In 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.

In 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.

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.  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.

Here 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

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.

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.

In 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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Photo Credit: Disarray Magazine

Dom 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.

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. =)

In 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 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

In 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 “F*ck ICE” and “Don’t F*ck 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

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.

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.

In 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.

In 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!

In 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.

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.

TFALpodcast 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.

On 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 2^nd 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.

In 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.

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.

The 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.

Is 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.

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.

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.

If 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”

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!

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).

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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 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.

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.

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.

Every 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.

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.

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.

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.

On 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.

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.

In 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.

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.

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.

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.

New 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.

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.

Looks 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.

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!

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.

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.

When 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.

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.

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 they talk with Jen Soriano about her journey with chronic pain. The conversation dives into how somatic symptoms can manifest within our bodies. Jen chronicles her journey in her book “Nervous | Essays on Heritage and Healing.” 

Pick up “Nervous | Essays on Heritage and Healing” by Jen Soriano wherever books are sold. Or if you are able, check out Jen while she’s on her book tour! Here are some upcoming dates:

Nervous: IG Live Event with Margeaux Feldman @softcore_trauma

Tuesday, August 29, 2023. 12-12:30pm

Nervous: Powell’s Books Conversation with Janice Lee

Thursday, August 31, 2023. 7-8pm

Preorder a signed copy of NERVOUS from Powell’s

Nervous: Chicago Conversation with Barrie Jean Borich

Wednesday, September 6, 2023. 7-8:30pm

Nervous: Seattle Heart-to-Heart with Sasha taqʷšəblu LaPointe

Tuesday, September 12, 2023. 7-8pm

Nervous: Virtual Celebration with Adrienne Maree Brown

Wednesday, September 13, 2023. 1-2pm

Follow Jen Soriano on Instagram (@jensorianowrites) for more events!  

Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on this page, subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts here. And for folks on Spotify, you can take a listen to us here.

Have you had experience with chronic pain? What steps have you made towards healing?  Let us know! Leave us a voicemail (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com

In this mini-episode, Ryan, Elaine, and Joe discuss the various ways that we as Filipino Americans pronounce our last names, the act of code-switching in certain contexts, and how shame and power may play a part in pronunciation.  We also veer on a random tangent and discuss if ketchup and rice is a justifiable combo.

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 similar experiences like Mr. Roxas?  Let us know! Leave us a voicemail (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.

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 in his stance to not apologize to the Broadway star, stressing that he didn’t do anything wrong.

READ: https://t.co/cSWs4Hm3uh pic.twitter.com/1sf6fW2A6n

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) July 19, 2023

In this episode the women of TFAL talk about the do’s and don’t’s of encountering public figures. Listen as Elaine, Gerlie, and Kat share their experiences with interacting with public figures and the cringe factor of this Lea Salonga video.

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.

Have you had a similar experience? Did you think this Lea Salonga interaction was cringe too?  Let us know! Leave us a voicemail (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.

According to some sociology scholars, the third place in modern capitalist society refers to spaces that are the home (“first place”) and the workplace (“second place”). Examples of third places include churches, cafes, clubs, bookstores, stoops, porches, parks, barber shops, etc.  To many, these third places serve as locales where people come together for friendship, community, and dialogue.  They can even serve as a places where the sense of belonging and discussion they foster become essential to democratic institutions.

In this TFAL episode, Joe and Ryan (united to form Bernardo Carpio) discuss places where Filipino Americans hangout.  Listen as they talk about what places they’ve seen Filipinos hang out at, what “loitering” means and the racial and class politics behind it, how to create community as public spaces become more commodified, and what physical spaces Filipino Americans need to connect and strengthen our community.  This conversation may see odd and philosophical, but we promise we weren’t high while recording this!!

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 have you seen Filipinos hang out?  Do you have a place where you and other Filipinos hang out at?  Let us know! Leave us a voicemail (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.

PC: Bancroft Library, UC Berkeley

In the first iteration of “TFAL presents Brown Bag Baon,” Joe has a conversation with Dr. James Zarsadiaz, Associate Professor of History and Director of the Yuchengco Philippines Studies Program at the University of San Francisco, to talk about the history of Filipino American suburbanization.  What is the history of Filipinos in American suburbs?  Why are so many Filipino Americans attracted to suburban life – whether in working-class or middle-class suburbs?  What kind of racism do they face there?  What kind of politics are Filipino Americans (and Asian Americans in general) engaged in their suburban towns?  How does suburban living foster a unique style of Asian American conservatism?  Using his research on the history of the East San Gabriel Valley of Los Angeles (Walnut, Diamond Bar, Hacienda Heights, Chino Hills, etc.) as an anchor of discussion, James and Joe unpack the complex and layered history, culture, and politics of Filipino American suburbanization.

