This is Our Strength: Why Filipinos Celebrate Fiestas and Festivals
By Reina Adriano
Photo provided by Reina Adriano
In many Filipino homes, there will always be a corner for reverence. You will find an altar with many statues of saints perched on top, with candles, rosaries, and novenas adorning the table where it is set. In the States where I do not have my own altar, I have a makeshift one instead: a small area of my study table is occupied by stampitas—images of the Pope, the Virgin Mary, and Jesus Christ on bookmarks—staring straight at me while I read my notes for grad school, allowing me to remember where my religious roots lie. Beside those on my desk, a rosary hangs around a small lamp. My mother usually chats me up on Messenger in the evenings, “Don’t forget to pray before going to bed,” she says. “And ask for guidance while you’re away.”
“I will, Ma,” I reply. “I always remember.” I close my laptop and head to bed.
I make it a habit to remember that February is the feast day of Santa Misericordia, the patron of my mother’s town--and to some extent, mine--in Legazpi, Albay. It is a small town in Bicol, Philippines. Tourists who visit our place long for beach weather and white sand, clear skies and fresh flowing water, but reality is far from that. Where my mother comes from, there is not much but sea and storms, the wind brushing past from the east side of the peninsula. There is also an active volcano that erupts every so often, spreading lava to the nearby towns and dusting every rooftop with ash. My mother loves visiting our province--both her hometown and my summer spot--in time for the fiestas; my grandparents, too. They are all religious devotees of the Virgin Mary.
There is this concept called Panata, or a votive offering, wherein families pass on the tradition of servicing the Church. The religious statues symbolize the faith of many Filipino households, always revering the saints in altars secluded in a corner of living rooms. The scent of candles, fragrant oils, and incense waft through the house; rosaries, novenas and prayer books decorate the pedestals. It is our way of connecting with divinity. In addition to this, some families give out donations, others volunteer their sons and daughters to partake in the parade for the festivals of their patron saints. In my family’s case, we promised that we would give our patron saint, Nuestra Senora de Santa Misericordia (Our Lady of Mercy), her dress for the parade. It is a tradition that has been upheld and passed on for generations.
My mother is an avid believer of this Panata. It is her promise of attending to Our Lady in exchange for a good life for everyone in our family. Imagine buying fabric, getting the measurements, sewing the dress, adding beads and sequins, and putting ornaments on a statue. Imagine numerous preparations, sleepless nights on choosing the best design “worth wearing by the Virgin Mary,” hands overworked from threading through a needle. My family does all of this because we believe there is value in these acts somewhere in the afterlife. However, my family also does it to show how close-knit we are with the community. Not many people understand our customs and traditions, but it is in that mystery behind the beliefs that make them want to see it for themselves. What’s so amazing about this culture of togetherness that other nationalities find so fascinating? What is so special about the Filipino handaan (feast) and salusalo (get-togethers), the kamayan or boodle fight, and the festival etiquette that is associated with it? Why do we love celebrating feasts and even eating with our hands with the food served on banana leaves as a way of sharing food with the entire community?
Photo provided by Reina Adriano
Popular festivals such as Masskara, Sinulog, Ati-Atihan, Dinagyang, Panagbenga, and Moriones are part of tourists’ bucket lists. These festivals are mostly connected to our history and Spanish influence due to the 300-year occupation. Needless to say it also anchors us down to our religious history of the dominant Roman Catholicism. Many tourists watch penitential rites during the Lenten Season, thinking its all colors and loud music when in fact it’s all about people reflecting on their faith and their way of life—a time for contemplation and penance. I remember as a child watching other young girls being dressed up as an angel to help in the Salubong for Easter Sunday, as a flowergirl for Flores de Mayo, and as Reyna Elena, if chosen for the Santacruzan parade. It should be worth noting that these are quite different from the livelier festivities tantamount to fun and enjoyment. However, if they stay long enough until Easter they will find themselves surrounded by activities that signify rebirth and renewal. Cash-prized contests such as Bingo and raffle draws, palarong Pinoy (Filipino games), and even beauty pageants are also part of the week-long activities.
