What is it about?

Sadya (sad-YAH, Ilonggo, Cebuano: happy ; sad-YA^, Tagalog: intentional) is a once a month “happily intentional” Filipino conversation practice which aims to be organized from an anti-racist and anti-oppressive, feminist, queer, healing-centred engagement, and decolonization lens. By using the word sadya and the different meanings of the word across Philippine languages, this choice positions the inclusive and contested nationalisms approach of this conversation circle.

Theme: Hymns/Songs of Freedom

Meet your facilitators

Dion Flores is a musician, educator, and active advocate for decolonization and social justice based out of Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario. He is currently pursuing his doctoral studies in community music where his research focuses on studying Filipino-Canadian musical life and how addressing critical issues faced by the Filipino-Canadian community of KW and beyond can inform strategies and practices for decolonization and (re)indigenization of the Filipino diaspora while combating racial injustice in the broader society.

Dion founded the Kitchener-Waterloo Centre for Filipino-Canadian Music, Language, and Culture, also known as KW Sentro in 2023, and currently serves as the Executive and Artistic Director of the organization. As an Ontario Certified Teacher (OCT), Dion has taught K-8 elementary music, piano and voice in private studios, and currently works as a consultant for the Bahandi Singers (GTA), Musika Children’s Chorus (Mississauga) and is in partnership with the Grand Philharmonic Children’s Choir (Kitchener) and the Toronto Catholic District School Board (Scarborough).