Make sure to grab a copy of James’s book Resisting Change in Suburbia: Asian Immigrants and Frontier Nostalgia in L.A.!

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 in the suburbs?  Do you live there now?  What are your experiences living in a suburban community?  Let us know! Leave us a voicemail (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.

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.

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.

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.

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:

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.

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?!?

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.

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 thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com 

Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on this page, find us on Mixcloud or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts here. And for folks on Spotify, you can take a listen to us here.

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.  The show delighted children for 10 years.  In 2019, the show was brought back with a new host, the young Filipino American, Josh!  Now new generations of children are growing up with a Filipino helping them figure out clues, learning and laughing along the way.

Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on this page, find us on Mixcloud or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts here. And for folks on Spotify, you can take a listen to us here.

What were your favorite children’s shows?  If you have kids, what shows do they watch? Let us know! Leave us a voicemail (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com

…

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 seem like splitting hairs, there are very specific and deliberate reasons for the word “History” to be included in the official designation of this month.  When it was fist declared in a resolution by the Filipino American National Historical Society (FAHNS) in 1992, it was specifically proposed to be ” a significant time to study the advancement of Filipino Americans in the history of the United States,” a somewhat different proposition from the cultural dances and ube colored foods that tend to dominate social media feeds.

At the same time, the history that is often highlighted during this time can feel somewhat incomplete.  For example, October was chosen by FAHNS for Filipino American History Month as a way to commemorate the date of the first recorded presence of Filipinos within the borders of what was to eventually become the United States.  But what else do we know about that landing?  Why were the “Luzones Indios” even there on that ship, what happened when they stepped foot in what is now Morro Bay, California, and is that worth celebrating?  What defines a celebratory moment in our history?  And what are we missing by not digging deeper?

Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on this page, find us on Mixcloud or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts here. And for folks on Spotify, you can take a listen to us here.

And what should be on our future Filipino American History Month Advent Calendar? Let us know! Leave us a voicemail (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com

Also, on this episode, our special T-Pal is none other than the Department of Health and Human Services.  We can’t let up on this pandemic.  It is still here and it’s affecting all of us.  Make sure to get boosted and continue to stay safe.

Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on this page, find us on Mixcloud or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts here. And for folks on Spotify, you can take a listen to us here.

Got an life update you’d like to share? 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, find us on Mixcloud or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts here. And for folks on Spotify, you can take a listen to us here.

What is your experience with holistic nutrition? Have you tried adaptogens? Let us know! Leave us a voicemail (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com

Follow Droplet @drinkdroplet on Instagram and Twitter

Want to try Droplet? Get the 3 pack sampler and try all three flavors (Pretty Balanced, Pretty Happy, and Pretty Bright) Purchase Droplet here: https://shop.drinkdroplet.com/

In this TFAL episode, we talk to Dr. Lily Ann Villaraza, Professor and Chair of the Philippine Studies Department at City College of San Francisco.  In our discussion, we talk about the value of community colleges, the large stigma of this branch of education in the Filipino American community, the unique student life of community college students, and how the City College of San Francisco has provided Philippine Studies course to its students for more than 50 years.  In addition, the TFAL crew discusses what our impressions of community college growing up and how we all need to check our perspectives and biases during the intro.

Listen as Elaine, Ryan, and Joe discuss what it took to get the film made, what we loved about the film, what we thought wasn’t so great, the nitpicks we had, and the film’s impact on future Filipino American movies. And of course, listen to Producer Mike in his film school beret scoff at all of us for watching a film that will never live up to his standards.

Easter Sunday comes out in theaters nationwide on August 5.

Listen or download the episode on our website, find us on Mixcloud or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Google, Spotify, or anywhere you listen to us podcasts.

What are your thoughts on ‘Easter Sunday’? Leave us a voicemail and let us know 805.394.TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.

About the film:

Joe Valencia (Jo Koy) is a struggling actor and single father to his teenage son, Junior (Brandon Wardell). For Easter Sunday, Joe and Junior attend a family celebration with their extended Filipino American family. With a feud developing between his mother (Lydia Gaston) and his Tita Theresa (Tia Carrere), Joe must manage his dysfunctional family’s antics in order to ensure the success of the family’s holiday.

