This Filipino American Life: Recent Episodes
This Filipino American Life
https://thisfilipinoamericanlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/tfal-episode260.mp3In this episode of the pod, Elaine and Kat have a kikihan (kiki + kwentuhan) with Mark Kaiklian of By and By. Mark is a talented graphic designer, artist, performer, and all around good human who shares his journey with us. We learn about his origin story from Tondo, Philippines to Eagle Rock, CA and his connection to the ever popular Manila Sound crew. Dodger fans can get the TFALpodcast x By and By collab clear stadium bag for Dodger Games and other clear bag required sporting events or concerts!
Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on ThisFilipinoAmericanLife.com, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your favorite podcasts are found.
We all have them in our lives. Friends and family who are not Filipino but sometimes we call “Honorary Filipinos.” But does anyone really deserve such a title? Does it become an invitation for more privileged folks to begin Filipino-splaining us and/or become culture vultures? Is this title that we should even dole out? In this TFAL episode, the crew discusses this term “Honorary Filipino” and all of its nuanced implications. Listen as they wade through the grey and find out who’s invited to the family party!
Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on ThisFilipinoAmericanLife.com, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your favorite podcasts are found.
Do you believe there should be “Honorary Filipinos”? Let us know by emailing us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.
Sometimes, you just have to chase your dream, damnit. For Bernard Badion, telling stories was always an integral part of him and has been a life-long pursuit. Growing up in Sunnyvale, California, the acclaimed Filipino American creator longed to tell stories that people can relate to. And in so many ways, he has already written, produced, and directed a lot of our stories for the world to watch, including his upcoming animated series SUN CHASER!
In this TFAL episode, Joe sits down with Bernard to discuss his journey in the creative sector. Listen as he talks about his penchant for stories of all kinds, his foundation in the Filipino college club scene, and his trials and tribulations making it in Hollywood. And of course, we get into his newest project, Sun Chaser, co-created by TFAL Alum, Bobby Pontillas.
If you haven’t seen the first episode of Sun Chaser, watch it on YouTube ASAP. And please support their Kickstarter and help them make more episodes!
It’s been a while, we know. Life has been life-ing so we haven’t recorded much lately, but we continue to march on. Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on ThisFilipinoAmericanLife.com, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your favorite podcasts are found.
What stories do you want to tell? Is there one that should be a movie or series? Let us know by emailing us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.
Is hopia a dessert? What started out as a random argument Elaine and Producer Mike had snowballed into a whole TFAL mini-episode about random Filipino food questions. Listen as the TFAL crew discuss and debate questions like: What is the most overrated Filipino dish? The most underrated? Do you f-ck with Filipino fruit salad? Why is there so much hate towards raisins? These questions and more will be answered once you click play!
Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on ThisFilipinoAmericanLife.com, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your favorite podcasts are found.
Got an opinion on anything we discussed? Do you have a random Filipino food question? Let us know by emailing us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.
If you are into comic books, then you must absolutely know Hot Tropiks, the leading distributor of Filipino comics and children’s literature in the United States. The owner and co-founder, Angelo Mendez, together with his wife, Nadine, began Hot Tropiks to bring the bold, imaginative stories of comics to a global audience. In this TFAL episode, we discuss the journey of Angelo Mendez, co-founder of Hot Tropiks. Listen as Joe and Angelo discuss their shared roots at UC Santa Barbara, his hustle as an entrepreneur in hip hop and tech both in the U.S. and in the Philippines, and his take on the Filipino American comic scene today. Be sure to take a listen to this harrowing (to borrow a common comic book adjective) episode. Same TFAL time. Same TFAL channel.
Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on ThisFilipinoAmericanLife.com, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your favorite podcasts are found.
What comics are you into? If you had to create your own comic franchise, what would it be about? Let us know by emailing us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.
https://thisfilipinoamericanlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/tfal-episode255.mp3Today’s the day! “Eraserheads: Combo on the Run” is releasing throughout North America across over 60 screens, one of the biggest and widest releases of a Filipino documentary ever. And while the exploits of the band are well detailed in the film itself, we thought it would be worthwhile to sit down with Director Diane Ventura and Eraserheads Lead Singer Ely Buendia himself to talk in more depth about what it was like to dig through the Eraserheads archives, explore how the band and their music connected with the broader diaspora, and most importantly… get a little nerdy about music .
Speaking of which, Ely continues to make music and support others in their own musical journeys through his label, Offshore Music Philippines, which you can learn all about at at offshoremusicph.com.
And definitely check out Diane’s other projects at www.dventproductions.com.
Should Diane (or anyone else) make a documentary about the Original Pilipino Music (OPM) scene? Was Joe or Producer Mike’s fanboying super obvious in this interview? Please comment on all our socials, rate us anywhere you find us (5 stars hopefully?), listen to or download the episode through the embedded player on ThisFilipinoAmericanLife.com, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your favorite podcasts are found.
https://thisfilipinoamericanlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/tfal-episode254.mp3In the 3rd edition of our Eraserheads-themed mini-series, Les the DJ and Producer Mike reminisce about road trips to the tune of “Overdrive”, and can’t get enough of silly love songs like “Ligaya”. But what songs are Les and Mike listening to now? Listen and find out!
As a reminder, on April 24th, Combo On The Run, a documentary chronicling the rise of the band Eraserheads, is set to hit movie screens across North America. And to truly end our Eraserheads-themed series with a bang, on that same day we’re going to release a special conversation with…
Well you’ll just have to find out then!
And while this may be the last episode of “Original Pilipino Musings” for now, who knows what the future holds? Do you want to hear more music nerdery from Les and Mike? Please comment on all our socials, rate us anywhere you find us (5 stars hopefully?), listen to or download the episode through the embedded player on ThisFilipinoAmericanLife.com, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your favorite podcasts are found.
Audio clips from “Overdrive” and “Ligaya” used with permission from copyright holders coordinated through DVent Productions.
https://thisfilipinoamericanlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/tfal-episode253.mp3In part 2 of our mini-series “Original Pilipino Musings” with Les the DJ, we dive into two seminal Eraserheads classics, “Toyang” from their 1993 debut album, Ultraelectromagneticpop!, as well as “Alapaap” from their 1994 follow-up, Circus. Listen as we talk about what the songs mean to us, and debate whether or not it matters if we properly understand and interpret what they (or anyone else) is singing about at all!
And as a reminder, in a few weeks, Combo On The Run, a documentary chronicling the rise of the band Eraserheads, is set to hit movie screens across North America. Watch it where and when you can!
What do you think of Toyang and Alapaap? What were your first experiences with the Eraserheads? Please comment on all our socials, rate us anywhere you find us (5 stars hopefully?), listen to or download the episode through the embedded player on ThisFilipinoAmericanLife.com, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your favorite podcasts are found.
Audio clips from “Toyang” and “Alapaap” used with permission from copyright holders coordinated through DVent Productions.
https://thisfilipinoamericanlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/tfal-episode252.mp3In a few weeks, Combo On The Run, a documentary chronicling the rise of the band Eraserheads, is set to hit movie screens across North America. It’s not often that a film from the Philippines gets a release and a reception as high profile as this film has been getting, let alone a documentary about an OPM band as varied and enigmatic as the Eraserheads. So since #TFALheartsOPM, we figured we’d dedicate some time to talk about Original Pilipino Music, including our favorite bands, songs, scenes, and subgenres, and of course about the Eraserheads.
But to do the topic justice, we figured we’d use this moment as an opportunity to try something… a little different!
Producer Mike is hosting, sans the rest of the TFAL crew; you know, the one host that never really seems to say much on most episodes? It just so happens that he moonlights as Waxstyles, an inveterate record collector that occasionally DJs as well. And who better to join him on this journey other than past TFAL guest and friend of the podcast Les the DJ? Les was featured waaaay back on Episode 145 when we were doing the “Social Distance Series”… remember that?! She is a supreme archivist of all kinds of music, but especially OPM from all eras.
And as a result… this is the nerdiest episode about OPM and music in general that we have ever recorded… one that went so long that we’re spreading it across THREE (!) episodes!
So please join us on a little TFAL side quest that for now we’re calling “Original Pilipino Musings”!
Should we make this a regular thing? Please comment on all our socials, rate us anywhere you find us (5 stars hopefully?), listen to or download the episode through the embedded player on ThisFilipinoAmericanLife.com, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your favorite podcasts are found.
https://thisfilipinoamericanlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/tfal-episode251.mp3Here Lies Love, the play about the rise and fall of Imelda Marcos as the Philippine dictator’s wife during Martial Law is now playing in Los Angeles. The TFAL crew had the opportunity to watch Here Lies Love when it first opened at the Mark Taper Forum a couple of weeks ago. Love it or hate it, the controversial musical is a part of our community, and many folks are watching it. It reflects the talent, labor, limitations, privileges, complications, and discourses in and of the Filipino American community.
In this TFAL episode, the crew gives their honest takes on Here Lies Love. They also hear the insights of Professor Christine Balance, who has been following David Byrne’s work on Imelda Marcos for close to two decades. Given her research background on Filipino American music and performance, we thought she would be the perfect person to talk to about the musical. Listen as they share their various experiences watching the production, discuss its high points as well as shortcomings, reflect on the limitations of representation, and convey the musical’s broader implications and reflections of Philippine history and the Filipino American community in general.
Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on ThisFilipinoAmericanLife.com, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your favorite podcasts are found.
Did you watch the play in Seattle, New York, or Los Angeles? What did you think? Let us know by emailing us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.
For more accurate and detailed info on the broader Martial Law period, please refer to these resources:
- Here Lies Love in Critical Contexts: a Public Syllabus
- Ramona Diaz, Imelda (2003)
- Jessica Hagedorn, Dogeaters
- (audio version on Audible)
- (play version/print)
- Josen Diaz, Postcolonial Configurations: Dictatorship, the Racial Cold War, and Filipino America
- Lucy San Pablo Burns, Puro Arte: Filipinos on the Stages of Empire
- Amanda Andrei, American Theatre magazine article, “The Complicated Triumph of Here Lies Love”
- Sara Ahmed, Living a Feminist Life
- Mark John Sanchez, List of published articles
PC: Los Angeles Times
For 10 years, TFAL has been trying to amplify voices from our community, but particular voices from sectors of our community that have been historically overlooked. We are especially attuned to the voices without glitz and glamor, without state-sanctioned narratives, and without algorithmic egos. For our 250th episode, and on the heels of the 40th anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution, we wanted to focus on the memories of Martial Law, a period in Philippine and Filipino American history when Dictator Ferdinand Marcos ruled the country. Not the “golden years” that the current Philippine administration and its supporters want folks to believe, but Martial Law was a dark time where civil liberties were stripped away, which led to severe human rights violations, including thousands of arrests, torture, and killings
In this TFAL episode, we talk to CAROL OJEDA-KIMBROUGH, a life-long political activist who came of age during Martial Law. Listen as she discusses her activism in the Philippines, the losses she experienced under the hands of a dictator, and the imperative to tell and remember these historical truths without whitewashing narratives. We also get to discuss our opinions on the controversial musical, HERE LIVES LOVE, which is currently showing here in Los Angeles.
For many Filipino Americans, we are somewhat removed from Martial Law Philippines, but it’s imperative that these stories and memories live on through us, particularly during this dark era we find ourselves in the authoritative United States.
This episode is dedicated to the memory of ROLANDO FEDERIS, who fought and died for Philippine freedom, justice, and love.
You can read more about the life of Rolando Federis here.
Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on ThisFilipinoAmericanLife.com, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your favorite podcasts are found.
What do you think of the episode? Let us know by emailing us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.
Have you ever dreamed about a TV show with an all-Filipino American cast? What kind of show it would be? Who would star in it? In this TFAL episode, Elaine, Joe, and Producer Mike dream up their ideal TV show by playing The Fil Am Celebrity Draft! Adapted from a game that Joe used to play with his friends (and Dave Chappelle’s Racial Draft, if we’re being honest), the crew takes turn “drafting” Filipino American celebrities to be cast in their hypothetical shows. Listen to see who drafts Marc Descascos, Olivia Rodrigo, Eugene Cordero, and everyone’s favorite, the man with the epic mustache, Mitch Narito! I’m sure you will root for your favorite celebrities (and shows) as you listen to the episode.
P.S. We, the Filipino American delegation, would like to trade Rob Schneider for a warm bottle of San Mig and a couple of kwek-kweks.
Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on ThisFilipinoAmericanLife.com, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your favorite podcasts are found.
Which of the crew’s TV shows would you want to watch most? Let us know by emailing us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com or leave a voicemail on Ryan’s phone. =)
Below are mood boards Elaine created that give you hints of what the crew picked.
https://thisfilipinoamericanlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/tfal-episode248.mp3In this episode of the podcast, Kalaya’an Mendoza returns to talk with the crew about community care. This episode is dedicated to the folks in Minnesota and beyond who are grieving, protesting, and resisting ICE kidnappings and intimidation. The crew reached out to Kalaya’an again to check in on how we can support each other in these times of unrest. Take a listen as the crew talks about how we are all coping and providing care for our communities in our own ways.
Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on ThisFilipinoAmericanLife.com, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your favorite podcasts are found.
For more resources on how to support your community check out these ig accounts!
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Over the last few months, the hottest night out can be had at a Filipino supermarket. If you’re lucky enough to live near a Seafood City, you might have seen or experienced the multi-generational viral dance party conceptualized by JP Breganza back in August 2025. What is this phenomenon all about? Why does it attract so many people (especially younger Millennials and Gen Zers)? How long will it last?
In this episode of TFAL, the crew breaks down their experiences at these “Late Night Madness” parties and their larger impact on the Filipino American community. The crew dives into the Seafood City Party phenomenon, corporate responsibilities of large Filipino American businesses, and how the ethos of these parties relates to the recent H-Mart controversy.Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on ThisFilipinoAmericanLife.com, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your favorite podcasts are found.For more info on the Seafood City Party phenomenon, check out these articles:Disarray MagazineKQEDLA TimesSeattle TimesNY TimesPhoto Credit: Disarray Magazine
https://thisfilipinoamericanlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/tfal-episode246.mp3Dom Magwili is a prolific actor, writer, and educator who has graced his presence on stage and screen for years. Most importantly Dom has played a role in our lives when he guided Kat as she was PCN coordinator at UCLA and gave Elaine a boost of confidence when she was an emcee for the Festival of Philippine Arts & Culture.
In this episode the TFAL crew gives Dom his (metaphorical) flowers. Dom shares his journey as an artist and gives us a lesson in how to create your own work when you do not see yourself in the media landscape presented to you. The crew discusses Dom’s career and how it led him to his latest project Scientific Dragons! Scientific Dragons : The Adventure of Ensun Castle is a steampunk adventure that follows an expatriate from the Philippines, an immortal female pirate, and a Japanese American spy as they battle to keep a small European kingdom from falling to a global shadow government and their airborne fortress. Watch the trailer for Scientific Dragons and then head to Amazon and pick up the book: Buy Scientific Dragons!
Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on ThisFilipinoAmericanLife.com, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your favorite podcasts are found.