The food will not disappoint, either: the adobo, palabok (festival noodles), kare-kare (curry), lumpia (egg rolls), all the smells of palatable cuisine which the household is ready to share to anyone who chooses to enter. Sometimes I would watch my grandmother toil in the kitchen in her own sweat, wondering why she tries to give so much when in fact she receives very little in return. She would let me taste-test a few of her treats, lest she’s expecting a lot of guests knocking on our door. “May bisita, Apo (We have guests, Granddaughter,” she would tell, “Papasukin mo lang (Just let them in).” Never mind the small, cramped living room, or the lack of air-conditioning in the house. We have extra monobloc chairs and mini-electric fans, anyway. Never mind that there isn’t much to go around; what’s important is that we have something to share.
The fact remains that people will always invite you to eat at their place, even when you tell them you're just passing by, or that you just wanted to see the parade, and then go your way after. The locals would even ask you to take some food along before you leave. This is also the reason why we love karaoke over beer and good company while singing to our heart’s desire, why we can fill an entire house with a dozen relatives or more from both sides of the family. We remember our faith and traditions by celebrating these festivals. But we also love to leave the impression that we can always share, despite the strain in financial resources or in times of trouble. We choose to welcome those who are estranged, those who rise above adversity, those who have strength to hope. All I can say is that Filipinos endure. I am miles away from my family right now, but I can imagine everyone happily eating with their hands. I can smell the waft of great food from the kitchen. I can hear the chatting of relatives and the queuing up of songs on the jukebox. Somewhere in the corner, the saints and our offerings. This is our way of community.
We’re always looking for BOSFilipinos blog writers! If you’d like to contribute, send us a note at info@bosfilipinos.com.
[Recipe] Baked Filipino Torta
By Bianca Garcia
Picture provided by Bianca Garcia.
I grew up eating torta. I ate it for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, always served with fluffy white rice. Torta was one of my family’s go-to dishes, made with simple ingredients that even picky eaters would appreciate. It’s essentially a round omelette with ground pork, onions, and potatoes.
It is sometimes referred to as “tortang giniling” (giniling = ground) because it is made with ground meat, typically pork or beef. This distinguishes it from different versions of torta. For instance, there’s “tortang talong” (talong = eggplant). There’s “tortang gulay” (gulay = vegetables), that’s made with different veggies like squash, bittermelon, cabbage, etc. There’s also a dish that is a combination of the above: tortang talong (eggplant) stuffed with ground beef. That dish is called a rellenong talong (relleno refers to anything that is stuffed) but then we are going on a different topic, and I’m here to talk about torta. Specifically ground pork torta.
The torta we eat at home in the Philippines is made painstakingly by my Tita Ine. It has teeny tiny cubes of uniformly cut potatoes that mingles seamlessly with the juicy ground pork, all in a delicate frittata-like casing, flavored simply with white onions and salt (never pepper). She cooks the ground pork first, then the potatoes and onions, adds in eggs that have been whisked into submission, and then flips the entire pan into a plate, and transfers it back to the pan to cook the other side. I’ve tried many times to recreate her recipe and follow her instructions, but it never turns out the same because 1) my knife skills are not great / I don’t have the patience to cut teeny tiny cubes of potatoes, 2) my flipping skills need work (there’s been more than one occasion of a torta gone wrong), and 3) I always seem to overstuff my torta and it doesn’t exactly come out as a delicate piece of art.
So I decided to make my own, easier, non-intimidating version. I made a few updates: 1) I roughly chop the potatoes into half-inch cubes, 2) I bake the torta, which saves me the stress of flipping it, and 3) I use a deep dish pan so even if it’s overstuffed, things don’t spill out of the pan, and instead it comes out as one big sturdy-looking frittata.
Below is my own recipe, which my husband and I make at least every other week. It has the same flavors as the torta I grew up with, and it still goes very well with white rice. But it also goes well with an arugula salad, or a sandwich (with a little smear of mayo, yum), or just eaten by itself. I like dipping it in ketchup, but some people like fish sauce or soy sauce.
Picture provided by Bianca Garcia.
Baked Filipino Torta by Bianca Garcia
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lb ground pork
2 medium potatoes, chopped into ½ inch cubes
½ cup chopped white onions
6 large eggs
Salt to taste
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 F.
On the stovetop, heat olive oil in a large oven-safe pan over medium-high heat (you can use a cast iron skillet or a non-stick pan). Add ground pork. Stir often and break up clumps with a wooden spoon. Cook until browned, about 10 minutes. Season with salt. Remove pork from pan and set aside.
Reduce heat to medium. Add potatoes and cook for about 3 minutes, and then add onions. Cook until onions are translucent and potatoes are soft.
Beat the eggs with a generous pinch of salt.
