Bahay In Our Hearts

By Daniel Mariano

Oiá:ner: There is talk amongst the other nations of moving west… Away from the war… Perhaps it is time we considered such a thing.

Ratonhnhaké:ton: No. We stay. This is our home.

Oiá:ner: But for how much longer? And at what cost?

Ratonhnhaké:ton: I will make it safe.

Oiá:ner: Oh, my child… We cannot change what is to come. Though we might abandon this land… We will not abandon our ways. We carry home in our hearts.

(Assassin’s Creed III, 2012)

I never thought I had a particularly complicated definition of what “home” is but for me, home is not limited to a place but can go as far as to encompass a state of mind. As someone that spent much of my adolescence travelling and moving homes, I felt like something of a nomad so to speak. More often than not, I had to find a way to fit in at the schools I transferred to. I always had to work to make friends and find where I belonged. As time went on, my definition of home went from somewhere I could sleep at night to a feeling of contentment and belonging. The people I met and built relationships with would not always be meant to remain in my life in the long run, especially during the times I transitioned from high school to college to post grad life, I would always carry my memories and experiences with me and allow them to fuel my growth as a person.

Even though they would ultimately become the cause of my high blood pressure and foul temper, I still love and care for my PACE interns.

College was especially a time when I really let my guard down for people and put more effort into developing my relationships with others. I came to college with the intent of joining a Filipino organization or club and PACE was the first one I found on my first day of college in Fall 2010. From that day forward, PACE became a home for me every year for as long I was in college. It was the first place in a long time that I felt like I could be my loud, abrasive self and still get a measure of appreciation from people that seemed to just “get” my personality (although I did admittedly drive away people that were taken aback by that same personality but I couldn’t care less about them anyway). It got better when I finally took part in PACE’s internship in my third year with the organization after constant heckling. Even though internship for me at the time ultimately ended up being little more than weekly simp hour, having that space to let myself feel vulnerable and open with a group of people and have them reciprocate that trust and do the same with me. It was probably one of the only times I ever felt like I could lay out all my imperfections for people to see and I be okay with that.

Don’t let the mean mugs fool you. The time I spent working with them was arguably the happiest experience I had in college and led to my first PCN experience.

Something that I noticed is that after internship, many interns tend to find themselves either hovering around aimlessly or simply leaving the org altogether. My experience in internship and my AAS classes opened up more opportunities for me. I got to find an outlet for my passion for journalism and writing through this newsletter, dabble in community organizing and learning about the ongoing Philippine struggle for a National Democracy with the League of Filipino Students (LFS-SFSU), and take part in my first PCN with Inner Sanctum last school year. Being able to further my interests and have the confidence to broaden my horizons even more so with the support of the people I cared about gave me that feeling of home, like I could be my true self while continuing to grow. As my collegiate life began to draw to a close, I knew that even though I was leaving, I always had a home because I carried it in my heart through my memories and experiences.

LFS not only helped picked me up during a time I felt like I hit rock bottom, they taught me how collective power of the people can rock the foundations of oppression.

Home for me is more than simply a place where I eat and sleep and live. It is the satisfaction of continuing to gain new experiences. It is the excitement of taking advantage of new opportunities. It means making meaningful connections and relationships. Home for me is opening my mind and challenging my soul. Above all, home is a mindset. It is something that transcends the restraints of time and space. As Oiá:ner said, no matter where I am, I will never abandon my way of life nor compromise the person that I am. Home is something that we all carry in our hearts.

We Stand on Their Shoulders

By Eleazar Malabanan

For twelve years the Filipino community here at State has claimed an important victory in the form of art: a mural dedicated to the struggle of the entire community worldwide is displayed. With the recent collaboration of all the Filipino organizations of Mula Sa Ugat, we see how our roots became grew to become the shoulders we stand on. We see the bonds and the community that we all talk about finally form here at state. For at least once a year, we see the whole San Francsico State Filipino community come together to show how much we love our culture, our history, and our ancestors whose shoulders we stand on now.

