-
Matthew Cheirs II: Growing up biracial
By Cristina DC Pastor Matthew Cheirs II was supposed to join the military, but a visit to the Bayanihan Center in Queens stopped him in his tracks. The son of a Filipina from Quezon City and an African American father, Matthew, 25, is now a full-fledged grassroots organizer. He is the chairperson of Anakbayan New […]
-
RN and the alphabet soup of nursing
By Marissa Torres Langseth A certain congresswoman in the Philippines has misconstrued the nursing profession. Exposing her ignorance, Congresswoman Cynthia Villar said Filipino nurses in the U.S. need not be highly educated because they simply aspire to become “room nurses.” Mag-aalaga lang sila. That comment has triggered a flurry of jokes about nurses. One that […]
-
Edwin Ramsey, military officer who organized Filipino guerrillas in WW II, 95
By Chris Schaefer An era in U.S. military history came to a close with the death on March 7th of a genuine American war hero. Lieutenant Colonel Edwin Price Ramsey was a First Lieutenant in the United States Cavalry at the beginning of World War II, stationed in the Philippines. On January 16, 1942, he […]
-
We should be happy Cardinal Luis Tagle still belongs to us
By Rachel E. Khan There was stunned silence among the 300,000-strong crowd gathered at St. Peter’s Square after the new Pope’s name was announced in Latin on March 13th. Argentinian Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio was not one of the “pope-ables” touted by the media so the general reaction was: “Who did he say it was? […]
-
The FilAm at 2: The rocks and the horse in our blogging life
Cristina DC Pastor The FilAm turned 2 on March 15, a blogging toddler that is starting to come into its own. Ours is a modest growth. Just like my niece, Aris Pastor, who when she was 2, was just starting to form words. Our gains in the last two years mirror the development of my […]
-
Filmmakers explore Philippine street art
Although most street art is a legitimate form of expression, it is often labeled as vandalism. Guided by this philosophy, two filmmakers set out to explore street art in the Philippines, examine its development and celebrate its potential as a popular form of visual art among young Filipinos. “Street art allows artists’ voices, and the […]
-
NYC council commends FALDEF for ‘great work’
New York City Councilman Vincent Gentile lauded FALDEF’s immigration advocacy by presenting the organization with a City Council Citation at a March 1 fundraising reception held at the Consul General’s Upper East Side residence. “You have done the great advocacy for all migrants, not just the Filipino Americans, but all those that come to you,” […]
-
Lisa Esperame-Nohs lifts shroud over fabled Diamond District
By Cristina DC Pastor Antwerp, Tel-Aviv and New York City are the world’s diamond capitals. Lisa Esperame-Nohs’s work as a jewelry manager makes her an important member of the elite world of Manhattan’s fabled Diamond District. It is a world Lisa knows intimately. She is the manager of the Jewelry Department at William Goldberg, one […]
-
Rene Ballenas being held at Rikers Island
By Cristina DC Pastor Rene Ballenas is currently serving one year at Rikers Island after he pleaded guilty on March 5 to two counts of second degree grand larceny. His lawyer told The FilAm he could be out in eight months on good behavior. From the courtroom, Ballenas was promptly taken to the Eric M. […]