Author: Connie Triggiano
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A Filipino Journey Through Chicago and Beyond- A mini tour
Across Chicago, a network of Filipino landmarks reveals a history far deeper than most residents know. These points of interest — from early settlement hubs to cultural institutions and community-built spaces — chart the long arc of Filipino migration, labor, faith, and activism in the Midwest. They stand as evidence that Filipinos have contributed to…
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Tara na! to Springfield — where decisions shape Filipino Americans’ future
Maraming Filipinos, kasama ang fellow Asians at determined community supporters ang tutungo sa Springfiled Illiois, seat of state government, sa Miyerkules, Mayo 6, 2026 para ipadama sa mga legislators ang collective concerns at hinaing ng mga Filipinos at kapwa Asians ukol sa mga pangangailangan ng mga pamilyang migrante sa Chicago. State legislators control essential aspects…
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A celebration of life while it’s still being lived
A farewell party. A final hurrah. A profound swan song. An advanced goodbye. It’s when a loved one is getting ready to write “30,” like when a news story ends. It’s a celebration of life while it is still being lived. They’re called many endearing terms – these celebrations of life as it veers towards…
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A Proposed Blueprint for Filipino Americans’ Political Recognition
During every election cycle, Filipino American voters bring a cluster of priorities highlighting economic needs, immigration anxieties, and health care, among other issues in the mix but these community concerns rarely surface in mainstream political narratives. The core issue behind this absence in the political landscape that tends to perpetuate Filipinos’ under-recognition is not a…
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Are We Empowered Yet?
That Filipino Americans are frequently labeled as “invisible Asians,” has been a topic widely written about — notably by Filipino writers themselves. It’s a well-intentioned reflective approach into understanding the reasons behind Filipino Americans’ invisible classification — according to the usual metrics by which races and ethnicities are observed and processed. Asian immigrant communities assume…
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Joseph, Salve and Eliana Amarise Kierulf: One immigrant family’s warm and inspiring story
The perfect life for typical US immigrants is multifaceted, encompassing a blend of personal achievements, cultural integration, and a raw boldness to chase and pursue their dreams. Joseph Brian Kierulf and his wife Salve, both Filipino educators now teaching in Chicago’s public schools are one such couple of immigrants. The couple plowed over vicissitudes of life, struggling but committed to spending their professional years mentoring Filipino children in Cebu…
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Seeking “hygge” amid a chaotic year-end culture that is Christmas.
It is rather ludicrous that the 353 days before December 25 each year are days with enough problems and life’s issues — full of upheaval, instability, and emotional turbulence. And yet, it is in the final 7 days of the year that pressure exacts its toll. Large swathes of the religious and consumer imaginations…
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The mini saints and ghoulish little people and adults of Halloween
They were mini saints carrying their respective instruments, attributing to their special holiness. The little St. Cecilia carried a small keyboard representing an organ, signifying her role as patron saint of music. The little Veronica showed extended arms with a length of fabric impressed with the legendary three faces of Christ from Lenten rituals. The…
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Tagalog comes to the rescue in the wintry cold of Chicago
The winter term at Rizal Center’s Tagalog Class will begin on Monday, January 19, 2026, in 2-hour sessions in 15 meetings, for a total of 30 hours. The class will meet every Monday and Thursday from 6 to 8 pm. The nurturing warmth and spirit of the Philippines’ heritage language is designed to temper the…
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Tagalog helped ease the pain of a father’s coming home
Never had a language – not mere words – played a poignant role in easing the waving aches of grief over a father who had passed away, away from the land and family he missed and loved through the years. But Tagalog did. This is the story of how the Philippines’ heritage language became the…