This year’s celebration was full of many events both old and new. One day dedicated to the education of the public, to ensure we not only celebrate but remember exactly where and why we have the mural. Workshops provided by all the organizations instating the different parts of the mural and how each of the individuals impacted the world today. The next day included many different events as well full of displays of dance, music, and food. Timothy Balilo, Jeannel Poyoaon, and Erin Cruz hosted the event giving life throughout the night and introducing speakers and musicians left and right. Jordan Ilagan, Secretary General of the SF State branch of the League of Filipino Students (LFS-SFSU) and current PCN co-scriptwriter, spoke with passion about his endeavors in the Filipino community and how he strongly believes about the situations that many of us still rather sleep on. Along with the president of NAFCON (National Alliance of Filipino Concerns), Terry Valen who gave a moving speech about the involvement in the community as well as the current battle against racism now with excerpts of the San Francisco Police Department, stating their extremely racist and fascist comments of African Americans and Filipino Americans alike. Not only were these speakers great but the musicians and performs as well. One of the sisters of Alpha Kappa Omicron (AKO) brought her dance team into the celebration to perform an entertaining routine. We also had the opportunity to see LFS and PACE head Coordinator Patrick Racela and IV Kapwa Member Aaron Agudelo rap as well. Finally we ended the night with Hopie, A Law student by day, and Rapper by every other time of the day. These performers allowed us to see their talents as well as just to celebrate the mural that represents who we are as a community.

The members and friends of Mula sa Ugat

The Mural Celebration this year shows our growing communities that we still have much work to do. It shows the power of all the organizations combining and the force we can bring to even more events, and more places. We stand on their shoulders, yet pretty soon we will be lifting the people in our community even higher on ours.

PREVIEW – We Stand On Their Shoulders: The 12th Annual SFSU Fil-Am Community Mural Celebration

By Patrick Racela

Join Mula Sa Ugat (MSU) for We Stand On Their Shoulders: The 12th Annual SFSU Filipino-American Community Mural Celebration on April 8th and 9th at Jack Adams Hall from 6:30PM to 9:30PM. Wednesday April 8th will consist of an educational component covering the history and meaning of the mural. Thursday April 9th will consist of the celebration with free food, giveaways, and performances. We hope to see you there! You may RSVP at our FB event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/791850370869313/

SFSU Filipino-American Community Mural, the only piece of its kind on a college campus in the U.S., Photo: San Francisco State University

The vibrant history of the Filipino people has long left its mark in the city of San Francisco. From the manongs and manangs who found refuge in Manilatown after completing seasonal work along the west coast, to the young Pinoys and Pinays who found a cause in organizing the Philippine American Collegiate Endeavor to link with other third world students and communities to fight for relevant education and other burning issues of the time, to those of us today who are part of a community that has upheld a rich tradition of resistance in the face of social, economic, and political issues. We are people who carry the Bayanihan spirit moved to uplift one another, to empower and build our community; it is the same spirit found in those who have come before us.

Manilatown Men, Photo: Kularts

A mural at San Francisco State University reminds us of whose shoulders we stand on. Finished in 2003, the Filipino-American community mural is the only piece of its kind at any college campus in the US. It is centered on the peoples’ movement in the Philippines and its relation to our experiences as Filipino-Americans. The mural is divided into four sections: solidarity, community, struggle in the Philippines, and struggle in the US.

Solidarity is expressed by Andres Bonifacio’s rising sun, representing the revolutionary tradition of the Filipino people who resisted Spanish colonization for over 400 years. The rays of the sun span across all parts of the Philippines and any place you can find a Filipino. It is derived from his personal Katipunan flag. To the front of the sun are people of color with arms linked together signifying our unity with all people of color.

The youth galvanized the peoples’ movement in the Philippines with the First Quarter Storm, Photo: Rappler

At the center of the mural is Lorena Barros, an activist from the martial law era who founded the militant women’s organization, MAKIBAKA, representative of youth and students. She is flanked by Purmassuri on the left, a Moro leader who was key in preventing the Spanish from gaining a foothold in Mindanao, representative of indigenous people. To the right of Lorena Barros is Al Robles, a poet and local San Franciscan who pioneered as a prominent leader during the housing movement, representative of the elders in our community. To the bottom left is Philip Veracruz, a farmworker and key organizer of the Delano Grape Strike, representative of the workers. To his right is Violeta “Bullet X” Marasigan, a participant in the Third World strike and founder of the women’s organization, GABRIELA, representative of women. These figures uphold our community; we embody who they are.

Student strikers fighting for Third World Studies at San Francisco State College, Photo: Asianweek

The struggle in the Philippines is captured so that we as Filipino-Americans will always have a grasp of our Motherland. At the very bottom of the mural is the Philippine national animal, the carabao. It embodies industriousness and the strength of the Filipino people. Peasants, one of the most oppressed sectors of Philippine society, are depicted planting rice, signifying their ongoing struggle for the right to their land. A woman playing the indigenous instrument, a kulintang, represents the importance of music in indigenous culture. Lastly, students and workers are depicted fighting for a dignified way of life amidst the issues of militarization and poverty engendered to the basic problems of the Philippines.

