Tuesday, May 7
Book: “Dark Blue Suit”
Theme: Closure; Family, generations, father/son; hope vs. reality; Community; Fighting (Boxing); privilege; role models; codeswitching; money/poverty; death/mourning; pride; trauma; masculinity; a portrayal of women; coming-of-age
American Is In the Heart by Carlos Bulosan
America Is Not the Heart by Elaine Castillo
Incompletion
Incomplete family, death, death, love, friend
Filipinos in the United States vs. Filipino Americans
the difference of experience and goal; feeling not belong here
Parents have to pay attention to the conversation in Tagalog with children (Language barrier)
Film: “The Debut” by Gene Cajayon (2001)
White friends are making fun of traditional ornaments.
Why Ruben didn’t want them to stay at his house? – Because of his embarrassing. The smell of food. He was embarrassed by his Filipino culture.
Alice who marry a white guy. She looked like being proud of herself. I thought that it’s kinda stereotype of Asian women marrying a white guy.
The gap between Rose and Ruben in term of their identities. She could speak Tagalog and knew a traditional greeting.
Responsibility vs. Pressure: Ruben’s pressure by father; Father’s pressure by grandfather; Father’s responsibility toward his son. Father and Grandfather desired Ruben to go to med school and be a doctor, even he wanted to go to cartoon school. What he wants to do was different from what his father and grandfather expect him to do. Father would encourage him to do what he wants to do if there was no pressure by his grandfather and other family members. Here’s a second generation’s struggle. ?
Gang-star culture vs Filipino culture
Traditional dance at the party
August seemed to be struggling with his white father. His father seemed not to understand the Asian thing. Low key of racist.
The history of the Philippines: The Philippines were always under the control of other countries, Spain, the United States, and Japan. Mixed culture, HaloHalo.
Wednesday, May 8
Ethnic Studies– nature, origins, and evolution
Ethnic studies at Evergreen: its past, present, and seemingly bleak future
Our program
“Who we be?”
What is Ethnic Study?
What purpose does it serve?
What are the benefits and challenges of being a member of the group that you’re exploring?
What are your responsibilities if you aren’t a member of that group?
What complications arise when ethnic studies is explored through the lens of popular culture?
Friday, May 10
“Filipino American: Final thoughts”
Boxing- one of few entertainments to Filipino American
Boxing Champions was a hero in the Filipino Community
The Philippines has a history of colonization, always under control by other countries. Spain, United States, Japan. Spain- the reason why Tagalog and other Philipino languages sound like Spanish.
-Importance of learning history: History connects “culture”
The importance of comedy
To me, it’s still hard to understand jokes sometimes because of my English level and knowledge. Jokes vs racism. I’m confused. But, we can acknowledge culture by comedy. But, we still need to pay attention and be respectful. I learned the importance of comedy and how comedy as pop culture influent to us.