Recap: Fely Garcia's Wake
FiRE Statement
The women of FiRE would like to express our sincere condolences to Garry, Gliff , and to the rest of Ate Fely Garcia’s family.
FiRE is honored to have contributed to the campaign by helping to provide press statements and other additional support during the process of the campaign.
Kahit hindi namin nakilala, nakasama, o nakausap si Ate Fely naiintindihan namin ang pagpunta niya dito, ang pag sakripicio para sa pamilya.
We are fortunate enough to be a part of a community that supports and protects, without a doubt, her rights and the rights of Filipinos here and abroad. It is within our community that we have our strength in solidarity, and with our solidarity, we will continue to fight against the injustices that Fely faced as well as for our sisters and brothers who come to live the American Dream. Let us not say goodbye to Ate Fely as a fallen sister; she is instead out inspiration for a brighter, more dignified future for those home in the Philippines, for those here now, and for those to come.
On Sunday April 29th, 2007 the Filipino American community of NYC/NJ came together to bid farewell to Felisa “Fely” Garcia, a domestic worker who was found dead in her apartment in the Bronx on March 14th. The organizers of the wake, Kabalikat Domestic Workers Support Network, worked to convey the messages of sorrow, hope, and the need for justice in the community.
The community wake took place at the Greenwich Village where over 200 people came to pay their respects. Two of her five children, Garry and Gliff, came from the Philippines to collect the remains of their mother.
Garry, Fely’s eldest son shared a few words about his family and his mother, noting that his mother came from humble beginnings and was a teacher in the Philippines. He expressed a deep gratitude for the work done to help his mother’s case and for facilitating he and his brother’s arrival to claim their mother’s remains.
The public outpour of support produced a gathering of some of Ate Fely’s friends and family, as well as community organizations such as FiRE, Lakas Diwa, AnakBayan NY/NJ, Philippine Forum, Kinding Sindaw, and BAYAN Philippines offered statements, songs, and poems.