What is the Filipino American anthem? Is it Bebot by the Black Eyed Peas? P.T.I. by Carl Angelo? Lemonade by Jeremy Passion? Us by Ruby Ibarra? Do You Miss Me? by Jocelyn Enriquez? Todo Todo by Daniela Romo (you know who chose that one!)??
In this TFAL episode, we look at so-called Filipino American anthems over the years and discuss how much of an anthem they really were to our community. One criterion though: if Producer Mike hasn’t heard of it, it doesn’t count!
FYI, we recorded the episode before the launch of Carl Angelo’s #PTIchallenge so we missed the larger impact of that anthem. Pasensya na!
Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on ThisFilipinoAmericanLife.com, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your favorite podcasts are found.
Did we leave a song out? Is there an anthem yet to be composed? Let us know! Leave us a voicemail at (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com. This is episode was Joe’s bright idea, so any hate mail can be addressed to him directly. =)
https://thisfilipinoamericanlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/tfal-episode244.mp3In this episode the TFAL crew has a conversation with Arthur Yu. Arthur Yu was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in 2023. Arthur did all the things you needed to do like rounds of chemo and looking for bone marrow matches. Arthur explored the National Marrow Donor Program (formerly Be The Match) for possible matches. https://www.nmdp.org/ A match through NMDP wasn’t found, but a match through a distant relative in the Philippines was found. Instead of being joyful that a match had been found, a new battle came to a head when the relative in the Philippines was denied a visa to come to the States. This started the campaign for Arthur’s cousin to get their visa approved and how it came to the attention of TFAL.
Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on ThisFilipinoAmericanLife.com, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your favorite podcasts are found.
Want to share your experience with cancer? Are you registered with the National Marrow Donor Program? Leave us a voicemail at (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.
“You’re not Filipino if you don’t speak Tagalog.”
“You sound white.”
“The national language of the Philippines is Filipino, not Tagalog.”
“Filipino is already gender neutral.”
Much of our online discourse in the Filipino community is about or related to language. The debates are out there. We here at TFAL want to tackle some of these linguistic arguments head on. On this TFAL episode, we talk about the politics of language in the Filipino/Filipino American community with linguistic anthropologist, Jennifer Delfino, Associate Professor at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Listen as we talk about the politics of “sounding white,” the struggles of Filipino Americans to learn their heritage language, the fallacy and limitations of a Philippine national language, and of course, the ongoing debate of FilipinX. Let the debate rage on!
Also, for fun, listen to Joe and Mike’s new made-up national identifiers towards the end of the episode.
Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on ThisFilipinoAmericanLife.com, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your favorite podcasts are found.
What did you think of the episode? What other language questions do you have? Leave us a voicemail at (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.
Have you ever thought about doing a pilgrimage? Would you want to contemplate your life choices on a hiking journey through the mountainous regions of Europe? Do you just want to hear about someone else doing that and not deal with the physical and spiritual Olympics of it all? Then this episode is for you! The TFAL crew has an enlightening conversation with Kristine Jan Espinoza about their experience walking the Camino de Santiago.
Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on ThisFilipinoAmericanLife.com, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your favorite podcasts are found.
Have you done a Camino? Would you ever? Leave us a voicemail at (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.
This episode is brought to you by In Loving Memory | Undas | All Souls Edition. Join Oblivious Nerd Girl Services at Kubo Long Beach this Sunday, November 2nd at 3pm. Commemorate your loved ones and all the things you’ve lost since 2020. RSVP today: In Loving Memory | Undas | All Souls Edition.
tfalpodcast #tfal #filipino #filipinoamerican
In this episode we have tfal fan favorite Faith Santilla aka “Tita Faith” in her fourth appearance on the pod! Joining Faith is the amazing and inspiring Martha Gonzalez of Quetzal. On this episode Elaine, Kat, and Producer Mike talk story about the exciting and upcoming show at The Ford Los Angeles, Labor of Love.
Join us in Commemorating the 60th Anniversary of the Delano Grape Strike in this evening concert, which features the legendary Joe Bataan, the “King of Latin Soul,” alongside the Grammy-winning ensemble Quetzal, whose music uplifts stories of community and resilience. Hosted by poet and activist Faith Santilla, the event honors the historic solidarity between Filipino and Mexican farmworkers during the 1960s movement.
Get tickets here: bit.ly/laborofloveford
This episode is brought to you by Oblivious Nerd Girl Services | RSVP today: In Loving Memory | UNDAS | All Souls Day edition
https://thisfilipinoamericanlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/tfal-episode240.mp3In this episode Elaine and Producer Mike have a conversation with singer-songwriter Stephen Ordonez also known as LABIT (@labitlabit). Stephen shares his experience growing up with Filipino American parents born in the States and how their love of music influenced his style. Fans of artists like Laufey and Jason LaPierre will vibe with Stephen’s style.
Want to check him out live? Join Stephen on Saturday, October 18th at The Peppermint Club. Tickets available here: Labit – SOL Album Release Show.
Listen to PARALLEL from the upcoming album SOL on Spotify!
This episode is brought to you by Labor of Love is a soulful and empowering music experience featuring legendary Latin soul pioneer Joe Bataan and the Grammy Award-winning Chicano rock band Quetzal. Poet and community activist Faith Santilla leads a celebration of music and culture inspired by the solidarity formed between Filipino and Mexican workers during the California labor movement of the 1960s. Get tickets here: bit.ly/laborofloveford
And Oblivious Nerd Girl Services | RSVP today: In Loving Memory | All The Things We Lost
In this episode of TFAL, Elaine and Producer Mike have a conversation with Los Angeles native (yes, they exist!) Chrissa Sparkles. You may have seen Chrissa Sparkles go viral with her Barbie inspired content on @chrissasparkles. In this conversation we go through Chrissa’s journey as a local kid with no connections figuring out how to maneuver through auditions and the industry.
The current state of the world inspired Chrissa to create the dance banger “F*ck ICE.” Play it at your next rally! National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON) is calling for community members to hold rally’s in front of your local courthouses to send a clear message that we must protect our communities and hold the line where the courts have failed on September 18th. And while you are at it, if you are in Seattle, head to Chrissa Sparkles live show DELULU at Here-After (2505 1st Ave Seattle, WA 98121)!
Listen to “Fck ICE” and “Don’t Fck a Fascist” on Spotify or wherever you get music!
Buy tickets for the September 18th show in Seattle here: Chrissa Sparkles: DELULU
Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on ThisFilipinoAmericanLife.com, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your favorite podcasts are found.
What would your resistance pop song be called? Leave us a voicemail at (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.
This episode is brought to you by Labor of Love is a soulful and empowering music experience featuring legendary Latin soul pioneer Joe Bataan and the Grammy Award-winning Chicano rock band Quetzal. Poet and community activist Faith Santilla leads a celebration of music and culture inspired by the solidarity formed between Filipino and Mexican workers during the California labor movement of the 1960s. Get tickets here: bit.ly/laborofloveford
And Oblivious Nerd Girl Services | RSVP today: In Loving Memory | All The Things We Lost
Dear young people,
How do we stay cool?
Sincerely,
Middle-aged TFALers
There are many generations of Filipinos who live in the United States in this day and age. Immigrant generations, 2nd generations, 3rd generations, Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials, and now Gen Z. Many have different experiences as Filipino Americans, and in many ways, some of those experiences are the same. In this TFAL episode, we discuss some of these intergenerational differences and similarities with two self-proclaimed Gen Zers. We speak to Skyler Gallarzan and Basilio Juachon about their experiences as 3rd generation Gen Z Filipino Americans.
Listen as Elaine, Kat, and Joe feel very old hearing about their perceptions of Generation X / Xennial Filipino Americans. They also discuss how 3rd generation Filipinos try to retain their culture, the real anxieties of Gen Zers, and lasting impact of the “Swagapino.” We didn’t get through all of what we wanted to discuss, but perhaps this is the first of many ongoing conversations with Skyler and Basilio.
Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on ThisFilipinoAmericanLife.com, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your favorite podcasts are found.
Got a question or topic that we didn’t cover in the episode? Leave us a voicemail at (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.
Joe wrote a book! Well…kinda.
After a few years of gathering photos and writing, Joe has published FILIPINOS IN THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY, a pictorial history that traces the historical and cultural shifts of this quintessential suburb through the lens of generations of Filipinos who made the San Fernando Valley their home. This book is the newest edition of “Filipinos in…” books from Arcadia Publishing.
In this TFAL episode, Joe talks with the TFAL crew about his book and the process of writing it. Listened as he discusses why he wrote it, his approach to the book (which may differ from previous Filipino Arcadia books), and why the San Fernando Valley is instructive to understand Filipino American history and culture. Also, listen to our bastos, yet hilarious conversation about the Valley’s once booming porn industry. This episode is especially dedicated to the people of the 818, Elaine and Joe’s home.
ABOUT THE BOOK
The majority of Filipino Americans reside in suburban communities, yet this history has been largely absent from both academic and popular narratives. FILIPINOS IN THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY offers a visual and narrative glimpse into the lives of Filipino Americans in the place some have dubbed “America’s Suburb,” from early immigrants to the post-1965 wave that helped redefine the suburban experience in Southern California. Many of the photographs and anecdotes spotlight how this community navigated the transformation of the Valley during the economic and demographic shifts of the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. This book documents how suburbia shaped Filipinos, and how Filipinos, in turn, shaped suburbia in their own unique way, contradictions and all.
Look out for more posts on how to get a copy of FILIPINOS IN THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY and other book events.
https://thisfilipinoamericanlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/tfal-episode236.mp3In this episode the TFAL crew has a conversation with author Randy Ribay. The crew has discussed Patron Saints of Nothing multiple times, so this conversation was long coming. In fact, we thought we had already spoken to Randy Ribay! So glad we got to have this conversation with Randy about his journey as an author.
For folks lucky enough to be at San Diego Comic Con, make sure to check out his panel at today at 6pm in Room 25ABC. Also make sure to check out some TFALpodcast fav vendors like @artofpao_official, @lepetitelefant, @patrickballesteros, @scottlost at @headlockedcomic, and everything that the @lumpiamovie crew is programming!
Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on ThisFilipinoAmericanLife.com, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your favorite podcasts are found.
What’s a story that you would love to tell? Leave us a voicemail at (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.
https://thisfilipinoamericanlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/tfal-episode235.mp3In this episode Producer Mike and Elaine have a conversation with TFAL graphic designer Vincent Collyer and his brother Charles Collyer about Charles’ experience with a surprise diagnosis of lung cancer. Charles explains how a post Tough Mudder run lead to a rib injury which the X-rays lead to his lung cancer diagnosis. Post lung cancer surgery, somehow Charles decided to get back into running and began training for races.
Charles (bottom left) with Sick Step during their run on America’s Got Talent
Vincent & Charles at Producer Mike and Elaine’s wedding
Emmy award winning visual effects artists Charles Collyer
Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on ThisFilipinoAmericanLife.com, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your favorite podcasts are found.
Want to share your experience with cancer? Are you a runner? Leave us a voicemail at (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.
This episode is brought to you by Oblivious Nerd Girl Services. If you need a mobile notary in Los Angeles County, you can reach out to Elaine and she can take care of it for you!
https://thisfilipinoamericanlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/tfal-episode234.mp3In this episode the crew has a conversation with author and filmmaker, Jill Damatac, who shares her journey from the Philippines to the States to the UK all through the lens of an undocumented immigrant. Instead of a traditional cookbook, which predominantly focuses on recipes and then sprinkles in family stories, Jill does the opposite and weaves recipes in between Philippine mythology and family history. This timely conversation highlights the perils and resilience of what it means to not have the luck of being born in the States and afforded the luxury of citizenship.
Pick up a copy of Dirty Kitchen wherever books are sold like your local independent book store, Bookshop.org, or Barnes and Noble.
Are you or a loved one in need of support? Pilipino Workers Center has resources available:
- PWC Immigration Related Emergency. 24/7 Hotline. Call 820-777-4102
- Request a Know Your Rights Card in English and Tagalog: Know Your Rights Card
- Join a PWC’s Community of Care: PWC Membership
Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on ThisFilipinoAmericanLife.com, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your favorite podcasts are found.
Do you have a similar story to Jill’s? Want a place to share your story anonymously?Leave us a voicemail at (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.
Amidst the chaos, we still have hope. A couple of weeks ago, Ryan and Joe had a conversation about being relatively new dads. With Father’s Day approaching, the two TFAL dads discuss their experiences navigating fatherhood and all that it entails. Listen as they talk about how their identities changed as new responsibilities came, how they unconsciously emulate their own parents while trying to mitigate and stop generational trauma, and above all else, how they try to lead with love as much as possible.
Parenting is difficult. Perhaps one of the most difficult responsibilities in life. Ryan and Joe don’t have all of the answers, but they try the best they can…which is all you can ask for. Please take a listen and let us know your thoughts. Do you have any advice for any dads out there? Email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.
This episode is dedicated to all the dads out there. Never stop learning and growing.
https://thisfilipinoamericanlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/tfal-episode232.mp3TFALpodcast kicks off PRIDE month with a conversation with author and illustrator Mike Curato. In this episode Elaine and Producer Mike learn about Mike Curato’s journey with Gaysians, Curato’s first graphic novel for adult audiences. Curato is best known for Little Elliot, a picture book series, and Flamer, a young adult graphic novel which has the distinction of being listed as one of NPR’s Best Books of 2020 while simultaneously being one of the most banned and challenged books in the United States. Pick up Gaysians at your local independent bookstore or Bookshop.org. You can also catch Mike on his book tour!
Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on ThisFilipinoAmericanLife.com, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your favorite podcasts are found.
What song would you add to your Pride playlist? Let us know! Leave us a voicemail at (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.
https://thisfilipinoamericanlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/tfal-episode231.mp3On Election Day 2024, while most of the level-headed American public mourned the re-emergence of the far-right orange man, local folks in Los Angeles had a moment of electoral triumph with the victory of Ysabel Jurado to the Los Angeles City Council. Jurado is the first Filipino/a/x American to ever serve on the City Council for the nation’s 2nd largest city and the home to the largest number of Filipinos outside of the Philippines. It was truly a victory for Filipinos and so many other historically marginalized communities in the city.
The TFAL crew knew Ysabel for many years and have been a big supporter of her leadership, so we are ecstatic that she was able to join the podcast. Listen as we discuss her victory over her racist and corrupt opponent, her first few months in office, her loyalty and duty to working class communities, California’s housing crisis, Bernie-chella, and the hopeful future of SM Eagle Rock (aka Eagle Rock Plaza). We also ask her what it was like to work with great Ryan and Joe (spoiler: Ryan and Joe are mid). If you want to know more about the inner workings, pressures, and rewards of running a campaign and serving as an elected official, this is the episode for you.
Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on ThisFilipinoAmericanLife.com, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your favorite podcasts are found.
https://thisfilipinoamericanlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/tfal-episode230.mp3In this episode TFAL’s Elaine and Producer Mike have a conversation with Lisa Angulo Reid, founder of Dear Flor @lovedearflor. Dear Flor’s mission is to bring Filipino culture to the world, one flavor at a time. Lisa shares her journey as an entrepreneur and how she transitioned from advertising to the quickly growing cannabis industry.
