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Grace Grande: Modern-day concubine
By Cristina DC Pastor It’s been five years since Grace Grande left her common-law husband – a well-connected politician from Cagayan Valley – to make a new life for herself and their two boys in Los Angeles. But while she thought leaving the Philippines would put an end to her misery, it created more problems, […]
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A light in a dark place
By Pamela K. Santos Since news broke yesterday afternoon about the senseless killing in an elementary school of Newtown, Connecticut, I haven’t been able to stay away from some form of media outlet. What else could I do for the two hours before my son arrived safe and sound from his school bus? Among the […]
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Remembering Tito Danny, the cool uncle I lost to AIDS
By Pamela K. Santos “You may say I’m a dreamer / But I’m not the only one / I hope someday you’ll join us / And the world will be as one.” — John Lennon November 30 is my birthday. When I was a kid, a cousin told me November 30th was Bonifacio Day, a […]
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FILAMSPEAK: Are your parents strict?
With this issue we start a series called ‘FilAmSpeak’ where we ask a simple question and get the community to respond just as simply. No prodding, no Pavlovian stimuli and definitely no agenda. Our first question to young FilAms: Are your parents strict? Do they cramp your American lifestyle? Five smart and articulate youngsters answer […]
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On Thanksgiving Day, FilAms stay close to families, friends and faith
In sprawling suburban homes and cramped apartments, Filipino Americans feted Thanksgiving by celebrating with their families and relatives, friends and co-workers and giving thanks to God for His blessings. In the case of an account executive who lives by himself in Queens, the day was quietly celebrated solo with a takeout turkey from a Georgia’s […]
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Connecticut family survives tree that fell on kitchen
By Cristina DC Pastor Like most nights, Pam Meily was doing the dishes after dinner. Except that October 29 was not like any other evening. Power was out and hurricane Sandy was blowing ferocious winds throughout the Northeast. Pam was looking out the kitchen window of her Stamford, Connecticut home when an old tree – […]
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They know you as Tita Bing…
By Anne Branigin They know your generosity, your energy, the swell of your laugh. They may know, as I do, that you have no “inside voice” when you’re on the phone (So few Filipinos do. Like, no matter how technology progresses, no matter how hi-def shit gets, you’ve got to compensate for the miles between […]
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Going home to Butuan to be with family and ‘ig-agaw’
By Candace Copio Last year, I had applied to a five-week, service learning program in Jamaica. I was accepted to the program and was ready to accompany my fellow college peers to the tropics. Weeks after my acceptance, I remember being in the foyer of my house talking to my mom. My mom, with a […]
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For 9/11 families, the pain lives on
By Elton Lugay It’s been 11 years, but the pain in Corazon Fernandez’s heart lingers as in the morning when two hijacked planes rammed into the World Trade Center Towers and Arab militants waged a war against America. Her daughter Judy Hazel died instantly, one of nearly 3,000 New Yorkers caught in history’s crossfire. “Every […]