We get a lot of “hate” comments on Facebook when we talk about “Filipino representation.” Many people like to think we’d rather blame Hollywood than create our own stories, but it ignores the simple premise that is the “make or break” moment for perhaps all films - do you have the money to make it?
Read MoreWe’ve compiled a list of 30 Filipino-owned shops and creators we hope you’ll consider supporting for all of your gift-giving needs this season - and if you want to see a full list of 100+ businesses to choose from, peep the end of the article!
Read More(A response to the "Op-Ed: How Indigenous Filipinos are Erased from FAHM and Why You Need to Do Better")
I have watched the reaction of community members unfold in response to Margaret Palaghicon Von Rotz's recent op-ed piece, published on One Down, and while I am heartened to see her so passionately embrace her Indigenous roots, I find gaps in her approach in this discussion and want to encourage a broader community discourse--one without threat of erasure, blocking, or cancellation.
So, thank you, One Down, for providing this platform and opportunity.
Read More“Fun fact, if you weren’t born in the Philippines then you aren’t Filipino. You may look Filipino, you may speak Filipino, but you don’t think like one. Stop making everything a political problem.” Sincerely, some random guy in my DMs.
If you’re as vocal on social media as I am about the state of Philippine and U.S. politics, receiving random, aggressive messages or criticisms of the authenticity of my Filipino identity is nothing new. When engaging in any sort of discourse over social media, these kinds of responses essentially come with the territory. Typically, the main point of argument always seems to stem from the fact that everything is “so political,” and that is somehow a problem.
Read MoreFilipinos Americans have commitment issues. We have a complicated history with multiple… countries.
Fil-Ams are now wondering - “Why do people keep mistaking me for a Latino? And Why do I keep mistaking Pacific Islanders as Filipino?”
Read MoreConversations around brownness in the Filipino community are not new. Brown skin is beautiful, but not all Filipinos have brown skin. Lighter-skinned Filipinos, including myself, should recognize how we have benefited from beauty standards that privilege light skin. The moreno movement is not for us.
My younger, queer and Filipinx self would sit at the kitchen table while my parents, lolas, and lolos would tell me about their immigration stories: their individual resiliency in pursuit of the American dream from Cebu to San Francisco. They left their families and friends behind, had to put in hours of hard labor, and faced discrimination for me to be here today.
Read MoreJune 11 passed not too long ago — marking 3 months since coronavirus was labeled a global pandemic by the World Health Organization. Imagine that. Just 3 months ago, we were planning our Pilipino Culture Nights, our 18th birthday debuts, our vacations, our plans to get our lives together, and everything else in between. For many of us, we really thought 2020 was going to be our year.
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