The Filipino-American struggle is envisioned on the right. At the very top are the organizers and protestors who fought for the I-Hotel, highlighting the issue of gentrification in San Francisco. Below are WWII veteranos and nurses who fight for recognition, equality, and a better way of life. The students of SFSU are depicted to capture the trials and tribulations of our community today.. A DJ is also present to signify our musical experiences, namely in Hip-Hop culture. Finally, farmworkers are shown planting seeds to represent the roots of our community.

To Mindanao With Love Benefit Show for Saluogpongan International, Photo: Juana Tello

We stand on the shoulders of those who come before us. We are at a time where we must be makers of our own history. We must heed the call of movement just as our ancestors have done to fight for a better future.

Road to 43: Our Story from Then to Now

By Jordan Ilagan

The road to PCN 43 goes through Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, all the way to San Francisco. Every single cast member has been working hard for this showcase of beautiful dancing and compelling storytelling. The road to PCN is one that is paved with pushing comfort zones, meticulous practice, and constant refining up until showtime; a performance by the Filipino community for the community. “Kapit Kamay”: link hands with each other and fight against injustice.

“People’s SONA 2014” in San Francisco. Photo credit: Anakbayan East Bay

As I stated in my previous post, Kapit Kamay is heavily based on a true story. Mainly the current issues surrounding the Philippines in regards to Lumad land, as well as corruption in the government and the stories of community organizing efforts in SF. Rampant destruction that I was able to see first hand during my exposure trip to the Philippines as well as organizing once I touched down in San Francisco. As 1/2 of the script writing tag team, being able to share my passion for community organizing and using PCN as a platform to highlight these issues has been nothing short of amazing.

But that’s only half the story. In order to truly bring Kapit Kamay to life, my script writing partner Jerico De Guzman took my experiences and knowledge and weaved them into a creative, true-to-life, story. Kapit Kamay not only covers political themes, but also features compelling characters as well. Throughout the play, characters struggle with the ramifications of the decisions that they make, their own insecurities, and how their personal baggage clashes with others.

Dynamic Scriptwriting Duo for PCN 43 (Left: Jerico DeGuzman, Right: Jordan Ilagan)

Kapit Kamay promises to entertain. The script was nearly a year in the making and was continuously refined every step of the way. A show by the student community paying tribute to the efforts of the community. A PCN that embodies what it means to take pride in Pilipino Culture and pays tribute to Pilipino Culture. Link hands and defend the culture of our ancestors.

KILUSAN: DEFEND EDUCATION!

By Pat Racela

The hot Philippine sun dawns its rays over the mountainous terrain. The warmth dissipates the fog, revealing shining drops of dew on the crops that Lumad scholars tend to alongside the dirt path leading to the Alternative Learning Center for Agricultural and Livelihood Development (ALCADEV) in Brgy. Han-Ayan, located in Mindanao. The same sun filters through the dense Manila smog which chokes up the national capital region (NCR) with lines of jeepneys, tricycles, and buses transporting the toiling masses; one particular route leads to the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP), situated in Santa Mesa, Manila. Across the Pacific Ocean, I sit inside a classroom at San Francisco State University to start a meeting as the dusk swallows the sun, painting the sky with splashes of yellow, orange, pink, purple, and indigo.

Banner Drop at Speak Out! event organized by ASI Project Connect; Photo Credit: Golden Gate Xpress

With the many experiences we come across in our youth, we are familiarized with the idea that education is the key to success. We in particular who may be children of immigrants are taught to value the privileges that are afforded to us. However, we as students must recognize that education is not a privilege, nor a commodity, but a fundamental human right. For those of us attending SFSU, a $3 million budget cut is to be implemented on top of a mandatory student success fee. We cannot deny that education will better shape our individual and collective futures, but the ever-worsening student debt crisis, numerous budget cuts to education, tuition hikes, implementation of redundant and exorbitant fees, and privatization of public universities will prevent us from reaching the success we wish to seek.

Student organizer speaking on the issues at PUP; Photo Credit: Gemma Enriquez

For students at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP), their emphasis on the value they have for their education is expressed in the actions they take to defend their fundamental human right. Youth and student organizations such as Anakbayan, League of Filipino Students (LFS), Kabataan Partylist (KPL), College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP), National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP), and more, play an active role launching campaigns, conducting educational discussions, and hosting other events to fight for their education and ultimately, a better society.

Aries Gupit, a national officer of LFS, explained the conditions of youth and students asserting, “We must fight off these high tuition rates and redundant and exorbitant fees if we are to realize a nationalist, scientific, mass-oriented, form of education.”

During the first leg of my exposure trip in the NCR, I witnessed students claim their education by fighting off an 800% tuition fee increase. PUP, hailed as the cheapest public university in the Philippines, charges PHP12 (about 25 cents) per unit, attracting many students from working class and peasant class backgrounds.

