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Feeling hopeful at Radburn school’s Philippines Culture Day
By Marissa Bañez “Happy Culture Day!!!” Students at Radburn Elementary School, a public school in Fair Lawn, New Jersey, echoed that greeting while marveling at Filipino artifacts and other items during their Philippines Culture Day. They put on bamboo conical hats and Filipino clothing, and decorated a cardboard jeepney. They ate Filipino food – pancit, […]
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Faith and family help a Filipino nurse at YU’s Katz School achieve a dream
By Dave DeFusco On September 19, 2005, Sarah “Cheeky” Arnaldo Arciaga, a clinical assistant professor in the Bachelor’s in Nursing program at Yeshiva University’s Katz School of Science and Health, boarded a plane for New York for the first time. The moment should have felt triumphant—she had just earned a rare opportunity to pursue a […]
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How the Delos Santos family achieved the American Dream by holding tight to its Filipino identity
By Elton Lugay When the Delos Santos family left the Philippines for New York in 2002, they traded familiar streets and neighbors who spoke their language for a city that moved faster than anything they had known. “Moving from Talisay, Batangas to New York was one of the biggest transitions of our lives,” said painter […]
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J1 and H1B visa teachers to be honored as ‘cultural bridges’ in diverse American classrooms
The International Association of Multicultural and Filipino American Educators, Incorporated (IAM FAME INC.) is set to host a gala event shining a spotlight on the vital role Filipino educators play in the American school system. The Cultural Exchange & Achievement Celebration will take place on March 21, 2026, in Elgin, Illinois, honoring the dedication and […]
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AFTA’s Balik‑Turo at 33: How FilAm teachers built a quiet movement of diaspora-driven learning
By Ricky Rillera On a humid August morning in Manila, a group of teachers gathered inside a classroom at the Philippine Normal University. Some have traveled from remote provinces; others have flown from New York, New Jersey, and California. At the front stood a Filipino American educator who has spent decades teaching in the United […]
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A Filipino community center can be both a blessing and a burden
By Ricky Rillera For decades, Filipino Americans in the New York–New Jersey region have dreamed of a permanent home — a place where our stories can be told, our elders can gather, our youth can lead, and our culture can breathe without apology. That dream has flickered, brightened, dimmed, and revived again through generations of […]
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Mamdani at Bowdoin: A leader who is not afraid to step up and say, ‘Heck no’
By Arienne Pastor Earlier this month, Zohran Mamdani was sworn in as New York City’s 112th mayor. Mamdani won the election by nearly 10 percent (over 200,000 votes) after running a campaign based around lowering costs and ensuring that New Yorkers are able to live in a more affordable city. These internationalist and self-professed socialist ideals have […]
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Zaldy Alima: Inspiring students to love Science, curiosity, and exploration
By Catherine EspejoGrowing up in Surigao del Sur in Mindanao, young Zaldy Alima had his sights set on becoming a medical doctor, only for the chance to wear a white coat. However, that all changed when he took high school Chemistry, which inspired him to become a high school science teacher. Alima said his teacher […]
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Marissa Alcantara: When FilAm students forget their culture, there’s Tagalog to help them remember
By Maricar CP Hampton For today’s students, culture and tradition can sometimes feel distant or lost. Filipino Tagalog teacher Marissa Alcantara said she makes sure she integrates language, heritage, and interactive activities to connect Filipino American students with their roots. “I try to bridge the gap by using the Filipino language and promote the culture […]