The Many Faces of the Fil-Am

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Our stories for this second issue of Filipino American History Month (FAHM) 2024 reflect the many facets of being Fil-Am in this day and age. Our four million-strong community in the US has gone beyond its farmworker beginnings and expanded into a variety of professions, affiliations and locations.

But of course, no matter how far we've evolved, we begin a FAHM issue with our manongs, they who sowed this American earth so we can strive and thrive. PF contributor Alex S. Fabros, Jr., whose biography can fill several volumes, regales us with stories from his young life among the manongs of California's Salinas Valley. These are stories told orally, although Fabros, the historian, meticulously checked newspaper sources to confirm some of the incidents he writes about. "The Ilocano Gang of Salinas Valley" is a rare and valuable attestation to the hard but also fun-filled lives in California farms in the mid-20th century.

Fil-Ams have accomplished much in various fields previously unknown or unreachable to our manongs. Later this week, the Philippine Development Foundation (Phildev) will honor some to them, and we feature them here.

In this crazy election season, Fil-Ams are participating in record numbers. But one Filipino Republican pauses to reflect on his disappointments and dilemma. 

Fil-Ams are now all over the US, not just on the West Coast, and so, some of them have not been spared nature's wrath. The poet Tony Robles who moved from California to North Carolina years ago writes about how the recent Typhoon Helene has devastated his home and family. Read his lyrical account here.

And finally, a young Fil-Am megawatt celebrity visited and performed in her grandparents' homeland and wowed the country with her generosity. Read the story in our In The Know section below of Olivia Rodrigo's love gift.

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We can't help but repost this heartwarming Facebook post of Kalookan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David when he first heard that Pope Francis announced him as the newest Cardinal-designate of the Philippines. Get to know Bishop Ambo as he is fondly called in our In The Know section below.  

FROM A WHIRLWIND TO A SOFT BREEZE 

Cardinal-designate Pablo Virgilio David

I was enjoying a quiet Sunday morning at the Collegio Filippino after a heavy Synod schedule. I slept a bit longer because my Sunday Mass was not going to be until 4pm at the Chaplaincy for Filipino Migrants in Rome. For the first time in many days I had 8 full hours of sleep. After my late “Coffee with Jesus” my phone started ringing. I ignored it because I was also preparing my Sunday homily for my 4 pm Mass at the Sta Pudenziana Church. Besides, the call registered as an international call so I restrained myself from answering it because I’m using a Philippine SIM card and the call would have had to pass through the Philippines and would have been very expensive. Haha, now I realize it must have been someone from the Vatican trying to reach me to inform me about the announcement that was going to be made by the Pope at 12 noon after the Angelus.

Later at noon, the procurator at the Collegio sent me a congratulatory message on WhatsApp. I texted back and said, “For what?” He texted again and said, “Na-announce po na Cardinal kayo.” I texted back and said: “Joke?!” That’s when he called me up to say it could not be a joke because the Pope himself had announced it after the 12noon Angelus. And he sent me the video cut-out from the newsfeed of Vatican news. Then i began to receive a deluge of messages. It felt like being caught in a whirlwind. I put down the phone and did a five minute breathing exercise, which instantly calmed me down. Now it felt like Elijah standing by the mouth of a cave and feeling a soft breeze that penetrated my soul and prepared me for this new chapter of my life and ministry as a bishop, as a servant of God’s people. I said, “Ok, Lord. My life is in your hands.”

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Staff

Our Time in America

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We begin this year's Filipino American History Month (FAHM) our usual way: by posting an updated FilAm History Timeline. This 2024 edition has new entries (in red). Our timeline is the most comprehensive there is. If you're a student, an academic, a researcher or a writer, make sure you save a copy. It's a valuable reference that chronicles the Filipino presence in US shores.

"Lola's Spaghetti," "Ulam" and "Dreamweavers" -- these are the three short films by FilAms that reached the finals of the Asian American Film Lab's 72-Hour Shootout, an intense competition that gave aspiring filmmakers a mere three days to write, shoot and edit a film for submission. From New York City, Elaine Joy Edaya Degale writes about this August event where she won as best screenwriter for "Dreamweavers."