Add eggs to pan. Let sit on stovetop for a minute or two, until edges start to set, and then transfer to oven.
Bake for 12-15 minutes, until eggs are set.
Slice into wedges and serve.
I know that torta could mean different things for different cuisines: it could be a Mexican sandwich, a Spanish flatbread, an Italian cake, a Brazilian pie. But to me, it’s an egg concoction with ground meat and veggies. To me, it has always been Tita Ine’s torta. And now, it’s mine, too.
We’re always looking for BOSFilipinos blog writers! If you’d like to contribute, send us a note at info@bosfilipinos.com.
BOSFilipinos Events Roundup
By Trish Fontanilla
If you’re starting to get stir crazy, here are a some Filipino / AAPI events around town to help you break out of your winter hibernation. Comment below if there’s something we missed!
Picture from the Board Game Night Meetup page.
Board Game Night - NAAAP Boston Scholarship Fundraiser
Saturday, February 23, 2019
6PM - 10PM
@ 50 Milk Street
This weekend NAAAP is having a board game (feel free to bring your own!) night to support their scholarship fund for for college-bound high school seniors of Asian / Pacific Islander descent. To learn more head to: https://boston.naaap.org/events/boardgame-night-fundraiser-2
Picture from their Facebook event.
Call Her Ganda Screening
Wednesday, March 6, 2019
2PM - 5PM
Dowling Hall @ Tufts
Call Her Ganda is screening as part of the Women Take the Reel Film Festival. More on the movie: “When Jennifer Laude, a Filipina trans woman, is brutally murdered by a U.S. Marine, three women intimately invested in the case–an activist attorney (Virgie Suarez), a transgender journalist (Meredith Talusan) and Jennifer’s mother (Julita “Nanay” Laude)–galvanize a political uprising, pursuing justice and taking on hardened histories of US imperialism.” For more information, head to: https://www.facebook.com/events/614960168935533/
Picture from Facebook event page.
Art Workshop with Bren Bataclan
Saturday, March 9, 2019
10AM - 12PM
@ Malden Senior Center
Filipino artist Bren Bataclan is running a 2 hour art workshop for kids at the Malden Senior Center. The $20 fee includes art materials, snacks, and refreshments. This event is in partnership with the Filipino Festival in Malden. For more information, head to: https://www.facebook.com/events/310297012937054/
We, Ceremony Kickback
Thursday, March 14, 2019
6PM - 8PM
@ Dudley Cafe
Join the We, Ceremony team for a night of networking with other womxn of color. There will be raffle prizes, music, and food (Dudley Cafe’s kitchen will be open until 7PM). For more information, head to: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/we-ceremony-kickback-tickets-56543148078
Picture from the We, Ceremony Eventbrite page.
Picture provided by Sara Porkalob, from last year’s BF profile.
Dragon Cycle
Running from March 20th - April 6th
@ Oberon
Sara Porkalob is back! And not only is she performing her incredible musical Dragon Lady, she is also performing the next chapter in the Dragon Cycle, Dragon Mama! As a side note, her show last year was incredible and the BF community came out in full force to support Sara. I hope you all get a chance to see one or both of her shows! For more information, head to: https://americanrepertorytheater.org/shows-events/dragon-cycle/
BOSFilipinos March Meetup
Thursday, March 21, 2019
6:30PM - 8:30PM
@ TBD
Our next bi-monthly BOSFilipinos meetup will be March 21st! There's no agenda for this hang out... just drinks, fun, Filipinos. Friends and partners are, of course, welcome. To RSVP, head to: https://www.facebook.com/events/633231877134162/
Picture from the Eventbrite page
Asian Task Force Against Domestic Violence 2019 Annual Meeting
Monday, March 25, 2019
6PM - 7:30PM
@ Pao Arts Center
The ATASK Annual Meeting will feature highlights from 2018, ATASK’s vision for the future, and ATASK honorees. For more information, head to: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/atask-2019-annual-meeting-tickets-55408399013
Change the Way You Bake
Sunday, April 28, 2019
1PM - 5PM
@ Milk Street Cooking School
While there are a few techniques and baked goods you’ll learn about during this class, I saw that they had Filipino Coconut-Rice Cupcakes on the menu, so I figured it deserved a shout out! For more info, check out: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/change-the-way-you-bake-tickets-56342506955
Picture from the Eventbrite page.
We’re always looking for BOSFilipinos blog writers! If you’d like to contribute, send us a note at info@bosfilipinos.com.
