Welcome to Fil-Am Ako

Fil-Am Ako was created to spread awareness of Filipino culture and traditions that are slowly becoming lost with an increase in Diaspora and the need to assimilate.

You cannot move forward in life without looking back from where you come. Know your roots so your growth knows no bounds.

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Call for Submissions: ANI 37: CLEANSING AND RENEWAL (PHILIPPINES)

March 10th, 2012 by Fil-Am Ako

Via Asia Writes:

Deadline: 30 June 2012

“Cleansing and Renewal” is the theme of ANI 37, the 2012 edition of the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ literary yearbook.

CCP Literary Arts Division is now accepting poetry, short fiction and essays in Filipino, English and other Philippine languages (with translation in Filipino or English) tackling the topic “What is the character, personality or culture of the Filipino that needs to be cleansed or renewed for social transformation and growth?”

Submissions must be typewritten or computer-encoded in Arial 12 points, double-spaced on short bond paper (8.5” x 11”), accompanied by a sheet containing the author’s five-sentence biographical note, contact numbers, email address, and tax identification number (TIN) for payment purposes.

The contribution must be addressed to The Editor, ANI 37, CCP Literary Arts Division, and submitted as an MS Word attachment in rich text format (rtf) to anijournal@yahoo.com.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For inquiries: call 832-1125 local 1706 or 1707

For submissions: anijournal@yahoo.com

Website: www.culturalcenter.gov.ph


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Meet Dr. E.J. R. David at the 17th Annual Northwest Filipino American Student Alliance Conference (NWFASA)

March 9th, 2012 by Fil-Am Ako

Our good friend and author of Filipino-/American Postcolonial Psychology Dr. E.J. R. David will be at the University of Washington on April 20-22 to present about “Filipino -/ American Postcolonial Psychology” as part of the 17th Annual Northwest Filipino American Student Alliance Conference (NWFASA). If you are in the area around that time, please check it out.

The NWFASA Conference theme this year is “Bagong Bukas” which translates to “A New Tomorrow” in English. The theme reflects the return of NWFASA Conference, since their last conference was in 2010, and the mission of the event is to empower attendees through the education and awareness of Filipino American history, identity, culture, and current issues facing the Filipino American community. For more on NWFASA and registration for the event go to nwfasa.com.

To receive the latest updates on Filipino -/ American Postcolonial Psychology and Dr. E.J. R. David’s presentations and events, please visit and “LIKE” the book’s facebook page. Also, stay tuned for an exclusive interview with Dr. E.J. R. David and Dr. Kevin Nadal on their latest research here on Fil-Am Ako!


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KALAYAAN Comics Now Available in English

March 9th, 2012 by Fil-Am Ako

Filipino superhero Kalayaan’s comics are now available in English? Nerdgasm! That’s what I said when Kalayaan (Freedom) creator Gio Paredes contacted me a few days ago to let me know that his popular Filipino superhero would be available to English speaking fans.  I guess my first post on Kalayaan gave somewhat of an impact on the Filipino comic artist to translate his work into English.

The following is what Kalayaan creator Gio Paredes announced on his blog about the decision to go digital and in English:

Kalayaan comics is now available in Digital format. And it is translated to English so that non-Tagalog speaking/reading people could also understand my comics. There is this great debate on the internet between other Filipino indie comics creator on what language we should use. Because if we use Tagalog (our major local dialect in the Philippines), some people will say that we should use English to capture a wider audience. And if we use English, some people will say that we are not being nationalistic or patriotic. In my case, I just created both format. I sell printed comics that is written in tagalog, and I also sell my comics on English digital format through Flipreads targeted for the international market.

It is just a little bit tedious doing both format. As of this writing, I already published 12 issues of tagalog printed version.

For the English digital format, Paredes already translated the first 3 issues and is already up for download at Flipreads. It only cost P60 each and maybe around $1.40 per download. That’s not a bad deal and a great buy for one to get introduced to a great new Pinoy superhero Kalayaan.

Kalayaan #3 click here -> http://www.flipreads.com/book/kalayaan-3/

Kalayaan #2 click here -> http://www.flipreads.com/book/kalayaan-2/

Kalayaan #1 click here -> http://www.flipreads.com/book/kalayaan-1/

Please do support Filipino indie comics. So hopefully, Kalayaan and many Filipino superheroes can be introduced to a wider and diverse audience.


