A Season of Hate

The escalating number of violent assaults against Asians in America seems to have reached its apex with the mass murder in Atlanta of eight people, six of whom were Asian American women. While most of the world is enraged both by the act itself and the deliberate statement by one of Atlanta's police saying the gunman was "just having a bad day," there is no reason to think that we have seen the end to this "season of hate."

Positively Filipino condemns in unequivocal terms all manifestations of hate against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) which includes our Filipino American communities nationwide. 

We stand solidly alongside not just our AAPI brothers and sisters but with all communities of color who find themselves at the receiving end of unchecked mental health issues rooted in white supremacist insanity and who are now united in seeing to it that all racist violence must stop.

Likewise, we stand staunchly with women victims of sexism and misogyny, who are fighting for gender justice and equality.

Racism and sexism are twin scourges that are deeply rooted in American society, but history has also shown that they are not the formidable forces that they are believed to be. 

Evil thrives when there is no effective force to counter it. And that force is a united front consisting of individuals forming communities, and communities working together as allies.                

Each one of us can do our part. Trite as it may sound, it's true that we are all in this fight together and it is only by working together that we will win.

On a happier note, our webinar last Monday with five dynamic "Filipino Women Warriors in the Pandemic Front Line," was a big hit. Here's the recording, in case you missed it. http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/webinar-video-filipina-power-warriors-in-the-pandemic-front-line

Our Stories This Week

What Do You Call A Calendar Full Of ‘Bad Days’? By Constante G. Quirino

Little Manila’s Big Triumphs By James Sobredo

Fil-Ams Among The Remarkable And Famous, Part 16 By Mona Lisa Yuchengco

By The Power Of Speech Alone By Maia Boncan

Eat It Again: The Happy Home Cook: Buko Fruit Salad 

Video of the Week: Comfort Women in WWII

In The Know

Newsom appoints Rob Bonta, Oakland assemblyman, as state attorney general
https://www.mercurynews.com/2021/03/24/newsom-appoints-rob-bonta-oakland-assemblyman-as-state-attorney-general/

The long, ugly history of anti-Asian racism and violence in the U.S.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2021/03/18/history-anti-asian-violence-racism/?fbclid=IwAR08hj3eRS5qHB_YjdlxnLc6SprLLgrrgVOknFmkcqJTVGRKF6A7-staSBk

7 Filipinas in History I wished I learned about in school
https://www.shopcambio.co/blogs/news/7-filipinas-in-history-i-wish-i-learned-about-in-school?fbclid=IwAR3k8GnqzHJo0bcv8G1slujQnwrpNzS_w4hei1nVEyfV7kySHK26tkK_eOU

Sharpshooters and spies: The unsung Filipina heroes of war
https://nolisoli.ph/95021/filipina-heroes-women-in-war-ayuvallos-20210309/?fbclid=IwAR0eXY4h7AoMuNV5iVo9Id1heGvUvsJ-BgU6QUY-A65SvI77NeDoYDtXTRo

Womanhood: A gift during the pandemic
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1404146/womanhood-a-gift-during-the-pandemic?fbclid=IwAR2P4kH2F_iTcLxfBnaGWs3z0-I-jpyhZdXDHogJfVkJd40izj-Um22eGlA 

As an Asian-American, I'm Giving Myself Permission to Speak Up
https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/asian-american-im-giving-myself-211623395.html?soc_src=social-sh&soc_trk=ma


Food and Heroes

In a small coastal town named Borgarnes (pop. 1,500) in Iceland, a Filipino restaurant, Matstofan, has been serving Filipino food with Icelandic touches  for over two decades. First-time PF contributor Jennifer Fergesen took a bus from Reykjavik, Iceland's capital 70 km away, to see how Cora Villanueva Grönfeldt runs her restaurant, which has the distinction of being the northernmost Filipino restaurant in the world.

From Matstofan comes our Happy Home Cook recipe of the week, Rhubarb Sinigang, definitely a touch of the unique.

