Armael Bulawin Malinis

Program Specialist | Funding team

Armael is a long-time, passionate youth development worker and community organizer for over two decades in the San Francisco Bay Area. He’s worked with and alongside at-risk youth and families in East Oakland, Richmond, and the Excelsior Neighborhood in San Francisco. He’s advocated and organized alongside youth to fight for educational justice, ethnic studies in public schools and has participated in countless campaigns in support of youth and families. Armael has also worked as a school and county social worker helping children, youth, and their families navigate the system to access basic needs. In his spare time, he loves being a papa, as well as playing and listening to music. Born in the Philippines, by way of Vallejo and Oakland, Armael has a deep love for the Bay Area and an even deeper love to serve others.

What inspires you to do this work?

What inspires me to do this work is looking back at my working class immigrant family’s journey in trying to survive this system. We had to lean on family and community to get through the beautiful struggle. It inspires me when children, youth and families feel empowered to spark change and give back to the communities they come from.

DCYF’s tagline is “Making San Francisco a Great Place to Grow Up.” Do you believe this? Tell us why.

San Francisco is a great place to live because of the abundance of diversity, culture and creativity. From the I-Hotel struggle on Kearny Street, to the ethnic studies strike at San Francisco State University—I love the rich history of struggle for working class families who strive for dignity and respect.

Is there a song or anthem that inspires your grind and motivates you to serve our communities?

“Living for the City” by Stevie Wonder.