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Book Launching of From Pancho to Pacquiao by Jay Gonzales & Angelo Merino on March 31st

March 9th, 2012 by Fil-Am Ako

Saturday, March 31, 2012
1:00pm until 2:00pm

Bayanihan Community Center, 1010 Mission St. San Francisco, CA.

To all boxing aficionados please save the date and stay tuned for more details.

From Pancho to Pacquiao: Philippine Boxing In and Out of the Ring is a snapshot of more than a century of Philippine boxing. It is a compilation of lucid and readable biographies of outstanding Philippine-born and Filipino American boxers, from Francisco “Pancho Villa” Guilledo to Manny “People’s Champ” Pacquiao. Each story describes the rough roads these Filipino and Filipina boxers took to achieve fame and glory globally. Vivid photos and personal interview combine to make the narratives real and captivating.

Click on the Facebook event page for more details.


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Call For Submissions: Cha May 2012 Issue

March 9th, 2012 by Fil-Am Ako

 

Cha: An Asian Literary Journal is now calling for submissions for its May 2012 issue (Issue # 17). Please send in (preferably Asian-themed) poetry, fiction, creative non-fiction, reviews, photography & art for consideration. Submission guidelines can be found here. Deadline: 15 March, 2011.

Former contributors Divya Rajan (poetry) and Bob Bradshaw (prose) will act as guest editors and read the submissions with co-editors Tammy Ho and Jeff Zroback. Please contact Reviews Editor Eddie Tay at eddie@asiancha.com if you want to review a book or have a book reviewed in the journal.

If you have any questions, please feel free to write to any of the Cha staff at editors@asiancha.com.


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sheRose of our Time: A Tribute to the First Lady, Michele Obama showcasing Baybayin Art

March 9th, 2012 by Fil-Am Ako

Just got some great news from my friends who are Asian American artists out in the West Coast on this new art exhibit. The art exhibit  pays tribute to the First Lady, Michelle Obama for her continued support for visual and performing arts.  This Saturday, March 10th is the In Celebration of our First Lady: Music and Poetry hosted by Bay Area’s Kim McMillon. This program hosted by Kim McMillon, is part of the “sheRose of our Time” exhibit. Don’t forget to stop by and check out from Fil-Am Ako friend Christine Balza who is showcasing Baybayin art at this event, as well as being honored with a Joyce award as first Lady of Culture.

Performers include:  paying tribute to the First Lady, Michelle Obama for her continued support for visual and performing arts.  Chokwadi, Al Young, Ayodele Nzinga, Meg Day, Anna de Leon, Kaylah Marin and Kim Shuck

Exhibition artists include: Christine Balza, Ebony Iman Dallas, Shari Arai Deboer, Joan Finton, Penny Harncharnvej, Betty Nobue Kano, Deborah Lozier, L. Frank Manriquez, Kemba Shakur in partnership with installation artist and sculptor Karen Seneferu & the Oakland Museum of California, Judy Stone, Flo Oy Wong, Sandhya Sood w/ the Julia Morgan 2012 and the Organization for Women Architects & design artists (OWA).

Curated by Eric Murphy
Michele Obama painting by Gabriel Navar, our Joyce Gordon June 2012 featured artist with American Painter Mel Ramos

When: March 2 – April 19, 2012 

Opening Reception: First Friday, March 2nd 6-9pm
feat Poet Voices (Deborah James, Paradise, Jeanne Powell, and Mechelle LaChaux, Katie Ball and Aqueila Lewis)

March 2 – April 19, 2012 Saturday, March 10th: 
Hosted by Kim McMillon
Performers: Chokwadi, Al Young, Ayodele Nzinga, Meg Day,Anna de Leon

Saturday, March 24 – 3pm Performance by Jazz Hudson

Award Ceremony and Panel Discussion: Thursday, April 5th 5-7pm

Closing Reception: Thursday, April 19 5-8pm 
2hr performance by Shelly Cone from the Santa Maria Sun
(Ay! Mami: Tales of Motherhood with a Latina Twist)

Joyce Gordon Gallery and A.I. Oakland presents “sheRose of our Time” an exhibition paying tribute to the First Lady, Michelle Obama for her continued support of cultural and economic significance in the arts at a time when many worthy causes compete for her attention. Our First Lady informs us that nearly 6 million people make their living in the nonprofit arts industry and that arts and cultural activities contribute more than $160 billion to our economy every year. “The arts are not just a nice thing to have or to do if there is free time or if one can afford it,” she said. “Rather, paintings and poetry, music and fashion, design and dialogue, they all define who we are as a people and provide an account of our history for the next generation. My husband and I believe strongly that arts education is essential for building innovative thinkers who will be our nation’s leaders of tomorrow,” – Michelle Obama

