I recently got in contact with Miguel Syjuco, author of Ilustrado a novel that won him the Man Asian Literary Prize. To my surpirse, Miguel Syjuco is a fan of Fil-Am Ako and wanted me to inform everyone of the upcoming release of Ilustrado in the U.S.  The Filipino writer’s debut novel is set to come out in North America on April 27. The novel, Ilustrado, is very much about the Philippines, and the Filipino experience. The manuscript of the book won the 2008 Palanca Award grand prize. After the launch of the book in Manila in mid April, Syjuco will be in New York to launch it there at the end of that month. In addition, Miguel Syjuco will also be launching the book in DC, San Francisco, Seattle, and LA, where he will be doing an event at the LA Public Library with Filipina writer Cecilia Mangerra Brainard on May 5. Ilustrado has earned Syjuco numerous praises for his writing and for more information, please visit Miguel Syjuco’s website. Also, be on the look out for an exclusive interview with the Filipino writer here on Fil-Am Ako!

Last night, Jimmy Fallon was able to reunite the entire cast of California Dreams. California Dreams was a popular teen oriented show back in the 90s which had a slightly more diverse cast compared to Saved by the Bell. One of the shows stars was Jennie Kwan, (born Jennifer Trinidad Fernando; September 9, 1973)  a Fil-Am actress and singer from Los Angeles, California. Jennie is most notable for portraying the character Samantha Woo, a foreign exchange student from Hong Kong. Apparently, the only way for an Asian character to be included in an American tv show set in California back then was for them to be written as “the foreign exchange student.” In 1992, she auditioned for the lead role as Tiffani, but lost out to Kelly Packard. This was great for me to see Jennie Kwan back on tv because I was very fortunate to see her performance as Kim in Miss Saigon in Chicago back in 1993, which is something I will never forget.

Andre Guerrero, left, Crisi Echiverri and Gary Menes. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Almost everyone in America knows about Filipino food and how great it tastes, but many Pinoys like myself wonder why it still hasn’t made it into mainstream culture like Indian or Chinese cuisines.  In a recent article from the Los Angeles Times entitled Filipino food: Off the menu explores why Filipino dishes have not assimilating into mainstream culture and thriving only in home kitchens in LA.  For instance, this past January’s Iron Chef Battle with White House Chef Pasia Comerford only had one dish that was Filipino influenced upon the request of her partner for the battle, Iron Chef Bobby Flay.  Each of the Fil-Am chefs in the picture posted above share their experiences as American chefs in some of the finest restaurants in Los Angeles who grew up appreciating Filipino food but are unable to present it to the America public.  Andre Guerrero had put the traditional Filipino parfait halo-halo and an upscale version of his classic chicken adobo on the menu at his earlier restaurant Max, and milkshakes made from the purple yam ube are a favorite at the Oinkster.

“The food is so regional, we don’t have one unifying dish,” says Marvin Gapultos, a Filipino American who runs the Los Angeles food blog Burnt Lumpia. “There’s adobo, but there’s about 7,000 ways to make it.”

This snippet from the article pretty much sums up my thoughts on why Filipino dishes struggle to assimilate into mainstream American culture. Filipino food is very diverse and has a distinct taste from regions. For instance, a dish from Manila will taste very different from dishes from the Visayas. The topic of assimilating Filipino food is one thing that bothered me about this article. It would be great if Filipino food would become the next popular ethnic cuisine in the US and the world but at what cost?

It’s common knowledge that Filipinos are a talented group individuals when it comes to music and the establishment of the Filipino American Symphony Orchestra hopes to showcase these Fil-Am musicians. The Filipino American Symphony Orchestra (FASO) is the very first symphony orchestra to be established outside the Philippines. Roger and Cora Oriel, the publishers of Asian Journal and self-confessed patrons of the arts, and Lito Cruz, editor-at-large, took on the challenge to establish and sustain an orchestra comprised of talented Filipino musicians in America. The goal for FASO is to cultivate the artistry of Filipino musicians and showcase the innate Filipino artistic talent. “Filipino orchestra musicians here in Southern California have long dreamed of founding a Filipino symphony orchestra not only for the Filipino community but for the mainstream music lovers. Thank God our dream has now come true,”states Robert Shroder, musical director for FASO. By his name and appearance, Shroder would be easily mistaken for your average American, but the Fil-Am music director is as Filipino as you can get. Shroder was born in in Kawit, Cavite and didn’t immigrate to the US until 1991. This pride in being Filipino and his passion to cultivate love for Philippine arts and music help him accomplish beautifully what FASO been created to achieve. FASO hopes to educate and enrich the diverse communities in America and the world with Filipino culture as well as its rich artistic heritage. For more information on FASO please visit their website and you can view some of their performances here.