From Manila to Boston: Thoughts of an International Student
By Reina Adriano
For an international student, I suppose studying abroad is the closest thing to living the “American Dream.” I wasn't born to a family of migrants, but to one of privilege nonetheless--we had enough resources for my parents to send me to school in the States. It’s been two years since I first stepped foot into Logan Airport--that was when I first saw Boston with my own eyes and took in all the sounds and smells of the city. I didn’t have answers to a lot of things and had to figure a lot on my own. All I knew was that I was in an entirely different place, a thousand miles away from home, and ready to start a new adventure as a grad student. I also knew there’d be learning and failing and laughing at mistakes, but I hoped that somehow, I would be brave enough to get through anything that came my way.
Photo by Dominic Cotoco // Photo Provided by Reina
There are times when I wonder what it would be like if I were lucky enough to stay for good. I wanted to take up my Master’s degree abroad right after finishing undergrad, and only decided to become an international student because I saw a lot of other people who were taking up further studies outside the Philippines. But what many people don't tell international students is that studying abroad is not a free ticket to becoming an immigrant. It increases your chances, yes, but they never reveal the nitty-gritty of what you have to go through just to land a job, negotiate your salary, or to get your name entered in the visa lottery, not to mention get petitioned for the green card. They don't mention the stricter government regulations or that the current administration is not so keen on accepting foreign-born workers anymore. They just tell you life will be different, but they don't tell you that it won’t be any easier.
Photo from the Pan-Harvard Filipino Group // Photo provided by Reina
I have a month left before graduation right now, which means that I’m currently looking for opportunities to work and stay here. I’ve found myself desperately trying to craft narratives of my journey, as if all the experiences I wrote on my resume were something I planned all along. I made pitches pretending I knew more than I did just to impress potential employers. I hustled up names for referrals, and made use of the name of my schools--Philippine Science High School, Ateneo de Manila, and even Hult International Business School--just to find connections. It's like being a puzzle piece desperately trying to alter its sides to fit in to different places. When I got tired of storytelling that never made sense to me, I started looking for people I could connect with--people who would understand that while I’m young and inexperienced, I am full of hope. I found these people who could understand the plight of a young professional like me in small niche communities such as BOSFilipinos.
Growing up, we have been told that Filipinos are resilient, but up to what extent? Twenty-three years of learning Philippine history has educated me about the forefathers of the motherland. It's common for Filipinos to get further education in other countries, just like what our forefathers in history used to do--the Ilustrados like Jose Rizal, Marcelo del Pilar, Antonio and Juan Luna, among others. They took the risk to learn something elsewhere and to bring that knowledge back home. That was all it was about, wasn't it? Taking chances? There was so much more to learn by getting out of my comfort zone.
Hult Filipino graduate students // Photo from Shara Cabrera // Provided by Reina Adrianao
I know I'm not the first one who wanted to live a better life elsewhere--there have been so many immigrants who have been successful in building their family and their careers in the States--but for the longest time, I wished my life had been like theirs. To some extent, I've been jealous of these Filipino-Americans, whether they were born and raised outside the Philippines or whether they were sponsored by family. I could roll my eyes whenever I heard an American accent mispronouncing words like ah-do-bow (adobo), curry-curry (kare kare), or bae-gow-ohng (bagoong). I could dislike the way they ask why I prefer a tabo to a tissue, or why I would open an umbrella under the heat of the summer sun so as not to get any darker. I could sneer at the fact that they would never understand my mother tongue the way I learned it while growing up.
But that is not the way to live.
The more I talk to the Filipino-Americans, the more I realize that I am just as privileged as they are. I’ve learned many of their stories, of their families' plight to the States years and years ago. I’ve learned of their hardships too, of times when they were separated from their families while waiting for their papers to become legal immigrants. Sometimes we would talk about the Filipino food, the homesickness, the longing for Jollibee or the sound of Tagalog, or maybe even the cultural shock or the high currency rates. Sometimes we would talk about the friends and family that we have left back home. Or that one can never be prepared enough when the winter hits. I learned that despite the difference in circumstances, all Filipinos still endure through the same hardships in life.
There are days when I can't help but wonder if everything I do will matter too, but there are also days when I can't help but remember I have a community who supports and understands me. This is me hoping that somehow, someday, the world would take its chance on me. Here I am, hoping that all these sacrifices and longings will bear fruit on its own. Here I am, holding up.