It has become commonplace in the United States for the title of “First Lady” to be bestowed on women, as a term of endearment, who have proven themselves to be of exceptional talent, even if that talent is non-political. “sheRose of our Time” highlights women artists of diverse media and performing arts who have and will inspire innovative thinkers of the next generation. In keeping with the tradition of Michelle Obama as a presenter of artist awards, we on behalf of Joyce Gordon Gallery would like to honor the first ladies of our lifetime for making a difference in the arts through history, culture, craft, design, and urban developement.

Betty Nobue Kano, painter, curator and lecturer at SFSU. Kano is co-founded the Asian American Women Artists Association (AAWAA), a nonprofit organization promoting the visibility of Asian American women artists and to serve as a vehicle for personal expression with a view of Asian American cultures and history from women’s perspective. They are honoring Betty Nobue Kano with a Joyce award as First Lady of Culture.

Betty Nobue Kano, Asian American Art and Activism 

Flo Oy Wong is a co-founder of the Northern California-based Asian American Women Artists Association. AAWAA gave Asian American women artists access to major museums, galleries, collections and publications and furthers the goal of establishing the place of Asian American women in American art history. They are honoring Flo Oy Wong with a Joyce award as First Lady of Culture.
www.flo-oy-wongartist.com

Christine Balza finds her inspiration with the ancient Filipino script, Baybayin. Her paintings, sculptures and informational video share a lost writing system from the indigenous people of the Philippines. She has taught Baybayin in workshops at Immaculate Conception, Sonoma and San Francisco State University and the Asian Art Museum. They are honoring Christine Balza with a Joyce award as first Lady of Culture.
www.suku-art.com 

L. Frank (nom d’arte of L. Frank Manriquez) is a Tongva- Acjachemen artist, writer, tribal scholar, cartoonist, and indigenous language activist who work is presented by BorderZone Arts in SF. L. Frank is a co-founder of Advocates for Indigenous California Language Survival, a non-profit entity founded in 1992 whose goal is to assist California Indian communities and individuals in keeping their language alive and provide development of new speakers. They are honoring L. Frank with a Joyce award as First Lady of Culture.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L._Frank 

Ebony Iman Dallas is an artist, designer and co-founder of Afrikanation Artists Organization, a non-profit, non-governmental organization founded in Hargeysa, Somaliland/Somalia in March 2010. Currently an MFA Design candidate at California College of the Arts, her primary focus is on Interactive Design. Her thesis topic is about connecting artists of African descent internationally, in an effort to promote unity, understanding, collaboration and activism towards health, economic and socially related challenges among them. They are honoring Ebony Iman Dallas with a Joyce award as First Lady of International Culture.
www.eidart.com

Kemba Shakur is the founder and director of Urban Releaf, a nonprofit responsible for the planting of an estimated 14,000 trees in low-income East Bay communities. The 2009 Alameda County Women’s Hall of fame Inductee is fondly referred to as the “tree lady” and by the Oakland Museum of California as a modern day John Muir. They are honoring Kemba Shakur with a Joyce award as First Lady of Urban Forestry and Environmental Development.
www.urbanreleaf.org

Judy Stone is one of a small group of people worldwide who call themselves enamelists. Stone is also co-founder of the Women’s Building Celebration of Craftswomen. The Women’s Building Arts and Crafts Fair grew into one of San Francisco’s top holiday attractions, yet remained true to its grassroots mission: promoting hand-crafted art by women artists. They are honoring Judy Stone with a Joyce award as First Lady of Enamel, Craft and Design.
www.jstoneenamels.com

Julia Morgan (January 20, 1872 – February 2, 1957) was an American architect, born in San Francisco and raised in Oakland, Ca. A graduate of Oakland High School in 1890, Julia was small in stature (barely 5ft tall), but she left large footprints on the field of architecture and also opened doors to opportunities for many women. Miss Morgan was a woman of firsts: one of the first women to graduate with a degree in civil engineering from the University of California in Berkeley; the first woman to graduate with a degree in architecture from the famous Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris, and the first female licensed architect in the State of California.
wikipedia.org/wiki/Julia_Morgan

