LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — Music, games, and dance are plentiful at Filipino-American gatherings and an October Saturday afternoon at Paradise Park is no different as people laughed during a game of “Pabitin” – toys and prizes dangle above children who have to jump to grab a treat.

“It’s really great to have that sense of community and camaraderie and have fun,” says Elizabeth de Leon-Gamboa with the Philippine Nurses Association of Nevada. An organizer of the ‘Pinoy Piknik sa Park’ or Filipino Picnic at the Park in honor of Filipino-American History Month fun can include a dose of fitness. That includes the food: “Healthy cooking, healthy shopping; How can you make those minimal changes to cardiovascular health. That’s what we’re promoting,” says de Leon-Gamboa.

Also, the mind she says, especially after the Filipino-American community, who make up large portions of health and hospitality industries, were hit hard by COVID.

“Sometimes it’s difficult to open up because of the “hiya” or (the Tagalog word for) shame, you don’t want people to know you have depression and that kind of deters people from asking for help,” explains de Leon-Gamboa who has previously partnered with the local chapter of NAMI, National Alliance on Mental Illness.

Jacque de Joya, with the National Federation of Filipino American Associations of Nevada, offers more support: “We are here. Our presence is here,” adding the reminder that in one of Southern Nevada’s fastest-growing populations, you are not alone.