About the author:
Reina is completing her Master's in Finance this March 2019. She loves math and writing as well as learning about things and people that make an impact on the world. Reina also hopes that one day the world will take a chance on her. (aka please hire her)
We’re always looking for BOSFilipinos blog writers / subjects! If you’d like to contribute or have any suggestions, feel free to send us a note: info@bosfilipinos.com.
Filipinos in Boston: An Interview with Events Administrator Desiree Arevalo
By Trish Fontanilla
With the Filipinos in Boston series, not only do I try and find people from all different backgrounds and professions, I also try to find people that I don’t know. However this month, I decided to highlight my friend Desiree (Dez) Arevalo because she’s going to be the ring leader of the BOSFilipinos salsa meetup next week. I’ve known Dez for almost 10(?) years now, and she was even a consultant at one of my first startups (not the one mentioned below), something I totally forgot until I was looking through emails and wondering why I asked her for a copy of my license. Dez is a ball of energy and bright light around this community, and I can’t wait for you to learn more about her.
Photo provided by Desiree Arevalo
So where are you and your family from?
Dez: My mom is Puerto Rican and my dad is Filipino, from Davao. He immigrated here when he was 14 with the rest of the gang, and he sadly has never been back to the Philippines (which will hopefully change this year!).
This is extra exciting to ask because I know you just started a new job, but where do you work and what do you do?
Dez: I’m 8 days into my new job at WBUR and I couldn’t be more excited! It’s really a dream come true to be able to work with people who are as excited and passionate about community engagement, politics, and bringing unsung stories to light, as I am .
I’m specifically working for their newest arm of programming, CitySpace, which is a new venue for public conversation. It’s a space where we will bring content that you hear on the radio to life - think interviews, podcasts, performances, discussions, debates, etc. It’s also a rentable space, so along with companies and organizations, we’re encouraging community organizers and artists to utilize this space to elevate and showcase their work.
I know you studied Political Science, but most of your roles have been in operations or events. What inspired the switch?
Dez: I actually became an event person by accident. I was working in sales at a diversity and inclusion media start-up, and I had helped with very small event tasks (aka wore many hats as one does in a startup) like registration, helping with speakers the day of, etc. It wasn’t until the event manager unexpectedly moved out of state that I was asked (or pushed) to take a bigger role in the event planning of their signature event, which snowballed into conceptualizing other events and managing those. For the record, I was terrible at sales and sold basically nothing and they probably forced me into the events job as a last hurrah.
Another reason I’m excited about this WBUR job is I get to marry my love of politics and what I’m good at (events) for a living!
Photo provided by Desiree Arevalo
On Boston…
How long have you been in Boston?
Dez: Born and raised woop woop!
What are your favorite Boston spots?
Dez: Too many. I think we are blessed with an amazing food scene and cultural scene. Wally’s is one of my favorite places to go on a Thursday night for their Latin Jazz. Best Puerto Rican food is at Vejigantes in the South End. If you want really amazing but cheap Latino food though, East Boston is the place to go. Endless restaurants of authentic dishes and for super cheap.
Coming from the events perspective, are there any events / spots around town that you love?
Dez: I tend to be a small community event go-er and Dudley Cafe is my go-to and always has some poetry slam, author reading, community forum, or paint night going on. They’re also in my hood and (sadly) the only non-franchised coffee shop in Roxbury right now. AMAZING coffee and quick food, BTW.
Photo provided by Desiree Arevalo
On Filipino Food...
What's your all time favorite Filipino dish?
Dez: SINIGANG 100%. I was vegetarian for over a year at one point in my life, and my lola’s (grandmother’s) sinigang was the dish that broke me!
What's your favorite Filipino recipe / dish to make?
Dez: Ube anything. I usually make a large batch of regular ube, then make ube cakes or ube ice cream, straight ube on a spoon. Can’t go wrong with that purple root of pure love, man.
Photo provided by Desiree Arevalo
Civic Engagement Challenge for #BOSFilipinos
By Helena Berbano
Photo provided by Helena Berbano
Filipino Americans, despite our long history of being in the United States and advocating on a variety of issues such as standing up for labor, have the reputation of being politically invisible. In fact, Asian Americans generally have the label of being “uncivic.”
Voting rates for Filipino Americans and AAPIs (Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders) also do not paint a civic picture. However, there is more nuance in voter participation if we look beyond the numbers. There is historically less outreach to our communities, limited language translation availability, and a variety of other factors such as the model minority myth.
