Lahaina on Our Mind

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It's Hawaii on our minds these days as we watch with horror and sadness as the devastating wildfire in Maui wiped out the historic town of Lahaina, which used to be the capital of the Kingdom of Hawaii. Our sorrow, however, can't come close to what our Toronto-based writer Odette Foronda is going through. She has a personal connection to Lahaina; it is where her Ilocano father was born. She visited some years back to research on her family history there. Odette shares with us her photos, which are now enduring visual testaments to the significance of the place to the Filipino farm workers of the early 20th century.

Another historical piece on Filipinos in Hawaii is our repost from Honolulu Civil Beat of Jessica Terrell's story about how Filipino plantation workers were wrongfully accused of being part of the insidious Ku Klux Klan in 1922. Though the accusation was completely false, its repercussion led to the demonization of the Filipino workers by Hawaiians at that time. An early instance of hate against FilAms.

When Leo Jaminola wrote a personal essay to celebrate his graduation at the University of the Philippines (UP), he didn't expect it to go viral on social media. But his story about his struggle to attain a higher education while working multiple jobs to support his family resonated with thousands who appreciated his heart-rending, thought-provoking (and hopefully action-inducing) indictment of the uneven educational opportunities in the Philippines. We're reposting the essay here because it is a must-read. We hope you share it with your networks as well.

As Barbie-mania spreads across the globe, a long-time FilAm collector of Barbie dolls allows a rare exhibit of her private collection. The exhibit, called MDCT Vault, runs for a limited time in West Hollywood. PF Corrrespondent Anthony Maddela was there to report on Mary Knight's of vintage dolls, sure to make every Barbie-loving heart a-flutter.

We're on the 50th edition of the first-of-a-kind list of remarkable, accomplished and famous FilAms and there's no end in sight. If you know anyone who deserves to be on the list, let our publisher, Mona Lisa Yuchengco, know by sending her the person's credentials. 

 

Have you or someone you know experienced an instance when you felt targeted and afraid? When and where did it happen?  How did it happen?  Do you think you were targeted because you're Asian? Tell us about it by clicking this link: actagainsthate@positivelyfilipino.com. If you feel that you are a victim of a hate crime, report it to https://stopaapihate.org/ 

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Staff

Finding Filipino

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A few months ago in San Francisco, FilAms were gifted with the unexpected sight of 15 bus shelters adorned with comics-like posters reminiscent of the art of famous artist Larry Alcala. Drawn by FilAm artist Rina Ayuyang, the poster series entitled Finding Filipino celebrates the lives, events and legacies of the city's vibrant FilAm community. San Francisco writer/multimedia artist Wilfred Galila talks to Rina about the commissioned project in "Finding Filipino in San Francisco's Bus Stops."

A magical mystery tour -- that's what Toronto-based writer/photographer Odette Foronda regales us with as she shares her pictures and stories of her one-day visit with the Tuareg tribe who lives at the edge of the Moroccan Sahara. A constant traveler, Odette has 11 books of her pictures and stories to her name.

A Filipino tenor, Arthur Espiritu, has taken the Viennese opera world by storm as he performed the title role of Verdi's Don Carlo. According to PF contributing writer Pablo A. Tariman, opening night drew standing ovations and unanimous acclaim for Espiritu by Vienna's biggest media outlets. No mean feat in a city where opera resides as part of the air the people breathe. 

Our series on Bridge Generation personalities as profiled by BG historian Peter Jamero continues, this time featuring Joey Tabaco, New York City-born and bred whose career in the US weather service involved "flying into typhoons and hurricanes all over the world."

Though the triumph was short-lived, the national joy that the Filipinas Women's Football Team brought when it scored the first-ever Filipino ball in world-stage soccer was immeasurable. Now it's time to take stock, as businessman/columnist Juan Miguel Luz writes. Lessons learned, lessons to be learned as the country builds on the World Cup experience, points to one long-hoped-for opportunity: a sports development program for Filipino youth. Surely the hundreds of billions of pesos budgeted annually for "confidential funds" for the Philippine president and vice president can spare several millions for this worthy sports project, don't you think? 

[Cook It Again] The Happy Home Cook: Vegan Filipino Spaghetti By Chef Richgail Enriquez Diez

[Video of the Week] Uncle Roger Makes Adobo

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Staff

We're With the Campaign Against Hate

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While official stats from California's Department of Justice show a decrease in hate crimes against Asian Americans, AAPI communities know better than to relax their guard. Last month alone, four incidents of assaults -- one of which resulted in the death of the victim -- happened to elderly Asians in San Francisco. See: Has Anti-Asian Hate Crime Really Decreased? By Sunita Sohrabji

How do we stem the rising tide of hate? California's Stop the Hate campaign is a statewide initiative that funds community organizations, including ethnic media, in "providing direct services to victims of hate and their families, and prevention and intervention services to tackle hate in our communities." 

Through the California State Library, the Department of Social Services and the Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs, Positively Filipino is one of the ethnic media organizations awarded a grant. For the next 12 months, this online magazine will take an active role in providing historical and current information about anti-Asian hate crimes, with particular focus on Filipino Americans.  With grant resources, readers will learn about the importance of reporting crimes, how to report crimes and what services are available to support both victims and their families. We will assist in the documentation of incidents, and disseminate strategies on prevention and de-escalation through a series of free webinars. Our Act Against Hate section in the magazine and social media will be a valuable community resource for everyone who supports the struggle against hate, racism, discrimination and violence against FilAms. 

Have you or someone you know experienced an instance when you felt targeted and afraid? When and where did it happen?  How did it happen?  Do you think you were targeted because you're Asian? Tell us about it by clicking this link: actagainsthate@positivelyfilipino.com. If you feel that you are a victim of a hate crime, report it to https://stopaapihate.org/ 

Together we can stop, prevent, document, and de-escalate ethnic tensions while making sure that we ourselves are free of anger and prejudice.

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Home caregivers or domestic workers -- those who are employed to provide home care to the sick, disabled and others who need them -- are not provided the basic health and safety protections under Cal/OSHA (California Occupational Safety and Health Act). Now, California Senate Bill 686 hopes to change the situation, but the bill requires a push by the community to enact it into law. Community activist Susan V. Tagle tells us what's at stake.

The results of the 2022 presidential elections in the Philippines was not as clear-cut as it seemed, according to a group of analysts led by General Eliseo Rio, former head of the Department of Information and Communications Technology. Inquirer columnist Randy David summarizes the questions brought forth by the inquiry.

PF Correspondent Anthony Maddela deep dives into a discussion of the mental health issues confronting Filipino Americans with author/activist Jen Soriano who just came out with a book called Nervous: Essays on Heritage and Healing. 

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Staff