This Filipino American Life

This Filipino American Life is a podcast that explores the nuanced experiences of Filipinos in the United States, atbp.

Episode 245 – Filipino American Anthems

What is the Filipino American anthem? Is it Bebot by the Black Eyed Peas? P.T.I. by Carl Angelo? Lemonade by Jeremy Passion? Us by Ruby Ibarra? Do You Miss Me? by Jocelyn Enriquez? Todo Todo by Daniela Romo (you know who chose that one!)?? In this TFAL episode, we look at so-called Filipino American anthems...

12-19
44:10

Episode 244 – F*ck Cancer with Arthur Yu

In this episode the TFAL crew has a conversation with Arthur Yu. Arthur Yu was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in 2023. Arthur did all the things you needed to do like rounds of chemo and looking for bone marrow matches. Arthur explored the National Marrow Donor Program (formerly Be The Match) for possible matches. ...

12-06
01:04:42

Episode 243 – The Politics of Language with Jennifer Delfino

“You’re not Filipino if you don’t speak Tagalog.” “You sound white.” “The national language of the Philippines is Filipino, not Tagalog.” “Filipino is already gender neutral.” Much of our online discourse in the Filipino community is about or related to language. The debates are out there. We here at TFAL want to tackle some of...

11-13
57:36

Episode 242 – Walk This Way : A Camino Conversation with Kristine Jan Espinoza

Have you ever thought about doing a pilgrimage? Would you want to contemplate your life choices on a hiking journey through the mountainous regions of Europe? Do you just want to hear about someone else doing that and not deal with the physical and spiritual Olympics of it all? Then this episode is for you!...

10-31
01:13:34

Episode 241 – Labor of Love – Filipino and Mexican Solidarity with Faith Santilla and Martha Gonzalez

In this episode we have tfal fan favorite Faith Santilla aka  “Tita Faith” in her fourth appearance on the pod! Joining Faith is the amazing and inspiring Martha Gonzalez of Quetzal. On this episode Elaine, Kat, and Producer Mike talk story about the exciting and upcoming show at The Ford Los Angeles, Labor of Love....

10-17
01:02:58

Episode 240 | I Know You Got SOL – A Convo with Singer / Songwriter Labit

  In this episode Elaine and Producer Mike have a conversation with singer-songwriter Stephen Ordonez also known as LABIT (@labitlabit). Stephen shares his experience growing up with Filipino American parents born in the States and how their love of music influenced his style. Fans of artists like Laufey and Jason LaPierre will vibe with Stephen’s...

10-03
44:47

Episode 239 – Resistance Pop with Chrissa Sparkles

In this episode of TFAL, Elaine and Producer Mike have a conversation with Los Angeles native (yes, they exist!) Chrissa Sparkles.  You may have seen Chrissa Sparkles go viral with her Barbie inspired content on @chrissasparkles. In this conversation we go through Chrissa’s journey as a local kid with no connections figuring out how to maneuver...

09-12
49:33

Episode 238 – Filipino American Intergenerational Conversations

Dear young people, How do we stay cool? Sincerely, Middle-aged TFALers There are many generations of Filipinos who live in the United States in this day and age. Immigrant generations, 2nd generations, 3rd generations, Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials, and now Gen Z. Many have different experiences as Filipino Americans, and in many ways, some...

08-31
01:12:57

Episode 237 – Filipinos in the San Fernando Valley

Joe wrote a book! Well…kinda. After a few years of gathering photos and writing, Joe has published FILIPINOS IN THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY, a pictorial history that traces the historical and cultural shifts of this quintessential suburb through the lens of generations of Filipinos who made the San Fernando Valley their home. This book is...

08-08
54:18

Episode 236: Storytelling with Randy Ribay

  In this episode the TFAL crew has a conversation with author Randy Ribay. The crew has discussed Patron Saints of Nothing multiple times, so this conversation was long coming. In fact, we thought we had already spoken to Randy Ribay! So glad we got to have this conversation with Randy about his journey as...

07-25
54:57

Episode 235: Joke Lungs w/ Vincent Collyer & Charles Collyer

In this episode Producer Mike and Elaine have a conversation with TFAL graphic designer Vincent Collyer and his brother Charles Collyer about Charles’ experience with a surprise diagnosis of lung cancer. Charles explains how a post Tough Mudder run lead to a rib injury which the X-rays lead to his lung cancer diagnosis. Post lung...