The much anticipated Faces of America with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. was something that had everybody talking and interested in their family’s roots in the U.S. I was very impressed with the PBS series but it left me thinking that Filipinos are probably still not recognized as an important ethnic group in America. To my surprise, I was able to find out about the Fil-Am documentary, The Hidden Dream. This 60 minute documentary portrays the little known history of America’s second largest immigrant group since 1990 … Filipinos.  The documentary features survivors of the infamous Bataan Death March and the equally brutal Japanese prisoner of war camps share their memories of courage, torture and death.  They speak with outrage of the Rescission Act of 1946 which denied them the benefits and recognition deserved as being part of the United States Army. Impassioned protests and political speeches eventually enabled the Rescission Act to itself be rescinded in 2008.  The veterans, many of whom are in their 80’s and 90’s are dying at an alarming rate with many of their claims not yet realized. This documentary produced & directed by Sheila Duenas Imme and Jon Imme aims to tackle issues that Filipinos face of being sworn in as US citizens and at the same time trying to maintain their Filipino identity. These issues are a big impact on first generation Filipino-American youths and Filipinos like myself who grew up in America who were often confused or frustrated of what it means to be both a Filipino and an American. For a preview of The Hidden Dream, click here and for more details on the documentary please go liliesandravens.org.

A recent article from CNN focuses on an issue that I like to discuss on Fil-Am Ako which is human trafficking and how it’s been a major problem in the Philippines. This past January was declared National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month by President Obama but I feel we should not stop there when it comes to awareness of this issue. The 20 year old Filipina, Joy mentioned in the CNN article started working in prostitution at the age of 15 in the notorious Fields Avenue where sex is available from dancers for about 1,200 pesos ($26). Joy turned to prostitution as a means to support her baby and became a victim of human trafficking after her mamasan” (the name given to a woman who oversees work in businesses such as brothels and bars) told her to work in Malayasia where she could make more money. “First I was made to take drugs. Then I was made to service as many as 20 men a day. If I refused they threatened to put me in jail without food,” Joy said. The traffickers refused to let her go home and she was able to make her way back home after her grandmother’s continual pleading with Philippine government officials.

After returning to the Philippines, Joy was penniless but determined to make a fresh star leaving the sex industry. Joy was able to make contact with a non-government organization called the Renew Foundation, established in Angeles in 2005 in order to help eradicate trafficking and empower victims of prostitution. Renew is funded by individual donations as well as grants from UNAIDS and the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime. This organization offers shelter-based programs, housing, food, legal representation and education courses, all of which aim to help women return to their families or reintegrate into the community. Renew also has a keen interest in helping child victims of the sex trade; an estimated 60,000 to 100,000 children in the Philippines are involved in prostitution rings, according to Minette Rimando, a spokeswoman for the U.N.’S International Labour Organization’s Manila office.

Human trafficking and the sex industry in the Philippines has become growing problem in the country. The sex industry has been fueled by sex tourists who travel to Philippines from all over the world. Many are older men, looking for their version of fun. Renew director Fuller claims a high success rate stating that, “just over 80 percent of the women who come into our program don’t return to prostitution.  After providing them with the support they need, like housing, education courses and employment, that’s the figure that don’t return back to the bars.” As I’ve previously mentioned in this blog, stereotypes of Filipinas as “easy” or “lbfms” really angers me and I hope that by reading this article many of you will understand the situations these young women face. For the full article from CNN please click here and for additional updates on the fight against human trafficking please visit MTV Exit which has played a major role in raising awareness in the Philippines.

This belated update is of J.R. Celski’s tattoo which is a fusion of the Philippine flag’s sun & stars and the White Eagle of Poland. I’m sure all you ladies out there are probably searching up on this Fil-Am Olympian after taking one look at this photo. After his disqualification on Saturday night JR Celski took off his t-shirt to show his tattoo. Celski was disqualifed Saturday night for pushing another speed skater off him and the other player fell out of the race. J.R. has already been called the heir to Ohno’s short-track throne.  Like Ohno, Celski is also from Federal Way, Washington and had won his first Olympic medal at a young age. On a side note, J.R. should consider getting another tattoo in Baybayin. Shout-out to Kate for the photo.

