Filipino Kitchenette in Seattle Wins James Beard Award

Oriental Mart

Oriental Mart, a family-owned Filipino grocery store and kitchenette in Seattle’s Pike Place Market is among the recipients of the 2020 America’s Classics Award from the James Beard Foundation (See Inquirer.net for story).

California County Taps Fil-Am as Poet Laureate

Janice Lobo Sapigao

Janice Lobo Sapigao was named Santa Clara County’s poet laureate at a February 10 meeting of the county Board of Supervisors. Sapigao, the county’s sixth poet laureate, will serve in the honorary role through December 31, 2021 (See the story in Inquirer.net).

Chef Brings Ibanag Cooking to America

Malou Perez-Nievera

In her book, Connecting the Pots, published in 2019, Malou Perez-Nievera, an Ibanag from Tuguegarao, Cagayan, writes about the Ibanag cuisine and childhood recipes, alongside her family’s stories and her migration from the Philippines to Melbourne and eventually to America (See Inquirer.net for story).

Nat'l Nurses United Co-Hosts Launch of Bulosan Center for Filipino Studies

The California Nurses Association/National Nurses United (CNA/NNU) Organizing Committee President  Zenei Cortez, RN co-hosted the launch of the Bulosan Center for Filipino Studies on February 22, at the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at University of California Davis in Sacramento.

Fil-Am Is Mayor Pro-Tem of Sierra Madre, Calif. for 2nd Time

Rachelle Arizmendi

Filipino American city councilor Rachelle Arizmendi, re-elected to the city council in 2018, will be the mayor pro tem of Sierra Madre, California, for a second time. (See Inquirer.net for story).

Ella Jay Basco Makes Star-Turn in 'Birds of Prey'

Ella Jay Basco (left) with Margot Robbie in “Birds of Prey”

Meet Ella Jay Basco, the precocious 13-year-old out to steal your heart in the film “Birds of Prey” that’s going to focus on Harley Quinn, the character played by Margot Robbie in the 2018 film “Suicide Squad.” Ella Jay’s dad is the eldest among the Basco Brothers (See Inquirer.net for story).

Filipina-Jewish Teacher Eyes Brooklyn, NY Council Seat

Deidre Levy

Filipino American special education teacher Deirdre Levy is running in the April 28 special election for the position of council member for District 35 or Central Brooklyn, an area that encompasses parts of DUMBO, Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, Crown Heights, Bedford-Stuyvesant (See Inquirer.net for story).

Scrapping of Security Pact Hampers US-PH Operations--Top US Navy Brass

The move by the Philippines to end a security pact that allowed U.S. forces to train in the country potentially “challenged” future American operations with Filipino forces, Adm. Philip S. Davidson, commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command on Thursday (See Yahoo News for story).