Flexing Our Muscles

It’s exhilarating to see Filipinos excel in Olympic sports be it via the homeland or the diaspora. We’re ecstatic over Filipino gymnast Carlos Yulo’s historic two Olympic gold medals for the Philippines and the bronze medals of Filipina boxers Nesthy Petecio and Aira Villegas. We’re kilig (thrilled) as well over half-Filipinos Lee Kiefer who bagged a gold in fencing for the US, and gymnast Jake Jarman who won a bronze for the UK.  

It’s a good time as any to remember another international pathbreaker in sports, the late tiny but mighty tennis star Felicisimo H. Ampon. In Felicisimo ‘Mighty Mite’ H. Ampon: Tennis Giant, writer Rey E. de la Cruz recalls how the ace from the working class broke “social, racial, physical, and political barriers” to put the Philippines on the world map of tennis.

Greater Filipino presence is also rising on the international concert music stage. On July 7, 2024, the Manila Symphony Junior Orchestra (MSJO) made history by nabbing its third gold medal in the 16th Summa Cum Laude Youth International Music Festival in Vienna. 

Just three days earlier the youth orchestra won the Grand Prize in the Bratislava International Music Festival in Slovakia. Talk about bravura performances. Writer Pablo A. Tariman reports on MSJO’s feats in Manila Symphony Junior Orchestra Conquers Europe.

Take a break from our extremely talented compatriots’ exciting European triumphs and do a side trip to France’s Charante-Maritime region. Go island-hopping and lighthouse-traipsing with writer Criselda Yabes. It will soothe muscles worn out from watching top Olympic athletes do the real straining.

Finally, be athletic or simply go about wearing 1587 Sneakers, a new brand created by sneaker industry veteran Adam King to celebrate the first arrival of Luzones Indios or ancestral Filipinos in America. Activist and award-winning journalist Jose Antonio Vargas explains his enthusiasm for the venture in Walk the Talk in 1587 Sneakers.

[Video of the Week] Puso sa Paris 2024: Carlos Edriel Yulo
[Bay Area Event] Building Communities: A Tribute to Our Manongs and Manangs

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In The Know

The Philippines' first male athlete to win Olympic gold prompts outpouring of #PinoyPride
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/carlos-yulos-gold-medals-filipino-paris-olympics-rcna

Philippines at the Olympics: Villegas settles for bronze after losing to Cakiroglu
https://www.espn.com/olympics/story/_/id/40752383/aira-villegas-olympics-boxing-bronze

Nesthy Petecio bags Olympic bronze in loss to Polish boxer in semis
https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/sports/boxing/916323/nesthy-petecio-semis-2024-paris-olympics/story/

National Artist Virgilio Almario writes poem for EJ Obiena, other Filipino athletes
https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/lifestyle/artandculture/916103/national-artist-virgilio-almario-writes-poem-for-ej-obiena-other-filipino-athletes/story/#goog_rewarded

Filipina Am executive chef retiring from White House after 29 years
https://asamnews.com/2024/07/31/cristeta-comerford-from-manila-cooked-for-five-presidents-and-countless-world-leaders/

Purple Yam, a Filipino Institution of Brooklyn, Is Closing
https://ny.eater.com/2024/8/1/24211388/purple-yam-closing-restaurant?

Filipino students win at 65th International Mathematical Olympiad in UK
https://mb.com.ph/2024/7/20/filipino-students-win-at-65th-international-mathematical-olympiad-in-uk

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Anti-Asian Hate Watch

Man sentenced in brutal 2022 killing of Manhattan woman in her Chinatown apartment
https://gothamist.com/news/man-sentenced-in-brutal-2022-killing-of-manhattan-woman-in-her-chinatown-apartment

Filipino-American man pelted with frozen eggs, ethnic slur near Mesa College
https://www.10news.com/news/local-news/filipino-american-man-pelted-with-frozen-eggs-ethnic-slur-near-mesa-college?

Racial slur used on sign at Grocery Outlet in Sacramento 
https://asamnews.com/2024/08/02/racial-slur-in-store-signage-anti-japanese-anti-asian/

Funding provided by the State of California.

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There Are Places We Remember

A bright spot in San Francisco's theater world took place recently with the limited run of "The Chinese Lady," starring Filipino American stage actor Rinabeth Apostol in the starring role. The play is a true but hardly known story about the first Chinese woman to be brought to the US as exhibit A for Americans to behold the exoticism of the Orient. PF contributor Elaine Elinson gives us not only a recap of the play but also introduces us to the acting prowess of Rinabeth, which, she says, is nothing short of "astonishing." ("Rinabeth Apostol Shines in 'The Chinese Lady'")

There are places -- and people -- we'll remember all our lives (though some have changed), and for veteran broadcast journalist Lloyd LaCuesta, who recently went on his own magical mystery tour of Liverpool, where the Beatles were born and bred, he loved them all. ("A Magical Tour of the Beatles' Hometown")

Likewise, traveling to London and Paris, recently PF contributor Voltaire Gungab chronicles some of his encounters with interesting Filipino expats in Pinoyspotting.

Our Happy Home Cook recipe this week is another one from Beth Romualdez from her cookbook, Cooking Lessons. This time it's her version of the classic favorite, Binagoongang Baboy. 

Just in: Fil-Am chess Grand Master Wesley So has just become the first world champion in Fischer Random Chess, beating the world's number one, GM Magnus Carlsen. [https://www.positivelyfilipino.com/in-brief/wesley-so-becomes-chess-world-champion] This is a good time to Read Again the very personal account of traveling with Wesley written by his adopted mom, Lotis Key: https://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/a-traveling-fool 

If you want to be updated on the Filipino diaspora but don't have the time to go through various publications, check out Positively Filipino's In Brief section for a quick rundown on important news happening in Filipino communities worldwide. 