Simeona (Mona) Viernes Pasquil is the first woman and Filipino-American to be appointed acting Lieutenant Governor of the State of California on November 4, 2009. Prior to this appointment, she served as Chief of Staff to former Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi. For nearly three decades, Pasquil has served as a senior advisor and strategist in numerous state and federal government offices, political campaigns and private companies.

She previously served as political director for twice elected California Governor Gray Davis, Deputy CEO for the 2000 Democratic National Convention in Los Angeles, California political director for Gore/Lieberman, as well as western political director for the White House Office of Political Affairs under President Bill Clinton. A lifelong Democrat, Pasquil served as a member of the Democratic National Committee from 2003-2009. Pasquil is also the founding president and current volunteer of the Asian Pacific Youth Leadership Project of California, an organization dedicated to increasing API involvement in California policy. Pasquil also serves on the Board of Directors for My Sister’s House, a safe haven for women and children who are victims of domestic violence. She has served as a past chair of the Asian Pacific Legislative Staff Caucus, and past president of the Angel Island Immigration Station Historical Committee.

For more updates on FANHS 13th National Conference please visit their website and facebook page.

Vincent Who? is coming to Chicago and the event is going to take place at my alma mater DePaul University on Friday February 26th. DePaul’s Asian American Studies, Cultural Center and Diversity & Equity are co-sponsoring this week’s visit with Curtis Chin, producer and co-director of the documentary.  DePaul will be premiering Vincent Who? which focuses on the aftermath of the Vincent Chin murder in 1982.  This case is something that everyone should know about because it provoked nationwide attention on the growing incidents of anti-Asian violence, leading the late Senator Paul Simon to introduce federal legislation resulting in the Hate Crimes Bill. Please refer to the following for more details:

Vincent Who?
Date: February 26th
Location: DePaul’s Lincoln Park Campus
McGowan South, Rm108
2325 N. Clifton Avenue
Chicago, IL 60614
Time: 5:00 Pre-Show Reception; 5:30 Screening Begins

Producer and co-director Curtis Chin (featured in the documentary) will host a Q&A Session following the film.

In 1982, at the height of anti-Japanese sentiments, Vincent Chin was murdered in Detroit by two white autoworkers. In response, Asian Americans around the country galvanized to form a real community and movement for the first time in American history. This compelling documentary, inspired by a series of town hall meetings organized by Asian Pacific Americans for Progress on the 25th anniversary of the incident, asks how far have Asian Americans come since then and how far do we have to go.

For more information please contact Yvonne M. Lau, Ph.D. at ylau@depaul.edu

For an update on screening/discussion schedules of Vincent Who? please visit APAP

Our friend, Fil-Am comedian Air Tabigue is back for more laughs in Laughs for Lives and wants your help for the March Comedy Madness Competition.  In honor of the NCAA College Basketball Tournament, 64 comedians go one-on-one in this 4th annual comedy competition hosted and refereed by Bryan Kennedy and Josh Filipowski. In each round, two comics will perform standup head-to-head and then the audience decides the winner. As the field is narrowed down, the sets will get longer and more hilarious, until the final two comics perform to see who will be crowned the 2010 March Comedy Madness Champion. The winner of this year’s competition will win a cash prize, a weekend of shows at Comix in addition to industry exposure. The competition ends this Tuesday February 23rd so go to www.like2laugh.com to vote and show your support for Air!

From Air Tabigue:

“Laugh for Lives is an Annual Comedy Benefit Show by AADP (Asian American Donar Program) to increase awareness about marrow/stem cell donation on the national marrow registry. I hosted the show last year and this year I am performing again along with Nancy Lee, Kevin Shea, Justin Rivera and Dat Phan. AADP will have onsite registration and people take swab tests to see if someone may be a match to a patient with life threatening blood diseases and curable by a stem cell transplant. THe test is a simple swab inside your cheek. It is very imporant for people to attend as one may be that exact match.”

If people cannot attend, you can help out by holding a drive, signing up donors, or be community partner and promote AADP to help minority patients. Please visit www.aadp.org for more information.