If you have ever been interested in trying gummies, take advantage of the Dear Flor 4/20 promo! All Dear Flor products are 20% off! Free shipping on all orders. Promo ends at midnight Pacific Time on 4/20.
Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on ThisFilipinoAmericanLife.com, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your favorite podcasts are found.
What flavor would you like to see in a gummy? Let us know! Leave us a voicemail at (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.
In this TFAL episode, Joe talks to Dr. Allan Lumba, writer, researcher, historian, and professor at Concordia University in Montreal, about potential of Filipinx Studies to inspire our community to fight for a better world. Listen how he developed into a brilliant scholar focused on Philippine Studies, the growing number of Filipino and Filipino American intellectuals unapologetically studying the Philippines and Filipinos in the diaspora, the making of a Filipinx Freedom School, and the current global fascist moment emerging from decades of neoliberal policies. In the episode, they also wax nostalgic about being roommates during their graduate school days at the University of Washington.
Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on ThisFilipinoAmericanLife.com, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your favorite podcasts are found.
Any thoughts on the episode? Let us know! Leave us a voicemail at (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.
https://thisfilipinoamericanlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/tfal-episode228.mp3The TFAL crew is no stranger to the world of animation. In episode 28 (TFAL talks Voice Acting (and Secrets & Fears)), the crew had a conversation with voice actors Eric Bauza (@bauzilla) and Earl Baylon (@earlybgoode). While Producer Mike and Elaine were on their trip in the Philippines, they were able to connect with Oscar nominated animation director and founder of Rise Up Animation (@riseupanimation), Bobby Pontillas (@bobbypontillas).
This conversation took place in the lobby of the Fairmont Makati (over a delicious meal, naturally), hence the background noise throughout. Many thanks to Bobby for taking the time to talk with Elaine and Producer Mike!
Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on ThisFilipinoAmericanLife.com, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your favorite podcasts are found.
What Filipino and/or Filipino American stories would you love to see animated? What are your favorite animated films? Let us know! Leave us a voicemail at (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.
https://thisfilipinoamericanlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/tfal-episode227.mp3Is it truly “More Fun in the Philippines? Well technically not any more, because that marketing campaign ended in 2023. Now it’s “Love the Philippines”, but do we? They say there’s “no place like home” (which is especially fitting, since this is episode “227”… look it up, kids), but for Elaine and Producer Mike, who were both born in the US, going to the Philippines was always going to be a different sort of homecoming. And in many ways, Elaine and Producer Mike going to the Philippines is the closing of a chapter of TFAL, in which these specific aspirations have finally been accomplished: Elaine has gone to the Philippines for the first time ever, and Producer Mike finally made a return after 20 years. And in both cases, it was everything and nothing either of them expected. What does that even mean?! Well listen to the episode and find out!
Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on ThisFilipinoAmericanLife.com, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your favorite podcasts are found.
What have your experiences visiting the Philippines been like? Should the whole TFAL crew go there next? Let us know! Leave us a voicemail at (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.
For generations, society has taught Filipinos and Filipino Americans what our specific gender roles should be. For men, masculinity is usually associated with ideas of strength, competition, emotion-less, family responsibilities, and protection. At times, these concepts can create narrow definitions of manhood and can pigeon-hole heterosexual men into certain prescribed racial, classed, and gender identities. How can Filipino men navigate an increasingly isolating, brutal, and hyper-masculine society particularly in the United States? How do men make room for different forms of masculinity? How do men reject notions of toxicity, violence, and domination as they remake and redefine heterosexual masculinity for ourselves?
In this TFAL episode, Joe talks to Don Martinez, a Marriage and Family Therapist based in Pasadena, and Joseph Reynoso, a psychoanalytic clinical psychologist based in New York City. They get into a deep conversation about masculinity among Filipino American men, cultures of domination, familial obligations, ideas of success and failures, and so much more. They barely scratch the surface on this initial conversation, but we hope you find the conversation fresh, interesting, and thought-provoking.
NOTE: This was another feeble attempt by Joe to record and edit the episode without the almighty Producer Mike (who was still in the Philippines). Please direct any hate mail to him.
Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on ThisFilipinoAmericanLife.com, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your favorite podcasts are found.
Do you have thoughts on Filipino American masculinity? Let us know and maybe we’ll have further discussion on a future episode! Leave us a voicemail at (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.
As referenced in the episode, here is Joseph Reynoso’s latest work, Sports and Psychoanalysis, an edited volume of essays that explores the intersection of sport and psychoanalysis.
Did you know that men from the Philippines prior to colonization wore penis pins and rings in order to pleasure their sexual partner during intercourse? Yes, many of our ancestors had all kinds of sex toys and pleasure enhancers. In many ways, being open to sex and sexual pleasure can be seen as a form of anti-colonialism. Everyday, many Filipinos and Filipino Americans have tried to push for a more sexually liberated society, much to the chagrin of the conservative folks in our community and in the Philippines,
On this episode of TFAL we bring back past guest, Cecilia Villero aka Goddess Cecilia, a pleasure educator, advocate, and consultant to discuss sexual pleasure and rejecting the taboos that we grew up with. We ask questions that Ryan and Joe have been dying to know the answers of. Sex is a beautiful thing and so much of the colonial legacies in our culture have prevented us from really exploring it’s facets.Note: Elaine and Producer Mike are visiting the Philippines (Elaine’s first time!), so unfortunately, they aren’t on the episode. But you can check out their adventure of our IG stories. Since they’re on vacation, Joe edited this episode himself, so please blame him the shoddy producing. =)Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on ThisFilipinoAmericanLife.com, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your favorite podcasts are found.Got a question for Goddess Cecilia? Let us know and maybe she’ll come back for a future episode! Leave us a voicemail at (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.
Episode 224 | Living with the Land – A Conversation with Dennis Arguelles
This past fall, TFALpodcast’s Elaine took a California Naturalist Training Institute course with Community Nature Connection (CNC). CNC offers this course to anyone who aspires to be a steward of the land. CNC also offers customized trainings like:
- Backpacking 101
- Camping
- CA Native Plants
- Hiking
- Indoor plant care
- Leave No Trace Outdoor Ethics
- Nature Journaling (for beginners or for interpreters)
- Wilderness & Urban survival skills
- Wildlife Tracking and Scatting
In this episode Elaine has a conversation with Dennis Arguelles, Southern California Director with National Parks Conservation Association Dennis’ journey from Filipino and Asian American community organizing to urban planning to the National Parks Conservation Association. This conversation highlights the pastoral connection Filipinos have to nature. Dennis shares about his experience with farmers in the Philippines and how they live with the land instead of separate from the land, which echoes sentiments of land stewardship that indigenous people of California and indigenous people globally emphasize.
Here are links to the Merlin and iNaturalist apps mentioned in the episode:
Merlin Bird App
iNaturalist
Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on ThisFilipinoAmericanLife.com, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your favorite podcasts are found.
How do you live with the land? Are you an aspiring naturalist? Let us know! Leave us a voicemail at (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.
https://thisfilipinoamericanlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/tfal-episode223.mp3If it’s a music episode, you know Producer Mike is behind it!
In our 3rd and final episode in our Toronto series, we got to get a hangout with Michelle and Kat, two members of the “queer Filipinx kulintang gong punks” crew Pantayo whose incendiary yet soulful music defies even the sheer idea of a genre. We also got to check in with bedroom pop purveyor Denice Quimbo AKA Ruru, a more recent Toronto transplant by way of Manila who describes herself as a “multi-disciplinary artist, producer, and singer-songwriter,” a description as you’ll soon hear is an incredible understatement.
Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on our site, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your favorite podcasts are found.
Do you know any other artists from Toronto we should listen to? Keeping in mind that Producer Mike already listens to Broken Social Scene constantly…
Let us know! Leave us a voicemail at (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.
Song clips used in this episode with artists permission:
Pantayo – “Heto Na”
Pantayo – “Sapa(n)ahon”
Pantayo – “One More Latch (Give It To ‘Ya)”
Ruru – “Chewing Gum”
Ruru – “Tonight!”
Ruru – “It Matters Until It Doesn’t”
We continue our Toronto series with discussions on two very important issues that affect us – politics and golf. As with every visit to another city, we love to talk about the local political scene. Here to talk to us about Canadian politics is Member of Parliament and Minister of Small Business Rechie Valdez. She was elected to the House of Commons in Canada in 2021 representing Mississauga-Streetsville and is the first Filipina Canadian member of Parliament. Listen as she discusses her story as a corporate banker to a baking entrepreneur to one of the most powerful elected officials in Canada as well as the wonderful programs she initiated. Canada is truly doing something way better than here in the U.S.
And then we talk about golf. We talk to Adam Robles, founder of Rise Bogey League, a local golf association in Toronto. Here we discuss efforts by the League to re-imagine golf as a game for everyone, and not just rich, white men. Golf is a growing game, even among Filipinos in the diaspora. Robles talks about harnessing that energy and helping Filipinos advance in the sport. They also try to convince Joe to get into golf. (Nice try, guys!).
We also discuss our efforts to try to track down Garnet Lechon Sauce. #IYKYK
Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on our site, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your favorite podcasts are found.
Have you been to Toronto? Have you tried Garnet Lechon Sauce??
Let us know! Leave us a voicemail at (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.
Here are more photos from our trip to Toronto and interviews!
In honor of Filipino American History Month, the TFAL crew goes to Canada!!! A couple of weeks ago, we had the wonderful opportunity of visiting our neighbors FAR north, Toronto!!!
It’s been a while since we’ve traveled to another city, so we made the most of it!
During our short trip, we got to meet some awesome kababayan! For the next few episodes, you’ll get to hear from some of the movers and shakers of the GTA (Greater Toronto Area). First, we discuss our initiation to Toronto when we quickly discovered we’re yucky Americans as well as a lesson on how to pronounce it correctly. Joining us in the intro is friend of the podcast, and Toronto native, Carlo Dela Fuente, and local comedian Alia Rasul. We are then joined by Jovie Galit of Pinay Collection to discuss her company and its mission to fight for social justice in the Philippines and Palestine.
Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on our site, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your favorite podcasts are found.
Have you been to Toronto? Let us know! Leave us a voicemail at (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.
Here a few photos of the interviews:
Last but most certainly not least in our series of Island Woman Rise episodes, we have returning guest Faith Santilla! This episode is a wee bit different in that we call it “Ask Tita Faith” where Faith answers questions from TFAL listeners. Will this be something we do in the future? ABSOLUTELY! Will we start to have conversations about perimenopause? YES! Because no one told us that this was a thing and some of us seem to be going through it. Will Joe be a part of these convos? Probably not because Gerlie is going to take over, like she should. (j/k j/k Joe).
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Bambu DePistola (@bambudepistola)
ISLAND WOMAN RISE: Ruby Ibarra, Klassy, Rocky Rivera, Faith Santilla, & Kimmortal at the beautiful Ford LA Theater on Saturday, October 5, 2024. Doors open at 7pm. Show starts at 8pm. TFAL is proud to be a sponsor of this show and can’t wait to see these amazing artists underneath the stars. Island Woman Rise: Buy Tickets Here
Show tip: Bring a sweater. It will get lamig! Need a hoodie? Pick up a TFALpodcast hoodie or long sleeve shirt here: TFALpodcast Merch
Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on our site, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your favorite podcasts are found.
What would you ask Tita Faith? Let us know! Leave us a voicemail at (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com. We’ll use your question in the next episode of Ask Tita Faith!
Continuing our Island Woman Rise series with a lovely conversation with Filipino-Canadian Kimmortal! The TFAL crew shares how we tried to reach out to Kimmortal in 2019 when we traveled to Vancouver, BC. The interview did not pan out because the universe had other plans for us. They share their journey as an artist with the TFAL crew and we manifest a Filipino North American queer Christian musical!
Check out Kimmortal’s music video Blue and Orange, which we speak highly of in the episode.
ISLAND WOMAN RISE: Ruby Ibarra, Klassy, Rocky Rivera, Faith Santilla, & Kimmortal at the beautiful Ford LA Theater on Saturday, October 5, 2024. Doors open at 7pm. Show starts at 8pm. TFAL is proud to be a sponsor this show and can’t wait to see these amazing artists underneath the stars. Island Woman Rise: Buy Tickets Here
Show tip: Bring a sweater. It will get lamig! Need a hoodie? Pick up a TFALpodcast hoodie or long sleeve shirt here: TFALpodcast Merch
Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on our site, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your favorite podcasts are found.
Are you a part of the Sad Femme Club? Let us know! Leave us a voicemail at (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.
What what? Another episode of TFALpodcast? Yup. This time the TFAL crew chops it up with Klassy, the youngest artist on the Island Woman Rise line up. Klassy shares her journey as a Historic Filipinotown kid with a talent for drawing and writing lyrics. Find out which TFAL crew member has tattoos done by the talented artist!
Listen to GOOD SEEDS by Klassy here:
You can also check out the music video for REDIRECT here:
ISLAND WOMAN RISE: Ruby Ibarra, Klassy, Rocky Rivera, Faith Santilla, & Kimmortal at the beautiful Ford LA Theater on Saturday, October 5, 2024. Doors open at 7pm. Show starts at 8pm. TFAL is proud to be a sponsor this show and can’t wait to see these amazing artists underneath the stars. Island Woman Rise: Buy Tickets Here
Show tip: Bring a sweater. It will get lamig! Need a hoodie? Pick up a TFALpodcast hoodie or long sleeve shirt here: TFALpodcast Merch
Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on our site, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your favorite podcasts are found.
Are you excited to see Klassy at Island Woman Rise? Let us know! Leave us a voicemail at (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.
Surprise episode drop! Leading up to Island Woman Rise we’re dropping two episodes this week! In this episode the TFALpodcast crew has a conversation with Rocky Rivera who recently dropped LONG KISS GOODNIGHT. Rocky shares her journey as a Frisco city kid turned journalist turned full time artist. Bay area folks, check out Rocky’s album release party Sunday, September 29th at High Tide in Oakland.Listen to Rocky’s latest album now! LONG KISS GOODNIGHTISLAND WOMAN RISE: Ruby Ibarra, Klassy, Rocky Rivera, Faith Santilla, & Kimmortal at the beautiful Ford LA Theater on Saturday, October 5, 2024. Doors open at 7pm. Show starts at 8pm. TFAL is proud to be a sponsor this show and can’t wait to see these amazing artists underneath the stars. Island Woman Rise: Buy Tickets Here
Show tip: Bring a sweater. It will get lamig! Need a hoodie? Pick up a TFALpodcast hoodie or long sleeve shirt here: TFALpodcast Merch
Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on our site, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your favorite podcasts are found.
Did you catch Rocky on I’m From Rolling Stone? What are your favorite Rocky Rivera tracks? Let us know! Leave us a voicemail at (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.
Continuing our series of Island Woman Rise episodes, the TFAL crew has a conversation with the uber talented multi-hyphenated artist who inspired the theme of the show, Ruby Ibarra. Ruby shares her journey joining the Beatrock Music family, her growth as an artist, and drops surprising news to us in the episode! If you haven’t yet, make sure to check out Ruby’s latest music video Bakunawa featuring Ouida, Han Han, & June Millington.
