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A bittersweet memoir of hope, family devotion and one deportation after another
By Cristina DC Pastor Feet in Two Worlds Even by Filipino standards, Jen Furer’s immigration journey is one colossal heartache: Her entire family, meaning her parents and five brothers, were deported after living in the U.S. for several years. The worst episode came when a brother in California and another in New Jersey got their […]
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Papa Ping and his one last act of loyalty
By Tony Joaquin When I was about 6 years old, I was allowed by my mother to go with my father Porfirio — better known as Ping – to some of his piano playing gigs around Manila. See, Papa was already a noted jazz pianist long before I was born. In fact, he was known […]
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The unwritten clause in my marriage contract
By Jen Furer Craig and I were sitting on a bench in the middle of the American wing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Before I had met Craig, I had not known such beauty existed. So the first time I visited the Met, I felt like a newborn learning new things about life – […]
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LGBT community in tears over Obama support for marriage equality
President Obama’s personal support for same-sex marriage drew praise and tears from some in the FilAm gay community. “I am just in awe. I am just in tears,” said film critic Mau Feria on hearing Obama come out in favor of same-sex unions after years of hedging his comments. Comedian Rich Kiamco, who recently married […]
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‘As I find pieces of myself I worry that it’s costing you pieces of my heart’
By A. Mabini I remembered the moment I tricked her into holding my hand. It was one of the oldest tricks in the book. I examined it with mine, and without warning locked my fingers with hers and said, “Perfect.” That was 11 years ago when we were both in high school. We had no […]
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A hoarder in the family, a collector of fraying memories
By Cristina DC Pastor I’ve been spending a bit of time with my elderly aunt who lives in the Upper West Side. Tita Emma is neighbors with the Lincoln Center, the Juilliard School of Music, the New York Public Library, the Metropolitan Opera. The Central Park is a hundred or so steps away. She is […]
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Noemy Paet Alvendia, sister and widow
By Cristina DC Pastor How does one deal with a tragedy where both victim and accused come from one family? If you are like Noemy Paet Alvendia, the emotional terrain is fraught with family, community and legal landmines and almost becomes an unnavigable journey. As she mourns the passing of her husband Jeorge, this Jersey […]
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‘I want to be able to tell my grandkids where we came from’
By Joey Tabaco The first time I heard of Singgalot was in a 2008 Yahoogroup email from the Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS) Metropolitan New York Chapter, in which I am a board member, announcing the opening of its tour in Los Angeles. A follow-up message thread from Nestor Enriquez, a FANHS National Trustee […]
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A love letter to a friend
By Laurel Fantauzzo I want to pluck the chill from cold gardenias and place it in your hair. I will be what you want of me—shadows of clock hands, the remaining drop in a coffee spoon. Anything, except cruel. — Hossannah Dear Hossannah, I’m writing this letter to you the week of Valentine’s Day. But […]