As you can see, Fil-Am Ako has a brand new banner featuring Filipinos who have been influential to this blog. The baybayin artwork is courtesy of Christian Cabuay from Baybayin.com and PinoyTattoos. The Baybayin characters are translated as “Filipino Kami” (We are Filipino). Christian Cabuay is also featured in the banner along with fellow baybayin artist Christine Balza from Suku Art. Finding out about baybayin and the artists who put a lot of hard work in reintroducing/educating people of this important piece of Filipino culture made me even more interested in my roots. Kevin Nadal is another Filipino featured in the banner because of all his efforts in getting Filipino voices heard especially with his book, Filipino American Psychology: A Handbook of Theory, Research, and Clinical Practices. Another Filipina, who has been influential to this blog is Gazelle. Gazelle is my teenage cousin who I am very proud of and glad that Filipino youths like her don’t forget where they come from.  Finally, the most influential Filipino to Fil-Am Ako featured in the banner is my mother. Most Filipino parents would react in a negative manner if they found out their children started blogs and they might say, “that’s a waste of time!” However, my mother has been one of the people in my life that have motivated me to continue this blog even when I was close to giving up on it. Although the Filipinos featured on the banner are people that have been influential to this blog, I feel that anyone who reads this blog and has more of a positive outlook on Filipino culture are just as influential. As I stated before, the positive reactions I received is more than enough for me to continue on with this blog. So in short, Fil-Am Ako is here to stay and keep coming back for more updates!

Jeepney is a graphic tee, streetwear clothing line based in Seattle, Washington which gained inspiration from Hip hop to popculture and especially from Filipino culture. Jeepney recently brought back their limited edition tee, Thrilla from Manila which will only be available for a short time. The tee is back on their online store just in time for the big fight between Manny Pacquiao VS Joshua Clottey on March 13th.  So if you want to look fresh and support the Pinoy champ with this tee go to Jeepney!

“It’s an inspiration for me to see that Olympic champions make a lifetime of sacrifice and a lifetime of hard work. To know I’m 25 and a late bloomer, there is hope for the future.” Evora said.

It was great seeing more Filipino faces representing Team USA at the Winter Olympics this year. As everyone knows, rising star J.R. Celski won bronze and I found out about Amanda Evora from Kate Agathon. Evora recently placed 10th in pairs skating which is the lowest finishing position ever for the top-ranked U.S. team at the Winter Olympics, and the U.S. has not won a pairs medal at the Winter Olympics since Kitty Carruthers Conrad, who now lives in Houston, and brother Peter Carruthers won silver in 1984.  This was Evora and Ladwig’s first shot at world-class competition. The pair had their two season-best scores but were still outdistanced by the top teams. Although, Evora did not place in the top I really commend her for having hope in the future, especially in a sport that views her as close to being too old to compete at the sport.  At 25, Evora considers herself a late bloomer and inspired to see that Olympic champions make a lifetime of sacrifice and a lifetime of hard work. After the Winter Olympics, Evora still has the world championships in Turin so definitely keep an eye out for the Fil-Am skater.

If you are going to be in New York on Wednesday March 31st, then you don’t want to miss out on Heartthrobs and Friends in New York.  This concert features some of the biggest names in Philippine entertainment.  This event is brought to you by East Village Productions.  It will be at the Hammerstein Ballroom, Manhattan Center on 34th Street. For ticket info, please call 917.428.9078 or 917.421.9770. Shout-out to Jennifer Toledo for informing us about this event and don’t forget to support Philippine entertainment by attending Heartthrobs and Friends Live in New York!

19 year old Fil-Am J.R. Celski is making every Filipino proud by representing Team USA in this year’s 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, Canada. J.R. is the youngest of 3 sons born to Bob and Sue Celski. Receiving his first pair of inline speed skates when he was 3 years old, J.R. had competed in inline skating until the age of 12 when he transition into Short Track Ice speedskating in mid-2002. What amazes me about J.R. Celski is that this Fil-Am has accomplished so much at a young age both in academics and in sports. On top of winning speedskating competitions, J.R. also graduated with high honors in high school and was accepted into U.C. Berkley. These accomplishments can be attributed to the support of the Celski family in their youngest son and their “family project.” 2008-2009 was a breakthrough season for this Fil-Am speedskater as he won medals in the Senior Circuit through North America, Asia, and Europe. Tomorrow marks a day that J.R. Celski has been waiting for his entire life and he hopes to shock the world in the next few weeks.  So be sure to tune in to the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada starting tomorrow. For more information on Fil-Am J.R. Celski be sure to visit his website, Facebook Fan Page, and check out his 2010 Winter Short Track Schedule.