ISLAND WOMAN RISE: Ruby Ibarra, Klassy, Rocky Rivera, Faith Santilla, & Kimmortal at the beautiful Ford LA Theater on Saturday, October 5, 2024. Doors open at 7pm. Show starts at 8pm. TFAL is proud to be a sponsor this show and can’t wait to see these amazing artists underneath the stars. Island Woman Rise: Buy Tickets Here
Show tip: Bring a sweater. It will get lamig! Need a hoodie? Pick up a TFALpodcast hoodie or long sleeve shirt here: TFALpodcast Merch
Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on our site, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your favorite podcasts are found.
Joining us on October 5th? Let us know! Leave us a voicemail at (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.
In this episode the TFAL crew talks story with Kat Carrido Bonds, our fam and frequent fill in for food appreciator Ryan. Kat shares her journey from music aficionado to college student turned pcn coordinator turned cultural affairs commissioner to Filipino American cultural events producer. Kat and her producing partners with AKB Media are bringing ISLAND WOMAN RISE: Ruby Ibarra, Klassy, Rocky Rivera, Faith Santilla, & Kimmortal to the beautiful Ford LA Theater on Saturday, October 5, 2024, 8pm. TFAL is proud to be a sponsor this show and can’t wait to see these amazing artists underneath the stars. Island Woman Rise: Buy Tickets Here
Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on our site, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your favorite podcasts are found.
Joining us on October 5th? Let us know! What songs are you looking forward to hearing from these artists? Leave us a voicemail at (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.
“In the Year 2000…”
If you know that line, you remember it was a bit that Conan O’ Brien did during his late night talk show where he and his co-host Andy Richter comically predicted what the world would be like in the year 2000. (Yes, we’re that old). In this TFAL episode, Ryan and Joe attempt to rehash this bit, but for the Year 3000 and for Filipinos. Yes, Ryan and Joe alone (without Elaine and Producer Mike who were on vacation) steer this episode in what they call the Bernardo Carpio Legendary Hour. Listen as they try to make both serious and silly predictions about Filipinos and Filipino Americans. What sports will be popular in the future? Which food franchise will make a comeback in the U.S.? What will happen to California’s Filipino enclaves? And what will be the future of Circus Circus?? UY, PHILIPPINES!
Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on our site, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your favorite podcasts are found.
What are your predictions for the Filipino future? Leave us a voicemail at (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.
https://thisfilipinoamericanlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/tfal-episode213.mp3Every four years (two years if you care for winter sports) athletes from around the world come together to compete in sporting events at the Olympic Games. It’s a time when we care about such sports as swimming, track and field, gymnastics, and dressage. (Seriously, how many of us really care about these sports between Olympics??). Think of the Olympics as Friendship Games or Sportsfest but a million times bigger.
In this TFAL episode, the crew talks about the one and only Olympic Games! We discuss our memories of Olympics, the politics of rooting for Filipinos and Filipino Americans, and which sporting events should be offered at the Olympics so Filipinos would excel. Find out who no longer pays much attention to the Olympics, who roots for the underdog, and who knows what the actual Olympic theme music is. Sportsmanship!
Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on our site, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your favorite podcasts are found.
What is your earliest memories of the Olympics? Who would you root for between a Filipino and a Filipino American? Leave us a voicemail at (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.
Ay SAUCE-MARYOSEP!. Have you ever thought of what kind of Filipino sauces and condiments are in your kitchen? Patis, toyo, suka, bagoong, banana ketchup, sinigang packets, etc. These are essential ingredients to all of our wonderful Filipino dishes. OK, so have you also thought of what kind of preservatives and colorings are in them? Sorbic acid? Sodium benzoate? Titanium dioxide? Red No. 5???
Luckily, Fila Manila is trying to create these sauces and condiments without the added preservatives and other nasty ingredients that aren’t so good for us through locally sources. He’s also hoping that his new Filipino food brand will expand the accessibility of our cuisine to Filipinos and non-Filipinos alike.
In this TFAL episode, we talk to Jake Deleon, founder and CEO of Fila Manila. Listen as we discuss the genesis of his Filipino food brand, how he’s trying to change our diets for the better by rejecting the preservative-ation of Filipino food, what other Filipino food needs to be more accessible to Americans, and his experience on Sharktank. Of course, we start off the show by talking about the sauces and condiments that are in our kitchens.
Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on our site, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your favorite podcasts are found.
Have you tried any Fila Manila products? What do you think?? Leave us a voicemail at (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.
Who taught you about SEX? Was it through school? Was it through watching porn? Whatever means you learned (or are learning) about the various aspects of sex, we could bet it wasn’t through your parents! With the Catholic Church shaping our Filipino way our being, sex education has been reduced to abstinence and “family life.” In many ways, Filipinos and Filipino Americans are quite prudish (at least outwardly) when it comes to sex. This is a subject we really never talk about it.
In this episode, we talk about sex (baby!). We focus on the politics of sex education and the cultural mores of pleasure. We talk about education of both sexual health and sexual pleasure with Justine Ang Fonte, M.Ed, MPH and Cecilia Villero, aka Goddess Cecilia. Justine is an award-winning intersectional health educator, ghostwriter, and professor, while Cecilia is a Filipina pleasure educator, advocate, and consultant.
Listen as we discuss the cultural taboos about sex in the Filipino American community, the vital need of sex education everywhere, how sex ed is vital in helping to prevent sexual assault, and precolonial sexual practices (and how religious patriarchy changed them!). Also learn a valuable lesson about not forcing children to hug everyone they meet.
Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on our site, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your favorite podcasts are found.
Any thoughts about sex education as a Filipino American? Leave us a voicemail at (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.
TFAL goes to Hawaii! Well, actually just Joe goes to Hawaii. While attending a conference in Honolulu, Joe took the opportunity to do an additional interview with local Filipino American leader, Chachie Abara. Chachie is an Ilocano language and mental health advocate, runs the podcast and media company KasamahanCo, and is author of a bilingual Ilocano children’s book, Ti Nakakaskasdaaw a Padas ni Nasudi (Nasudi’s Amazing Adventure). Listen as we discuss the some the differences between Filipino Americans in Hawaii and on the Mainland. We also discuss her work in promoting Ilocano to young folks in Hawaii and beyond, as well as her career in advocating the need for mental health to Filipino Americans.
Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on our site, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your favorite podcasts are found.
Let us know your thoughts on the episode. Leave us a voicemail at (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.
https://thisfilipinoamericanlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/tfal-episode209.mp3On August 8, 2023, Maui experienced the largest wildfire in the “United States” in more than 100 years, killing 101 people and displacing 6,500. National media portrayed the disaster as an unfortunate incident to Maui’s idyllic setting for tourism. However, hidden from this mainstream narrative is the larger context of how the wildfires and its disproportionate affect on Filipinos (who make up 40% of Lahaina Town), Native Hawaiians, and other historically marginalized communities of color transpired. The Maui Fires, like Hurricane Katrina nearly 20 years ago, was largely a man-made disaster, scorching the island through the convergence of settler colonialism, racial capitalism, and climate change.
In this TFAL episode, Joe (who traveled to Hawaii for a conference) interviews Nadenza (Nadine) Ortega and Michelle Salazar Hyman, two Pinay community organizers who led a group of volunteers to give much needed assessment and aid to the thousands of Filipino survivors of the Maui Fires. Fresh from their conference presentation, Nadine and Michelle share how the fires need to be placed within a larger, imperial framework, how they responded to the disaster due to the inadequate relief efforts from outside organizations, how the institutionalization of Ilocano language learning was vital to build, organize, and help community, and the ongoing struggle to service the thousands of Filipino American survivors in Maui.
The Maui Fires of 2023 is another example of systemic racism towards Filipinos and other communities. We hope this conversation sheds light on this much needed issue and helps re-frame the discourse of “natural” disasters.
Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on our site, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your favorite podcasts are found.
If you’d like to get in touch with the organization, please email them at tagnawaformaui@gmail.com and follow their IG page, @tagnawaformaui.
Let us know your thoughts on the episode. Leave us your confession at (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.
“Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. I am a BAD Filipino!”
What makes you a “bad” Filipino? It’s time to confess!! In this TFAL episode, the crew discusses what makes us “bad” Filipinos…or rather Filipinos who buck the proverbial trend. Which one of us doesn’t like Jollibee? Who doesn’t mano po? Who doesn’t ever want to send money back to the Philippines? Which one of us supports a white American culture vulture?? We discuss all this and more in this episode of reconciliation!
Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on our site, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your favorite podcasts are found.
Are you a bad Filipino? Do you have something to confess? Leave us your confession at (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.
https://thisfilipinoamericanlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/tfal-episode207.mp3In this episode the TFAL crew talk with Bayani Teodosio about Bayani Komixtape, the hip hop mixtape follow up to The Realest Bayani, Teodosio’s graphic novel. The crew shares their experience with comic books, pop culture, and learn about Bayani’s origin story that paved the way for the creation of The Realest Bayani. Looking for a graphic novel to read? Pick up The Realest Bayani at www.savidesigns.nyc. Listen and support the #BayaniKomixtape on Bandcamp: https://thecityneedsyou.bandcamp.com/album/bayani-komixtape. Also available on all music streaming platforms.
Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on our site, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your favorite podcasts are found.
Have you read The Realest Bayani? Who would your Filipino American comic book character be? Leave us a voicemail (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.
Did you know that there are currently over 1.8 million orphaned or abandoned children in the Philippines? While formal adoption rates of these children are comparatively low, a significant number of orphaned Filipino children have been transnationally adopted by families in the United States over the decades. In 2000, for example, there were over 10,000 Filipino adoptees living in U.S. households. Just last year, there were 67 adoptions from the Philippines by American families.
This TFAL episode sheds light on some of the experiences of a Filipino adoptee who grew up in the United States with a non-Filipino family. We are grateful to have James Beni Wilson on the pod to share his journey. Listen as he discusses the emotional highs and lows of growing up in a white family in Michigan, his search to find his cultural heritage in the Midwest and in the Philippines, his fateful meeting with his biological parents, and his continuing activism for the Filipino American community. The adoption experience is something that none of the TFAL crew can ever imagine. We hope you all learn a little something from this episode as we had.
Check out Binitay, the documentary James made chronicling his journey back to the Philippines. And here are some pics he shared with us.
Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on our site, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your favorite podcasts are found.
What did you think of James’ story? Leave us a voicemail (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.
*Please excuse some of the background noise in this episode.
Here it is again…another edition of Hilaw Pa! For those not in the know, Hilaw Pa is where the TFAL Crew shares our half-baked ideas that should be out there in the world. Of course, we’re not going to do it ourselves – thinking them up is our job. It’s up to someone else to execute our brilliant (or not so brilliant) ideas. Listen as we discuss random ideas we had such as a Filipino mariachi band, karaoke in the park, Filipino churrascarias, and more!
Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on our site, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your favorite podcasts are found.
Do you have a half-baked idea that Filipinos / Filipino Americans can benefit from? What do you think about our ideas? Leave us a voicemail (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.
How do Filipinos practice indigenous spirituality through Catholicism? Who are these “spirits” our parents or grandparents keep talking about that are around us? What explains the Filipino psyche and the way we make sense of the world? How many souls do we have? Some of these questions have helped many Filipinos and Filipino Americans in their quest for a cultural identity and spirituality. In this TFAL episode, Joe speaks to the brilliant Carl Lorenz Cervantes of Sikodiwa about countering the dominance of individualist/Western philosophical thought through understanding how Filipinos think and what we value.
We dive into folk psychology and indigenous spirituality in Philippine culture and how they explain and shape the Filipino worldview throughout the episode. Listen as we discuss the foundations of Sikolohiyang Pilipino, how Filipinos have localized Spanish Catholicism to preserve indigenous spiritual practices, and how many Filipinos throughout the diaspora can continue to embody kapwa, or shared self, to ensure well-being for themselves and others. We only hit the tip of the iceberg, but I hope this sparks further research for listeners in their journeys into Filipino identity.
Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on our site, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your favorite podcasts are found.
What is your experience with Filipino psychology and/or spirituality? Leave us a voicemail (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.
In this episode the TFAL crew talks with TFAL alum, Michael Arage, and JT of Nevadans for Palestinian Liberation @npl_palestine. In this episode we have a discussion of our history with the Free Palestine movement, why this issue is important to our community, and how we can show our allyship and be a part of the global movement to end this genocide.
Sidenote: There were technical issues during this episode so there may be a few audio issues in the recording.
Palestinian accounts to follow:
@wizard_bisan1
@eye.on.palestine
@motaz_azaiza
@palestinianyouthmovement
If you would like to learn more about how to be an Asian American ally with this movement, follow @apis4abolition. They are running a reading group where they are discussing the book “Letters to Palestine.”
If you would like a Sampaguita Watermelon sticker, magnet, or pin. DM @obliviousnerdgrl on IG with a screenshot of your donation to a non profit that provides aid to Palestinian people like Palestine Children’s Relief Fund (https://www.pcrf.net/)
Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on our site, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your favorite podcasts are found.
https://thisfilipinoamericanlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/tfal-episode202.mp3New year new TFAL? Or are we back to our usual shenanigans? Actually, for the first time in months, and thanks to Ryan’s terrible internet, we met up in person and recorded an episode!
One New Years’ tradition that many of the folks in TFAL (and maybe some of you) partake in is the creation of a vision board, a collage of the things we hope to manifest or bring into our lives in the coming year. And in that spirit, this episode is our vision for ourselves and our community in 2024.
It is also partly about bowel movements. WTF?
Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on our site, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your favorite podcasts are found.
What would you have on your vision board for 2024? Leave us a voicemail (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.
Last year, some of us on the TFAL crew had the opportunity to participate in the creation of a special episode of the PBS Socal/KCET show, Lost LA, which focused on the Filipino American community of Southern California. The episode premiered this week and is available on the PBS website or on YouTube. In this TFAL episode, you can listen to our entire discussion with the Lost LA host, Nathan Masters, about Historic Filipinotown in Los Angeles and its history. Listen as we discuss what the Lost LA episode is about, how Kat, Joe, and Producer Mike became involved with the Filipino American community, and why we started TFAL in the first place. While this episode does focus on the local community in LA, we’re sure you will find its spatial politics are very much relevant to Filipino communities throughout the diaspora, e.g. SoMa Pilipinas, Filipinotown in Seattle, Little Manila in Queens, NY.
It was quite the honor to be a part of this episode that features of our local Filipino American community leaders. Big shout out to Nathan Masters and the entire PBS SoCal/KCET team for producing the show.
About the Lost LA episode:
Filipino Americans work to make their heritage more visible in Los Angeles. In this episode, host Nathan Masters will explore the yo-yo’s surprising origin story, tour L.A.’s Historic Filipinotown neighborhood (a.k.a. “HiFi”) in a Jeepney, and taste classic Filipino street food. Featured interviews will include activist/librarian Florante Ibanez and the hosts of “This Filipino American Life” podcast.
https://thisfilipinoamericanlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/tfal-episode200.mp3Looks like we made it! TFAL’s 200th episode! (Give or take a few bonus episodes and unreleased things here and there…)
Back in October, we recorded our 200th episode live at the National Center for the Preservation of Democracy in Los Angeles. (Well technically, it was our 195th at the time but who’s really keeping track ). Together with community leaders and artists Faith Santilla and Johneric Concordia, we revisited community movements led by Filipino Americans and discuss future aspirations for our communities in the US. It was a both celebratory and reflective moment in our podcast history and we are forever grateful to those who have supported us throughout all these years.