Aspiring young writers, some barely in their teens, in Manila can now get valuable writing inspiration and lessons from Write Things, formerly known as Where the Write Things Are, ran by the children of journalist/author Neni Sta. Romana Cruz. Roel, her son, writes about their vision of creating a writing community of young Filipinos.

We can't let go of the month of August without reminders of the heroes of our past. Read Again:

"Andres Bonifacio, the Other National Hero," by Dr. Penelope V. Flores. On August 23, 1896, Bonifacio led the historic revolutionary moment immortalized as the Cry of Balintawak. 

President Manuel L. Quezon, born August 19, 1878, is remembered for many things, one of them an unparalleled humanitarian act not commonly known. We share historian Ambeth R. Ocampo's story on how "Quezon Saved Jews from the Holocaust." 

And more good reading you might have missed from other publications: 

Activist priest recounts 'close call' with death squad
https://www.rappler.com/nation/210477-amado-picardal-priest-threats-davao-death-squad

The people left behind by Philippines' brutal war on drugs - photo essay
https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2018/aug/14/death-drugs-duterte-philippines-poor-bear-brunt-of-narco-crackdown

Fil-Am author Erin Entrada Kelly on bullying, hope, and her new Filipino folklore-inspired book
http://cnnphilippines.com/life/culture/literature/2018/08/24/erin-entrada-kelly-interview.html

Watch: How Chicken Adobo Unites the 7,000+ Philippine Islands
https://www.eater.com/2018/8/22/17769936/best-chicken-adobo-nyc-filipino-food-video

and for Video of the Week we feature Norman King,the first aeta to graduate from the University of Philippines.

Gemma Nemenzo

Editor, Positively Filipino

Citizen Mike and Other Artists

"Citizen Jake," the comeback movie of director Mike de Leon, starts its commercial run in Manila today, and those of us abroad can only hope that it will likewise show in our neck of the woods. The famously reclusive director jokes that this movie could be his swan song. Veteran journalist Sylvia L. Mayuga, an avid Mike de Leon watcher, says it more profoundly in her review.  It is also "his strongest challenge yet to the society he has surprised and challenged throughout his career."  Let's hope “Citizen Jake” will have an international showing. 

Washington D.C.-based contributor Titchie Carandang-Tiongson writes a review of Hello Universe, the children's book that won for its Fil-Am author, Erin Entrada Kelly, the coveted Newbery Medal (for outstandng children's literature) for 2018. 

PF Correspondent Anthony Maddela profiles freelance art director and concept artist Jacqueline "Jax" Jocson who he describes as "The Dragon Lady of Game Development."

Here are the In The Know links for this week:

8 of the Leading Filipino Scientists Who Make Us Proud
https://www.rappler.com/science-nature/society-culture/202367-leading-filipino-scientists-list?utm_source=The+Daily+wRap&utm_campaign=d328c3be85-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_05_15&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_b3868977d4-d328c3be85-95400069&mc_cid=d328c3be85&mc_eid=0c0639d4af

She’ll Play the Jewish Mother, and Wants Other Asian-Americans to Get the Best Parts, Too
https://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/06/28/theater/an-asian-american-theater-company-cuts-a-fresh-casting-trail.html

Britain’s Best Home Cook: Meet Josie, the Glasgow girl flying the flag for Scotland
http://www.heraldscotland.com/ news/homenews/16193010.___I_ho pe_Glasgow___s_proud_of_me____ _Meet_the_Dennistoun_girl_flyi ng_the_flag_for_Scotland_on_ BBC___s_new_cooking_series/

A Workplace Potluck Filled With Filipino Food And Memories
https://www.npr.org/sections/ thesalt/2018/05/04/601837774/ a-workplace-potluck-filled- with-filipino-food-and- memories

For Video of the Week, we look back at the Biography's 2001 episode on Imelda Marcos.

And for the Happy Home Cook, Adobong Baka from Kulinarya.

Gemma Nemenzo

Editor, Positively Filipino