WHILE grocery shopping at a major seafood market, Filipina shoppers hesitated to pick up the free community dailies. One said, “They do not report the news, they change the news.” Philippine News, Weekend Balita, Manila Express, and the Asian Journal were on the display rack. I could not pass up the chance to demur. About to exit, I came back.
I said, “This is credible (pointing to the Asian Journal), as I write for them. They assign journalists to cover events.” To which the lola quickly shared with her friend, “Iyon naman pala. Heto, kunin na natin.” They took copies of the Asian Journal and added Philippine News.
I have been covering events and doing interviews for the Asian Journal, one month short of 10 years. At those events, I regularly see journalists from Balitang America and the Asian Journal. But, for mainstream events, like the Democratic National Convention, I saw Paul Henson, Don Tagala and Rommel Conclara of Balitang America, and Momar Visaya and Christina Oriel from the Asian Journal.
Do we regard first person interviews as higher/better sources of information?
In mainstream journalism and even scientific fields, we value objectivity. Do we form conclusions based on observable facts or do we simply parrot and echo the partisan opinions of faux news from television stations?
Objectivity is illustrated by taking care to present not just the sentiment, but the sum and substance of the issues, the opposite perspectives, the subjects with their insights and at times, and consequences of each perspective.
I was elated when I saw Balitang America reporters at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Philadelphia and personally conveyed to Rommel Conclara and Don Tagala how I appreciate their work. I trust their broadcast pieces as they are comprehensive, with both sides presented, and when verified, they withstand scrutiny.
If Steve Angeles reports on a sports event, much like his award-winning documentary on Michael Martinez, I learn about the athlete’s journey but also, the sacrifices needed to achieve his Olympic dreams and how the Los Angeles community came together to support him.
This comprehensiveness of coverage from all three comes from sustained presences at events.
The values of our Asian Journal publishers, Cora and Roger Oriel, continue to animate our work: harmony, love of country and community. From those values, we write from first-hand observations, interviews, foregoing meals at times, to commingle with DNC delegates, enjoying research, verification and synthesis to know the history, the context and to gain a broader understanding and importance.
Much of the political and feature stories are derived from a strong work ethic, of going the extra mile to give space to Filipino-American voices, not normally covered by mainstream news and positively highlighting what makes our Fil-Am communities succeed in America.
But do you know what matters to our country and to our community here in America?
Knowing what matters to our American communities is the outcome of a strong work ethic, working with sustained curiosity, care and concern for our community, but also a high regard for excellence.
We now frown on the “shallow and superficial” reporters of a past generation where the earlier generation of community newspapers preferred to “cut and paste” and failed to give us the Fil-Am perspectives on what it takes to build a community in America.
It linked us to the “loud perspectives,” emanating from the Philippines, without regard to our innate abilities to form credible perspectives and conduct mature independent discourses to unify us as community members. We were kept divided and we stayed divided.
News at the national and international levels echo favorite ringers and repeat rhyming phrases printed on Philippine-based newspapers and broadcast television. Yet, they do not illustrate the true needs of our caregivers to be paid their due wages, including overtime pay, or the struggle of our kababayans to find effective health care services, until the Affordable Health Care Act (or Obamacare) covered these needy citizens, or the need to have our families reunited through comprehensive immigration reform.
If we relied on these “cut and paste” newspapers, we will be misled and made to believe that our community cares less about voting in every election. We will be misled that we simply care more about seeing movies about celebrities, the likes of KathNiel (Kathleen and Daniel) JaDine (James and Nadine).
This is why I strongly believe that Momar Visaya’s news stories on the DNC and Christina Oriel’s featured headliners on both the DNC and Republican National Convention (RNC) contributed to raising our national awareness as U.S. citizens here. Their pieces revealed more about the Fil-Am delegates’ insights that we seldom read in the mainstream news and why our votes count and matter in this election.
Like these Asian Journal reporters, I too made it to the DNC in Philadelphia and wrote a three-part series on democratic participation. By attending, I came to know of a grandma and why she supports Hillary Clinton, following her three decade-career of what she did for the public’s common good. I also learned that Larry Itliong, a labor union leader who spoke in many languages, attended the DNC.