Exposure Trip delegates and student organizers at PUP; Photo Credit: Gemma Enriquez

On the last leg of the trip, I had the opportunity to integrate with a Lumad (Indigenous People native to Mindanao) community. A Datu from the community broke down the local history, highlighting the government neglect and harassment which forced the community to set up its own educational institution through ALCADEV.

ALCADEV; Photo Credit: Patrick Racela

“They do not respect us so we have no choice but to do it ourselves. It is our responsibility to educate our children now since the government refuses to,” he said.

ALCADEV is one of many networks of Lumad schools in Mindanao which emphasizes education, agricultural sustainability, and the preservation of cultural practices and customs.

Despite these positive developments, the looming threat of harassment and displacement due to militarization are present realities for these communities. The Lumad community I visited was attacked and harassed by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) this past winter, forcing the community to evacuate en masse. A long-standing history of military harassment has been present. Foreign, large-scale mining corporations working in tandem with the Philippine government and AFP wish to drive drive the Lumads off their ancestral domain to extract natural resources.

We must be reminded of what’s at stake. Our fundamental human right to an education is under threat by corporations hellbent on collecting super profits off of us and our families. Our future is bleak if we fail to recognize the conditions that are fostering in the US and around the world. Let us struggle for a relevant, quality, mass based, pro-people education because it is our fundamental human right.

MULA SA UGAT & Tri-Force; Photo Credit: Kaisahan Newsletter Archive

No One Asked Us

By Daniel Mariano

A mere two weeks after my eighteenth birthday, I had begun the collegiate chapter of my life. I walked past the school sign that greeted students, faculty, and visitors by the campus entrance feeling incredibly optimistic. As the first in my generation going to college in my immediate family, it was something that I took great pride in. It was an exciting time in my life, full of endless possibilities and me taking that first true leap into adulthood. As a young, idealistic college freshman, I looked forward to making the best out of my once in a lifetime opportunity.

However, as the days turned into months and the months turned into years, I became increasingly jaded during my college experience. Throughout my five years attending San Francisco State University, I met many students that took different paths when it came to pursuing their educational goals. This included leaving SFSU in order to continue studying at the community college level, actually splitting class loads between two schools, transferring schools out of state or even abroad, or simply changing their major. This is the kind of hardship that the modern day college student currently faces.

For five years, I have witnessed and experienced firsthand the inability to register for classes both for my major and to simply fulfill my general education requirements so that I could graduate. I have also seen the progressive tuition increase at SFSU, something that has consistently happened since years before I even started college.

My mother, who unlike the rest of my family, understood the challenges of pursuing an education in the California State University level, once encouraged me to attend school at my local community college after high school in order to get my GEs out of the way for less money. However, I was so determined (to the point of being stubborn) to attend SFSU after refusing to listen to her. I was a stubborn snob back then and did not realize the similarities between the curriculum and opportunities that both the community college and state university systems provided. I thought of myself less of a person if I had attended community college and was convinced that I could obtain my bachelor’s degree in four years.

How naive I was.

Back in 2010, I was blissfully ignorant of the budget cuts that ominously loomed in the CSU/UC systems. The student acceptance cap in the systems is very real and has a profound effect on thousands of hopeful applicants every single year. This cap puts a limit on how many students schools can accept yearly regardless of good academic standing or successful transfer of units.

Dealing with tuition only amplifies the issues that students face. Many students, myself included, pull out federal unsubsidized loans. Without these loans, many students would be unable to afford college tuition. But even with loans, there are still students that must work part or full time in order to fully subsidize their educations including the cost of books, tuition itself, and other university fees. This is a struggle for many students not made any better with news of SFSU President Leslie Wong’s plan to cut $3 million in academics in the coming 2015-2016 school year.

Students are also left worrying about their futures even after they graduate. The economy is not at its peak these days and finding secure, long term employment is not always guaranteed for people in their field of study. With a blatant lack of classes for students as well as ever increasing tuition fees and literally no record of where the money goes, students are left to continue wonder when they will graduate if at all.

This past month saw SFSU’s League of Filipino Students (LFS-SFSU) launching their social media campaign titled “Education is a Human Right”. LFS General Assembly members were tasked with posting various web graphics through their social media outlets and were encouraged to share how student debt has affected their lives and to speak out against it. Though the social media campaign spanned from March 1-4, the general movement against rising college costs and barriers preventing people from partaking in quality higher education continues. It is high time that President Wong and SFSU administration are reminded exactly who it is that truly runs the university – the students, faculty, and staff. It is we who operate this community and it is time to once again bring back to life the radical spirits of this university.

