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Suicide is not an option: A call for anti-bullying legislation
By Dr. Kevin Nadal In the fall of 2010, six young people in various regions of the U.S. committed suicide. While teen suicide itself may not be a new phenomenon, these six individuals gained national attention because they were all reported to have committed suicide as a result of teen bullying and because they were […]
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‘My lolo screamed at me: Why are you telling the family stories?’
By Jocelyn Gonzales I first met performance artist and activist Kilusan Bautista backstage at the Bowery Poetry Club several years ago. That night, he rapped and recited poetry about his family’s immigrant experience wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with sun-rays from the Philippine flag. The vibe was positive, educational, and the audience bobbed their heads in […]
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‘I dread to think the homeland is drifting away’
By Ryann Tanap As a senior in undergrad, I am not ashamed to point out the obvious: I do not know what I am doing after graduation. I am a second-generation Filipino American, and I have been confronted by the dilemma many times when my parents, titas, titos, and family friends interrogate me with the […]
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I’m proud to be Filipino because…(and win a prize)
October is Filipino American History (or Heritage) Month. To celebrate the achievements of Filipinos in America and to encourage cultural pride in our youth, The Filipino School of New York & New Jersey will be holding the “I Am… Filipino American” contest. Answer all three questions: • Why are you proud to be a Filipino […]
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‘It truly takes a village to raise a child’
By Venessa Manzano It was something my younger, American-born sister said that got me thinking. She said, “No offense, but why should I think about helping the Philippines if I feel like I have no connection to it?” I never forgot that statement. Working closely with the Filipino American community in New York and New […]
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The day I found a carabao’s tail
By R Sonny Sampayan-Sampayan, USAF Ret. There is one memory that always brings me home to Barrio Santo Nino in Binalonan, Pangasinan. I was born into poverty with a family of seven children of which I was the third. Life was hard and food was hard to come by so we all worked together to […]
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Youths find role models in family, Bonifacio and Oprah
By Cristina DC Pastor In high school, Precious Marie Sipin was “ashamed” to be a Filipino. At the time, she found herself in the company of the “wrong type” of people — FilAms who were unmotivated, backstabbers, and drug users. “When I was in high school, I felt very judged and criticized by Filipinos whom […]
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• Summit on diaspora meets June 18 • Journey of a Brown Girl begins June 19 • Smithsonian opens search for interns
Loida Nicolas Lewis, chairperson of the U.S. Pinoys for Good Governance, invites the community to the Mini-Global Summit in New York: Diaspora to Development. The event will be held June 18, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at the Lovin’ Life Learning Center on 4 West 43rd Street. Topics up for discussion include Jose Rizal […]
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• Stars to grace June 26 Friendship Day in Jersey City • Picnic with a hero
Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy has been invited to the Philippine-American Friendship Committee’s (Pafcom) 21st annual grand parade and festival on Sunday, June 26. The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Lincoln Park in Jersey City. “This is an effort to continue the tradition of celebrating the friendly relations between […]