‘Always with the people’

West Kildonan

Garden City

Levy Abad wept upon the sight of his fellow Filipinos in Leamington, Ont., back in 2007, where 16 to 24 tomato farmers were living in a small house. The workers couldn’t speak up for their rights and were earning three to four dollars a day.

At that moment, Abad empathized towards the plight of his countrymen. It’s one of the realities he wants people to be aware of.

“You can only write songs and articles for people to get conscientized and help address the issues,” said Abad

The 59-year-old has released four albums, two books, and poems about immigration, labour issues, and other social injustice issues in Canada.

When asked about where all this drive comes from, he said it’s out of compassion and concern towards the community. He advocates for rights, fair wages and permanent status of migrant workers

Being an activist is not new to Abad. He grew up with a mother who was an activist and a father who, as a doctor, advocated for the poor patients he treated.

“Always with the people, for the people,” Abad said.

In his free time, Abad slows down from the daily demands of life. He sits down in Garden City’s food court to listen elders’ stories within the Filipino community — it’s where he usually collects inspiration for his work, and where real stories live, he said.

“They open up because you immerse, hangout, and listen,” Abad said.

Abad arrived in Canada in 2006 already carrying the values of compassion and service to people which were instilled by his parents. He later joined Migrante Canada, a migrant’s rights advocacy organization, where he became an officer. There, he noticed how information about immigrant struggles was “scattered and disorganized” as he puts it.

He felt a sense of duty to do something about it.

That led him to write two books — Rhythms & Resistance, and Giving Back Paying Forward: Filipino Labour Leaders of Winnipeg — documenting the early Filipino labour union leaders and musicians who helped the Filipino community.

Since arriving in Canada, Abad has witnessed change happen and issues get resolved faster. It’s something he doesn’t take for granted. With that, he continues to serve his community — playing songs through events by local Filipino organizations like the Filipino Music & Arts Association of Canada, and writing as a volunteer columnist for Pilipino Express.

“I may not become famous, but I’m happy whenever I help our people,” said Abad. “As long as we are helping.”

Recently in June, Migrante Manitoba invited him to speak at the 12th annual conference of the Canadian Association for Work and Labour Studies (CAWLS) at the University of Manitoba, where he presented his research on Filipino labour leaders.

Down the road, he said he plans to do more research, and write more books and poems.