As a voting advocate, I firmly believe everyone should cast their ballot in every election, but voting is only one way to be civically engaged.
My call-to-action for other @BOSFilipinos in #2k19 is to challenge the perception of Filipino Americans being “uncivic” by continuing to show up. If you’re not sure where to start, here are a few ways you can impact your community:
Support a local business. Civic duty isn’t simply political engagement and voting. It’s investing in your community. Check out Tanam in Somerville, founded by Filipina, Ellie Tiglao.
Go to a city council meeting. All politics is local. Our city council is hard at work making improvements every day, and we’re all invited to join in on the action.
Volunteer for a political campaign. Municipal elections are happening this Fall and then we’re gearing up for a presidential year. Not everyone has declared yet, but keep an eye out for local and presidential hopefuls announcing their candidacy.
Attend a grassroots group meeting. There are so many groups in Boston advocating for justice. Go check out Activist Calendar to see what’s going on!
Vote in the municipal election. I know you saw it coming. Please consider getting out and voting. There is significant drop off in non-presidential years, and local politics are just as important. Be sure to cast your ballot.
If you've got other ways you're civically engaged let us know in the comments!
We’re always looking for BOSFilipinos blog writers / subjects! If you’d like to contribute or have any suggestions, feel free to send us a note: info@bosfilipinos.com.
New Year, New Volunteers
By Trish Fontanilla
Today I feel like one of those franchise owners that gets to announce a new roster! 2019 is going to be a big year for BOSFilipinos, and I’m so incredibly excited to introduce you to a few of the folks that are going to make that happen. Take a moment to peruse their bios, then show them some love by commenting below or messaging them on social!
Hyacinth Empinado // Multimedia Content Contributor & Editor
Hyacinth is a multimedia journalist at STAT News, an online life sciences publication. She creates mini documentaries and animation, and also produces The Readout LOUD, a weekly biotech podcast. In her spare time, she enjoys playing Zelda, learning Japanese and Chinese, and turning her apartment into a jungle.
Lightning Round Questions
Where are you from? Cebu, Philippines
Fave Filipino Dish: Dinuguan and buwad (dried fish) with rice and vinegar
Fave Boston spot: I like to see shows at the Huntington Theatre and the American Repertory Theater. I also enjoy going to Santouka in Cambridge for a nice bowl of ramen.
Social media: @sayhitohyacinth on Twitter and Instagram
Melissa Obleada // Marketing Contributor & Liaison
Melissa Obleada is the Diversity & Inclusion Program Manager at HubSpot, a marketing and sales software company in Cambridge. Originally from New Jersey, she attended Emerson College in Boston to study marketing and has been here ever since.
Lightning Round Questions
Fave Filipino Dish: “100% my mom's lengua in a mushroom sauce, then my mom's arroz caldo with generous fried garlic, lemon, and fish sauce, then pandesal on Christmas Day with leftover ham & cheese from the night before.”
Fave Boston spot: The Esplanade and Harvard Square
Social media: @MelissaObleada on everything (Twitter / Instagram)
Reina Adriano // Blog Contributor
Reina is completing her Master's in Finance this March 2019. She loves math and writing as well as learning about things and people that make an impact on the world. Reina also hopes that one day the world will take a chance on her. (aka please hire her).
Lightning Round Questions
Where are you from? Quezon City but I have Bicolano roots in Legazpi, Albay
Fave Filipino Dish: Pork Sisig!
Fave Boston spot: The Boston Public Library
Social media: @reinagination on IG and reinagination.wordpress.com
Mihaela (Mihae) Hinayon // Designer
Mihae is a freelance graphic designer working with local clients in retail, pharmaceutical, and manufacturing. She designs anything from print collaterals, packaging, and large format graphics, to user interfaces and webpages, mostly from her home office slash urban jungle. Born and raised in the Philippines, Mihae moved to Rhode Island in 2011 and currently lives in Providence, RI with her husband and their four-year-old Tibetan Terrier, Finley (@finleytheexplorer).
Lightning Round Questions
Fave Filipino Dish: My all-time faves are kaldereta and buko salad but right now I'm definitely craving pancit canton and lumpia
Fave Boston spot: New England Aquarium
Social media: @mihaehinayon (Facebook/Instagram/LinkedIn)
And if you find that this new volunteer piece has inspired you to become a volunteer, just send an email over to info@bosfilipinos.com (or check out our one year anniversary post). I’d be happy to chat to see how we can get you more involved!
