"I say if you identify yourself as Filipino, who's to say that you're not? I mean sure most of us share commonalities in how we were raised and our views on things, but that doesn't necessarily make it "criteria" - Kristine (not so small talk)
"i been through this my whole life folks always say im not good enough because i am mestizo im not full blooded im not "filipino enough" that type of shit really strikes a nerve with me because no matter what to me you are filipino weather you are half a quarter or weather you can speak the language or not" - Daniel
"Being Filipino shouldn't be about a list of requirements, IE: 1) Speak Tagalog, 2) Eat rice, etc. It should be about the values our parents instilled in us, and the unity that our communities and families provide. You shouldn't give someone shit or call someone a fob if they have an accent, and you shouldn't give someone shit and not call them Filipino if they don't speak Tagalog. " - Lance (the coolest kids in the room)
These quotes i took from the comments section in my previous post had really good points in my opinion. My personal opinion is i am Filipino, American second. I figure my parents are Filipino, therefore i am. I mean my whole life my family has tried their best to instill Filipino traditions/values and the Filipino way of life while trying to balance American ideologies and quite frankly i think they did a good job. I identify as Filipino and no i don't believe that there is a certain criteria you have to follow to be considered filipin@. It's unfortunate that pin@ys from the Philippines don't see us (fil-ams) as FILIPIN@, but rather they see us as Americans and only Americans. As much as it is unfair that they see us as only Americans, we in turn look at them differntly because they aren't from here, what is it? is it because he/she talks with an accent they are different, when in reality, WE should be learning from them. Insead of us detatching ourselves from our "filipinoness" we should be embracing it, love it, be proud of it. The blood of our acestors runs deep within us, their struggles, and their history is apart of OUR lives.
pleeeease pleeease leave comments and opinions i would really love to hear your opinions. i will have a post on my take on these issues later on when i have time.
As im typing this blog, the fact that PRESIDENT OBAMA is our new president is still sinking in. After all the elections, all the campaigns, a candidate that not necessarily looks like me, but definitely someone that probably shared MY experiences, and MY struggles as an american of color is finally a person of power. It's so refreshing to see this happen to our generation, we have a story to be to tell our children,as this day will forever be in our children's history books.
From here on out the number 44 will be connected with the first african-american president of the united states of america, no longer will the number 44 be just another number, or the eventual president, or another channel on your cable tv, but 44 means hope, change, and progress. Yes President Obama has a lot on his shoulders, and Yes we still have to see how he does the next for years, but there is now HOPE for this country, eventual CHANGE will happen in this country weather its good change or bad change, change nonetheless.
As for me, this is probably just the beginning of getting into politics. Only time will tell where i stand for the next presidential election, but as of now, gObama 08!
it's election day, but what if the whole world could vote?
well the whole world can't vote for our country's next president, but here is an interesting website that can do that, although the votes don't count it's still interesting to see what the rest of the world thinks about our presidential candiates. IF THE WORLD COULD VOTE
i think you'll be surprised who the world wants to be our next president. ENJOY!
think about this: in college you have to choose two out of the three:
a.social life b.grades c.sleep
no right or wrong answer, just re-evaluate your life and think for a minute.
my answers: a and b, because i don't want to miss out in life.
Since my last post was an event flyer, let me make it up by posting something with more content, even though no one reads this shit, because maybe some feel like i have nothing interesting to say.
first things first:
the presidential race:
I will take part in the voting, but i feel like i don't have a strong enough reason for who im going to vote for because i haven't really kept up with all thats going on. Not to mention i was never really interested in politics to begin with, until now that i know what will happen WILL affect me, well there's that and the fact that i'm given this "right" to vote, all i wanna say is, WHOEVER is elected president better take us out of this hell hole that you-know-who put us in.
school life: As of now, everything is okay?. Financially im broke, why?, $9 an hour and choosing to work part time (15 - 18 hrs a week) puts me in a place where i actually have to decide between gas and food, gas usually wins. If im lucky ill have a spare $20, but even that isn't enough to get me by. At this rate it'll take me forever to get my books.
