WASHINGTON, D.C. July 11, 2010 – (PinoyGlobal) Linda Mayo, is unanimously selected as one of the 2010 Twenty Outstanding Filipinos Abroad (TOFA) by the TOFA Panel Board of Judges headed by Nonoy & Aida Mendoza of the FILIPINO IMAGE MAGAZINE (FILIM) and the PINOY GLOBAL ONLINE NEWS(PGON), and the ROXANNE ANDREA MENDOZA (RAM) MEMORIAL FOUNDATION.

The TOFA project was initiated in 1990 and have been commended by the governments of the United States, Canada and the Philippines. The bio-data of the 320 Past TOFA Awardees are found in the PINOY GLOBAL ON LINE NEWS : HTTP://WWW.FILAMIMAGE.COM, a 24/7 global web site.

The CRITERIA, HISTORY and other TOFA informations are found in the popular website. A complete copy issue of FILIPINO IMAGE Magazine’s 2006, 2007 & 2008 Souvenir Journals, detailing more one hundred pages of biodata of the 2009 TOFA awardees and photographs; VIP Special Messages and including all the Congratulatory Messages and ADs, in full color, are in the website and free for all to read globally. An unprecedented feat in Filipino journalism. The 3-day 14th annual event starts on Thursday, Sept. 09, 2010 with an informal get -together for the awardees and their special guests. The following, Friday, Sept. 10th, the VIP Luncheon at JW Marriott Hotel, and at night, the fabulous welcome dinner reception at the Philippine Embassy. The following day, Saturday, Sept. 11th, a sight-seeing tour, and photo opportunity around the Nations’ Capital, capped with a memorable VIP Dim Sum Luncheon. At night, Saturday, Sept. 11, 2010, is a formal gala Banquet and Ball Award Ceremony.

After the gala is the traditional Filipino breakfast which will end the whirlwind social functions. Linda Mayo is the founder and Executive Director of Pan American Concerned Citizens Action League, Inc., a nonprofit 501 (c3) organization serving the health and human service needs of the Filipinos and other Asians in Hudson County. Ms. Mayo has 23 years of experience in grassroots community organizing. In 1986, she organized the International Montgomery Gateway West Neighborhood Association (IMGWA) consisting of a majority of Filipinos, Asian Indians, Pakistanis, Koreans, Chinese and for added measure some Irish, Italians, African Americans and Hispanics. This new community development in downtown Jersey City at that time was being plagued by robberies, house break-ins and muggings. After Ms. Mayo organized the community, it soon became one of the safest neighborhoods in Jersey City as evidenced by Police records. She then moved to become the president of the Downtown Coalition of Neighborhood Associations which consisted of Van Vorst Park, Harsimus Cove, Hamilton Park, Paulus Hook and IMGWA which actively advocated for various issues affecting the neighborhood.

Ms. Mayo’s focus and years of dedication in community organizing did not go unnoticed. In 1992, Governor Jim Florio appointed her as the Filipino representative to the Governor’s Ethnic Advisory Council. From there, Ms. Mayo advocated for Filipinos and other Asian’s government participation like the appointment of the first Filipino member of the New Jersey State Board of Nursing and appointments of Filipinos to various boards and commissions in Jersey City.