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The history of Kilawin Kolektibo: How Filipina lesbians found community in NYC in the 1990s
By Catherine Espejo Because of You: A History of Kilawin Kolektibo, a documentary made by Desireena Almoradie and Barbara Malaran, features archival footage of personal stories that bring awareness to what it meant to be a part of the LGBTQ+ community in the mid-1990s. The clips in the film showcase lesbian personalities, shedding light on […]
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Muralist Jappy Agoncillo: The heart of a craftsman, the grit of an athlete
Artist Jappy Agoncillo presents HOWLIN’, a two-day pop-up exhibition August 22–23 at All Street Gallery in the East Village, marking his solo debut in New York. The show features a new collection of small works and creative collaborations that capture the restless energy and risk-taking spirit of an artist carving out a new path. Best […]
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How the Filipino ‘mangkukulam’ found its way into American horror fiction
By Daphne Fama “When your grandmother was pregnant with your mom, I spent all night with a bolo, ready to cut the tongue off of any aswang who wanted to eat your mom up,” my grandfather once told me, his smile both teasing and proud. Carigara, the little town where my family had spent generations, […]
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How this FilAm prosecutor built a brain-boosting restaurant empire
By Tricia J. Capistrano After 16 years as a federal prosecutor, Marisa Seifan was looking for a change in her life, though she didn’t think that would mean switching careers. For one thing, she was at the top of her field. “I was chief of my unit–a real prosecutor’s prosecutor,” said Seifan. Then a chance […]
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ON GLOBAL FILIPINOS Sofronio Vasquez III: From the slums to the bright lights of Broadway
By Loida Nicolas Lewis A thunderous applause greeted Sofronio Vasquez III when he appeared at the historic Town Hall on Saturday, July 19, 2025 for his first-ever solo concert in the Great White Way. On December 10, 2024, he won the world-renowned NBC’s The Voice becoming the first Filipino — and first Asian — male vocalist to […]
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Grace Brucal brings Filipino heritage to NYFW runway
By Catherine Espejo Participating in New York Fashion Week (NYFW)—one of the world’s most prestigious fashion events—was more than just a career milestone for Grace Brucal. It was a celebration of culture, craftsmanship, and community. Brucal grew up in Matacon, Polangui, Albay, a small town in the Philippines that deeply influenced her love for fashion. […]
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When good people become labor traffickers
By Allen Gaborro Professor Rhacel Salazar Parreñas is well-versed in the field of global migrant domestic workers and the many challenges and adversities they face. She is an award-winning writer and scholar on the subject. In her 2025 publication, “The Trafficker Next Door: How Household Employers Exploit Domestic Workers,” Parreñas presents a cogent, in-depth, and […]
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Lea Salonga: 1st Pinay on the Hollywood Walk of Fame — ‘Still quite stunned about it’
By Cristina DC Pastor In a career spanning decades and continents, Tony Award-winning performer Lea Salonga has made a home in the hearts of Filipino theatergoers in the Philippines and around the world. Two Filipina Americans describe what Lea meant to them growing up. “Since I was a little girl,” reminisced artist Ann Constantino Beck, […]
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The affluent FilAm community
The FilAm Editorial Not too long ago, I had a conversation with a Wells Fargo executive who asked me a simple yet loaded question: “What is the Filipino community like?” With a touch of pride and candor, I replied, “The Filipino community is an affluent community.” I thought of the fundraising galas held in posh […]