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Dolores Sibonga's dedication earns her an award.
by Dean Wong
EXAMINER STAFF
The Asian Pacific American community must work even harder while being stronger and more unified during a time of welfare and immigration cutbacks, says Dolores Sibonga, former Seattle City Council Member and one of four winners of the International Examiner's Community Voice Awards for 1996.
Sibonga says it's wonderful sharing the recognition with the other recipients: Lua Pritchard, Rachel Hidaka and Glenn Chinn. The award is more meaningful because it comes from the people who know you, the community.
Sibonga grew up in the International District. She attended Bailey Gatzert Elementary School, where she served her first elected position as president of the Good American Citizen Club.
"It was my first public office," Sibonga recalled. "It was about taking responsibility for your actions." The experience included a lot of meetings and some marching to the sound of patriotic music.
She credits Victor Velasco, former editor and publisher of the Filipino Forum newspaper, as an early role model. He convinced Sibonga to enter the University of Washington (UW) journalism program. "He was one of the most influential people in the community," she said.
The journalism department's entrance requirements and the stiff competition made it difficult to be accepted into the program. Sibonga made it and became one of the first Filipino Americans to graduate from the university in journalism.
In 1969, Sibonga and her husband, Martin, who studied radio and television at the...