The month of May was chosen because it commemorates the migration of the first immigrants from Japan to the United States on May 7, 1843 and to celebrate the completion of the transcontinental railroad by over 20, 0000 Asian immigrants on May 10, 1869. The first Asian immigrants arrived in the U.S. in 1587 when Filipinos first began migrating to California. Immigrants continued to come from the Asian continent and the Pacific Islands through 1920 when the first Samoans were documented in Hawaii.
Yes, I am Asian! People are surprised when they hear this. On May 9th, I was honored with the AAPI month proclamation from the City of La Mirada. Some questioned why I was chosen to be the recipient. AAPI stands for Asian American Pacific Islander. I may not fit what others perceive as the perfect mold, but I promise my birth certificate is correct.
I was born in Angeles City Pampanga in the Philippines. My mother was born in Aklan Nabas on another island in the Visayas and my father was born in Downey California. Seeing life through an Asian American lens has given me a deeper appreciation of the freedoms we have.
Traveling back several times to my mother’s home has given me a deeper understanding of what it means to be a Filipino. The traditions, food, and religious practices only heighten my landscape. My dad always instilled in me ‘we all bleed the same and to treat others as we would want to be treated’.
My Filipino culture embraces hard work and compassion which Americans also embrace. I have tried my best to demonstrate those attributes in my work in education and serving my community. Those that know me can see my culture running through me. I share it through food, my loudness, my laughter, and my passion to help where it’s needed. My heart is half Asian, but also intertwined with the understanding of what it means to be an American.
I continue to work to use my differences as my strength. I welcome anyone to do the same!
Thank you councilman Ed Eng and the City of La Mirada for acknowledging Asian Americans and AAPI month.