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 that effort quickly went on sale and then very rapidly sold out.  Of course, Producer Mike doesn’t sleep when it comes to these kinds of things, and not only was he able to score a pair of low tops and high tops for himself and Elaine, but he was also able to snag an interview with the artist himself!

Hailing from a serene sleepy beach town just north of Santa Barbara, DJ is maybe one of two Filipinos he knew of outside of his family.  But it’s through through his graphic design work and collaborations that he really gets to immerse himself and others in his heritage. From his creative studio Bayan Surf Club and through his online storefront Canto Vision , DJ has already unleashed an incredible body of work that pays homage to his Santa Barbara skate and surf roots, with the influences of the motherland sprinkled throughout.  But how did he end up partnering with Vans, and what’s next for this amazing artist from the 805?  And when are those Vans Slides getting released?! Well you’ll just have to listen to this episode to find out!

Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on this page, find us on Mixcloud or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts here. And for folks on Spotify, you can listen to us here.

Want to shout out your favorite Filipino designers? Leave us a voicemail and let us know 805.394.TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.

First image by Producer Mike, all other images provided by DJ Javier.

If you’d like to purchase a copy and are local to the Southern California area, signed copies are available at Belcanto Books! You can also purchase copies directly from Kenneth’s site: The Lola x Kenneth Collaboration.

Daghang Salamat to Kenneth and Jhoanna Belfer of Belcanto Books for the opportunity to talk about this lovely memoir and for the audience who joined us for the book talk.

Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on this page, find us on Mixcloud or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts here. And for folks on Spotify, you can listen to us here.

Bel Canto owner Jhoanna Belfer and CRESCENCIANA author Kenneth Tan

Side Practice Coffee, 5139 N Damen Ave, Chicago, IL 60625

The second interview in this episode is with Jeff Masangcay, founder of the non-profit Bata Sole. Bata Sole aims to collect & distribute new & used athletic shoes to impoverished communities. This journey originated from a trip Jeff took with his family to the Philippines. The trip sparked the idea for the non-profit and later Camp Sole, a youth basketball camp that also instills values of caring for your community. This conversation may lead to a few controversial basketball opinions (please note these are the sole opinions of Joe Bernardo and Joe Bernardo alone). 

Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on this page, find us on Mixcloud or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts here. And for folks on Spotify, you can listen to us here.

Many thanks to the Filipino American community in the Chicago area. The team only scratched the surface on what Chicago has to offer. Where should the TFAL crew travel to next? Leave us a voicemail and let us know 805.394.TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.

In this introductory episode, the TFAL crew discusses traveling for the first time since the pandemic and all of the anxiety that fuels.  We also talk about our thoughts about being in Chicago and meeting our Chi-Town TPals during our meet-up.  And of course we discuss Joe’s LOVE of Michael Jordan and the ongoing G.O.A.T. debate.

(Joe’s commentary: Fuck that.  There is no love there.  Michael Jordan is the most overrated athlete in history.  His mystique is fueled by corporate interests – Nike, Gatorade, Hanes, etc. – that emphatically clouded the minds of the populace and elides any rational thought of how basketball actually operates.  Michael Jordan is the ultimate epitome of false idolatry.  If you want to read the conclusive article about the MJ sham, here is a piece I wrote a few years ago!)

Uh…OK.  Thanks, Joe.  On to the show?

Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on this page, find us on Mixcloud or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts here. And for folks on Spotify, you can take a listen to us here.

What’s your experience in Chicago?  Have you traveled since the Pandemic?  Let us know by leaving a voicemail at (805) 394-TFAL or emailing us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com!

This episode is sponsored by the Department of Health and Human Services.  Go to vaccines.gov for further vaccine info and find a vaccine near you.

Ferdinand “Bong Bong” Marcos Jr., aka BBM, remains the front-runner ahead of current Vice President Leni Robredo in national polls. There are many people running for president, but these two stand above the rest.  Marcos is the son of late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, who during his martial law regime tortured and murdered thousands of Filipinos. Critics accuse candidate Marcos of using social media and misinformation to target young voters, many of whom have no memory of life under his father’s rule. While Robredo is riding a recent wave of popularity.