And for stories you may have missed, here are our In The Know links this week:

Young Filipinos are in the midst of a mental health crisis
https://lifestyle.inquirer.net/349884/young-filipinos-are-in-the-midst-of-a-mental-health-crisis/?fbclid=IwAR3TftWwsyzo-wtthxsCjK5QULg_aJj6O17ZdTF6TD9a5hIPZ0HqhZTWma0

51 Old Colorized Photos Reveal The Fascinating Filipino Life Between 1900 – 1960
https://filipiknow.net/old-colorized-photos-philippines/?fbclid=IwAR1iXA9G-AGzDlcjotd1ziSHbuLcsLrggiimLG57hEf4QJ6AyRHURPz3y_0

There are Filipinos in Alaska – they’re called Alaskeros, and they’ve been there for more than 200 years
https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/society/article/3008815/there-are-filipinos-alaska-theyre-called-alaskeros-and-theyve?fbclid=IwAR2iwBCCJS8Z1HwXJwGtUobCY8FM4z2eui3R80bDQEq8QFq3A3XCpg1NlFM

This Lady Bought Rice Through an App; The Farmers Wrote Her Back
https://www.esquiremag.ph/long-reads/features/farmers-write-letter-of-thanks-a00293-20191029?utm_source=Facebook-Esquire&utm_medium=Ownshare&utm_campaign=20191029-fbnp-long-reads%2Ffarmers-write-letter-of-thanks-a00293-20191029-fbfirst&fbclid=IwAR2MFv9TDDd2dgqk3r5t385juf3I014ARuzut25CuADq5E9eu6OqnIkXf-8

The ghosts of New Manila's Millionaire's Row, the spirits of 42 Broadway Avenue
https://news.abs-cbn.com/ancx/culture/spotlight/11/01/19/the-spirits-of-42-broadway-avenue?fbclid=IwAR1B8bl42rHFw1jgFbDY9CyZ_Wsw91TH00C9hTgVd7JICxMgfUyIz1DnSv4

For Video of the Week, ABS-CBN News ran a feature on World Champion Filipino gymnast Carlos Yulo.

Current Realities, Past Glories

Current realities and past glories - so goes our issue for this week.

First off, poet/cultural activist Tony Robles reports on the recent talk of Jose Antonio Vargas, the FilAm community's foremost immigration activist, in Asheville, North Carolina. ("'I don't want to have hope. I want to be a Hope.'")

Then we have three brief profiles of FilAm history trailblazers, unsung heroes of the community who should be rightfully honored. Cecil Bonzo, who started the farmers' markets movement, is given tribute by Stockton, CA community leader Elena Buensalido Mangahas. Arlene Lagrimas Dark, Forbidden City "showgirl" and Salvatore Baldomar, Filipino-Italian seafarer, are introduced by fellow Bridge Generation champion, Peter Jamero. ("Filipino American Trailblazers")

LA-based PF Correspondent Anthony Maddela writes about ReWeave LA, an entrepreneurial enterprise of Fil-Chinese Debbie Ouyang that creates quilts, throws, etc. from recycled fabric. ("ReWeave LA: Recycling Fabric Samples Away from Landfills")

For the Happy Home Cook, another vegan recipe (Vegan Laing) from Richgail Enriquez.

Our In the Know links for your reading pleasure: 

This Philippine Library Keeps 30,000 Ancient Books Worth Billions
https://www.esquiremag.ph/long-reads/heritage-library-keeps-ancient-books-worth-billions-a00293-20190528-lfrm?fbclid=IwAR3ta3MffV-rgKL0jdXUiDEY93lRU9Xan2H0xkXckV5OIVnlDy_KKeWnqYI

Why are There So Many Filipino Nurses In California?
https://www.zocalopublicsquare.org/2019/09/30/why-are-there-so-many-filipino-nurses-in-california/ideas/essay/?fbclid=IwAR3rkmx30Wujev97hmWp0PIe6X32N_XNvq7T2_I_2qo8mU3wxbT2Fvpulow

The Uniter: Rudy Corpuz Jr. Reflects On 25 Years Of Community Building & Youth Empowerment Through United Playaz
https://sanfran.com/united-playaz-rudy-corpuz-jr-october-cover-story?fbclid=IwAR2k6zBxXTMYVRhQBlPpOiBTT6gu-uHi7u_VYl2w6WQgZaE4nJigV6HJ92E

8 World Cities That Could Be Underwater as Oceans Rise [Ed note: Manila is one of them.]
https://www.ecowatch.com/cities-vulnerable-sea-level-rise-2610208792.html?xrs=RebelMouse_fb&ts=1538753678&fbclid=IwAR3S1sRtpeA-8-NBBVIEiRly3ZkpT8FRwRzxiNGgLKcB0SsBu4-hf7P_Geo

Spoon Over Fork
https://www.tastecooking.com/spoon-over-fork/?ref=PRHCE30927C7B1D&linkid=PRHCE30927C7B1D&cdi=382BD9807FDB49AFE0534FD66B0A5889&template_id=14339&aid=randohouseinc36030-20&utm_campaign=taste&utm_source=Crown&utm_medium=Email&cid=101930&mid=1643240115

Eulogy for a Gadfly (Remembering Carlos Celdran)
https://www.esquiremag.ph/politics/opinion/carlos-celdran-eulogy-a00226-20191009?fbclid=IwAR0PIYYvlGXo3z2vLtqHsJ1YrBuvA8LgSuigsHaOIT7iIk_tA22oGvGL3Lw

Our Video of the Week is the outstanding winning performance of Filipino gymnast Carlos Edriel Yulo at the recent World Artistic Gymnastics Championship, the first Filipino and Southeast Asian to do so.