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New TFALEpisode 107 – CENSUS-maryosep 2020
Census-maryosep, Census 2020 is coming! Historically, Filipino Americans (like many other communities of color) tend to be under-counted. In our effort to make sure our community is heard, we...
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New TFAL
Episode 106 – Walang Bahay: Perspectives on Homelessness and Poverty with Andrew Gutierrez III from Safe Place for Youth
Homelessness is an issue that affects us all, but it’s especially felt in TFAL’s home base of Los Angeles. Last year, thanks to a mix of housing unafforadability, stagnant...
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New TFAL
Throwback Episode – Filipino Ethnic Enclaves: Do They Exist? Do We Need Them?
Earlier this month the Los Angeles Times ran the column Here’s how HiFi, or Historic Filipinotown, got its name by Frank Shyong. In the column Frank quotes TFAL’s...
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recent Episodes
This Filipino American Life is a podcast that explores the nuanced experiences of Filipinos in the United States, atbp. We release new episodes every other week. Enjoy all our latest episodes here!
Throwback Episode – Filipino Ethnic Enclaves: Do They Exist? Do We Need Them?
Earlier this month the Los Angeles Times ran the column Here’s how HiFi, or Historic Filipinotown, got its name by Frank Shyong. In the column Frank quotes TFAL’s Joe Bernardo and mentions Episode 85 – Filipino Ethnic Enclaves:...
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Episode 105 – TFAL meets Bruha Baddies
Ever leave flyers out and hope that it reaches someone out there? In this episode Producer Mike and Elaine learn how leaving TFAL flyers out in a Zia Records in Las Vegas inspired Jean Munson and Rose Trinidad of...
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Episode 104 – Hilaw Pa 3.0
Hilaw Pa is back with its third edition! If you’re new to TFAL, Hilaw Pa is a recurring segment in which the TFAL crew proposes random half-baked ideas related to the Filipino Americans that should exist in this world,...
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Episode 103 – On Filipino American Nationalism(s) with Vicente Rafael
Many Filipinos and Filipino Americans tend to identify as such without question or sense of history of how these categories emerge historically. In this TFAL episode, Joe speaks to his advisor and mentor in graduate school, Dr. Vicente Rafael,...
Episode 102: Coffee Talk with Joseph Zoleta of Black 6 Coffee Trading Co
What happens when a Marine combines their passion for coffee with their Veterans organized humanitarian mission non profit? In this episode the crew talks with Joseph Zoleta and learns how a humanitarian trip to the Philippines turned this marine/paramedic...
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Episode 101: Pag-ibig – TFAL talks Romance Novels with Tif Marcelo, Mia Hopkins, Maida Malby, and Sarah Smith
During Filipino American History Month The Ripped Bodice, the only exclusively romance bookstore in the United States, hosted Pag-Ibig: Celebrating Filipino Diaspora in Romantic Fiction with Tif Marcelo, Mia Hopkins, Maida Malby, Sarah Smith, hosted by Ezrah Lasolah-Tuble. In...
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recent articles
Enjoy all our latest written articles here!
TFAL Holiday 2019
This holiday season we’ve been highlighting Filipino American businesses on Instagram. Are you following This Filipino American Life on instagram? Head to @tfalpodcast and give us a follow. Looking for some Christmas present ideas? Why not support these folks? REPPIN PINS Reppin Pins is a Chicago based pin company. Use code TFALREPPIN for $3 off...
Sneak Preview Screening of ‘Quezon’s Game’ coming to LA on December 16
ABS-CBN International will be hosting a “special sneak peek” opening of Quezon’s Game in Los Angeles at the Downtown Independent Theater, December 16-22. In a time when the government of Israel is deporting Filipino workers and their families, Quezon’s Game couldn’t be a more appropriate movie to watch now. Quezon’s Game, directed by Jewish filmmaker Matthew...
“Joy is Here”: A Review of Hello, Love, Goodbye
Hello, Love, Goodbye is breaking box office records in the Philippines, and now it’s making waves throughout the diaspora. The film centers on Joy (Kathryn Bernardo), a domestic helper living and working in Hong Kong, and her determination to fulfill the responsibilities to her family in the Philippines. She then meets Ethan (Alden Richards), a...
TFAL at San Diego Comic Con 2019
TFAL is going to San Diego Comic Con this week, and to celebrate, we’ll have these exclusive #SDCC2019 Sticker Packs! So how do you get your hands on one of these? Just look for Elaine and Producer Mike! This is what they looked like the last time they went to SDCC in 2011. But where...
EMPTY BY DESIGN
EMPTY BY DESIGN is Andrea Walter’s feature debut and will have its world premiere as the Closing Night film for the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival. Walter’s film evokes the loneliness of returning to a home you no longer recognize or a home that does not recognize you. EMPTY BY DESIGN Fri, May...
PARENTALS & #LIFE
PARENTALS highlights how parents and children take on the complexities of today’s world. This shorts program features MANILA IS FULL OF MEN NAMED BOY by Andrew Stephen Lee. In this film as Michael Jackson’s televised funeral plays throughout The Philippines despite terrorist attacks in the south, an estranged son purchases a child who can drink...
meet the Hosts & crew
We started the TFAL podcast in 2016 as friends who loved sharing perspectives on our personal Filipino American experiences. Get to know more about us and our other projects.
Joseph Bernardo
Joe is a 2nd generation Filipino American born in Los Angeles and raised in the San Fernando Valley. He currently works at a local university in LA and is involved with various organizations & campaigns that support...
More about Joseph >
Ryan Carpio
Ryan was born in Manila, Philippines and immigrated to the United States when he was 7 years old. He grew up in Los Angeles and currently works for the City of LA. He’s a Loyola High School and UC Berkeley alum. In his free time, he likes to sing, teach, play cards, and laugh.
More about Ryan >
Elaine Dolalas
Elaine is a Historic Filipinotown-based writer, podcaster, and independent curator. She curates Color Your Troubles Away, a monthly arts event that offers stress relief, healing, and meditation through coloring.
More about Elaine >
Michael Nailat
Michael, aka waxstyles, is definitely 100% Filipino American, although his facial hair tends to confuse folks for some reason. Born and raised in Oxnard, educated at UC Irvine and USC, it’s no wonder he ended up becoming a DJ...
More about Michael >
Subscribe To TFAL
Listen to TFAL and access all former episodes on your favorite player. This Filipino American Life is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, Mixcloud, or where ever you get your podcasts.
Featured episodes
Here is a selection of our most popular TFAL episodes. Whether it features a special guest or topic close to our hearts, we know you’ll love these episodes. First time listeners start here!