In this episode, we talk to Rappler journalist Michelle Abad about the elections, the current candidates and issues, as well as why Bong Bong Marcos continues to be popular despite the horrific acts in the hands of his family.  We also discuss why this election is so important to Filipino Americans and why we need to pay attention to it.

Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on this page, find us on Mixcloud or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts here. And for folks on Spotify, you can take a listen to us here.

Who is your family supporting?  Who would you support?  Let us know by leaving a voicemail at (805) 394-TFAL or emailing us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com!

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 shows did not take place in the vacuum. The casts dealt with the impact of Covid, the Black Lives Matter movement, and LGBTQA+ issues. 

In this episode the crew learns about Melissa’s, now Melissa Beck, journey from reality tv to stay at home mom. The discussion ranges from learning about Melissa’s Florida roots (shoutout to the 813) to her memorable entrance into the Real World New Orleans house with her Calrose bag of rice.

Real World New Orleans Homecoming drops on Wednesday, April 20th on Paramount +. Make sure to follow Melissa on Twitter @MelissaBeckRWNO and Instagram @MelissaBeckRWNO for more gems that she will probably give to followers of the show!

Want your own Belligerence Has Arrived tote? Head to Melissa’s online store to pick up this tote and even a “I’m Not Trying To Mess With That Lady” t-shirt!

Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on this page, find us on Mixcloud or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts here. And for folks on Spotify, you can take a listen to us here.

What reality tv shows do you watch? What would your idea for a Filipino American reality tv show be? Should we do a Real World NOLA Homecoming IG Live watch party? Let us know by leaving a voicemail at (805) 394-TFAL or emailing us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com!

In this episode, the team talks story with Annabelle Tometich, a Florida based writer who revealed that they wrote under the pen name of the long established food critic Jean Le Beouf for The News Press and Naples Daily News. Annabelle shared her story in The Washington Post with the Opinion piece “What pretending to be a White guy taught me about privilege.” The conversation covers Annabelle’s journey from line cook to food writer and everything in between. 

Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on this page, find us on Mixcloud or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts here. And for folks on Spotify, you can take a listen to us here.

Who are some of your favorite food critics? Are you Yelp Elite? Let us know by leaving a voicemail at (805) 394-TFAL or emailing us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com!

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 Los Angeles’ Historic Filipinotown are all signifiers of the impact of Filipinos here and abroad… and yet, do people outside of our community understand the significance?  Are we properly honoring these moments in our history and educating people about them?  Are there people and moments that we should be recognizing, but haven’t yet?

The US military, of course, is the short answer. Introduced to many parts of Asia as a result of US military occupation, SPAM is also synonymous with American imperialism. The story of SPAM goes deeper and in many directions. In this TFAL episode, we spoke to Gabrielle Berbey, a journalist with WNYC who recently did an podcast series on the history of SPAM. We talk about SPAM’s rise with and for the US empire, labor disputes and global migration, and the unhealthy, yet alluring, consumption of it in our communities. Beforehand, of course, we discuss our complex relationship with SPAM as well as our other favorite canned foods.

Check out The Experiment’s podcast series on SPAM here.

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 with video games and speaks with Patti Umali, creator of The Girl Who Sees, a video game set in World War II Philippines. The game is a point-and-click adventure and turn-based RPG hybrid that explores WWII history and Philippine fantasy. Players learn about Philippine folklore and mythology, while the game also shares history and Tagalog language lessons. 

What video games are you playing? What was your favorite video game growing up? Let us know by leaving a voicemail or text message at (805) 394-TFAL or emailing us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com!

These questions are some of the same things we’ve asked. We all know about places, businesses, or things that don’t look or sound Filipino or owned by a Filipino, but are DEFINITELY Filipino. But on this episode we spill the beans on things that we call “Secretly Filipino.”

Join us as we ponder these Filipino mysteries, touch upon how businesses have catered to the Filipino audience and tastes, and things that Filipinos love, but no one’s talking about. We hope that you laugh with us, but also tell us your own secret Filipino spots or things.  Call us at (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.

