What does it mean to be Filipino? When I think about how to best describe Filipino culture, I struggle to find one word that truly embodies what Filipinos stand for. Words like vibrance, hospitality, family, generosity, and sacrifice come to mind. But words alone cannot even begin to encapsulate my culture. For me, Filipino culture is going to my Grandma’s house on the weekend and being bombarded by mountains of authentic Filipino dishes: chicken adobo (a Filipino fan favorite), dinuguan (pork stew), arroz caldo (rice porridge), and of course, lumpia (Filipino fried eggroll). Filipino culture is my selfless grandmother, who voluntarily shovels all of her food onto my plate the minute that she realizes it’s empty. Filipino culture is going to family parties and not even being able to recognize half of the people there. But even if this is the case, Filipino culture is greeting these random strangers that you’ve never met, and treating them like family.
At Monte Vista High School, I established the first-ever Filipino American Student Union (FASU) to share the warmth and beauty of Filipino culture with my peers, create a safe space for all students of Filipino descent, and to serve underprivileged communities. Even though our club is still relatively young, we have already made tremendous progress in accomplishing our visions and goals. Last school year, we participated in several cultural fairs both at the school and local town level. These cultural fairs gave us the opportunity to fully showcase Filipino culture, educating attendees about Filipino traditions, cuisine, celebrities, dialects, and the geography of the Philippines. However, perhaps the crown jewel of our achievements from last school year was our inaugural FASU Career Day. At this event, we invited successful Filipino entrepreneurs, physicians, and attorneys to provide mentorship and advice to club members. By informing us about the dedication, sacrifice, and effort that it took to succeed in their respective fields, these Filipino professionals encouraged club members to begin thinking about potential career pathways.
Since last year, our club has continued to build upon this solid foundation. In just the first semester of the year, we organized a mentorship and advice to club members. By informing us about the dedication, sacrifice, and effort that it took to succeed in their respective fields, these Filipino professionals encouraged club members to begin thinking about potential career pathways.
Since last year, our club has continued to build upon this solid foundation. In just the first semester of the year, we organized a which will be benefiting underprivileged children in the Philippines. Unfortunately, many places in the Philippines are plagued by poverty, and countless people lack access to basic nutrition. By dedicating our time to this rewarding project, our club guaranteed that 9,720 mouths will be fed. Currently, we are in the process of shipping these meals to the Philippines. However, until we raise enough funds to cover the cost of shipping, these meals must be stored. Our club has created a fundraising page in order to help finance the cost of shipping. To learn more visit https://gofund.me/67644d10. Furthermore, if you want to find ways to get involved, please follow our Instagram account @mv_fasu. Thank you, and happy holidays to all!
By Dylan Reyes, Sophomore at Monte Vista High School
Dylan Reyes is a current Junior at Monte Vista High School. He is a first time author for the publication who loves creative writing. At Monte Vista, Dylan is an active member within his school community serving as a Sophomore officer in the Leadership class. Furthermore, Dylan is a proud Filipino American who sought to enrich the student body when he founded the first Filipino American Student Union at his school. Dylan’s role in the Danville Youth Council also allows him to stay updated about the latest news within our town. In his free time, Dylan enjoys talking about and playing basketball with his friends, playing fantasy football, and podcasting, a more recent hobby of his. Dylan is excited to pursue this writing opportunity and looks forward to highlighting all of the positive developments at Monte Vista High School and the Blackhawk Community at large.