Filipinos in Boston: An Interview with Journalist & Educator Alyssa Vaughn
By Trish Fontanilla
Happy New Year, BFers! We’re kicking off 2019 with an awesome new profile: Alyssa Vaughn. While I haven’t met Alyssa in person, we connected over social media and I was totally fascinated by her work with Teens in Print. Thank you Alyssa for taking time to chat with BF, and I hope y’all enjoy learning more about her!
Where are you from?
Alyssa: I was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri. My mom’s family immigrated to the Midwest from Cavite City.
Where do you work and what do you do?
Alyssa: I work full time at a nonprofit called WriteBoston, where I manage Teens in Print, an after school newspaper journalism program for Boston public high school students. I’m also currently the editorial fellow at Scout Magazines, the hyperlocal bimonthly magazines of Somerville and Cambridge. Basically, I spend my days designing lessons to teach my budding writers the basics of journalism, and I spend my evenings and weekends making sure my own journalism skills stay sharp!
Can you tell us a little more about how you got started with Teens In Print?
Alyssa: After college, I knew I wanted to work in journalism in some capacity, but I wasn’t sure how. I was also interested in spending a year serving in the AmeriCorps program, as I participated in a lot of community service throughout my high school and college years. As I was looking through the AmeriCorps positions available in Boston, I came across a position with Teens in Print, and it seemed like the perfect way to both serve the community and pursue my interest in journalism. After my service year, I was fortunate enough to be hired by WriteBoston as a full time staff member—so now I get to continue teaching journalism and working with amazing kids, but with a real salary instead of that tough AmeriCorps stipend!
On Boston...
How long have you been in Boston?
Alyssa: This is my sixth year here—I moved here originally to attend Boston College.
What are your favorite Boston spots:
Alyssa: I’m totally partial to Cambridge and Somerville since I spend so much time learning and writing about those communities. I love Bow Market in Union Square (I’m eagerly awaiting the kamayan dinners that will be hosted there at Ellie Tiglao’s Filipino restaurant, Tanam!). I cook a lot, so I also love to poke around the city’s specialty food shops, like Capone Foods, Formaggio Kitchen, and the Central Square H-Mart. I also appreciate all the beautiful outdoor spaces we have in this part of town—North Point Park is my favorite place to sit outside and read in the warmer months.
What's your community superpower?
Alyssa: As you can probably tell from what I do for a living, I’m passionate about building community through writing. I’ve actually written for the local magazine of every city I’ve ever lived in because I love to uplift people who are doing amazing things right in my own neighborhood. I think that storytelling is an incredibly powerful force, and that when you read about your community, you can’t help but feel more connected to and excited about it. I feel really lucky to have a career that’s focused around facilitating that connection.
On Filipino Food...
What's your all-time favorite Filipino dish?
Alyssa: That’s such a tough question! The winner has to be my Nana’s pork adobo.
What's your favorite Filipino recipe / dish to make?
Alyssa: Chicken adobo was one of the first things I learned how to cook, and I make it ridiculously often. I just follow my mom’s method: I lightly sear about a pound and half of chicken thighs in a pot, then pour 1/2 a cup of vinegar, 1/2 a cup of soy sauce, and all the garlic in my apartment over them. There’s also nothing quite staining my clothes and making my whole house smell like oil while frying up a batch of lumpia.
On Staying in Touch…
How can people stay in touch? (website / social / email if you want!)
Alyssa: Follow me on Twitter!
We’re always looking for BOSFilipinos blog writers / subjects! If you’d like to contribute or have any suggestions, feel free to send us a note: info@bosfilipinos.com.
Thank You For An Amazing 2018!
What a year! 2018 was the first calendar year for BOSFilipinos as an organization, and we wouldn’t have made it through without our awesome community. We’re so thankful for everyone that we’ve met, from the folks that have connected with us on social (Facebook // Twitter // Instagram) to people that have attended our meetups to volunteers that helped us at events to blog readers like you (Hi! Thanks for visiting!). We’re so thrilled we could elevate different people and voices in the Boston community this year, and we’re hoping 2019 is even bigger and better! So if you want to help make that happen, just let us know. Every helping hand makes a difference! #teamworkmakesthedreamwork
We hope you all are having a healthy, happy holiday season and we’ll see you in 2019 (hopefully at our first meetup of the year)!