2/14/2023 0 Comments Brave church philippine![]() ![]() The city of Sunnyvale may be a culturally diverse part of Silicon Valley today, but when my mom was growing up it was almost totally Caucasian. After Hawaii, my grandparents moved to Sunnyvale, California in the South Bay where my mother, Josephine was born. I’ve always been captivated by this idea that her demeanor was a remnant of her past life in the Philippines.Īdditionally, working on the BRAVE study has often made me think of my mother’s experiences as a Filipino-American. My mom always says it’s because she was raised that way before the war. She lost her wealth and family when she immigrated yet one thing I remember about my grandmother was that she always had a refined, almost regal presence to her. She was forced from a comfortable life in the Philippines in a time where being an ethnic migrant in America was as much of a disadvantage as ever. ![]() Eventually, my grandmother made it to the territory of Hawaii with very little to her name. From what relatives have told me, she saw her town burned, her brother killed, and had to bribe people with everything she had to reach safety. As a child, I remember being told that fleeing from her home was not something grandma wanted to talk about. My grandmother came from a ruling, upper-class family in the Philippines who lost everything during the Japanese occupation. Having the opportunity to work on the BRAVE study with Asian and Pacific Islander immigrants has made me think especially of my maternal side, starting with my grandmother, Margarita Cereñado Salom, born February 26th, 1921. Many cultures intersect in my identity and I truly cherish the stories of my ancestors because I would know so much less about myself without them. When you mix these two you get a Filipino-Portuguese-American who speaks basic Portuguese, almost no Tagalog, has no fear of strange foods, and gets mistaken for Latino more than anything else. And the differences? Simply put language, food, and appearance. ![]() What do these heritages have in common? Hailing from island regions, strong Catholic traditions, and an instinct to constantly feed their grandchildren. My mother comes from a Filipino heritage and my father comes from an Azorean Portuguese one. Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, being a half-Asian/half-white kid isn’t the strangest thing in the world but it definitely makes you think a bit about your identity. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |