This Filipino American Life

Death is a natural part of life. All of us have experience with death, whether it’s among our family, our friends, or even folks we barely know. With death comes customs and rituals associated with it that we, the living, perform and practice. For example, many pre-colonial peoples of the Philippines believed that one had to go through a voyage on a boat to the afterlife. As such, many coffins and burial jars incorporate a sailing vessel in its design.

In this episode, the TFAL crew explores funerals, spirits, and the afterlife. Listen as we discuss Filipino customs such as 9-day novenas, blocking mirrors after someone has passed, and not being able to take food home from a wake. We also talk about our thoughts about what the afterlife will be like! With Halloween and Day of the Dead (Araw ng mga Patay) coming up, we thought it would be a good time to discuss some of our Filipino traditions when it comes to the “other world.”

Listen through the embedded player below, download directly here or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts here. For folks who are on Spotify, you can take a listen to us here.

Share some of your experiences with Filipino and Filipino American funeral customs by emailing us at [email protected], or call us at (805) 394-TFAL!

PC: xiaochua.net and ilovephilippines.com.ph

Historically, police departments have had a history of tense and even hostile relations with communities of color, with the Los Angeles Police Department as one of the most notorious. Looking back as far as the 1960’s and 1970’s, the LAPD has had police chiefs at the helm whose approach to law enforcement was not only aggressive, but paramilitary. What emerged in the later decades from the 80’s into the early 2000’s was an LAPD culture that was “anti-gang” equipped with policies with the intent of harassment, beatings, killings, and making lots of arrests.

Three years ago when we released our third podcast episode – “Filipino American Gangs in SoCal: Where are you from and where are you now?” – we wanted to look back at a time when gang crime was at its peak in California and how it affected Filipino American lives. On this episode, we wanted to extend that conversation. But, this time, we reflect back through eyes of our guest, decorated LAPD Gang Detective, Craig Marquez. Craig talks to us about growing up in Hawaii, becoming a cop, and, of course, Filipino American gangs. We look back what policing was like in the 1990’s and early 2000’s, and discuss what it’s evolved to today. TFAL talks about gang injunctions, the “Rampart Scandal,” systematic oppression of communities of color, and we even share our own experiences growing up not only fearing gangs, but fearing cops.

Whether or not we have mixed emotions about the law enforcement system as a whole, we hope we continue to remain vigilant and hopeful that law enforcement can truly protect and serve ALL people. Having the presence of Filipino Americans, like Craig, in law enforcement can perhaps be a small step in getting there.

Listen through the embedded player below, download directly here, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts here. For folks who are on Spotify, you can take a listen to us here.

Have any opinions about Filipino American gangs and law enforcement? Leave a voicemail at (805) 394-TFAL (8325) or email us at [email protected].

On August 10, 1999, Buford O. Furrow, Jr., a white supremacist, shot and killed JOSEPH ILETO, a Filipino American postal worker in Chatsworth, CA, after firing 70 shots inside the North Valley Jewish Community Center with a semi-automatic weapon. Ileto had just delivered mail to a home when Furrow approached him and asked if Ileto could mail a letter for him. Furrow then shot Ileto nine times. Furrow later admitted that he shot Ileto because he worked for the federal government and “looked Latino or Asian.”

In this episode, half of the TFAL crew talks to members of the Ileto family – Ismael and Deena Ileto – and discuss keeping Joseph’s memory alive through their advocacy against hate. Also, joining the Ileto family is Stewart Kwoh, longtime national Asian American community leader. Listen as they discuss Joseph’s tragic killing, their thrust into community advocacy, their plea to the Filipino community to stop being complacent, and the frustration towards the lack of political accountability for the ongoing hate-fueled mass shootings that seemingly have no end.

Listen through the embedded player below, download directly here, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts here. For folks who are on Spotify, you can listen to us here.

If you remember that day or you have an opinion on hate crimes and mass shootings, email us at [email protected] or call our voicemail at (805) 394-TFAL (8325).

Do you still mano po ? Do you still call your siblings ate/kuya or manang/manong/ading? Do you know the recipes that your grandparents used in their cooking? Do you miss the local Filipino restaurant or store that no longer exists? Do you wear barongs or baro’t saya? What markers of Filipino culture do you still preserve in your family and community?

As Filipino Americans, many cultural practices that many of us grew up with may be slowly fading away. Some may completely vanish, but others may still be preserved. Many practices may even take on new forms, yet keep the same meaning behind them. Change is inevitable in this fast-paced world, but what cultural practices get preserved in our community and why? In this episode, the TFAL crew discusses some cultural practices that our parents and grandparents may have passed on to us, but are slowly changing due to the realities of living in the United States.

Listen through the embedded player below, download directly here, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts here. For folks who are on Spotify, you can take a listen to us here.

What aspects of Filipino culture have faded away? What aspects do you still practice? Let us know by leaving a voicemail at (805) 394-TFAL (8325) or email us at [email protected].

(Photo credit: thinkingwithb.blogspot.com)

We finally made it!! After 3 1/2 years, we made it to Episode 100. Let’s celebrate!!!

In this special episode, we look back at TFAL’s first 99 episodes. Listen as we reminisce about some of TFAL’s greatest moments, and, of course, playback some of our bloopers that never made it on air. What episodes are our favorites? What moment made us laugh the most? Why can’t Joe do commercials right?

We really never thought our podcast would grow to what it is today. We really didn’t think we would make it to 100 episodes! But here we are. TFAL now has over 6,500 regular listeners all over the world! When we started TFAL in May 2016, we just wanted a place where we could record our stories as Filipino Americans. We wanted to make folks laugh, think, and cry, and we hope we accomplished that. We are continually humbled by the support from our TPALs and other supporters through this journey.

We hope you enjoy this special episode. It’s been a blast doing this, and we hope you find enjoyment in it as well. Cheers to another 100 more episodes!

Listen through the embedded player below, download directly here or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts here. For folks who are on Spotify, you can take a listen to us here.

What were your favorite moments? Who were your favorite guests? What was your favorite dad joke? Let us know by leaving us a voicemail, (805) 394-TFAL, or email us at [email protected].

P.S. Thank you again to Leroid David for his drawing of the TFAL crew.