In this special TFAL episode, we get to know two Pinay visionaries of Anthill Fabric Gallery: Co-founder and Managing Director Anya Lim and Team Performance Coach Elisa Estrera. Anthill Fabric Gallery creates beautiful, contemporary, handmade clothing and accessories by putting culture and communities first. Headquartered in Cebu, Anthill partners with various indigenous, rural, and working class communities throughout the Philippines. By helping members of these communities sharpen their creative and business skills, strengthen family ties, pass down cultural practices, and expand the markets for their work, Anthill has created a strong ecosystem of cultural bearers, designers, business administrators, community developers, and proud weave-wearers. Through this ecosystem, Anthill cultivates sustainable living conditions for every person involved in creating and selling its products. As more “fast fashion” lines fall by the wayside, like Forever 21, we are inspired by Anthill’s approach of putting people, culture and communities first.

Listen in as Anya and Elisa share how Anthill was founded, surprises they experienced during the beginning of the company, important lessons they’ve learned along the way, and where they see Anthill in the near future.

Listen through the embedded player below, download directly here or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts here. For folks who are on Spotify, you can take a listen to us here.

While this recording took place two days before their first two pop-ups in Los Angeles, chat with them in person in San Francisco on Thursday, October 24, and in New York City on Sunday, October 27. Visit their Facebook (@AnthillFabricGallery) or Instagram (@AnthillFabric) pages for exact times and locations.

PC: Producer Mike & gonegosyo.net

Death is a natural part of life.  All of us have experience with death, whether it’s among our family, our friends, or even folks we barely know.  With death comes customs and rituals associated with it that we, the living, perform and practice.  For example, many pre-colonial peoples of the Philippines believed that one had to go through a voyage on a boat to the afterlife.  As such, many coffins and burial jars incorporate a sailing vessel in its design.

In this episode, the TFAL crew explores funerals, spirits, and the afterlife.  Listen as we discuss Filipino customs such as 9-day novenas, blocking mirrors after someone has passed, and not being able to take food home from a wake.  We also talk about our thoughts about what the afterlife will be like!  With Halloween and Day of the Dead (Araw ng mga Patay) coming up, we thought it would be a good time to discuss some of our Filipino traditions when it comes to the “other world.”

Listen through the embedded player below, download directly here or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts here. For folks who are on Spotify, you can take a listen to us here.

Share some of your experiences with Filipino and Filipino American funeral customs by emailing us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com, or call us at (805) 394-TFAL!

PC: xiaochua.net and ilovephilippines.com.ph

On Sunday, October 6th, the TFAL crew had the opportunity to be a part of the Beatrock Music 10-Year Anniversary Festival held at the Bootleg Theater in Historic Filipinotown. The crew revisited the fan favorite format of the TFAL Game Show which we introduced in Episode 27.5.

On this episode we had Beatrock Music artist Faith Santilla, Elmwood Organics owner Wendy Layco, and Vintage Renewals owner Maria Ongpauco competing in this Filipino American History Month and Beatrock Music themed game show.

In this episode there was audience participation and these festival attendees were able to win these “passed”-alubongs. Listen to the episode for our explanation of what is a “passed-alubong!”

Listen through the embedded player below, download directly here or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts here. For folks who are on Spotify, you can take a listen to us here.

How many questions did you get right? Let us know!  Leave a voicemail at (805) 394-TFAL (8325) or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.

Enjoy these photos captured by Producer Mike.  

The TFAL Crew

Eye Spy TFAL Resident Reality Checker Gerlie

(L-R) Beatrock Music VP Kat Carrido Bonds, Beatrock Music Founder Eric “Fatgums” Strand, Beatrock Music Festival producer Eseel Borlasa

Outdoor Mural

Sliders & Spam Musubi by East Los Musubi & Grub Life

HiFi Kitchen

Eat Your Feelings Ice Cream

We love ice cream

Artwork by Mark Canto

TFAL podcast alum Prometheus Brown

Bambu, Beatrock Music President, artist, jerkface

Faith Santilla

Klassy w/ her son Enok

Rocky Rivera, the First Lady of Beatrock

Ruby Ibarra & the Balikbayans

In early September, Pilipino Workers Center of Southern California (PWC) hosted an anti-human trafficking summit, bringing together survivors, advocates, and leaders from throughout the country.  After two days of workshops, panels, and performances, the participants launched the Baklas campaign (Filipino for dismantle / break free), a national effort to end human trafficking.

Post-summit, TFAL got a chance to sit down with Linda Oalican, Executive Director and Founding Member of Damayan Migrant Workers Association, as well as Lydia Catina, a Case Manager & Organizer, and Edith Mendoza, a Community Organizer & Damayan Migrant Workers Cooperative Coordinator.  Also joining us in the conversation is Mairi Nunag, an educator who came to the US through a Labor Broker that promised teaching jobs but through a scheme not unlike indentured servitude.

Thank you to Wowie at PWC for making this conversation possible.  And since this episode was recorded at PWC and not our usual recording space, there is a slight hum from the air conditioning in the room that we couldn’t completely tune out.  Otherwise, please take a listen, and please share your thoughts in the comments!

Listen through the embedded player below, download directly here or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts here. For folks who are on Spotify, you can take a listen to us here.

PC: AFP and PWC