Column: Filipino American History Month

or halo-halo. Filipino horror films were my family and I’s favorite genre to watch and bond with.

When my mother and I moved to America, everything changed instantaneously.

I changed schools, friends, leaving a part of my family and life behind and learning English, which was the hardest part.

BY DOMINIQUE DUÑGO Campus

Editor and Photographer

Filipino American History

Month is important to me because it represents us as a culture and who we are as a tribe.

Filipino Americans that I’ve seen or met are inspiring and hardworking people. We are more than what people assume of us.

I was frequently moving for as long as I remember. I was born in Los Angeles, moved to Seattle, then to my hometown in Pampanga, Philippines, making it my first language, school and what I thought would be my home forever.

I remember waking up to roosters crowing, feeding our pet pig who we raised in our little farm and my Tito’s and Tita’s playing Mahjong with a cigarette and beer in their hand.

I remember watching a lot of Filipino movies and TV shows collectively with my family while my Lola or Tita cooked comforting food such as sinigang, pancit, adobo

I am of Filipino and Chinese blood. I never got to meet my great grandpa on my mother’s side, but I met my great grandma when I was a baby. I don’t remember anything about her, but I was always told she was kind and funny.

My parents both graduated University and worked tireless jobs to help our family keep afloat and to make sure I was able to attend school, live a comfortable life and have opportunities they weren’t able to have growing up.

Meeting other kapampangan people in America, I naturally feel connected to them. Speaking and telling jokes in our native kapampangan language brings a whole new side of relatability, demeanor and understanding.

Kulitan is one of the various indigenous suyat writing systems in the Philippines and was used for writing in Kapampangan, which was the language mainly spoken in Central Luzon where my family and I are from, but was eventually overthrown by the Latin alphabet.

According to an online article by the United Farm Workers, Filipino American labor organizer and leader, Larry Itliong and his union members began the Delano Grape Strike on Sept. 8, 1965.

The Filipino Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee, which Itliong helped lead, walked out on strike against Delano, Calif. alongside Philip Vera Cruz, Benjamin Gines, and Pete Velasco then asked Caesar Chavez’s Latino National Farm Workers Association to join.

Itliong is a key figure of the Asian American Movement, yet is a forgotten leader who was a fierce force for equity.

I’ve gotten to know many great Filipino American friends traveling back to America. My Filipino friends and I met each other's families, ate each other’s traditional family dishes and experienced life together like we’re already a family with the comfort of hospitality and familiarity.

When I was a teenager, being an Asian American in middle school and high school was uncomfortable at times. Kids assumed I was a straight A student because I’m Asian and would ask to copy my homework or cheat off me during tests.

As a kid, I understood we could all be immature so I didn’t let it get to me. There were kids who thought they were being funny so they’d squint their eyes with their fingers at me and my friends not knowing how disrespected we felt. newsroom.roundupnews@gmail.com

Around the time I reached high school, there were people who would tell my friends and I that we weren’t considered Asian because we were Filipino Americans with darker complexions, make fun of Filipino accents and laugh at how our language sounded funny to them and would proceed to mock us.

People would have their own beliefs or opinions that they’ve heard from others or put together themselves, that at times came off aggressive and unpleasant when having to be lectured about something they had no clue about.

Being a Filipino American, I believe people who are ignorant about our culture should be educated in a healthy way and spoken about more. We’ve been discriminated against and mocked for far too long.

With the experiences I've endured, it has made me a stronger minded individual physically and mentally. Growing up as a Filipino American, I learned a lot of things about what other people are capable of saying or doing negatively based on my race and how to stand up for myself and others.

Hispanic Heritage Month is the representation of the achievements of an integral part of society. About half of Pierce College’s population is of Hispanic and Latin descent, so it's disappointing that there isn't more recognition.

Educational systems are supposed to be a safe haven for people, but not feeling represented can ultimately make anyone feel like an outcast. It's important to have representation in all aspects because not everyone has been fully recognized.

The country has a history of overlooking minorities and their holidays, which most get once a year in a country that doesn’t always see them as equal. This ultimately refers to years of oppression and neglect to the cultures of people of color.

More is expected from learning institutions, but during this time of online learning some schools may believe it's OK to slack on this aspect of representation.

The school’s website does not feature anything on the homepage about diversity.

More students and even faculty should speak out when they feel unheard or not represented by the places they attend or work.

On Oct. 12, Pierce held a Zoom hosted by Martha Gonzalez, who is a Chicana artivista (artist/ activist), musician, feminist music theorist and associate professor at Scripps/Claremont College.

Schools like Los Angeles Southwest, which has 43% Hispanic students, celebrated the month with information and activities, including movie screenings and presentations about farm laborers being heroes. CSUN is also a school that showed attention with the Student Engagement Center.

The University of Southern California held a seminar hosted by Carlos Gutierezz, who spoke about preparing Cal State LA minority students for success. He spoke about people of Hispanic and Latin descent being one of the largest groups of people in California and the importance of preparing their future careers.

Pierce has a year to plan more events to celebrate its student body. With Hispanic Heritage Month ending and Filipino American History Month beginning, the school can better represent the people of color at Pierce.

BY GISELLE

Reporter

As the weather gets colder and pumpkin spice everything is a must, many begin to anticipate trick-or-treating on Halloween.

Despite the pandemic, people should still participate in the spooky holiday. Handing out candy or going door to door is a tradition that can still be celebrated in a safe manner.

If certain guidelines were set, Halloween could be COVID-19 free. People can continue to social distance and sanitize just like how they do in the supermarket, amusement park or mall.

This holiday is a time when people can express themselves in a way that they can’t everyday.

Considering how wearing masks hides facial expressions, trick-ortreating and creative costumes could bring back the exciting emotions and smiles to people.

According to an article by USA Today, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has allowed for children worldwide to participate in trick-or-treating this year. It is best to stay in small groups rather than large ones to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

As a trick-or-treater walks to the home of a candy giver, they could yell out the famous words “trick or treat” rather than knock or ring a doorbell. Individual bags of candy could be placed on a table where trick-or-treaters can grab from a distance and go. Hand sanitizer would also be a great item to have at hand for everyone to use.

Vaccinated or not, adults and children continue to live their everyday lives despite some changes. The average market can have over one hundred people. This means that trick-or-treaters can choose wisely and decide what is safe for them and those around them.

A choice can be made to shop online but people still choose to also shop in stores. People can still choose to trick or treat in a safe manner and purchase costumes in store.

According to CNN, Medical Analyst Dr. Leana Wen said it is safe to go trick-or-treating this year. She said that her neighbors are making creative alternatives for candy distribution. One idea she shared was a scavenger hunt where trick-or-treaters can find their own bag of candy in the candy giver’s front yard.

It would be ideal to trick-ortreat as a group with individuals from the same household, but if a small friend group is fully vaccinated it should be okay to get together.

Bags of candy should be checked after trick-or-treating is over to ensure that no candy is open. This will prevent the spread of germs consumed by the person.

Many people want to show off their creative special effects makeup, but now people can show off their crafting skills to create a unique mask that helps put their costume together.

Just like the holiday, it is all about getting creative and coming up with different ways to make it safe for everyone. Once that is accomplished, the anticipation is over and Halloween can be celebrated.

Sinclair