Being alive!
Lea Salonga in Stephen Sondheim’s “Old Friends” at the Ahmanson Theatre. Photos by Matthew Murphy “The alchemy is extraordinary – everyone is learning from everyone.” — Cameron Mackintosh Being alive…
Read More
Ysabel Jurado: A daughter of the community achieves victory to represent LA’s Council District 14
Ysabel Jurado, a tenants rights attorney and lifelong Angeleno, is the councilmember-elect for Los Angeles’ Council District 14. “Today, I proudly endorse Ysabel Jurado for LA City Council District 14;…
Christine Rocas: Breathtaking brilliance from trusting the created sacred space with cast and partner
“I FIRST met Christine Rocas about 12 years ago when I was asked to co-produce a fundraiser event for Typhoon Haiyan relief at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. I…
Chef Diosdado ‘Jo’ Dijamco Pride in Kapampangan roots and culinary identity shaped by France, Spain and Italy’s flavor
“As a fellow Kapampangan, I am truly proud of Chef Jo Dijamco’s culinary talents and accomplishments. His extensive experience as a chef enables him to craft a delightful menu that…
[OPINION] Chef Natalia Moran: On top of her game as opening chef to over 20 restaurants and counting
“Chef Natalia Moran is the epitome of Filipina ingenuity, creativity, industry, and commitment to excellence. Chef Natalia has been a consultant to many reputable restaurants in the Philippines for decades:…
[OPINION] Cultural consequences of multilingualism through mother tongue
Essay by Kobby Tran Once a year, an essay competition is held at CSUN, amongst Asian American Studies and Education majors, as part of an endowment set up by Prosy…
Susana Reyes: A path-finding commissioner actively working for the common good
“… The good we have in common has been a commitment to respecting the rule of law, including its intent and spirit; to protecting our democratic institutions; to discovering and…
An exclusive interview with LA Mayor Karen Bass
Valuing the ‘community of our humanity’ for the common good: Mayor Bass’ courage, core beliefs, and loving wisdom “The elder’s invisible productivity, of holding the field, a nonverbal transmission…
[COLUMN] Jennifer Punsalan Delwood: Journey to LA City Hall marked by grit, glow and grace
“I feel that she [Jennifer Punsalan Delwood] fully embodies the best of our people’s values and demonstrates that with her calm, thoughtful leadership style that enables her to be inclusive…
Part 2 of 2: The rippling waters of giving and reaching beyond ourselves
Focus: Rev. Pastor Adiel DePano and Legay Square in Santa Ana “The joy in loving is guaranteed by loving one another as Jesus loves us. God’s love goes round and…
[COLUMN] The rippling waters of giving to others and reaching beyond ourselves
Part I of II “WE were sent here to search for the light of Easter in our hearts, and when we find it we are meant to give it away…
An Evening of Grace and Generosity: St. John’s Seminary Fundraiser
“St. John’s Seminary recently hosted a remarkable fundraising event that left an indelible mark on the Catholic community. The night was a testament to the unity of purpose, with exquisite…
[COLUMN] An evening of Jazzmopolitan electrifies Disney Concert Hall
‘Dynamic Dynamite’ Michael Paulo plays heartfelt jazz along with Take 6, Peter White, Tia Carrere, Daniel Ho, Melissa Morgan, and Chris Chatman “I hate a song that makes you think…
[COLUMN] Xenophobia against Asians since the pandemic by Yuri Kim
(ONCE a year, an essay competition is held at CSUN, amongst Asian American Studies and Education majors, as part of an endowment set up by Prosy Abarquez-Delacruz for her deceased mother, Asuncion Castro Abarquez and…
Mon David: A jazz genius catching our imagination
Jazz critic Roger Crane writes: “Like Mark Murphy whose singing he at times resembles, [Mon] David can swing you into bad health and then, turn around and break your heart…
The joy of watching the Philippine Ballet Theater
“Panta hypoménei. This means that love bears every trial with a positive attitude. It stands firm in hostile surroundings. This “endurance” involves not only the ability to tolerate certain aggravations,…
[COLUMN] Martin Nievera’s joy of performing music for 40 years
ART is the natural attitude of the soul, wrote Lissa de Guia. Even in sorrow and in pain, true artists connect to their art. Imagine performing your music for 40…
[COLUMN] Fil-Am engineer Dr. Cris Liban awarded for industry advancement at the American Society of Civil Engineers convention
“Society works best when we can take its functions for granted. It works best when we can trust that our personal safety is never in doubt. Trust, often unseen, is…
[COLUMN] Journalist Janet Nepales’ head-turning book on ‘FASHION. Filipino. Hollywood. The World’
“Creative people are critical: they don’t stop with the given and the (supposedly) “obvious.” They are imaginative. They make a habit of thinking in more open and simple ways, keeping…
[COLUMN] Fr. Melanio Viuya’s reflections reveal God’s favor in life
“It is the Lord Jesus whom we meet in the faces of our marginalized and discarded brothers, in the migrant who is despised, rejected, put in a cage, but also…
Mon David’s homecoming concert: The floodgates of his creative intelligence, unleashed
“Mon’s performance at Catalina was the alarm clock [that] my jazz spirit needed to wake from its catatonic dormancy throughout the pandemic! It was a great jolt of jazz as…
[COLUMN] Fr. John Cordero: Truth, light and God’s resonating words beyond the coronavirus pandemic
“Correct leadership is not a divine right, but a duty of service. We are known as Christians by our service. We have to remember our roles as servant leaders… to…
‘Pinoy’tainment brings Filipino American talent to the Ford stage
“Joy is not found in the things which surround us, but lives only in the soul.” -Thérèse de Lisieux Two decades ago, I watched Ted Benito act in a Filipino…
[COLUMN] How many more words before we can all breathe?
LAST summer around this time, America’s psyche was traumatized when Derek Chauvin, a white policeman in uniform, knelt on the neck of an African American man named George Floyd, for…
[COLUMN] The way of a conscious heart: Confronting unconscious bias in institutions and hate crimes
Part 2 of 2 “I see, above all, the pressing need to strengthen institutions, which are a vital reserve of moral energy and civic love. The hyperinflation of the individual…
[OPINION] The way of the conscious heart: Confronting racism, white supremacy, and hate crimes (Part 1 of 2)
“I confess that when I hear some speeches by someone responsible for public order or a government, I am reminded of Hitler’s speeches in 1934 and 1936. They are typical…
Kuya Lord pop-up series: Chef Maynard Llera ventures off to present Filipino food his way
PART II in series on Love-Infused LA Fil-Am Small Businesses In the Asian Journal’s previous Southern California midweek issue, I wrote about Max & Lucy’s ensaymadas, co-owned by Don Sagarbarria…
John Arcilla, a masterful thespian and actor animating Heneral Luna, Hipolito and Healing Priest Suarez
“People learn who they are through the stories they tell. As they touch the imagination, stories become alive. The images trigger the imagination to realize what is in the narrative….
How Max and Lucy’s revived a family ensaymada recipe
Part I of a series on love-leavened Fil-Am small businesses Minyong Ordoñez, a Filipino anthropologist, wrote that the Filipino culture defines Filipino identity as [something] that “manifests goodness and virtues,…
[OPINION] ‘Your Vote Matters 2 Us’: Filipino American mobilized through bipartisan efforts
“Never before in the history of American elections has the Filipino American community mobilized, strategized and organized to the degree I’ve seen. For at least the Filipino Americans for Biden/Harris…