07-11
59:15

Episode 234 – Dirty Kitchen with Jill Damatac

  In this episode the crew has a conversation with author and filmmaker, Jill Damatac, who shares her journey from the Philippines to the States to the UK all through the lens of an undocumented immigrant. Instead of a traditional cookbook, which predominantly focuses on recipes and then sprinkles in family stories, Jill does the...

06-27
56:17

Episode 233 – Ryan and Joe Talk Fatherhood

Amidst the chaos, we still have hope. A couple of weeks ago, Ryan and Joe had a conversation about being relatively new dads. With Father’s Day approaching, the two TFAL dads discuss their experiences navigating fatherhood and all that it entails. Listen as they talk about how their identities changed as new responsibilities came, how...

06-14
56:41

Episode 232 | How Did You Get Here? (Hex Hector Mix) | Gaysians with Mike Curato

TFALpodcast kicks off PRIDE month with a conversation with author and illustrator Mike Curato. In this episode Elaine and Producer Mike learn about Mike Curato’s journey with Gaysians, Curato’s first graphic novel for adult audiences. Curato is best known for Little Elliot, a picture book series, and Flamer, a young adult graphic novel which has...

06-06
52:45

Episode 231 – Meeting the Moment: A Conversation with Los Angeles City Councilmember Ysabel Jurado

On Election Day 2024, while most of the level-headed American public mourned the re-emergence of the far-right orange man, local folks in Los Angeles had a moment of electoral triumph with the victory of Ysabel Jurado to the Los Angeles City Council. Jurado is the first Filipino/a/x American to ever serve on the City Council...

05-05
57:08

Episode 230 – TFAL x Dear Flor – A Conversation with Lisa Angulo Reid

In this episode TFAL’s Elaine and Producer Mike have a conversation with Lisa Angulo Reid, founder of Dear Flor @lovedearflor. Dear Flor’s mission is to bring Filipino culture to the world, one flavor at a time. Lisa shares her journey as an entrepreneur and how she transitioned from advertising to the quickly growing cannabis industry....

04-18
45:38

Episode 229 – Filipinx Studies and its Radical Possibilities with Allan Lumba

In this TFAL episode, Joe talks to Dr. Allan Lumba, writer, researcher, historian, and professor at Concordia University in Montreal, about potential of Filipinx Studies to inspire our community to fight for a better world. Listen how he developed into a brilliant scholar focused on Philippine Studies, the growing number of Filipino and Filipino American...

04-13
01:13:20

Episode 228: TFAL talks Animation with Bobby Pontillas (Rise Up Animation)

The TFAL crew is no stranger to the world of animation. In episode 28 (TFAL talks Voice Acting (and Secrets & Fears)), the crew had a conversation with voice actors Eric Bauza (@bauzilla) and Earl Baylon (@earlybgoode). While Producer Mike and Elaine were on their trip in the Philippines, they were able to connect with...

03-28
01:10:24

Episode 227 – Coming Home for the First Time – Elaine and Producer Mike go to the Philippines

Is it truly “More Fun in the Philippines?  Well technically not any more, because that marketing campaign ended in 2023.  Now it’s “Love the Philippines”, but do we?  They say there’s “no place like home” (which is especially fitting, since this is episode “227”… look it up, kids), but for Elaine and Producer Mike, who...

02-21
01:04:12

Episode 226 – Filipino American Masculinity

For generations, society has taught Filipinos and Filipino Americans what our specific gender roles should be. For men, masculinity is usually associated with ideas of strength, competition, emotion-less, family responsibilities, and protection. At times, these concepts can create narrow definitions of manhood and can pigeon-hole heterosexual men into certain prescribed racial, classed, and gender identities....

02-04
01:26:54

daffybuck1

I'm Filipino and I voted for Trump, I'm curious if your opinions about trump changed since y'all recorded this podcast

10-20 Reply

Kiara Ingco

Naiyak ako sa kakatawa sa beach part. I'm so glad nahanap ko kayo at active pa kayo to this day.

03-29 Reply

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