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New year, new name, new gender marker
By Cristina DC Pastor The new year signals a fresh start to some: New house, new job, new life goals. To Chelle Lhuillier, a transgender advocate, January 2019 is when her new name and new gender marker will become official. “Time to put that old ‘me’ in a treasure vault — safe and protected. Here […]
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TOFA honorees are ‘heroes among us’
By Cristina DC Pastor Greatness and gratefulness came together one soggy Saturday in October when 16 individuals were honored The Outstanding Filipinos in America (TOFA) in celebration of Filipino American History Month. “A thriving community of Filipino Americans adds to the quality of life here in New York State and across our nation,” said Gov. […]
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On Coming Out Day, unpacking the guilt, shame
By Cristina DC Pastor Denny Meyer was the first to publicly proclaim, “I’m a gay veteran.” He was followed by Elton Lugay, who confessed he was 8 or 10 years old when he discovered the “joy of wearing women’s clothing.” Sean Ross Collins recalled how he and his boyfriend were pelted with dirt and rocks […]
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More than 4 million Filipinos now call America home
By Rene Pastor From 3,912,921 Filipinos in the United States last year to 4,037,564 this year. We are now more than 4 million Filipino Americans. We comprise a solid 40 percent chunk of the Filipino diaspora around the world. In this country, we are the third largest Asian American subgroup behind the Chinese (5,219,184) and […]
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Family announces passing of historian, community activist Dawn Bohulano Mabalon
By Cristina DC Pastor The family of Dawn Bohulano Mabalon announced the passing on August 10 of the historian and Stockton, California native while on vacation with her family in Hawaii. She was 46. The announcement was made on GoFundMe as the family requests assistance with funeral and memorial costs for the author of “Little […]
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Inang
By Alex Brown I will never forget seeing the rolling of the forests. It was a sea of green, and as we carved through I realised that this scenery, and this nature, was not foreign to me. When we first moved to New Zealand my parents would take me on countless road trips, and as […]
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Young Filipinos learn lessons on identity, giving back through Diskubre Tour
Filipinos born abroad traveled to the Baguio-Banaue area where they participated in historical tours, food trips, nature excursions, and livelihood immersion. The July 7 to 17 Diskubre Tour, organized by the Philippine Consulate General in New York (PCGNY) and the Philippine Department of Tourism New York (PDOTNY), seeks to promote a deeper appreciation of the […]
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When younger sisters turn out better than you
By Tricia J. Capistrano “You have to set a good example,” my mom used to tell me. “Whatever you do, your sisters will follow.” I am the oldest of four girls. We are all grown up now. I am 44. Carla, the youngest, is 34. I don’t know if my sisters cared about what I […]
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Gay Pride’s rainbow party
Gay Pride Parade has always been a colorful expression of identity and gender nonconformity, and that’s why the rainbow became its recognizable symbol. Here are some images from the June 24th celebration in NYC. Photos by Elton Lugay and The FilAm