We hope you enjoy this special episode and think about how far Filipino Americans have come and how much further we can still go. Thank you TPals for being with us on this journey.
Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on our site, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your favorite podcasts are found.
What does the Filipino American community mean to you? Leave us a voicemail (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.
Before we end 2023, we’re sharing a special bonus episode for you from our friends at Gravy, a narrative podcast produced by Southern Foodways Alliance and distributed by APT Podcast Studios. Named the “Publication of the Year” by the James Beard Foundation, the series showcases a South that is constantly evolving, using food as a means to dig into lesser-known corners of the region, to complicate stereotypes, to document new dynamics, and to give voice to the unsung folk who grow, cook, and serve our daily meals.
In the bonus episode we’re sharing, “Filipino Balikbayan is Homecoming in a Box,” Gravy explores the histories, politics, and cultures underlying the balikbayan box—a large box filled with everything from tubes of toothpaste to cassette tapes to cans of Spam—that Filipino immigrants in the United States customarily send home to family in the Philippines. There is an entire industry in Filipino communities across the United States dedicated to the logistics of shipping these boxes, which have been popular since the Philippines established the Balikbayan Program in the 1970s. We hope you enjoy it!
Listen to more episodes of Gravy and follow the podcast!
https://thisfilipinoamericanlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/tfal-episode199.mp3
2023 is almost over! And to close things out before we get to our grand finale of the year, we decided to do something… a little different? Or maybe not?
In what is apparently essentially in the grand tradition of our reflections on highlights (Episodes 19.5, 140, 157) and/or airing of grievances (Episodes 4.5, 25.2, 142, 180), and not the amazingly creative new thing Producer Mike had hoped he had come up with, we look back on the year and talk about the things in the Filipino Community that we noticed, appreciated, or maybe didn’t appreciate so much… and nomiated them for “Awards”! What kind of Awards you may ask? Why the honor of being recognized (or called out) by our crew as being:
- The Hottest Topic
- Best Trend
- Worst Trend
- Best Filipino
- Worst Filipino
And so on…and maybe in a twist that might actually be a new thing, we want you to also nominate and vote on award winners! So look out for opportunities to do that if you follow us on social media… and if you dont, what better time to follow us on Facebook or Instagram?
Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on this page, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts here. And for folks on Spotify, you can take a listen to us here.
What do you think of our nominations? Who would you have nomiated? Let us know your thoughts! Leave us a voicemail (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.
Rondalla. Kulintang. Bamboo poles. Gangsas. Sway balance. DANCE!
We all are quite familiar with Philippine folk dances such as Pandanggo sa Ilaw, Vinta, Carinosa, Banga, and of course, Tinikling. Whether we learned them through P.E. classes back in the Philippines, church festivals in the U.S., on college campuses at a PCN, or even on viral TikTok videos, Filipino Americans have had some exposure to folk dances. How did these dances become so popular and why do they play such a large part of “Filipino culture”?
In this TFAL episode, we talk about Philippine folk dances. The crew starts things off by discussing our exposures and experiences in Philippine dance. Then we dive into our interview with San Francisco State Dance Professor Ray Tadio. Listen as we discuss how these folk dances evolved from sacred rituals to world stage performances. How did Philippine nationalists document and “canonize” Philippine folk dances? How did they come to represent Filipinos and Filipino Americans? What happens when communal dances become stage performances? Does it lose its original purpose and meaning? What are dances that haven’t been documented into the Philippine dance canon? What are the various politics embedded within creating a canon? Are lowland, Christianized Filipinos allowed to perform dances from the Cordilleras or Bangsamoro? Listen to this episode to find some of the answers to these deep questions as well as the discussion on Tadio’s upcoming documentary Forgotten Folk Dances.
Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on this page, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts here. And for folks on Spotify, you can take a listen to us here.
What are your experiences with Philippine folk dances? Let us know your thoughts! Leave us a voicemail (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.
Photo: Some of the 7,127 Sorsogon residents performing the Pantomina sa Tinampo, the Bicolano courtship dance, setting a Guinness World Record for the largest Philippine folk dance in 2019.
https://thisfilipinoamericanlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/tfal-episode197.mp3When and where does Filipino American history begin? Is it on October 18, 1587 in Morro Bay, California? According to our guest in this TFAL episode, this date and time only reinforces a settler colonialist narrative. Writer and public historian, Adrian De Leon, argues that “Filipino America” actually began in the 1760s in the Philippines. Certainly a highly polemical take in Filipino American history for sure, yet De Leon’s shift in periodization offers a new perspective on our history and presence in the United States that begins to address our role in settler colonialism.
On a social media post during Indigenous People’s Day, we posed several reflective questions:
- Whose land are we on?
- As Fiipino Americans, do we even know?
- How are we also complicit in settler colonialism?
- How much do we know about Native Americans and their experiences?
- How do we go beyond land acknowledgments and cultural celebrations and truly support Native peoples/ First Nations?
- How do we not appropriate Native cultures despite our own indigenous practices?
- What does “land back” mean to us when we’re trying to get our piece of the US pie?
- How do we support sovereignty among Indigenous Peoples in the Philippines, Hawaii, Alaska, mainland US, and even Palestine/Israel – places where so many Filipinos have settled?
We mentioned that there are no easy answers. In this TFAL episode, we attempt to tackle these questions with the brilliant Adrian De Leon. Listen as we discuss settler colonialism, what it is and how to begin to address it as Filipino Americans. We also dive into Filipino Martial Arts and its politics. Finally, and most importantly, Joe and Adrian talk about how Jeremy Passion’s “Lemonade” could very well be the Filipino American anthem…to millenials anyway.
Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on this page, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts here. And for folks on Spotify, you can take a listen to us here.
Any thoughts on settler colonialism and our role in it as Filipino Americans? Let us know your thoughts! Leave us a voicemail (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.
*Picture: Ilocano Migrant’s Monument along the Airport Road in Laoag City, Ilocos Norte.
Many of us have grown up seeing women in our lives rock the duster around the house. The piece of apparel is synonymous with traditionally women’s work. But what if the duster could be updated? What would that look like? In this episode the TFAL Crew, sans food appreciator Ryan Carpio, have an intimate conversation with author and journalist Melissa Magsaysay about Filipino/Filipino American fashion, her family’s history with the barong, and her new brand Duster @shopduster.
Check out Melissa’s article about the barong on CNN: https://www.cnn.com/style/filipino-american-fashion-barong-history/index.html
Also here is a link to Mambo Magsaysay, a political jingle we mention in the episode.: https://youtu.be/7Xl5RQcyVYQ?si=bly3R2roLpc3AFQ4
Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on this page, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts here. And for folks on Spotify, you can take a listen to us here.
Where do you wear a barong these days? Are you going to picking up a piece from Duster? Did your Lolo and Lola do the Mambo Magsaysay? Let us know! Leave us a voicemail (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.
Have you spoken to your parent(s) about estate planning? What will happen to their financial assets when they will pass away? Have you witnessed your family feud over family inheritance or ancestral land? Have you thought of what legacies you’d like to pass on when you eventually transition to the other side?
In this TFAL episode, we collaborate with Pilipinx in Wellness to interview Marivel Zialcita, an estate planning attorney. Listen as we discuss the hesitancy of many Filipinos and Filipino Americans to talk about inheritance, what a trust is and why it’s so important in passing on generational wealth, and the ever important topic that causes enormous amounts of family drama – land in the Philippines. Attorney Zialcita is an expert in dealing with Filipino American estate planning and family inheritance and we are lucky to have this conversation with her.
Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on this page, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts here. And for folks on Spotify, you can take a listen to us here.
Do you have any success stories or horror stories to share about family inheritance? Let us know your thoughts! Leave us a voicemail (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.
The South of Market, or SoMa neighborhood in San Francisco is a historical place for Filipino Americans for a century. Throughout its history, many Filipinos have called SoMa home with its affordable apartments, neighborhood amenities, and proximity to jobs in downtown San Francisco. Community advocates have been established cultural institutions and social services for its largely working class residents for decades, making SoMa Pilipinas, as its affectionately called, a true epicenter of Filipino Americans in the Bay Area. In 2016, the community successfully lobbied the San Francisco Board of Supervisors to officially designate SoMa Pilipinas as a cultural heritage district.
Yet, SoMa Pilipinas faces many challenges in its quest to become a cultural heritage district. San Francisco’s Filipino American population has decreased by 20% in the last 20 years due to housing prices and displacement. Additionally, Filipinos are not necessarily tied to an ethnic economy like other Asian Americans thus opting for home ownership in suburban areas like Daly City, Union City, and Vallejo over the last 40 years, ineffectually creating geographic dispersal. Plus, the majority of the property owners and developers in the neighborhood are not Filipino at all.
The good folks in SoMa Pilipinas have nonetheless been fighting to create a cultural hub for Filipinos in the Bay. In this TFAL episode, we talk to Desi Danganan of Balay Kreative, a local Filipino arts and cultural accelerator, and founder of the wildly popular Undiscovered SF. Listen as we discuss the strategies and challenges of building SoMa Pilipinas, how the Filipino American “creative class” (to borrow Richard Florida’s famous urban planning term) is the key to their efforts, and the political growing pains of creating community. We also get a short story of young Desi as a “Krazy Klown.” =)
Efforts like SoMa Pilipinas parallel many similar initiatives throughout North America – Stockton’s Little Manila, New York’ s Little Manila in Woodside Queens, Toronto’s blah, Seattle Filipinotown/International District, and TFAL ‘s home LA’s Historic Filipinotown. For anyone interested or wondering about the economics and politics of creating a Filipino district or how ethnic “towns” are key to identity and community, this episode is definitely for you.
Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on this page, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts here. And for folks on Spotify, you can take a listen to us here.
Are you involved in creating a Filipino district in your city? Are you curious? Let us know your thoughts! Leave us a voicemail (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.
Have you ever been in constant pain and could not figure out why? Have you ever felt a knot in your back and felt like you could never break it? What happens when family trauma transcends generations and physically manifests itself in your body? In this episode of TFAL join Elaine and Producer Mike as...
How do you pronounce your name? How do you pronounce your last name? Do you Anglicize it? Do you pronounce it differently when talking to other Filipinos or when speaking Tagalog? Do you correct people who pronounce it differently? How would you pronounce the name “Roxas”? In this mini-episode, Ryan, Elaine, and Joe discuss the...
This past month an overzealous group of fans found their way to Lea Salonga’s dressing room after a performance of Here Lies Love. The interaction was then uploaded to the internet for the world to see. SORRY, NOT SORRY. Christopher Carpila, who drew backlash for uploading the viral Lea Salonga dressing-room video, remained firm...
Where do Filipino Americans hang out? Where is the place where they are allowed to tambay (Tagalog slang for loitering from the English “stand by”)? Where are can one find Filipino immigrants and Filipino Americans alike in public places? According to some sociology scholars, the third place in modern capitalist society refers to spaces that...
Most Filipino Americans today live in the suburbs – Daly City, National City, Carson, Jersey City, Skokie, Oxon Hill, and on and on. When you think of the Filipino American community since the 1970s, we are by and large a suburban community. There are reasons for this, of course, many of which we focus on...
Did you know April is financial awareness month? A perfect time to drop this episode with MONEY OUT LOUD author Berna Anat. Berna is your Financial Hype Woman/Manang/Ate/Tita. The moniker “Financial Hype Woman” is her made up way of saying she creates financial education media that lives at @HeyBerna all over the internet. Listen as the crew talks about their own journeys with financial planning, dealing with money, and how that applies to our Filipino American family dynamics.
Get your copy of MONEY OUT LOUD at your local independent bookstore like BelCanto Books in Long Beach, CA. In fact you can get a ticket to An Evening with Berna Anat: Money Out Loud on Wednesday, May 3, 6pm at KUBO LB (3976 Atlantic Ave, Long Beach, CA).
Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on this page, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts here. And for folks on Spotify, you can take a listen to us here.
Did you grow up with financial planning? How has your financial journey been like? What are your financial tips? Let us know! Leave us a voicemail (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.
We’re back at it again. Part 2 of the ultimate Filipino food tournament! Listen as we decide between Sinigang and Tinola, Pancit Palabok and Pancit Bihon, and many other hard matchups. Laugh as you listen to TFAL Food Appreciator Ryan nearly gets an aneurysm from our food debates. And of course, find out what is the ultimate Filipino food! (According to us anyway).
Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on this page, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts here. And for folks on Spotify, you can take a listen to us here.
We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we loved recording it. Let us know your thoughts! Leave us a voicemail (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.
This time of year is one of our favorites. It’s March Madness and April is Filipino Food Month. To celebrate these two occasions, the TFAL developed a Filipino Food Bracket! In this Part 1 episode, we explain the parameters of this tournament and go through the first round of 64 Filipino dishes (ulam-only). Listen as Ryan goes crazy over some of our choices, we get Kat to serve as our tiebreaker, and Producer Mike picking meat-only options. Unfortunately, Joe had babysitting duties so we had to cut this short. However, Part 2 comes out next week!
Note: Yes, we know there is a glaring omission. We’ll course correct in Part 2.
Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on this page, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts here. And for folks on Spotify, you can take a listen to us here.
Do you think we got this right? Let us know! Leave us a voicemail (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.
Pursuing a career in academia can be both rewarding and challenging. It often requires a significant amount of dedication, hard work, and resilience. From navigating graduate school to being on the job market to balancing research, teaching, and service, scholars face a range of unique experiences and pressures. For Filipino Americans, the added layers of being imperial and racialized subjects compound the already challenging experience in this sector.
In this TFAL episode, Joe talks to his old school academic colleagues – Jennifer Nazareno, Nic Ramos, and Precious Singson – about their experiences living the academic life, including the joys and struggles, the opportunities and obstacles, and the lessons learned along the way. Listen as we discuss why we wanted to go into academia, the roadblocks that we either pushed through or circumvented, our views on the field of Filipino American Studies, and advice for someone who is interested in academia or finds themselves “stuck” in its alluring yet sometimes toxic web.
This episode certainly leans the “nerdy” side, focused on a small subset of Filipino Americans. However, we hope this discussion will offer valuable insights and inspiration for your own career and life journey.
Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on this page, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts here. And for folks on Spotify, you can take a listen to us here.
What are your experiences in academia? Got a hot take on Filipino American Studies? Let us know! Leave us a voicemail (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.
Tell us if you’ve heard this one:
“What size is your panty? You’re not large.. you’re size H… HUSKY”
We can still remember listening to this joke in college (before youtube), in an MP3 file that circulated the dorms. Never had we heard a stand up comic that sounded like our uncle. Listening to Rex Navarrete for the first time had the feel of backyard shenanigans with a relative, telling stories, and laughing hysterically. His Filipino accent hit home for many of us, and his stories were relevant to our own lives growing up. It really felt nice to be heard and seen; to know that we weren’t alone, but most importantly, that we can laugh about ourselves unapologetically.