Sandhya Sood is a licensed architect, exhibited artist, certified green building professional (CGBP) and founder and Principal of Accent Architecture + Design, a practice focused on ecological, vibrant and contextual architecture and urban design. JM 2012, the first project of Landmarks California will celebrate the work and life of Julia Morgan, a visionary whose environmentally sustainable architecture, business acumen and diversity of projects has inspired many women architects as well as members of the Organization of Women Architects (OWA). In honor of Julia Morgan, they present Sandhya Sood with a Joyce award as first Lady of History, Design and Innovation for the Arts.
www.accentarchitecture.com

Joyce Gordon Gallery is a commercial fine art gallery located in the downtown district of Oakland California. It exhibits art that reflects the social and cultural diversity of the Bay Area and international artists. The aim of the gallery is to respect the creative pursuits of the individual and seeks to make such work accessible to a broad audience.
www.joycegordongallery.com/

Joyce Gordon Gallery 406 14th St, Oakland, CA 94612
510-465-8928


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Controversial Philippine documentary screens in SF International Asian American Film Festival 2012

March 8th, 2012 by Fil-Am Ako

Award-winning documentary Give Up Tomorrow finally comes to the Bay Area via the SF International Asian American Film Fest.  A film about Filipino-Spanish prisoner Paco Larrañaga, Give Up Tomorrow reveals the extraordinary judicial violations that resulted in Paco’s death sentence.  A story that is intensely personal yet has far-reaching global reverberations, Paco’s case was championed by the United Nations and international human rights groups, with the Spanish government and monarchy playing a crucial, life-saving role.  The international efforts eventually led to the abolishment of capital punishment in the Philippines, saving hundreds of inmates whose possible innocence may have been disregarded by flawed judicial and social systems.

Give Up Tomorrow bagged the Audience Award in both Sheffield Doc/Fest, UK and Tribeca Film Festival in New York in 2011, as well as the Jury Award for Best Activism at Michael Moore’s Traverse City Film Festival.  It was also chosen as the centerpiece film that launched the discussion between members of the International Commission Against the Death Penalty in Geneva, Switzerland on Oct. 11, 2011, with view to unify efforts to abolish the death penalty worldwide.  You can find our movie trailer here.

Playing in competition, the SFIAAFF premieres Give Up Tomorrow on Saturday, March 10, 5:30 PM at the Kabuki Theater in San Francisco.  There will be a post-screening Q&A and reception immediately after.  There will also be two other screenings in Berkeley and San Jose respectively.   Detailed festival and ticket info is available at: festival.caamedia.org.

If you’re in the area, don’t forget to join in one of the screenings, and help spread the word.  The film does a great job of sparking dialogue and discussion among the people who see it.   Below are some Press the film’s received.
Variety
The Guardian
Imagine Peace
Hollywood Reporter
NY Times

(Salamat, Carmen L. Vicencio)


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New Spring 2012 Issue of The Asian American Literary Review on “Generations”

March 8th, 2012 by Fil-Am Ako

ASIAN AMERICAN LITERARY REVIEW RELEASES NEW SPRING 2012 ISSUE ON “GENERATIONS”

When: Mar 3, 2012

“Are there any continuities,” wonders scholar Min Hyoung Song, “between the earlier generation of writers which first raised the banner of an Asian American literature and a later generation of writers which inherited it?”

This is the question AALR’s Spring 2012 issue on “Generations” poses to 29 writers, poets, playwrights, spoken word performers, scholars, and publishers of various generations, regions, and ethnic and artistic communities.  What emerges is a vital survey of generational continuities and divergences—not to mention some necessary reevaluation of how “generations,” “Asian American,” and “Asian American literature” might be understood.  Respondents include Genny Lim, David Mura, Velina Hasu Houston, Giles Li, Gary Pak, Neelanjana Banerjee, Fred Wah, Anna Kazumi Stahl, Sunyoung Lee of Kaya Press, and Allan Kornblum of Coffee House Press, among others.

Other issue features include: Maxine Hong Kingston interviewed by Min Hyoung Song; Miguel Syjuco interviewed by Brian Ascalon Roley; Afaa Michael Weaver interviewed by Gerald Maa; a dialogue on “Asian American form” between Karen Tei Yamashita, Sesshu Foster, R. Zamora Linmark, Ray Hsu, Timothy Yu, Larissa Lai, Lawrence-Minh Bùi Davis, and Srikanth Reddy; new poetry by Dilruba Ahmed, Ed Bok Lee, R. Zamora Linmark, Wing Tek Lum, and Afaa Michael Weaver; an email to Monique Truong from The New York Times; new writing by Ed Park; translations of work by Hiromi Itō and Carlos Yushimito del Valle; reviews of Tao Lin’s Shoplifting from American Apparel and Richard Yates, the new edition of Sui Sin Far’s Mrs. Spring Fragrance, Srikanth Reddy’s Voyager, and Monique Truong’s Bitter in the Mouth.

