year in elementary school lol) and swam for my high school for three years (my butterflyers where y’all at ;-;). I didn’t have a big Filipino community outside of my family there, so coming here was a big culture shock; I’d never experienced my culture in a way a lot of others had and for some time, it made me insecure about my identity. However, through this organization, I’ve found a community that accepts everyone no matter their background and works to educate all its members on our culture, history, and much more. I am eternally grateful to all of y’all for making me so proud and confident in my identity, and I hope to do the same in return.

 

My roots come from two places: my mother’s side from the valleys and mountains of Ilokos Norte (Luzon), and my father’s side from the deserts, jungles, and plateaus of México. My mother’s family moved to the U.S. during the Martial Law period while my father’s family has been in California for several generations. In the past two years alone, I have learned so much about both of my people and the solidarity between us. Realizing the shared struggle between Filipinos and Mexicans brings me immense pride and influences all the work that I do. In addition to AB Samahan, I am also a part of Anakbayan San Diego and am interested in getting more involved with MEChA de SDSU.

 

Outside of school and org work, I love to swim, write, sing, and take walks through nature. Catch me on the weekends on campus strolling around the turtle pond, the Healing Garden, or the Mediterranean Garden. I like just sitting with the plants and birds ya know? Some other fun facts: blue is my favorite color, my favorite Filipino dish is kaldereta, and I have almost 50 Spotify playlists at the time I’m writing this.

 

I am so incredibly excited to see where this year takes us, and I am so glad to have y’all along for the ride.

 

In solidarity,

 

Michael

 

Socials: 

Instagram: @michaelvargasss

Snapchat: @michaelvargas.s

Email: political@absamahan.org

Spotify: mvargas_02