Bullseye on our Backs?

Where are our martial arts warriors when we need them?

I heard someone ask this question when the video of a 65-year old Filipino woman being assaulted last week in New York's Times Square in broad daylight became viral. Sure, it's a stereotype and a myth that Asians are Bruce Lees  but with the almost daily stream of verbal and physical assaults on Asian Americans, can't we call on our ninja warriors for protection? Or at the very least, assistance? The video of Vilma Kari didn't show anyone coming to her aid; in fact, security guards at the building closed the doors on her (they've been fired). It was only a few days later that Vilma's daughter posted that a person across the street "yelled and screamed to get the assailant's attention" thereby disrupting the vicious attack. No one else helped; NYPD didn't even get a 911 call.

Few of us can be as badass as the Chinese lola Xiao Zhen Xie in San Francisco who fought back. Or as lucky, since there was a wooden board handy that she picked up to whack her assailant with which landed him, not her, in the hospital. 

It's gratifying to know that Asian American groups, including the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA, see Partner post below), are calling for the consolidation of efforts to address this issue of hate crimes against Asians. Doubly gratifying that the Biden administration has our backs, rhetorically and policy-wise.

In the real world however, we continue to be vulnerable. I was in New York last week at the time of Vilma Kari's assault and I admit that the very normal NYC activity of taking a walk felt like there was a bullseye on my back. This is no way to live.

What can we do to protect ourselves while we wait for all the organizing and the concerted efforts to take effect?

Our Stories This Week

Fil-Ams Among The Remarkable And Famous, Part 17 By Mona Lisa Yuchengco

A Child Forever By Rey E. de la Cruz

‘Stand The F**K Up’ By Corin Ramos

[Partner] NaFFAA To Develop Hate Crimes Task Force In Response To Anti-Asian Attacks

Read Again: In The Heat Of The Night: The Exeter And Watsonville Riots 1929-1930 By Alex S. Fabros, Jr.

The Happy Home Cook: Gising Gising (Seafood Extreme)

[Video of the Week] World War II in the Philippines, the Forgotten War

In The Know

Filipina mom grateful for extraordinary act of kindness in small-town Alberta
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/filipinos-rural-alberta-1.5965398?cmp=rss&fbclid=IwAR2P9YD4Bul5zBjhzK-yCprbMQsE28LcaYhgVy9q1xvZPzB_dHufzQ9Uh7s

The Best Books About Asian American Identity, According to Experts
https://nymag.com/strategist/amp/article/best-books-about-asian-american-identity.html?__twitter_impression=true&s=04&fbclid=IwAR0Lj1NvHcNu1LuOhYHYPcSQzvT_dn3OrnwfB_0QMKoTNGv-1lfktOSt2X0

Gliceria Marella-Villavicencio: A revolutionary figure you’ve probably never heard of
https://nolisoli.ph/66528/gliceria-marella-villavicencio-csanjose-20190826/?fbclid=IwAR14fApK1p2eI_s_tclC4DJIOqVufT93iJXhYpl5qnqWTQYxSyZALx5UxFE

Meet the hidden Filipino treasure that is dulce prenda
https://www.sbs.com.au/food/article/2021/03/17/meet-hidden-filipino-treasure-dulce-prenda?fbclid=IwAR3Tdbuo7lsCzrGJGsEe1fmFKF2wZ4ywaiHHpSJ4cgYBsnuLf9teCDJmlWc

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A Life in Film

Some of the best Filipino movies were created in the mid-1970s to the mid-80s when the likes of Lino Brocka, Ismael Bernal, Mike de Leon, Marilou Diaz-Abaya, Peque Gallaga, Eddie Romero and Lupita Kashiwahara  dominated the directorial scene. 

Not surprisingly, the period also brought about the elevation of production design as an award category, in recognition of its role in setting the overall look and feel of a movie. Setting the gold standard for production design was Fiel Zabat, who worked on some of that era's most critically acclaimed films and won many awards for her work. 

The Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino recently awarded Fiel with the Natatanging Gawad Urian, the lifetime achievement honor, for her body of work. Manunuri stalwart Butch Francisco writes an extensive feature on Fiel's filmography and dishes out some juicy behind-the-scenes stories of the making of a number of Filipino film classics. ["Fiel Zabat: A Film Production Designer’s Production Designer"]

Meanwhile, the world is hopefully in the homestretch of the war against the Covid-19 virus and contributing writer Susan Araneta sums up the large role of Filipino health workers in various countries who were the frontliners in this, the most severe public health challenge of the century. ["A Virus Among Us: Filipinos and COVID-19"]

In Hawaii where many Fil-Ams won elective positions in the state legislature, long-time Honolulu resident and professor Belinda Aquino writes about the distinguished career Senator Donna Mercado Kim. ["State Sen. Donna Mercado Kim: A Household Name in Hawaii"]

The Happy Home Cook: Beer-Braised Pork chop from Rene Astudillo

Video of the Week: U.P. Concert Chorus sings “Simbanggabi”

In The Know

Jollibee Crew Emerged as Civil Engineering Topnotcher
https://gineersnow.com/engineering/civil/jollibee-crew-civil-engineering-topnotcher?fbclid=IwAR1nfMVZ_HLD4dV24nWfJNnI6aeX3C8wsE4WlFP5aN3YYtIPsrpVIoL585M

