It’s Filipino-American Heritage Month…Get with It!

I remember long ago, I was interviewing DJ E-Rok, a longstanding member of Seattle’s Hip-Hop community, and he was describing Filipino-Americans as the “Puerto Ricans of the West Coast,” to which I agreed with him, mostly just humor this notion.  I mean, as far as visible ethnicities go, we have pretty strong numbers, but then when you think of key cities such as Seattle, Portland, Los Angeles, San Diego or San Francisco, Filipinos are probably the last inhabitants that you think about.  In fact, I can really think of one American city that is synonymous with its large (re: obvious) Filipino population: Daly City, CA.

Regardless, October is Filipino-American Heritage Month, so I’m urging non-Filipinos to try something new: eat lumpia, wear a barong, or buy a barrel man.  Do something.  I realize that most non-Filipino people will take what they know about the culture (which is usually built on some misinformed stereotype about eating dogs) and assume that we’re all savages.  But that’s not the case.

If I have to spend 11 months of the calendar year, bombarded with images of an ethnically homogenous America through shows like “Two and a Half Men,” “The Office” and “Gossip Girl,” the least you can do is eat a plate of pancit and rice.

 

 

Topics: Philippines , API Issues , Filipino-American Heritage Month