Volunteer Pathways

I interviewed Joy after one of our September Volunteer Workdays. She is a mother of a 4-month old baby, Zia, and is originally from Butuan City, Philippines. A Process Engineer by training and now a stay-at-home mom, she enjoys volunteering, meeting new families, and staying involved in the community. She also creates educational content and loves learning and helping others.

MYRA:  Hi, Joy! How did you hear about the Rizal Center?

JOY:  I just searched it up on Google.

MYRA:  Really?! What was the search word?

JOY:  I think it was “Filipino community” because I just came here last year, and my husband doesn’t have a Filipino background, so he just wanted something for me to connect with. So at first, I just came here for him. The first time, it was just touristy stuff. He wanted me to see it, just to visit because we were planning to settle down and he was unsure if I’d like it here, or if I’d want him to move to Europe because I had my Master’s there. 

MYRA: Europe? Oh, wow, that’s kind of far. (laughs)

JOY: Yes, so he just wanted me to check the US first. But when (laughs) I came back here a second time from Europe, I got pregnant so… (laughs)

MYRA:  Does he have family here?

JOY:  No, his family is in Texas.

MYRA: WOW, you two have lived everywhere! How close do you live to Rizal Center?

JOY: About 15 minutes when there’s no traffic. We live north of Lincoln Square, in West Ridge

MYRA: That’s a nice neighborhood. How long have you lived there?

JOY:  Since last year, around August or September.

MYRA: Are there places in Chicago where you feel most at home, where you regularly spend time outside of the house?

JOY:  At first, it was the Women’s Care Center because when I was pregnant, they really helped us with the parenting class. I was visiting here too last summer, but when I came here, it was just for Bingo.

MYRA: Last summer, you mean just this past summer … because your baby is just a few months old?

JOY:  Yes, she is, and so since I gave birth, I haven’t been back to the Women’s Care Center because there’s just no time and it’s far. It’s almost an hour away by train from our place. And we don’t really go out because of the baby.

MYRA: I see. So you haven’t really lived in Chicago for a long time, but can you share some places of interest to Filipinos in the city?

JOY: When I first arrived here, my husband made me join a Hokulea Academy dancing class. It’s not Hawaiian, but Polynesian. Some of the people who join there are Filipinos, and the young ones are Filipino Americans.

MYRA: (surprised) REALLY? Do you still go there?

JOY: No, I stopped after 3 months because of the baby. But I met a lot of Filipinos there. 

MYRA: So interesting! I should check out that place. Is there a place in Chicago you can call a Filipino town, if any? And why? 

JOY: Inside Seafood City, there was a big banner that said “Filipino Town,” is that what you’re referring to?

MYRA: In Seafood City?! (laughs) Well, I guess with all the street food and the little tyangge area, one can say it’s a Filipino town (both laugh)

JOY: Well, before you asked me to help Rizal Center collate a list of all Filipino-owned businesses in the area, I only knew about Seafood City and a few other businesses in town, like Chicken Ati-Atihan Grill.

MYRA: Yes, me too. I’m not familiar with most of them, but Filipino food is now big in Chicago. So if we had a Filipino town in Chicago, what would it look like?

JOY: I think it would be like a row of restaurants, maybe some stores selling beauty products, and maybe some Filipiniana, like barongs. 

MYRA: Yes, some Filipiniana would be nice! And lastly, what is your interest in volunteering?

JOY: I want to volunteer regularly as much as possible because I really want her to (looks tenderly at Baby Zia)… and it’s mainly for her so she will have some community. Because at home we can only invite family friends, but here, she can be with a lot of people. And it would be nice to have some playmates, and there’s a lot happening at Rizal Center now.

MYRA: Yes, and that’s thanks to you, the volunteers, because you want to come regularly. Even if it’s just a handful of us, we get a lot of work done, and just imagine if we had more people.

JOY: Yes! And I noticed that younger people, especially teenagers, are starting to come. I think the last time I came here it was during the summer, and I only saw old people here. (laughs) I was the only one my age or younger, except for a couple of interns. I believe if we meet regularly, they will come. 

MYRA: Yes, I agree, they will come. And thank you for saying that. That’s very reassuring. (We both laugh and look at the baby)

END OF INTERVIEW

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