In his recent exhibit called "Pinoy Traits" at the Pinto Art Museum in Antipolo, the social realist painter Melvyn Culaba adds a touch of humor and lightness to this batch of paintings, "without sacrificing the seriousness of their message," his words. We repost here the story of his exhibit written by S.C. Fojas of the Manila Bulletin. 

Through our eleven years of posting stories about the Filipino diaspora, we've had some very interesting articles that we know you would like to read again. Below are three of them. 

Our Video of the Week is a video documentary on the Battle at Leyte Gulf: October 23- 26, 1944 -- still the largest naval engagement in the history of the world. 

Read Again:

Where Exactly Did ‘Filipinos’ First Land in California?

Forget Them Not

Murder Most Foul

In The Know

Philippines says to evacuate thousands from Lebanon if Israel invades
https://www.arabnews.pk/node/2572957/world?

Maj. Floren P. Herrera ’13 Selected for 2024 Nininger Award
https://www.westpointaog.org/news/maj-floren-p-herrera-13-selected-for-2024-nininger-award/

AANHPI civic engagement increases as hate crimes persist
https://asamnews.com/2024/09/25/asian-american-native-hawaiian-pacific-islander-hate-crimes-report-civic-political-engagement/

AANHPI face rising safety concerns amid surge in hate crimes
https://asamnews.com/2024/09/28/aanhpi-face-rising-safety-concerns-amid-surge-in-hate-crimes/ 

Kamala Harris ad targets Fil Am voters in Nevada
https://asamnews.com/2024/09/27/nevada-swing-state-6-electoral-votes-fil-ams-could-sway-election/

Tyketto vocalist comes to defense of Journey’s Arnel Pineda
https://asamnews.com/2024/09/27/rock-legend-dont-stop-believin-performance-panned/

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Staff

Positively Against Anti-Asian Hate

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This issue marks the end of Positively Filipino's year-long grant from the State of California, through the California State Library, to participate in the efforts to inform and educate our communities, and help prevent anti-Asian Hate crimes. 

This grant year has been instructional for us, the PF staff, our contributing writers and our readers. The focus on the many facets of hate crimes and how they plague and traumatize not just individual victims but entire communities have been illuminating, at times, even frightening. PF has posted original stories, sponsored webinars (two of which are posted here), and collated articles from various publications (our Hate Watch weekly list) about anti-Asian Hate. We have also sponsored three self-defense workshops (IMPACT) for seniors and youth in San Francisco's South of Market district, Daly City and Union City. 

Our penultimate activity was "A Tribute to Our Manongs and Manangs," our community elders/heroes who lived through decades of racism and hate, and emerged triumphant in their respective careers. The inspirational event held in San Francisco was both a celebration of resiliency and a teaching moment for the next generation of FilAms. 

We thank those who have helped us fulfill the requirements of the grant: Gail Kong, our consultant, who guided us in navigating the grant process; Titchie Carandang, who handled our social media presence; our writers, notably Anthony Maddela who wrote many of our articles on anti-Asian Hate; and our resource persons who shared their knowledge in our webinars and in our articles. 

This may be the end of the grant but PF remains committed to doing our part in stemming the tide of hate in our communities, our institutions and in the national rhetoric.

In The Know

Olivia Rodrigo praised for lowering ticket prices in the Philippines
https://asamnews.com/2024/09/21/olivia-rodrigo-guts-tour-ticket-prices-philippines/

In a North Texas House race, two Asian candidates campaign on their version of the American Dream
https://asamnews.com/2024/09/22/in-a-north-texas-house-race-two-asian-candidates-campaign-on-their-version-of-the-american-dream/

Journey singer Arnel Pineda asks fans to vote on his future with the band
https://www.sfchronicle.com/entertainment/article/journey-arnel-pineda-leave-band-19787141.php

Fil-Am Sculptor to Unveil Rizal Bust in Litoměřice, Czech Republic
https://thephilbiznews.com/2024/09/20/fil-am-sculptor-to-unveil-rizal-bust-in-litomerice-czech-republic/

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Staff