His mother comforted him and vowed she would never let "another child of mine suffer that humiliation," says Vilma Jose. She quickly contacted the school and offered to serve as a speaker representing the Philippines, eventually making the rounds through local elementary, middle and high schools.

"I wanted to educate people that, though we are different, we are all brothers and sisters," she says. "They can learn that at home, but when they see a real person from a different country, they understand more."

To this day, with her son now grown, she still speaks at local schools whenever invited, advocating for openness and acceptance.

That desire to bridge cultural gaps led Jose to become involved in Fayetteville's Phil-Am Club, which welcomes and supports community members from the Philippines and helps preserve the heritage, and to assume a leadership role in the town's annual International Folk Festival.

For almost 15 years, Jose has coordinated the Parade of Nations for the Fayetteville International Folk Festival, wearing proudly her Philippine heritage, yet embracing the diversity of her new home, a melting pot of dozens of ethnicities.

Jose works with the parade participants, providing fundraising advice and tips on how best to showcase their country, work she admits can press the limits of cultural understanding. "Different countries have different ways," she says. "Despite all of that, when you see them all walking with a smile, and all so proud of their country, that makes me feel so good inside."

Vilma Jose also can be seen in "North Carolina Giving: Philanthropy Across Cultures & Communities," a new documentary project from NCGives. Learn more at www.ncgives.org/documentaries.

The above story is excerpted from the Philanthropy Journal’s Giving and Community page, sponsored by NCGives. Read the full article here.