I would ask my parents for books but seeing how they filled for bankruptcy not to long ago, and they had to go to the Philippines so my mom can say bye to my grandmother before she passed away, THERE'S NO WAY IN HELL ILL GET MY BOOKS FROM THEM. so i've narrowed my options between these; either apply for a student credit card, or just get by this semester w/o books and make sure my tests and quizzes do it for me. Now the credit card might be better buuuuuuut, seeing how our economy is in a dismal state and with my cash flow running on empty, that would just put me in more debt, and the whole gettin by just on quizzes and tests alone might not be that wise either, because my math professor has already threatened to drop me if i don't start turning in more HW. can you say "pickle".
personal life: Outside of school, life ain't so bad, i mean meetings twice a week (soon to be 3), working monday wednesday friday, bboying twice a week, its not that bad. The only thing is that weekends are the ONLY, i mean ONLY days i can just be out all night, the rest of the days i either have to be in bed by 1 or not go out at all. which in that case i just watch some of my favorite shows online (because my TV broke and i dont have a replacement) like family guy, scrubs, still standing, etc.... I know lame, If im not feeling lazy ill be in the gym.
Being apart of non profit organizations has put my life on a different path. A path i never would have thought of in high school, or even a year ago. As a member of the san deigo zulu nation it's kind of hard to get the idea of being an activist, but getting involved with KAMP and anakbayan we do more within our community not that zulu doesn't do anything, we do what we can as a chapter but because zulu is mostly composed of people with everyday 9 - 5's and college students and the fact that we meet once a month i think it makes it a little hard to be able to do MORE but i'm proud of what we have done. With KAMP i feel like im really making a mark within my community because we as KAMP are able to put ourselves out there to offer our help for the youth, and you know it's pretty cool when you see one of your students and they refer to you as "kuya". Anakbayan on the other hand is this :
"Anakbayan,SD is a comprehensive autonomous National Democratic youth and student organization. We seek to empower the youth and the community in San Diego by the grassroots educating, organizing, and mobilizing of youth to create systemic change. AB,SD seeks to propagate the National Democratic struggle in the Philippines and all principled pro-people’s struggles locally and throughout the world, thereby enhancing the quality of life of Filipin@s and other oppressed peoples nationally—especially the youth and the larger community."
before anakbayan and kamp i never really thought about what it meant to be filipino american in our society. With all i have learned and still to be learned i have a better understanding of womens rights/femininity and homosexuality, i feel like im a different person, a better person, and definitely a more conscious person. The circle of friends that is KAMP and Anakbayan has changed my life forever, being taught lessons i can pass on to my kids and now wanting to be a community leader along with some of my close friends brings fulfillment in my life. I still have a lot to learn and a lot more experiences to go through to earn my keep as a community leader.
everything else: BBOYING - it's going alright, i'm going to go on record to say that IM NOT GOING TO BE AT EVERY PRACTICE, JAM, EVENT, or whatever. I love bboying but its not my life.
Fitness - basketball once a week and dancing twice a week, not too much goin on. I will step it up with the gym soon though.
one question thats never really been answered: where does social change start?
one of many answers: a quote from BAMBU (native guns): "So, to create change and to make a real shift in our society, it's not as difficult as you think. You know what I'm sayin? The process might be slower than you like, but once those series of events begin, especially with yourself, you'll see that the individual becomes a group of individuals. And that group creates the climate for social change. You feel me?
So, you gotta educate yourself. Organize yourself. Recognize that you are not simply one person, but a bunch of strings bound into a rope, you know what I'm sayin? And you could pull yourself out this shit."
Accepting donations, as well as one dollar donation REQUIRED per performer.
Enjoy some good eats and some dope performances!
Kommon Ground Open Mic-provides a safe space for people belonging to different aspects of life in order to build Kommon ground through music, poetry, art and most importantly self expression. As well as building solidarity not only within the filipino community, but building understanding and respect throughout all of San Diego. In order to achieve peace we must be united as one.