We’ve talked about Filipino jokes and humor before. But this is so special for the TFAL Crew because Rex has been such a formidable part of so many of us growing up. On this episode, we got a chance to talk with the OG, Original Gago himself, Rex Navarrete. Listen as we discuss his origin story as among the first Filipino American stand-up comics, his opinions about stealing jokes, and some advise he has for young Fil Am comics out there.
Rex really tapped into comedy like no other, bravely going into a medium that may have been unfamiliar to millions of Filipino American. And we lapped it up.
Thank you Rex, for being a pioneer. You are the Filipino American comedian that paved the way for comedians that are Filipino American.
Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on this page, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts here. And for folks on Spotify, you can take a listen to us here.
*Unfortunately, Producer Mike was unable to participate in the interview with Rex. He and Resident Reality Checker, Gerlie, were busy eating free food somewhere.
Here are some classic clips of Rex we referred to in the episode:
- Husky Boy
- SBC Packers
- ESL Class
When was the first time you heard Rex’s stand up performance? Leave us a voicemail (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.
Check out Rex’s website for info on his latest show schedule.
In this episode the TFAL crew talks about make out parties in the 1990s. Just Kidding! In this episode the TFAL crew talks about scams, the criminal kind. The crew talks about their recollection of prominent Filipino American scams that happened in Los Angeles like the infamous Jun Reodica who was the leader of a bank fraud scheme that unfortunately took advantage of Filipino Americans in the process of financing car purchases in the 1980s and 1990s. Then there is the recent LA Times article about former Philippine “actor” David Bunevacz who took advantage of investors in a fake weed business. Find out who the crew thinks would be the best scammer? Can you take a guess who we thought it would be?
Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on this page, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts here. And for folks on Spotify, you can take a listen to us here.
What are your experiences with scams? Have you ever gotten hooked into one? Have you committed one? Let us know (anonymously of course!) Leave us a voicemail (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.
As Filipinos, comedy is a significant part of our lives. Not only is it a source of entertainment, comedy is a way of survival – a salve during the lowest points of our lives. It’s no wonder why Filipinos find humor in anything. In these modern times, performance comedy can come in many forms – stand-up, written narratives, sketches, improv, etc. Where does Filipino American comedy thrive? How can Filipino Americans challenges conventional understanding of our community through comedy?
In this TFAL episode, we discuss comedy as both a genre and a career with Joy Regullano. Joy has had a long career as a performance artist, writer, and comedian. Listen as we talk about her journey disappointing her parents, how ethnic studies and PCNs helped shape her career, and the triumphs and challenges in the entertainment industry. We also talk about her amazing community productions Filipino AF and her upcoming Supportive White Parents album.
Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on this page, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts here. And for folks on Spotify, you can take a listen to us here.
What are your thoughts about comedy? Having supportive parents? Let us know! Leave us a voicemail (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com. Maybe tell us a joke that we’ll read on our next episode?!?
Hilaw Pa 5.0! Once again it’s a new year. With a new year comes new ideas. In this 5th iteration of Hilaw Pa, the TFAL crew once again come up with new random “half-baked” ideas related to Filipino Americans that should be out there in the world. Listen as we discuss a solution to California’s housing crisis, a new Filipino New Year’s Tradition, a more convenient way to eat Filipino BBQ, and much much more!
Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on this page, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts here. And for folks on Spotify, you can take a listen to us here.
Do you have any hilaw pa ideas that you would like to share? Let us know! Leave us a voicemail (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.
The TFAL Crew comes together for a festivus miracle episode! What is festivus? Take a listen and hear our take on the Seinfeld inspired holiday where we air out our grievances aka give our hot takes for 2022.
Do you need to air out your grievances? What are your hot takes for 2022? Let us know! Leave us a voicemail (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com
Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on this page, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts here. And for folks on Spotify, you can take a listen to us here.
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Somehow it’s November and the holidays are upon us. In this episode the TFAL crew has a conversation about our favorite Thanksgiving foods, traditions, etc, etc, etc. What are you thankful for this year? What are some of your favorite Thanksgiving traditions? Let us know! Leave us a voicemail (805) 394-TFAL or email us at...
“Everybody’s looking for Blue’s Clues (and You!) Come on in, come on in It’s Blue’s Clues (and You!)” Some of us remember growing up watching Blue’s Clues, the show that changed children’s programming in a significant way. Nickelodeon introduced us to Steven and his animated dog, Blue, as they found and followed up on clues. ...
Happy Filipino American HISTORY Month! How did you celebrate? Why did you celebrate? The past month here in Southern California was filled with numerous events and moments where Filipino and Filipino American culture and heritage were celebrated, but only a handful seemed to spotlight and focus on Filipino American History itself. And while it may...
It’s been a while since the TFAL crew came together for an episode without a special guest. In this episode, we update each other of what’s going on with our lives. Join Elaine, Kat, Joe, and Producer Mike on this very casual episode. Of course, we can not discuss Ryan’s new status as a married...
In this episode, the TFAL Crew have a conversation with Celeste Perez, Co-Founder and CEO of Droplet, a health and wellness company creating adaptogen infused beverages. The TFAL crew learns what are adaptogens, what it’s like to start a company at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, and how holistic nutrition can be incorporated into...
Community colleges are the biggest bang for our buck, and yet there are so many Filipino Americans out there who do not respect such schools. With the higher education landscape rapidly changing, the notion of what constitutes a “good school” should be reconsidered. Moreover, there are some schools that provide a more relevant education for...
FUTBOL IS THIS FILIPINO AMERICAN LIFE!! What is the most popular sport in the world? You guessed it! It’s football! And no, not that kind of football with the oddly shaped ball that’s thrown around with hands mostly and occasionally kicked. We’re talking about futbol, or more commonly known to TFAL (and maybe you) as...
In this TFAL episode, we review the much-anticipated film Easter Sunday, the first Filipino American film produced and distributed by a major movie studio. Three out of the four of us were lucky enough to catch an early screening of the film at the TCL Chinese Theaters in Hollywood thanks to Gold House, the Coalition...
If you follow TFAL on IG, a little over a month ago you may have caught a quick story post about Bayan Surf Club / DJ Javier‘s collabo with Vans, and if you were really paying attention, you might have been able to catch the very small window of time where the first fruits of...
What does it mean to celebrate Philippine Independence Day? Why do we Filipino Americans celebrate it? What’s the difference between June 12 and July 4 and do people really understand its history? Is the Philippines really “independent”? Yes, we know we’re on Filipino time with this one, but on this TFAL episode, we dive into...
In this episode of TFAL, Elaine talks with author and artist Kenneth Tan. This conversation was recorded at a pre-Mother’s Day book event at Belcanto Books in Long Beach, CA. In this conversation we learn about Kenneth’s journey with his Lola and what inspired his beautiful coffee table memoir. Since this conversation was recorded at...
This episode rounds out the TFAL crew’s trip to the midwest. On this episode we talk to Francis Almeda, a Chicago based entrepreneur who owns Side Practice Coffee, Reppin Pins, and Filipinoadz. Francis explains what it was like to open a coffee shop in the middle of a pandemic. He also enlightens the crew on...
One of the great things about traveling to a different city like Chicago aside from eating the wonderful food and visiting a Michael Jordan monument, is meeting people who have done tremendous work uplifting the Filipino American community. First, we got a chance to talk to Ginger Leopoldo to talk about what it’s like to...
The TFAL Crew is in Chicago! Over the next three episodes, TFAL brings you to the capitol of the Midwest! We will talk to some of the city’s community leaders and small business owners and discuss what the MIdwest Filipino American experience is all about. In this introductory episode, the TFAL crew discusses traveling for...
In less than two weeks, Filipinos across the Philippines and dual citizens around the world will go to the polls to elect a new president. This is a very important election for the Philippines and will affect those of us in the diaspora tremendously. We at TFAL want to make sure you all know the...
In the year 2000 MTVs Real World took the audience to New Orleans and introduced Filipino Americans to Melissa Howard. Over 20 years later Paramount Plus is giving Gen Xers the opportunity to revisit classic Real World casts. In 2021 Real World New York and Los Angeles opened the door to these Homecoming reunions. These...
Surprise, surprise, TFAL talks about their favorite subject – FOOD – in this episode! Specifically food criticism. The team talks about the rise of Yelp reviews to which one of us wanted to be a food critic? Could you guess who that might be? If you suspect a TFAL food appreciator, you might be correct!...
Monuments, statues, street signs, plaques, memorials, murals. Our communities are filled with tributes to the people, places, and things that hold some sort of significance to the people who live there, and this holds true in past and present Filipino Communities throughout America. Jose Rizal Bridge, Larry Itliong Village, and the upcoming gateway arch in...
Oh SPAM…the delectable, delicious soft pink slab of pork meat so ubiquitous to Filipino and Filipino American weekend breakfast meals. You love it fried, crispy, maybe with a sprinkle of sugar, served with a warm heap of garlic rice and egg. It tickles our taste buds and tummies with such delight, but also clogs our...
It’s no secret that TFAL Producer Mike and Elaine love a good video game from Animal Crossing to Uncharted to Final Fantasy. Role Playing Games (RPG) are a favorite pastime. If only there was a Filipino inspired one we could explore? Well turns out there is! In this episode the crew shares their experiences...
Ever wonder why that peculiar Chinese restaurants have no chopsticks on their table settings? Have you noticed that your finance branch at your work has a lot of Filipinos? Did you ever think, what’s up with basketball leagues that are 6 feet and Under? These questions are some of the same things we’ve asked. We...
Baybayin, the pre-colonial written script of the Philippines, is a major foundation of our cultural heritage. The alphasyllabary script consisting of 17 characters was understood and used by communities throughout much of the archipelago prior to colonization. Spanish missionary Pedro Chirino, who lived and studied Philippine society in the early years of Spanish colonization, documented...
In this episode, we shout out some of the many Filipino Small Businesses that we are personal fans of, ones that you should definitely support this Holiday season! Here is the list of who we mentioned on the show, along with some other ones that are also near and dear to our hearts: Jewelry ...
Gotta have faith! Freedom Like many Filipinos and Filipino Americans, the TFAL crew grew up around Christianity, specifically Catholicism. We speak of our upbringing in our podcast, mainly about how it’s shaped not just our adult selves, but the continued practices and traditions of many family, friends and listeners alike. Although we all look at...
Oh, the dad joke. We all know it. We all love it. And for Filipinos it gives us life. While Dad jokes can be a myriad of things, dad jokes to Filipinos are especially punny (get it?). For one Filipino American, dad jokes have become a way to learn Tagalog words. In this mini-episode, the...
In this episode the TFAL crew is short one Ryan Carpio but is happily joined by Kat Carrido Bonds on this episode about Filipino Americans in Hip Hop. Mark Villegas shares his wealth of knowledge as an academic scholar in this field bridging his previous collaborative work with DJ Kuttin Kandi and Dr. Roderick N....
Kulintang (literally meaning “golden sound moving” in English), is the gong and drum ensemble indigenous to the Sulu and Mindanao islands in the southern Philippines This classical music genre has resonated across the Philippines and throughout the Filipino diaspora. As a way to honor and archive the rich sounds of kulintang, the Smithsonian Folkways Recordings...
“If there was one thing to take away from this story, I would hope that it’s motivation for you to go create something.” -Antonio “Miko” Javiniar This is a story about chairs. Whether you knew it or not, the rattan and bamboo hourglass-style peacock chair that has been seen in photos and homes for over...
Happy Filipino American Heritage…er History Month! It’s hard to believe, but in the five years this podcast has been around, we haven’t dedicated an episode to Filipino American History Month (FAHM). So this episode, the TFAL crew discusses our experiences with October ever since the Filipino American National Historical Society declared the month as FAHM. ...
Are you the black sheep in your family who chafes at traditions and seeks examples of how to redefine them? As Filipino Americans, we are constantly pulled in various directions and navigate multiple spaces in our families and in society, often getting shunned for just being our true selves. The black sheep, however, are in...
What are Filipino Americans’ experiences and relationships with Filipino immigrants and Filipinos in the Philippines? Filipino Americans – Filipinos who are born and or raised in the U.S. – often have vastly different experiences from Filipinos in the Philippines and those who recently immigrate to the U.S. Sometimes those differences clash when discussing issues of...
Although they provide companionship, emotional support, and stress-relieving, these key “family members” of some Filipino American households may not get talked about very often: OUR PETS! On this TFAL episode, we talk about pet ownership and welfare with two Filipino American veterinarians who are passionate about animals: Dr. Maria Solacito and Dr. Ronaldo “Joey” Vasquez....
“As the days go by…it’s the bigger love the family.” Growing up in communal households, many Filipino Americans sense the unspoken duty to take care of their families. Whether it’s taking care of one’s own children, or one’s parents, or new, adopted members of one’s family, we all know we have some form of obligation...
Take me out to the ball game Take me out with the crowd Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack I don’t care if I ever get back Let me root, root, root for the… How many of you have had the opportunity to sing this song at a baseball game? Filipino Americans love...
Can you believe that, in the five years that we’ve been doing this podcast about Filipino American Life, somehow we have neglected to talk to a DJ about DJing?! Neither can we, especially since Producer Mike is a collector and curator of vinyl himself! Though DJing may be as old as vinyl records themselves,...
In recent weeks, many Filipinos and Filipino Americans have appeared in mainstream U.S. news and entertainment. Whether it’s the release of the Netflix anime series, TRESE, the long-awaited appearance of a Filipino nurse in Grey’s Anatomy, the recent announcement of a Pinay Captain America, or the heroic acts of Jordan Clarkson after a racist incident...
How many Filipinos are in the United States? Where are Filipinos located throughout the nation? How well are we doing socio-economically? What does this data tell us about our community? Many people have researched answers to these demographic questions using statistical data. One of these important figures is Neil Ruiz, Associate Director of Race and...
3-2-1 …. 1-2-3. What the heck is bothering me? It’s been a while since TFAL has asked “Bakit?” “Why o’ why?” For our latest edition of the Bakit List, the TFAL team shares what grinds their gears. We look at the annoying and ever so problematic topics that affect Filipino Americans. Some of the discussions...
What is something that you thought was politically impossible but happened? This is the question that Elaine, Joe, Producer Mike, and special guest host Kat tackle in this conversation about Pinays in Political Organizing. Community and political organizing is a difficult and important job that allows for the impossible to become a reality in our...
So… there’s a lot going on in the world. A lot of it not so great. And while we talk about many of those things on our show and in our social media, we figured we all needed to take a little bit of a break to try and focus on the good things that...
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to write a TV or movie? If you had total creative freedom to pitch a show or movie, what would it be about? Would you center Filipino or Filipino American stories? In this TFAL episode, we talk TV writing with the one and only Rene Gube,...
It’s been one year since most of the United States has been under quarantine, significantly changing our lives. In this TFAL episode, we reflect on a year like no other, how COVID has affected our personal lives and the lives of many of our kababayan, and reminders of what we need to continue to do...
Roses are red. Violets are blue. These brown hands Choo choo choose you! Hello TFAL listeners, join us as the TFAL Crew reflects on love. Well…sort of, through the lens of the commercialized and overpriced holiday of Valentine’s day! All joking aside, we can all agree that we need a little more love in this...