Larry Itliong persuaded Cesar Chavez to join the farmworkers’ strike, started and initiated by Filipino farmworkers, for better working conditions and higher wages, a measly 0.25 cents per crate of harvested grapes. One would think that this measly increase of 0.25 cents was reasonable, yet the farm owners refused these farmworkers, leading to an international and national grape boycott. Do we know that about our forefathers in America? Do we even know that our forefathers were here as shrimp farmers in the 16th century, much earlier than the English pilgrims who established Thanksgiving?
By attending the convention, I personally witnessed parents holding their newborns, as older grandparents walked with canes and rode on wheelchairs, all while enduring the heat and humidity of Philadelphia (which rose to 104 degrees) just to be present at the history-making event.
They came in all rainbow colors and while I witnessed dissenting delegate voices. I also saw Senator Bernie Sanders lead the Vermont delegation to ask for Madame Hillary Clinton to be declared by acclamation, as the DNC’s presidential candidate.
My thoughts then: if thousands sacrificed to be represented in this convention, why would I not?
Yes, we all can sacrifice a bit more to give back to America, the country which gives and continues to provide us opportunities for a new life!
Having sacrificed for our American citizenship, do we now vote for our families’ quality of lives?
Do we now realize how our American citizenship was derived? Some families sacrificed two to three decades of waiting here, working and taking on jobs as they come, while other family members feel abandoned, waiting in the Philippines to come here.
Or muting our wants, prioritizing our family needs in America?
Or how we got mentored to work with others to adopt workplace standards? I still remember my mentors (Filipino/a Americans) sharing these: “Failure is not an option. Mediocrity is not our American standard, but excellence and quality in our work products.”
Gone are the days of Harry Reasoner, Mike Wallace, Ted Koppel, and Peter Jennings, the best journalists in my book. I remember watching them from 7 p.m. World News to Nightline and not for once doubted what they reported.
When Peter Jennings died, we were in Canada. His life story was featured on Canadian television and their newspaper, The Globe and Mail, featured his story of mentoring young journalists, his philanthropy and how he valued his Canadian citizenship. It was not until the last two years of his life that he opted for American citizenship, at the request of one of his children. Imagine, the best news anchor who delivered news with credibility did not vote until the last two years of his life in America?
Would you be a silent “wannabe” American voter? Why not step forward now, it is as simple as going online. We are one of the more technologically literate communities and are able to work with computers to do animation work, be illustrators, and even filmmakers.
Do we take moments to do research on each measure and ballot proposition? Do we read about the candidates or do we simply rely on the faux news on television?
Do we even attend community events and workshops to know what these political candidates support or do we support the candidate who looks handsome or beautiful and how to be a celebrity figure on television?
Do we know that only the DNC can proudly say that its history includes opening its nomination ranks to people of color and now, a woman?
I was inspired when I saw a Facebook photo of Jessie Lichauco, a 104-year-old American who resides in Manila and registered to vote so she can cast her ballot for Hillary Clinton.
I hope you know what is at stake this election. When a presidential candidate declares his hatred and contempt for Mexicans, Muslims, Asians, Jewish donors, women (to call them pigs and housekeeping) and gold standard families of military veterans and those disabled, including Pope Francis and even our current Pres. Obama, it is time to believe he is who says he is. Full of hatred and bigotry, he has no room in any of the political public squares. It is time to be heard as an American citizen of Filipino descent, and vote! But, first make sure you are registered to vote by checking www.registertovote.ca.gov before Oct. 24.
Be informed, and then, go to the polling booth and vote!
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Prosy Abarquez-Delacruz, J.D. writes a weekly column for Asian Journal, called “Rhizomes.” She has been writing for AJ Press for 9 years now. She contributes to Balikbayan Magazine. Her training and experiences are in science, food technology, law and community volunteerism for 4 decades. She holds a B.S. degree from the University of the Philippines, a law degree from Whittier College School of Law in California and a certificate on 21st Century Leadership from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. She has been a participant in NVM Writing Workshops taught by Prof. Peter Bacho for 4 years and Prof. Russell Leong. She has travelled to France, Holland, Belgium, Japan, Mexico and 22 national parks in the US, in pursuit of her love for arts.