Barriors creator, Tim Saguinsin recently informed me that you can now purchase a compilation of his comics in Barriors: The First Year. For those who do not know what Barriors is, it’s Saguinsin’s spin on growing up Fil-Am. Saguinsin states, “I haven’t seen many Filipino centric online comics, so I decided to do one myself. I didn’t quite live in the barrios, but I did develop the warrior mentality to achieve and overcome obstacles and barriers (Barrio + Warriors = Barriors, Barriers + Warriors = Barriors).” This online comic is not only for Filipinos but for comic fans in general and offers a fresh spin on life in America. To learn more about Barrors, check out the BARRIORS website, Twitter, Facebook, and don’t forget to visit Rice Cooker Studios.

There is going to be a a conference hosted by The Filipino Intercollegiate Networking Dialogue, Inc. (FIND, Inc.). The conference aims to educate delegates on the issues facing Filipino-Americans, and the numerous outlets and sources available to combat these problems.  FYI, online pre-registration is currently open and will officially close at 11:59 PM on Friday, February 19. Those who are interested in attending or would like more information about the 2010 Spring Conference can visit their website or send an email: conference@findinc.org

From FIND, INC.:

The Filipino Intercollegiate Networking Dialogue, Inc. (FIND, Inc.) would like to extend an invitation to the community to attend the 2010 Spring Conference hosted in District VI at the University of Maryland, College Park, the weekend of February 26-28.

The theme of this year’s Conference is “Laban,” roughly translated in Tagalog meaning “fight.” The three sessions are centered around this: Magkaisa, Tumayo, Lumaban; Coming Together, Stand Up Now, and To Fight, respectively.

Through various sessions, delegates will be given the opportunity to learn about the struggles of the first Filipinos in America, the on-going and current issues facing Filipino-Americans, and the numerous outlets and sources available to combat these problems.

FIND, Inc. was founded April 11, 1992. The purpose of the organization is to promote unity and cooperation amongst Filipino and Filipino-Americans along the East Coast through their universities, colleges, vocational and technical schools. District VI, better known as “D6,” encompasses the Washington D.C., Maryland, and Northern Virginia area.

Those who are interested in attending or would like more information about the 2010 Spring Conference are invited to visit the Website at:

http://findinc.org/conference2010/

Online Pre-Registration Fees:
FIND, Inc. Member schools: $20
Non-Member schools: $25

On-site Registration Fees:
FIND, Inc. Member schools: $30
Non-Member schools: $35

***BOTH A SCHOOL I.D. AND A GOVERNMENT ISSUED I.D. MUST BE PRESENTED AT CONFERENCE REGISTRATION***

Delegates will be asked to sign the liability form. Failure to do so will result in forfeiting associated fees and participation in Conference. Liability form is not to be signed beforehand (minors excluded).

I’ve had the May Bukas Pa (There Is Still Tomorrow) theme song stuck in my head, especially after watching the series finale on ABS-CBN last Friday.  Set in the fictional town of Bagong Pag-asa (“New Hope”), the story revolves around Santino (Zaijan Jaranilla), an orphan raised by priests who finds a friend in “Bro” (Jesus Christ), who helps him change the lives of the people in their town. The success of May Bukas Pa earned itself an extension after its initial run last February 2009 due to high ratings. In Philippines, shows only run for certain time period like telenovelas and shows that earn an extension are ones that are really successful (e.g. Maging Sino Ka Man & Tayong Dalawa) For those who did not see the finale, don’t worry the clip above is not the ending so see for yourself what really happens to Santino. Also, the clip above features all the top Philippine celebrities including Arnel Pineda and Charice Pempengco who are more recognizable talents in the US. Even if you can’t understand Tagalog, this rendition of May Bukas Pa is just beautiful and everyone should listen to it. For those interested, I’m sure that May Bukas Pa will get released on DVD so check out Starry Starry Store and ABS CBN Store for updates.