Happy Independence Day, Philippines!

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Funny how such a mundane task like gardening can dig up bittersweet childhood memories of a father who, much to the son's distaste, savored such "weird" food like ampalaya (bitter melon) and squid; scolded him with such aphorisms as "You don't know your ass from a roll of toilet paper"; and loved listening to John Coltrane. That's what happened to Fil-Am poet Tony Robles who, for the first time in his life, dug a garden and realized he had become his father (well, almost).                              

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Rights delayed are rights denied. This could be the battle cry of LGBTQIs in the Philippines who have been waiting for the passage of the SOGIE (Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Gender Expression) bill, a universal human rights initiative supported by the United Nations. It has been more than 20 years since the first version of the bill was proposed. Now the Senate is trying again. Will it finally pass this time around? Abangan...

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National Artist for Dance Alice Reyes is in her early eighties now but shows no sign of slowing down. We pay tribute to her art, achievements and longevity through cultural writer Pablo Tariman's feature story on her. 

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This week, the winners of the James Beard Foundation Awards, the "Oscars of the food world," were announced and a couple of them are Fil-Ams. Chef Lord Maynard Llera of Kuya Lord's in Los Angeles won the coveted best chef in California title. Read Again our stories on some of the winners:

On Kuya Lord: https://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/praise-kuya-lord

On Abi Balingit, James Beard Foundation Book Award Winner - Emerging Voice:  https://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/in-the-dusky-kitchen-with-abi

On the occasion of June 12 and its significance in Philippine history, two pieces by John Silva:

Why June 12 Is Different from Other Days

A Valiant People's Army

And a menu for Independence:

Dishes for Independence Day

[Video of the Week] O Bayan Ko

In The Know

The 3 stars in the Philippine flag actually represent Luzon, Panay, and Mindanao, here’s why
https://mb.com.ph/2024/5/28/the-3-stars-in-the-philippine-flag-actually-represent-luzon-panay-and-mindanao-here-s-why-1?

The Massacre America Forgot
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/15/books/review/massacre-in-the-clouds-kim-a-wagner.html?

A family rest house in Batangas transforms into an exclusive garden resort
https://nolisoli.ph/109228/el-jardin-de-zaida/?

Ateneo Goes Green as Campus Shifts to 100% Renewable Energy
https://www.spot.ph/newsfeatures/culture/109016/ateneo-100-renewable-energy

This L.A. chef just won the James Beard award for Best Chef: California
https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2024-06-10/los-angeles-chef-2024-james-beard-award-winner-kuya-lord?

Anti-Asian Hate Watch

Hate Crime Trends in California
https://www.ppic.org/blog/hate-crime-trends-in-california/

Man beaten in hate crime in coma in upstate New York
https://asamnews.com/2024/06/10/hate-crime-victim-coma-restauranteur-albany/

Man sentenced for anti-Asian and antisemitic threats
https://asamnews.com/2024/06/11/racist-remarks-religious-bigotry-self-harm-andre-lackner/

Man sentenced in hate crime against San Diego police officer
https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/courts/story/2024-06-05/man-convicted-of-hate-crime-against-a-san-diego-police-officer?

FBI: Hate crimes down in Pennsylvania, but up in Delaware, New Jersey and Maryland
https://www.phillytrib.com/news/state_and_region/fbi-hate-crimes-down-in-pennsylvania-but-up-in-delaware-new-jersey-and-maryland/

L.A. Pilot Program Addressing Asian American Hate Could Be California Model
https://sdvoice.info/l-a-pilot-program-addressing-asian-american-hate-could-be-california-model/

Funding provided by the State of California.

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Staff

Women Today

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Today is International Women's Day, a yearly event that celebrates the contribution of women to society in various fields. The day also puts in focus the continuing fight for gender equality.

Philippine law likewise officially marks March 8 as National Women's Day, with the same goal of putting a spotlight on the achievements of Filipino women in all fields including science, technology, medicine, education, politics, literature and the arts, and various aspects of nation-building.

One arena that used to exclude -- but has since been breached -- by women is sports writing. Just over 40 years ago, there were only three Filipino women journalists who covered sports and one of them is Tessa Jazmines, a professor of communications at the University of the Philippines, whose spunk and love for basketball enabled her to break the gender barrier in covering sports events. 

Filipino women of course have long dominated the culinary arts although gender equality has leveled the field just within the last few decades (definitely a welcome development). Young, innovative chefs are giving traditional Filipino recipes new life. One of them is Abi Balingit (profiled here by PF contributing writer Claire Mercado Obias) whose recently published cookbook puts an interesting twist to Filipino desserts. 

We are also reposting two stories from our archives of brave Filipinas who found themselves in unusual circumstances and emerged triumphant.

Community organizer and Manila-based contributor Rochit Tañedo shares the story of Marlinda, a Lumad, unfazed by pregnancy, weather and political danger as she joined a Mindanao-to-Manila march to protest human rights violations in their indigenous communities. http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/birthing-in-the-time-of-el-nio-marlindas-story

Our publisher Mona Lisa Yuchengco wrote about how Filipinas saved a small town in Japan from natural extinction. http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/how-filipinas-saved-a-town-in-japan 

Read more stories about Filipino women in our In The Know links below.

A treat for dessert and coffee lovers and the Happy Home Cook: Abi Balingit shares her creative concoction: Sago't Gulaman Iced Coffee.

Our Video of the Week features the inimitable Apl.de.Ap, one Fil-Am we can all be proud of.

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Staff