Jewelry

•         Honey My Heart –  honeymyheart.com / @honeymyheart
•         Maaari – maaari.co / @maaari_co
•         Cambio & Co. – shopcambio.co / @cambio_co

Clothing

•         Illa Manila – illamanila.com / @illamanila
•         Pineapple Industries – pineappleind.com / @pineappleindm2m
•         Emortal – emortalshop.com / @emortal_brand
•         Crooks & Castles – crooksncastles.com / @crooksncastles
•         Kampeon Co – kampeon.co / @kampeonco
•         Beatrock Music – beatrockmusic.com / @beatrockmusic

Art

•         Le Petit Elefant – lepetitelefant.com / @lepetitelefant
•         Bayani Art – bayaniart.com / @bayaniart
•         The Map’d Project – themapdproject.com / @themapdproject
•         Janelle Quibuyen – janellequibuyen.com / @phatlip
•         Patrick Ballesteros – patrickballesterosart.com / @patrickballesteros
•         YellowStainedBlue – www.etsy.com/shop/yellowstainedblue / @yellowstainedblue
•         Tree – www.etsy.com/shop/KrystalTREE / @tre3art

Food

•         Kombucha Kat – kombuchakat.com / @kombuchakat
•         Kuya Lord – @kuyalord_la
•         Abaca – restaurantabaca.com / @restaurantabaca
•         Magna Kusina and Kantina – magnapdx.com / @magnapdx
•         Petite Peso – petitepeso.com / @petitepeso
•         Lasita – lasita-la.com / @lasita.la
•         Spoon and Pork – spoonandpork.com / @spoonandporkla
•         Ensaymada Project – ensaymadaproject.com / @ensaymadaproject
•         Philippine Sea Salts – philippineseasalts.com / @xroadssalts
•         Eat Delishaz – eatdelishaz.com / @eatdelishaz
•         Batchoyan Illonggo Restaurant – @batchoyan
•         Kusina New Orleans –  @kusinanola

Desserts

•         Oodaalolly – oodaalolly.com / @oodaalolly
•         Kasama Chocolate – kasamachocolate.com / @kasamachocolate
•         Romeo Chocolates – romeochocolates.com / @romeochocolates
•         Wanderlust Creamery – wanderlustcreamery.com / @wanderlustcreamery
•         Café 86 – cafe-86.com / @cafe_86
•         Meryienda – meryienda.com / @meryienda
•         Brown Baked Desserts – brownbakeddesserts.com / @brown.baked
•         Treat Yourself Cookies – treatyourselfcookies.com / @treatyourself_cookies
•         Salamat Cookies – salamatcookies.com / @salamatcookies

Books

•         Arkipelago Books – arkipelagobooks.com / @arkipelagobooks
•         Bel Canto Books – belcantobooks.net / @belcantobooks
•         Now Serving – nowservingla.com / @nowservingla
•         Prospect – prospect.la / @prospect.la
•         Philippine Expressions – philippinebookshop.com / @philippineexpressions

Other

•         ANAK toy KOmpany – anaktoykompany.com / @anaktoykompany
•         Para Sa’yo – shopparasayo.com / @shopparasayo
•         Herbalaria – herbalaria.com / @iamherbalaria

 If you’re in the LA metro area, we even have a map of small businesses throughout the southland that you should check out:  tiny.cc/tfalmap

And don’t forget, we also have our own storefront and Patreon page, both of which you can check out on our website at thisfilipinoamericanlife.com. 

Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on this page, find us on Mixcloud or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts here. And for folks on Spotify, you can take a listen to us here.

Is there a small business you want to give a shout out to?  Let us know by leaving a voicemail at (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.

Thank You, and Happy Holidays!

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 religion differently today from when we were younger — some practicing religiously and others traditionally — we may be able to agree that we believe a higher power, whether we call them God, Jesus, Holy Spirit, Allah, or Buddha.

What if that “higher being” was not a Christian or Muslim God, but rather, science and reason?  Does religion get in the way of good government policy?

When Rodrigo Duterte and Donald Trump were elected as president of the Philippines and the United States respectively, TFAL released a few episodes talking about how to deal with those results. Our collective disappointment did not equate to shock that these results happened during a time when political sides became more and more polarized. Although “separation of church and state” is included in both constitutions, one can argue that religion and religious beliefs have always played a crucial role in the determining the outcome of the elections, policy-making, and governance.

On this TFAL episode, we talk to Red Tani, founder of Filipino Freethinkers, a civil society organization that has been promoting reason, science, and secularism in the Philippines since 2009. They are considered the largest and most active organization for freethought in the Philippines.  Brace yourselves as we talk about atheism and agnosticism; challenging dogma and tradition; creating reasonable policy separate from the Church; thinking freely; and regardless of religion, being good humans to each other.