2020 will go down in history as one of the most difficult years for so many of us. At the time of writing, 443,000 people have lost their lives to covid-19. Deaths in 2020 that were not Covid-19 related were still impacted by the virus. In certain situations, they were unable to get care that...
New Year. Covid’s still here. Let’s start purging and clear… The energy for 2021. We all know that 2020 was a roller coaster that we were happy to say so long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, goodnight, and goodbye to that wretched year. Within the first week of 2021, we faced an attempted coup attempt and more...
Did you know that the Banaue Rice Terraces are actually only approximately 200-300 years old hundred years old, and not 2,000 years old as many people believe? Did you know that the “Wave Migrations” theory of the people-ing of the Philippines has no archaeological basis and is fundamentally racist? Some of these Philippine nationalist narratives...
Filipinos are notorious for their sweet tooth. We put sugar in almost all of our dishes. So much so our spaghetti would be a dessert in Italy. And of course, who can forget our traditional desserts? Bibingka, turon, halo halo, Cebu torta, tupig, puto bumbong, ginataan, buko pie…the list goes on and on. In almost...
Election season in the US has come and not quite gone, and regardless of who you voted for (and how you feel about the results), a noteworthy aspect of this year’s Elections were the sheer number of Filipino Americans running for office throughout the country. From Hawaii to Virginia, California to Georgia, and even Utah...
Filipino humor. You know what it is. Super corny one-liners your mom or dad, aunt and uncle might have said. It may be a play on words. May include using an accent. On Filipino TV shows, it may include a high-pitched, solo laugh track. Some Filipino Americans might find it hilarious. Some may not. Non-Filipinos...
Dance off! Dance crews and line dancers, dance fanatics, and dance contest watchers – gather around for another episode of TFAL as we discuss hip hop dancing and Filipinos’ proclivity towards the art form. We reminisce about our abilities (or inabilities) to follow a dance routine, our love for dancing, and of course, Pilipino Cultural...
In 1932, Celine Navarro, a young Filipina American, was buried alive and murdered by other Filipinos just outside of Stockton, California. The murder of Navarro caught national media attention, sensationalizing the crime and painting Filipinos as savage members of primitive cults. Though mostly forgotten now, this horrific incident reverberated through the Filipino American community during...
“Call out” culture, an inevitable part of online conversations, has become a bigger part of public discourse over the past few years. While critique and criticism have been around forever, social media has perhaps accelerated confrontations and further deepened divisions between people as online identities increasingly coalesce with personal identities. And the Filipino American community...
Can you believe it’s been six months of quarantine? The TFAL Crew, including sleep deprived new dad Joe, came together this past Wednesday night for a TFAL Live where we engaged in a lively discussion about hustles. We talk about how quarantine and covid has impacted or inspired side hustles. The conversation also delves into...
In this episode the TFAL crew, with Kat Carrido Bonds filling in as a guest host, have a discussion with Isabel Sandoval, the artist behind the lyrical and delicate drama LINGUA FRANCA. LINGUA FRANCA follows Olivia, played by Isabel Sandoval, an undocumented Filipino trans woman, working as a caregiver to Olga, an elderly Russian...
Trading the city and WiFi for nature and No Service may be the break our overstimulated brains need to recharge. In this episode the TFAL crew talks about their experiences with hiking, fishing, camping, and nature. Find out who grew up camping, how karaoke and mah jong can be a part of these trips,...
TFAL is having a baby! Actually, just Gerlie and Joe are having a baby. The latest change in their lives prompted a discussion about pregnancy as Filipino Americans. In this episode, the TFAL crew delves into what we know and don’t know about pregnancy. Most of our conversation is around what we don’t know because,...
Being raised in the United States, we as Filipino Americans have learned American cultural practices that we’ve grown accustomed to and even embraced – eating hotdogs in a bun, trick or treating, camping, Superbowl parties, calling in sick after Superbowl Parties, weekend BBQs, or even being treated to a meal on your birthday. There are...
Have you ever thought about how do you get your news? Obtaining news has quickly evolved over the years. Just in the TFAL crew’s lifetimes, the ways we have consumed news has transitioned from physical newspapers to local afternoon TV news to news sites then to social media feeds. In this new era of rapid...
The late Asian American activist Grace Lee Boggs towards the end of her life began to devote her activism to the urban agricultural movement in Detroit. She believed that urban gardening provided nutritious food, beautifies neighborhoods, and creates and sustains neighborhood social capital, More importantly, she believed that urban gardening had the capability to be...
The murder of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and countless others at the hands of the police department has ignited outrage all around the world and once again, exposed the deep wounds of racism and inequality in the United States. While it’s easy to dismiss this unrest as somehow “outside” of the Filipino American...
Early in the TFAL podcast journey we discussed therapy and mental health in Episode 2. As time has progressed the TFAL community has asked to continue the discussion around mental health. In this episode the TFAL crew has a conversation with Alyssa Lia Mancao, a therapist based out of Sherman Oaks, CA, who also...
Pilipino Graduation. P-Grad. Fil-Grad. Filipina/o/@/x Grad. Whatever the nomenclature, these ceremonies celebrate the educational accomplishments of Filipino Americans at many universities, colleges, and increasingly high schools. P-Grads are more intimate ceremonies where FilAm graduates personally thank their loved ones, don Filipino regalia, and honor a community whose retention and graduation rates are historically not very...
TFAL is back with yet another edition of Hilaw Pa, the ultimate Filipino American brainstorm where the crew comes up with half-baked ideas related to our experiences. In this episode, we discuss Coronavirus-related ideas. Listen as we come up with ideas to hang out with our pals, respect our elders, and grab our food while...
As we continue our social distance series, we wanted to know what the Covid-19 experience was like in the Philippines. For that perspective the crew talks to Isabelle Lacson, a Metro Manila resident and friend of Producer Mike and Elaine. Isabelle shares what life is like under Enhanced Community Quarantine or ECQ. While there are...
Pilipino Cultural Night, aka PCN, aka PACN, aka Barrio Fiesta, aka Filipino Night, etc. is an annual production performed by countless Filipino American student organizations on college campuses (and some high schools) throughout the country. It is a night of acting, singing, and dancing that draws thousands of Filipino Americans any given year. It has...
When we began our podcast journey several folks reached out to us about covering the multiracial Filipino experience. The question came to mind “What does it mean to be a multiracial Filipino?” This is a question that we knew we’d need an expert to share their experience and perspective. In this episode we chat with...
What a tease! In the midst of this doomsday-esque reality that we are experiencing through the coronavirus pandemic, we thought it would be nice to travel down the world of… you guessed it—Burlesque! Although the roots of “burlesque“ range from parody stage shows to performances in a variety show format, it gradually transitioned into what...
On this episode of our Social Distance Series we were able to live stream via our Youtube Channel and on Instagram. The TFAL crew chats with Therese Golingay Donnelly, a nurse practitioner based in Los Angeles. Therese shares her journey going from Founding Mother of Kappa Psi Epsilon at California State University, Long Beach to...
Continuing the California mandate of social distancing the TFAL crew hosted another virtual live podcast with special guests Eugene Cordero & Mitch Narito. Initially we meant to host our live stream on Facebook, however technical difficulties lead to us hosting on our YouTube channel. In this episode we share one thing that we have learned...
Coronavirus is here. We’re all required to practice social distancing. For many of us, this type of isolation is normal, for others, not so much. Despite these government mandates, we here at TFAL must continue, if only for our own sanity. This past week, Elaine, Joe, Ryan, and Producer Mike came together virtually and streamed...
Documentaries are essential for our community. There are certainly a number of good films that document the Filipino and Filipino American experience – Delano Manongs, The Fall of the I-Hotel, Imelda, The Learning, Bontoc Eulogy, to name a few. These films are so important in spreading awareness of our people’s history and culture and keeping...
In this mini episode the TFAL crew get to know artist and musician Greg Narvas. Greg Narvas is the creator of the zine “I Was a Teenage Filipino Skinhead” and is the drummer and percussionist for the ska band Hepcat. Inspired by AZN FLUSH, a drinking game, Greg realized that there could be a Filipino...
CORRECTION: Contrary to what was discussed in the episode, there is no “long” or “short” form in the Census. The 2020 Census will only have nine questions. The “long” and “short” form discussed refers to the American Community Survey (ACS), not the 2020 Census. Additionally, the 2020 Census will NOT ask for income. Apologies for...
Homelessness is an issue that affects us all, but it’s especially felt in TFAL’s home base of Los Angeles. Last year, thanks to a mix of housing unafforadability, stagnant wages, and the effects of past and present systemic inequities, on any given night, nearly 59,000 people in Los Angeles did not have a permanent place...
Earlier this month the Los Angeles Times ran the column Here’s how HiFi, or Historic Filipinotown, got its name by Frank Shyong. In the column Frank quotes TFAL’s Joe Bernardo and mentions Episode 85 – Filipino Ethnic Enclaves: Do They Exist? Do We Need Them? Head to the LA Times and read the full...
Ever leave flyers out and hope that it reaches someone out there? In this episode Producer Mike and Elaine learn how leaving TFAL flyers out in a Zia Records in Las Vegas inspired Jean Munson and Rose Trinidad of Bruha Baddies. Bruha Baddies is a Filipino/a/x podcast meant to create a space of healing, and...
Hilaw Pa is back with its third edition! If you’re new to TFAL, Hilaw Pa is a recurring segment in which the TFAL crew proposes random half-baked ideas related to the Filipino Americans that should exist in this world, but someone else should make it happen. In this edition of Hilaw Pa, the crew comes...
Many Filipinos and Filipino Americans tend to identify as such without question or sense of history of how these categories emerge historically. In this TFAL episode, Joe speaks to his advisor and mentor in graduate school, Dr. Vicente Rafael, about the various formations and iterations of Filipino and Filipino American nationalism. Dr. Rafael is a...
What happens when a Marine combines their passion for coffee with their Veterans organized humanitarian mission non profit? In this episode the crew talks with Joseph Zoleta and learns how a humanitarian trip to the Philippines turned this marine/paramedic into an entrepreneur with Black 6 Coffee Trading Co. Joseph Zoleta is the President of Black...
During Filipino American History Month The Ripped Bodice, the only exclusively romance bookstore in the United States, hosted Pag-Ibig: Celebrating Filipino Diaspora in Romantic Fiction with Tif Marcelo, Mia Hopkins, Maida Malby, Sarah Smith, hosted by Ezrah Lasolah-Tuble. In this episode Elaine is joined by romance novel enthusiast and best friend Ivy Barrera. Elaine and...
We finally made it!! After 3 1/2 years, we made it to Episode 100. Let’s celebrate!!! In this special episode, we look back at TFAL’s first 99 episodes. Listen as we reminisce about some of TFAL’s greatest moments, and, of course, playback some of our bloopers that never made it on air. What episodes are...
In this special TFAL episode, we get to know two Pinay visionaries of Anthill Fabric Gallery: Co-founder and Managing Director Anya Lim and Team Performance Coach Elisa Estrera. Anthill Fabric Gallery creates beautiful, contemporary, handmade clothing and accessories by putting culture and communities first. Headquartered in Cebu, Anthill partners with various indigenous, rural, and working...
Death is a natural part of life. All of us have experience with death, whether it’s among our family, our friends, or even folks we barely know. With death comes customs and rituals associated with it that we, the living, perform and practice. For example, many pre-colonial peoples of the Philippines believed that one had...
On Sunday, October 6th, the TFAL crew had the opportunity to be a part of the Beatrock Music 10-Year Anniversary Festival held at the Bootleg Theater in Historic Filipinotown. The crew revisited the fan favorite format of the TFAL Game Show which we introduced in Episode 27.5. On this episode we had Beatrock Music artist...
In early September, Pilipino Workers Center of Southern California (PWC) hosted an anti-human trafficking summit, bringing together survivors, advocates, and leaders from throughout the country. After two days of workshops, panels, and performances, the participants launched the Baklas campaign (Filipino for dismantle / break free), a national effort to end human trafficking. Post-summit, TFAL got a...
Historically, police departments have had a history of tense and even hostile relations with communities of color, with the Los Angeles Police Department as one of the most notorious. Looking back as far as the 1960’s and 1970’s, the LAPD has had police chiefs at the helm whose approach to law enforcement was not only...
While at San Diego Comic Con this year Elaine and Producer Mike were lucky enough to speak with Scott Lost, former professional wrestler turned comic book artist. Scott is one of the founders of Pro Wrestling Guerrilla, an independent wrestling company that has alums such as TJP, the Young Bucks, Kenny Omega, Ricochet, AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, and more.
After leaving professional wrestling behind Scott founded Accidental Aliens, a San Diego based art studio, creating stories with characters that he always wanted to see in comic books.
This episode is also a special cross over episode with the new Pencil Neck Geeks podcast on the Geek Say What network. PNG podcast comprises of Berto Ponce (Balut Club founder), Elaine from TFAL, and Justin Mallari of Geek Offensive. PNG podcast will be coming out soon, so follow the show on instagram (@PNGpodcast) for updates!
On August 10, 1999, Buford O. Furrow, Jr., a white supremacist, shot and killed JOSEPH ILETO, a Filipino American postal worker in Chatsworth, CA, after firing 70 shots inside the North Valley Jewish Community Center with a semi-automatic weapon. Ileto had just delivered mail to a home when Furrow approached him and asked if Ileto...
Do you still mano po? Do you still call your siblings ate/kuya or manang/manong/ading? Do you know the recipes that your grandparents used in their cooking? Do you miss the local Filipino restaurant or store that no longer exists? Do you wear barongs or baro’t saya? What markers of Filipino culture do you still preserve...
Did you know that Paleontology is more than just dinosaurs? If so, YAY for you! When the opportunity to talk to a Filipino American paleontologist came about it got Elaine excited to talk all things dinosaurs, which is exactly what happens in the beginning of this episode. Luckily TFAL talks story with Gabe Santos, Filipino...
This year TFAL’s Elaine and Producer Mike got to take in the magic that is San Diego Comic Con (SDCC). The panel was hosted by Diverse Geeks in Focus with Alix Catherine (host – Ready Set Geek!) moderating the panel of Gemma Vidal (host – Diverse Geeks in Focus), Justin Quizon (Screen Rant, That Hashtag Show),...
The TFAL crew is reunited in studio after a few months of travels to Canada and the Philippines. This episode is inspired by a The Tagalog Project Instagram post that highlighted positive Pilipino Praises. When TFAL shared this post the feedback was on a certain theme. “Positive” parenting seemed like a foreign concept to several TPALs. While Filipino...
“Don’t play out in the sun. You’ll get too dark!” Most Filipinos have heard this phrase from parents or elders numerous times when they were children. For Filipino Americans, this phrase might strike a chord as an example of Filipinos’ preference for lighter skin. For some, it may conjure up memories of being bullied, traumatized,...
It’s no secret that Filipinos are obsessed with basketball. Same goes for Filipino Americans. Ask many Filipino Americans and more likely than not, they LOVE basketball. TFAL even did an episode on it. Did you know that several hundred Filipino Americans are in the Philippines playing basketball in the college, minor leagues, and the PBA?...