The first Filipino movie star in Hollywood is a woman
https://news.abs-cbn.com/ancx/culture/spotlight/11/25/19/the-first-filipino-movie-star-in-hollywood-is-a-woman?fbclid=IwAR2C17OlTCi_65wDBgUHDfu1Y_nmeHiW_l39KID5hFRXOFKjSfLjr2vGjw4

Exclusive: Wesley So in the eyes of Lotis Key
https://news.abs-cbn.com/ancx/drive/sports/12/09/20/wesley-so-in-the-eyes-of-lotis-key?fbclid=IwAR13BiP-1-J-oZDAmC8yQVA15mHd6La_tkU2mrd9zVs_-pFH-aogSi8xjK8 

These Prehistoric Plants in the Philippines Are Older Than Dinosaurs
https://www.esquiremag.ph/long-reads/features/cycads-ancient-line-of-seed-plants-grow-in-masungi-georeserve-a833-sa00171-20200709-src-spot?utm_source=Facebook-Esquire&utm_medium=Ownshare&utm_campaign=20201206-fbnp-long-reads-cycads-ancient-line-of-seed-plants-grow-in-masungi-georeserve-a833-sa00171-20200709-src-spot-fbold&fbclid=IwAR0gzMw2-ALO1DXEpslZ6PKXSAAmm4DvvEvlQAaeuPCuYfzmy_cWOwSAruY

Marawi Before the Siege: A photo essay by Bobby Timonera, Mindanews
http://marawi-narratives.ateneo.edu/marawi-before-the-siege/?fbclid=IwAR0bMZkJFNF8JqlR1E9cqUMdxp6G6RMcwWMpNfoIFDuawN2nItNv2WnqwA8

Everything You Need to Know about Filipino Food: The Next Great American Cuisine
https://www.themanual.com/food-and-drink/filipino-food-guide/?fbclid=IwAR3xaGNcIzmL7cmbSbZ2iHSCrReJB9OKRythCa7qiyQPn0dsWT0Sc363mcA 

Introducing Isabel Sandoval: The ‘Lingua Franca’ filmmaker on her indie drama
https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2020-09-07/lingua-franca-director-star-isabel-sandoval?fbclid=IwAR2Ss4ZDR6LnBlTARyAdlCOtEUyLt9O-5QR41dBIOa7jUALJI6tldzjILjk

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Old Soldiers' Bittersweet Celebration

Veterans Day (last Monday) in the US is a bittersweet event for Filipino veterans of WWII. While they share in the celebration, they are also reminded of the unjust Rescission Act of 1946 which stripped them of the post-war benefits promised them by the US government for fighting alongside US forces. In time for this year's commemoration, the Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project (FilVetREP) released a brief documentary, "Duty to Country -- Remembering Our Veterans and Families" as the first phase of their education efforts to tell the story of Filipino WWII veterans. Watch the video on their site and share it with everyone you know. 

Another film that's making waves is "The Kingmaker," a full-length documentary by Lauren Greenfield on Imelda Marcos, whose legendary and continuing outrageousness is on full display. Author/publisher and regular PF contributor Cecilia Manguerra Brainard writes the review. ("The Kingmaker' Shows the Fragility of Democracy")

A Finn who teaches Filipino? Meet novelist/teacher Riitta Vartti who does that and more: not only does she speak Filipino fluently and teaches the language to Finns, she has also put together a Finnish-Filipino/Tagalog-Finnish dictionary. Chicagoland-based contributor Christian Gabriel Pareja writes the profile. ("A Finn Who Teaches Filipino")

For those cold nights, here's a perfect comfort food: Creamy Beef Macaroni Soup by Rene Astudillo.

Our In The Know links this week:

The new US Chess Champion is now ranked no. 2 in the world and opponents fear he’s still getting better.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/the-new-us-chess-champion-is-now-ranked-no-2-in-the-world-and-opponents-fear-hes-still-getting-better/2017/06/05/640f4c6a-49fd-11e7-a186-60c031eab644_story.html?fbclid=IwAR00lS3p8LaunbW70A2zdeQdUXYNcQWNbOh3pRx_lEu45dw-j61jOtf2t74#comments

A Silicon Valley Venture Capitalist (VC) and his 5 advices for Start-ups
https://jqnomics.com/2461/a-silicon-valley-venture-capitalist-vc-and-his-5-advices-for-start-ups/?fbclid=IwAR1jbGdJfnDDGKK-B-HN3ssWcFCaGIZZCLuwIE0GAoq94uZtQnGBm_Cdyec

Seattle’s keeper of Filipino American history is an 87-year-old volunteer, and replacing her may prove difficult
https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/seattles-keeper-of-filipino-american-history-is-an-87-year-old-volunteer-and-replacing-her-may-prove-difficult/?fbclid=IwAR115Jfd_OkuYkUp7Ns4LlXHWr6NnOctwVTjTaoLLrh3VGapbuclnUWn7ic

#MakingFilipinxAmericanHistory: 14 Filipinas in Tech
https://medium.com/women-of-silicon-valley/makingfilipinxamericanhistory-13-filipinas-in-tech-58bcd8ed9fd9

For video of the week, Youtube’s Top10 World channel lists the top 10 most beautiful cities in the Philippines.