Education Is a Human Right

By Jordan Ilagan

This past month, LFS-SFSU launched their “Education is a Human Right” social media campaign. Members were asked to share a variety of web graphics starting on March 1st and culminating on March 4, the National Day of Action to Defend Education. LFS also hosted an educational discussion that allowed for a space for students to share their stories about student debt and the various problems that arise from it.

Student debt is an issue that cannot be measured with just dollars and cents. The overwhelming amount that students can owe can cause huge amounts of stress, anxiety, and depression. Unlike other forms of debt, which can be erased by declaring bankruptcy, student debt stays with the debtor until it is paid. In cases where the debtor passes away, the debt is then passed on to either the next-of-kin or other immediate family members, which passes the same stress and anxiety to other people. With ever-increasing student fees combined with an inadequate amount of classes, graduation becomes stalled and debt piles up even higher. The flawed system keeps students in a cycle of owing money at a much faster rate than it can be paid off. Unless the entire system of education is reformed, student debt will continue to be a pressing issue in the years to come.

The social media campaign was the beginning of a multiple year campaign, coordinated alongside Anakbayan-USA, who are also mobilizing across the nation around student debt, an issue that affects 38.8 million Americans amounting to a total of $1.2 trillion. The campaign will continue in the coming year, anyone interested in being a part of the campaign are free to contact LFS-SFSU via LFSSFSU@gmail.com or Vice Chair Vonica On via vonicahh@gmail.com.

SPEAK OUT: SF State Students Enact Their Agency

By Daniel Mariano

(Photo credit: Associated Students Inc.)

An element that has found itself in Asian American Studies since the 1980’s is the concept known as “agency”. In AAS, it refers to taking action and making our own history. Over the years, Asian immigrants and Asian Americans have come to be depicted as people that are fully capable of making choices, asserting control over their own lives, and helping change the world they live in. And while agency is a concept that is studied in upper division AAS courses, it is not something that is limited to Asian Americans. Agency is something that comes from within the community as well as from any of us. We can enact our agency to be agents of change.

On Wednesday February 25th, SF State students, those both affiliated with on-campus student organizations and unaffiliated, took to Malcolm X Plaza in order to enact their agency by addressing their grievances to the student population. These included the increasing privatization of education with a proposed $3 million cut to academics in the upcoming 2015-2016 academic year by SF State President Leslie Wong, the opening of a Panda Express on campus despite there being a Panda Express in Stonestown a ten minute walk away, gentrification, and police brutality. It was a day filled with heartfelt speeches and spoken word pieces by various students in order to address the perceived injustices in our communities.

PACE Head Coordinator Patrick Racela and LFS Secretary General Jordan Ilagan speak out against the administration of Philippine President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III (Photo Credit: Associated Students Inc.)

The sentiments of the students rang out loud and clear this day. The students are tired of the social and economic injustices that plague society today. It is imperative that students are inspired and empowered to take charge of their education and their circumstances. Today, we face a student debt crisis that only gets worse with each passing year and with each passing budget cut. Students continue to pull out loans that they will in all likelihood never be able to pay back within their lifetimes due to recurring interest rates and higher education continues to be privatized. Meanwhile, university administrative employees will continue to laugh all the way to the bank. People will lose jobs as a result of Panda Express opening on campus as SF State to slowly stray from its roots of historically supporting and working with small businesses and towards being a corporate sellout.

(Banner credit: Karl Catalon)

People of color and ethnic minorities continue to fear for their safety due to the color of their skin or because of the way they dress. And yet, what people can’t seem to wrap their heads around is the fact that life in the United States even in 2015 is still inherently different for both white people and people of color. Racism is still a concept that is very much alive and deeply ingrained in our society. To paraphrase Jon Stewart, if people are tired of hearing about racism, imagine how exhausting it is to live through it on a day in, day out basis.

Members of Mula Sa Ugat in solidarity for social justice. (Photo credit: Associated Students Inc.)

These are only a few of the many issues that we must speak out against. It is imperative that we recognize that historically, many great changes in society were able to take place only through solidarity and taking action. We are in the midst of another great era of great social change in this country. In order to move forward, we must enact our agency and organize workers, leaders, women, and youth and do just that because I know that things can still change for the better. We may continue to struggle for better for many more years, perhaps even decades but we will never stop. The road ahead might be long and perhaps even shrouded in the unknown and we may not live to see its end but we will continue to go down it because we are compelled by justice and a desire for a better future to do so. And in the face of everyone that tell us to turn back, we will keep moving forward.

That is how we will enact our agency.