oblivious nerd girl
hood chronicles

Yesterday I helped facilitate at the new FPAC Saysay Pavilion, where FilAm arts gathered the communities stories. It was amazing to hear the different paths and moments that weave into the Filipin@-American experience.

The project mostly focuses on stories of Filipino migration. These stories can be long but with 2 minutes I shared a small snippet of my families migration story.

My folks immigrated with the big wave of Filipino professionals in the 1980s. In the midst of martial law, the writing was on the wall. My nurse auntie and engineer uncle had left in the 60s brain drain migration. They tested the waters in a new country. The report backs of opportunities and jobs set the plan in motion for my clan's move to the States.

Mom came over first. In the late 70s she came with her two sisters and my Lola Sabel. Mom would be Pops' touchstone. If she could see herself in the States, so could Pops. For three years she created a life in San Fernando Valley. She came home to marry Pops and wait for their time to make their big move.

In the meanwhile I became a bun in Moms oven while they lived in Ozamis. This hometown is where both my maternal and paternal families are from. Where folks speak bisayan. Where the island of Mindinao doesn't strike fear immediately. Where it is simply, home.

While I was hanging out in Moms' belly the need for some place cool to go to took over. Mom and Pops went to the local movie theater to take in that sweet cool air con. Pops has a tendency to scan every room he walks into, so he noticed a weird dude in the theater. He kept his eye on the weird dude, who simply wasn't acting right, and found a seat in the theater with moms. They waited for the movie to stratt but it was delayed. Pops didn't feel right about the whole situation so he decided to go home. This did not go over with Moms. She was very pregnant with me. All she wanted to so was sit in air conditioning and enjoy a movie! Pops insisted they leave and so they did.

They found out later that the movie theater they were in was a target of a faction of Filipino Muslims in the area. They have been fighting the Christians in the area for years. Several movie theaters were targeted that day. Some went off, but the theater where Moms and Pops went to was spared. The weird dude Pops spotted, was supposed to set off the bomb. That guy chickened out.

My parent left the Philippines for a better life, like most folks. But they also left because they did not want me to grow up in an area constantly at war. It isn't in an oil rich country, so this won't be in the news. But it was my families reality. This is why they left their homeland. This is my story. This is the story I shared through the Saysay project. 

Many thanks to all the hardworking folks who put fpac together. It was an honor to share my story and have folks share their own!

My first zine explained how Oblivious Nerd Girl started and acted as a business card for the hoodnerdgirl tumblr.

Apparently at a family party last Friday my ebooks were a topic of conversation with my aunties and uncles. While I'm glad they are now purchasing the ebooks, I'm a little freaked out that my family might be asking me about those stories! Gah! Pressure!!!!


One of my tita's even told me that I'm not charging enough for the ebooks! (One is 99 cents and the 2nd is $1.99). But it's all good in the hood. If folks buy them I'll be happy!

This zine is a plug for the ebooks. As a Saysay Pavilion facilitator I was informed that I could sell books or other pieces. I don't have anything formally printed and my attempts at printing chapbooks in time were deemed futile. Instead I got the idea to make zines plugging the ebooks! So if you go to FPAC this weekend, visit the PAN Pavilion, and pick one up!

Many thanks to Jilly of FilAm Arts, for helping me fold these suckers!!!

The Festival of Philippine Arts and Culture (FPAC) is this weekend.  FPAC has a special place in my heart. I've worn many hats for FPAC (volulnteer to ticket coordinator to generations stage emcee to logistics director).  Ultimately I am a fan of the festival.  It always feels like coming home.  

Last year was the first year I couldn't go to the festival and while I danced the night away at my cousins wedding, I did think about how FPAC was doing.  This year I'll be facilitating a part of the Saysay Project!  Funded by the James Irvine Foundation, the Saysay Project is a community-sourced story-gathering project by FilAm ARTS. 

I'll be sharing my families immigration story and even some of my Oblivious Nerd Girl stories in the process.  Come by the Saysay Pavilion on Saturday, September 7th from 12-2pm and share your stories with me!