As a Filipino American, have you ever considered moving to the Philippines? Whether you were born in the diaspora or moved from the Philippines as a small child, does the Philippines ever “call to you?” If you’ve ever contemplated it, you should check out this episode about two Filipino Americans who moved to the motherland...
Despite efforts to create Filipino ethnic enclaves – Historic Filipinotown in LA, SoMa Pilipinas in San Francisco, Filipino Village in National City, Little Manila in Toronto, etc. – a common narrative out there is that Filipinos do not have a discernible ethnic enclave. Even heavy Filipino-populated suburban cities such as Daly City, Carson, Vallejo, Jersey...
Welcome back to Canada! We round out our travel shows with our last two interviews from Vancouver. In this episode we interview entrepreneurs Marvin Soriano of WSDM CLUB Barbershop and Jian Pablico of DISTRIKT MOVEMENT. They discuss opening up their respective businesses, not only to make money, but to serve as community centers for...
Welcome to Canada, eh? In addition to our trip to Seattle last month, the TFAL crew was able to take a trip to our neighbor to the north, Canada…Vancouver to be exact. In our next couple episodes, we talk to some of Van-city’s awesomest Filipino community leaders. This episode focuses on political and community...
What is the Filipino Food scene like in Seattle? In this TFAL episode, we’re back in Seattle to talk about Pacific Northwest Filipino food with some members of the Ilaw Collective, a coalition of Filipino food and beverage professionals in the region. First, we talk to Chera Amlag and Geo Quibuyen of Hood Famous Bake...
In Los Angeles, Filipinos have a special relationship with the Little Tokyo neighborhood. In the 1920s and 1930s, Filipino immigrants formed a viable Little Manila district adjacent to the Japanese neighborhood. Little Tokyo was in many ways the heart of the Asian American Movement in Southern California during the 1960s and 1970s, prompting many Filipino...
Over the next few episodes, the TFAL crew brings you some voices from the Pacific Northwest. This past month, TFAL was on location in Seattle (and later Vancouver) to speak with some of the movers and shakers of the Filipino American community. In our first installment, we talk to Devin Cabanilla of the Filipino American...
In this TFAL episode, we switch gears a bit and give you a few literary works in audio form by Giovanni Ortega, multi-disciplinary artist, writer, and teacher. Giovanni joins the TFAL podcast and shares his upbringing as a 1.5 generation Filipino American from Chicago. He then gives us three short stories from different Filipino American...
Filipinos and karaoke go together like peanut butter and jelly, like peas and carrots, like green mangoes and bagoong. Karaoke is essential to every Filipino party and every late night Filipino beer house. We perform karaoke in the swankiest KTV room to the local roadside hole in the wall. Filipinos even kill each other over...
“Everybody doesn’t have to be a hero; everybody doesn’t have to be famous. Each person who’s Filipino American, to me, is very, very important as a story… Our stories are really in our people. It’s not so much in what the achievements are…as much as what is the story itself.” – the late Fred Cordova,...
We talk a lot about food on the podcast (and in life) partly because it’s fun, but also because it creates discussion about recipes, deliciousness, and creativity. Filipino cuisine continues to evolve. Creative home cooks and chefs alike are more mindful about available ingredients relative to their geography and health benefits of delicious alternatives. If...
Most of us have some ounce of Filipino pride. “Successes” by other Filipinos such as Bruno Mars, Jordan Clarkson, and Catriona Gray become “successes” for us. Because Filipinos are constantly rendered invisible in the Western world, we tend to internalize these victories as our own. But what happens when fellow Filipinos do something “embarrassing”? Countless...
You might recognize Eugene Cordero from roles in Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Wrecked, or the film The Mule. The TFAL crew love him as Pillboi in The Good Place. On this episode the TFAL crew chats it up with Eugene and learn about his path into comedy and improv. We also find out how he convinced his parents...
During the holiday season, TFAL was invited by the good folks at Cinema Sala to record a podcast episode live in front of an audience. As a first attempt at a live show, this mini-episode looks at the handful of Filipino films on Netflix. Filmmaker Marie Jamora joins the crew to discuss films like Heneral...
Though beauty pageants in the Philippines can be traced back to the celebration of Santacruzan and other religious festivals, modern beauty pageants, emerged out of the Manila Carnival, an annual event during the early 1900s. According to scholar Genevieve Clutario, the queen contest became a platform where both Filipino nationalists’ and American colonial officials attempted...
We conclude our San Diego interviews with community organizers DJ Kuttin Kandi, Kirin Macapugay, and Ree Obana. In this discussion we highlight the issues that these womxn currently center their work around. Kirin and Ree give their perspectives as born and raised Pinxys, while Kandi discusses her experience as a transplant from Queens, NY by...
“Discovered by the Germans in 1904, they named it San Diego, which of course in German means a whale’s vagina.” – Ron Burgundy Anchorman jokes aside, San Diego has a long history, and Filipinos have been a significant part of it. Largely attracted to the region because of the large naval presence, hundreds of thousands...
The pen is mightier than the sword, they say. And in our history, the pen has certainly been very powerful. The Illustrados who started the Propaganda Movement, which included Jose Rizal’s novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, sparked the rise of Philippine nationalism and the Revolution during the late 19th century. Carlos Bulosan with...
On this bonus episode the TFAL crew has a conversation with Geena Rocero, the trans activist, model, producer, and founder of GenderProud, her advocacy and production company that is committed to tell trans-focused and trans-specific stories. We learn about Geena’s life as a trans beauty queen in the Philippines, her journey to creating a new life in San Francisco, and how she went from passing to coming out as trans through her widely viewed TED talk in 2014.
Geena is also a contributor to American Like Me : Reflections of Life Between Cultures. This compilation of stories curated by America Ferrera reflects what it is like for 31 of her friends, peers, and heroes. Make sure to pick up your copy of American Like Me and read Geena’s story after you check out this episode of TFAL.
For folks looking for resources here are links to a few of the organizations we talk about in this episode:
- API Wellness Center
- Trans Lifeline US: 877-565-8860 / Canada: 877-330-6366
- Transgender Law Center
- TransLatin@ Coalition
Many thanks to Visual Communications for hosting our conversation and welcoming Geena to Little Tokyo
Random fact: We learned that Geena is also a big fan of Ruby Ibarra. She raps the along lyrics to US just like we do!
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@geenarocero + @rubyibarra = #Repost @geenarocero ・・・ Only cooking Sinigang na Buto Buto (tamarind pork ribs and marrow stew) while rocking to @rubyibarra “US” #FAHM #islandwomenrise
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You can also catch Geena on tour with Together Live and Hello Sunshine, Reese Witherspoon’s media brand who’s mission is to tell stories centered around women.
Listen through the embedded player below, download directly here, or subscribe to us on iTunes here!
What are your suggestions with supporting our trans family and friends? Leave us a voicemail at (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.
Pew pew pew!
He is the reason why we sound as good as we do – that you don’t hear any of our snorts and sneezes. Due to his technical expertise, we are able to interview our guests from afar and because of his amazing photography, we have amazing memories of our TFAL journey. He’s our tech geek, our video gamer, our passionate poet, our homeless advocate, our DJ.
On this very special episode, we get a bit silly but also learn more about the mysterious man behind the sound mixer of This Filipino American Life podcast, our very own Producer Mike Nailat. Mike takes some time from his sound mixing duties to answer a few of our questions – 18 to be exact – so that you can learn more about why we love him.
Get comfortable and let the Producer Mike fandom continue.
Can we get a pew pew pew!!
Listen through the embedded player below, download directly here, or subscribe to us on iTunes here!
If you have any extra questions for Producer Mike or any of us, leave us a voicemail at (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.
On this bonus episode, the TFAL crew talks with the Emmy nominated filmmaker and Pulitzer Prize journalist winner Jose Antonio Vargas. The founder and CEO of Define American has been traveling around the country on his book tour for Dear America, Notes of an Undocumented Citizen. In this episode we go straight into a conversation about the complexities of immigration and how the Filipino American experience of mixed families (documented and undocumented) has changed the undocumented narrative in the US.
How have you supported your undocumented relatives? How do you have these conversations with your family? Let us know by emailng us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com or call our voicemail, (805) 394-TFAL (8325).
Listen through the embedded player below, download directly here, or subscribe to us on iTunes here!
In the episode Elaine misspeaks when she says “green card” she means “phone card.”
If you haven’t yet, pick up Dear America, Notes of an Undocumented Citizen at your local bookstore!
I Scream! You Scream! We all scream for ice cream….sandwiches by Coolhaus!
If you remember the food truck craze about 10 years ago, then you may have seen the hip, colorful, fixed up postal van-turned-ice-cream truck from CoolHaus that roamed the streets of Los Angeles, Dallas, and New York. What started off as a fun idea of creating ice cream sammies with punny architecture names is now a popular product that’s available in over 6,000 stores in the United States and across the world!
On this episode of TFAL, we had the chance to talk to Coolhaus Ice Cream co-founder, Freya Estreller, who tells us her story about beginning this business venture with her life and business partner, Natasha Case. Freya discusses her experience as a Filipina American woman in the business world, her love of basketball, and the time she came out to her parents!
Have a listen as we discuss the versatility of Filipino migrants and their unique economic opportunities in the United States. Find out which TFAL host had a lemonade stand and who got paid for plucking grey hairs from their parent’s head!
Listen through the embedded player below, download directly here, or subscribe to us on iTunes here!
Stockton, California, an agricultural city in the heart of the San Joaquin Valley, was the center of Filipino life in the United States for much of the 20th century. Beginning in the 1920s, thousands of Filipinos called Stockton home. The intersection of El Dorado and Lafayette Streets in downtown Stockton was the heart of what was fondly called Little Manila. Yet, much of this rich history is unknown to most of America, and sadly, to the majority of Filipino Americans.
However, the history of Stockton’s was not lost to one Dr. Dawn Bohulano Mabalon. Dawn was a born and raised Pinay Stocktonian who spearheaded the reclamation of Stockton’s Filipino American history. As developers threatened to demolish the three remaining buildings of Little Manila, she helped to organize community members to stop the further erasure of Filipinos in the city. Ever the scholar, Dawn also documented the history of Stockton’s Filipinos in her much lauded book, Little Manila is in the Heart. She was truly a pioneering scholar and leader of the Filipino American community.
Dawn Mabalon. August 17, 1972 – August 10, 2018.
TFAL was set to interview Dawn Mabalon along with two other community leaders on August 19. However, Dawn passed away a week prior to the recording. In this episode of TFAL, Joe and Gerlie speak with two of her compatriots, Gayle Romasanta, co-author with Dawn of Journey for Justice, a children’s book about the life of labor leader Larry Itliong, and Dillon Delvo, Executive Director of Little Manila Rising, an organization dedicated to the well-being of Filipinos in Stockton. In the episode, Gayle and Dillon remember the life and legacy of Dawn Mabalon, her impact in their respective work, and the importance of reclaiming our history as Filipino Americans.
Listen through the embedded player below, download directly here, or subscribe to us on iTunes here!
To donate to the good work of Little Manila Rising, go to their website here: http://www.littlemanila.org/donate/
To purchase Journey for Justice: The Life of Larry Itliong, go here: https://www.bridgedelta.com/purchase/journey-for-justice-the-life-of-larry-itliong
For more on the history of Stockton’s Little Manila, check out this video:
To see the power of Dawn Mabalon, check out her speech during the dedication of Little Manila in 2002:
On this episode of TFAL the crew shares their memories about their favorite cartoons and imagine what a Filipino American cartoon show would look like! We then geek out with Eric Bauza (voice of Marvin the Martian and countless other characters that he will recount in the episode) and three time return guest Earl Baylon, the voice of Jonah Maiava in the upcoming Shadow of Tomb Raider video game. Eric and Earl walk us through their experiences and challenges of being voice actors in some of yours and our favorite projects!
Listen through the embedded player below, download directly here, or subscribe to us on iTunes here!
What were your favorite cartoons or animated films growing up? Let us know by emailing us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com or call our voicemail, (805) 394-TFAL (8325)!
Make sure to check out Eric Bauza as Master Splinter on Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on Nickelodeon on Monday, September 17th! Follow him on Instagram and Twitter.
Shadow of the Tomb Raider drops on Friday, September 14th. Pick it up for PS4, XBox One, and Steam. You can find Earl here & find out more about the Lumpia sequel, Lumpia With A Vengeance.
Hey there TPals! In this episode, we change things up a bit and host our first ever TFAL Game Show! Listen as Elaine, Ryan, and special guest Berto battle it out over Filipino and Filipino American-related trivia questions. Earl Baylon also serves as a special guest judge.
Who knows the name of the Philippine Vice President? Who knows where the Filipino American Highway is located? Who can “name that tune”? Who phones Producer Mike for help? But most importantly, who wins the coveted banh mi sandwich? Find out by listening to this hilarious episode!
Listen through the embedded player below, download directly here or subscribe to us on iTunes here!
Got any trivia questions to use on the next edition of the TFAL Game Show? Call us at (805) 394-TFAL (8325) or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.
P.S. Here’s the Santo Nino and the Rockyfellers videos we referred to in the episode.
Lincoln Memorial at night.
According to 2016 Census estimates, there are over 87,000 Filipino Americans in the Washington DC Metro area, and over 175,000 when you include all of Virginia and Maryland.
But as an LA-based podcast, we only occasionally get insights into what life is like beyond Pacific Standard Time. So when Producer Mike had to trek out to DC for work, he figured, why not fit in a couple conversations with some folks out there as well? So we present to you a trio of interviews with some of folks we’ve been lucky enough to meet through this podcast:
Malaka Gharib is an artist, writer, and reporter for NPR. Her forthcoming graphic novel, I Was Their American Dream, is an outgrowth from the countless zines and comic strips she’s been publishing for many years. Producer Mike sits down with her at her home to debate whether or not one can truly love both Radiohead and The Pharcyde (the answer is yes), and to talk about how the simple spoon can spur community connections and cultural awakenings.
Speaking of spoons, Kuya Ja’s is a Rockville, Maryland restaurant that specializes in Lechon Belly. Producer Mike just happened to go there for a “light” brunch with some friends, only to find out from Elaine that they had recently reached out to TFAL to invite all of us to drop by. Luckily, chef/co-owner Kuya Ja / Javier Fernandez was in the shop that day, and so the resulting impromptu interview with him and his Front-of-House manager Dominic is just further proof that that food is often the best way to bring all of us together, even if by complete accident.
Finally, Eden Picazo is a fellow UC Irvine alumnus along with Producer Mike and Elaine, and while her calling in life is most succinctly described as being an “archivist,” her work has brought her to places like Brooklyn to work for Spike Lee’s 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks and now Washington DC to work as an archivist for the government. Oh, and did we mention she won an Emmy for her contributions to Spike Lee’s short doc on Phil Jackson’s Triangle Offense?!
Please note that the latter two interviews were conducted in fairly noisy environments, but hopefully that doesn’t take away from the great insights into DC life shared by everyone. Enjoy!
From the exhibit “Evicted”, on display at the National Building Museum in Washington, DC.
Listen through the embedded player below, download directly here, or subscribe to us on iTunes here!