VIA Times Filipino American Lifestyle and Culture in the Greater Chicago Area
Dr. Leo Solito is the current President of Barangay Club of Indiana. The Barangay Club of Indiana is a nonprofit Filipino-American organization established in 1971 by pioneering Filipinos in Indiana to promote and preserve the Filipino heritage through social and civic activities in the Hoosier state. By holding various events throughout the year it aims to foster fellowship among fellow Hoosiers and kababayans and to raise funds to support other initiatives such as educational scholarships, calamity victims or abandoned elderlies in the Philippines. Leo’s foray into the local Filipino community socio-politics came almost by accident. Like any Filipino immigrant, he gravitated to the Filipino community to placate his longing for the old country after moving to the Hoosier state in 1999. The Barangay did not disappoint. It has been a village away from home. Leo has been supportive of various activities of the Filipino community. He and his wife, Ninna, served as Hermano and Hermana of the Habitat for Humanity Filipino chapter in Indy. During the early years, he was content to just attend events until in 2011 when by sheer coincidence he was appointed assistant business manager. Although his experience as officer has been relatively short, this was nonetheless significant to endear the group to him. He was elected president of the organization in the fall of that year in a very spirited election. As president, his desire is to bring the organization back to the spirit of its name. He envisions BCI as a village away from home. He would like to grow a BCI connected to its past but actively looking to the future. A group proud of its Filipino heritage that is fully engaged in the life of the community with members united and ready to pitch in for a worthy cause. Currently the group is busily preparing for the Philippine Festival in June. This is just the second year the festival is being held in Indianapolis; an ambitious project for a state not known for a heavy Filipino population. Dr. Solito is a geriatrician (care of the elderly). He has been practicing in the Indianapolis area since 1999. He earned his undergraduate and medical degrees from De La Salle University in the Philippines. After graduation, he did his internal medicine residency training at New York Downtown Hospital an affiliate of Weill Cornell Medical College. His interest in geriatrics developed during his work with the elderly in the south side of Indianapolis. In 2004, he decided to pursue his passion for the care of the older person. Following his fellowship training at Wishard Hospital, he stayed on as geriatrics faculty at Indiana University School of Medicine. Presently, he is a geriatrics hospitalist and faculty at St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis. Leo is an advocate for collaboration and coalition building. This developed from his geriatrics background, which strongly values an interdisciplinary approach to patient care. As a geriatrician, he has served as medical director of nursing homes, home health and hospice agencies. Leo was born and raised in the Philippines. He is married to Ninna, a physiatrist (doctor of physical medicine and rehabilitation) at the Rehabilitation Hospital of Indiana. Leo and Ninna moved to Indianapolis in 1999 after their medical training in NY/NJ and NC. They have 5 children. Joshuah, the eldest, is a freshman at Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School. Jared, Joseph, Jakob and Mira attend St. Luke Catholic School. All 5 children have been dancing with the Barangay Children’s Dance Group since they were little.