About The Asian American Literary Review

The Asian American Literary Review, Inc. is a Washington, D.C.-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit literary arts organization, a space for those who consider the designation “Asian American” a fruitful starting point for artistic vision and community.

–

Asian American Literary Review
PO Box 34495
Washington, DC 20043
www.facebook.com/TheAALR


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Book Recommendations: Out of Cebu by Cecilia Manguerra Brainard

February 21st, 2012 by Fil-Am Ako

“Out of Cebu” is a book written by critically acclaimed U.S.-based writer Cecilia Manguerra-Brainard and published by USC Press. The book collects 28 essays about the author’s Cebuano ties, including colorful accounts about her mother’s family, the Cuencos, a prominent political family in Cebu. The book also includes writings about the author’s life and travels outside of Cebu. “Out of Cebu” has received early praise from the educator, Dr. Edmundo Litton of Loyola Marymount University who says, “These essays celebrate a pride in a heritage. Brainard is clearly proud of her Cebuana heritage and this pride shows in this magnificent collection of essays.”

For more interviews and praises of Out of Cebu click here and here.

About the Author

Cecilia Brainard is an award-winning Filipina-American author of nine books, including the internationally-acclaimed novel, When the Rainbow Goddess Wept, which chronicles the coming of age of a young girl in Ubec (Cebu backwards) during World War II, a novel inspired by her own parents’ experiences during the war. Brainard first coined the mythical place “Ubec” in her first short story collection, Woman with Horns and Other Stories, and she continued to use this setting in her other works of fiction: Magdalena, Acapulco at Sunset and Other Stories, Vigan and Other Stories.

She has also written books of nonfiction, edited four books, and co-edited six more. Her writings have been translated into Finnish and Turkish. Brainard has received a California Arts Council Fellowship in Fiction, a Brody Arts Fund Award, a Special Recognition Award for her work dealing with Asian American youths, as well as a Certificate of Recognition from the California State Senate, 21st District. She has also been awarded by the Filipino and Filipino American communities she has served. She received the prestigious Filipinas Magazine Arts Award, and the Outstanding Individual Award from her birth city, Cebu, Philippines. She has received several travel grants in the Philippines, from the USIS (United States Information Service).

She has lectured and performed in worldwide literary arts organizations and universities, including UCLA, USC, University of Connecticut, University of the Philippines, PEN, Beyond Baroque, Shakespeare & Company in Paris, and many others. She teaches creative writing at the Writers Program at UCLA-Extension. You can visit her website at www.ceciliabrainard.com. In addition to her incredible resume, Cecilia Manguerra-Brainard teaches Creative Writing at the Writers’ Program of UCLA Extension.


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Prison Dancer: The Interactive Web Musical

February 21st, 2012 by Fil-Am Ako

Here’s a preview of the upcoming web-series Prison Dancer brought to you by Romeo Candido & Carmen De Jesus set to be released this March. Prison Dancer is an original interactive musical web series inspired by the viral Youtube phenomenon, the “Dancing Inmates of Cebu.” Featuring a cast of Youtube stars and some of the most exciting Filipino musical talent emerging in North America. The cast includes Jeigh Madjus (Alter Boyz, La Cage Aux Folles, Glee Audition on Youtube), Mikey Bustos (Canadian Idol, creator of the viral Youtube sensation “Filipino Accent Tutorial”) Catherine Ricafort (Mamma Mia, The Sing-Off), Nicco Lorenzo (Degrassi: The Next Generation, Ang Pamana: The Inheritance), Norman Alconcel (MuchMusic VJ Search), Joseph Sevillo (Beauty and the Beast, Shall We Dance) Pierre Bayuga (Rent), Ron Josol (Video on Trial, Comedy Now!) and Matt Wells (Host, Muchmore, Where You At Baby).

Filled with catchy pop tunes, star-crossed lovers, and engaging interactive elements, Prison Dancer brings together the best of Broadway and Youtube entertainment and takes transmedia storytelling to the next level. For more on Prison Dancer you can visit their official website at www.prisondancer.com and you can support them by helping out their kickstarter project.


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