thisfilipinoamericanlife

Episode 168 – TFAL Goes to Chicago: Entrepreneurship, NFTs, and Sneakers with Francis Almeda and Jeff Masangcay

This episode rounds out the TFAL crew’s trip to the midwest. On this episode we talk to Francis Almeda, a Chicago based entrepreneur who owns Side Practice Coffee, Reppin Pins, and Filipinoadz. Francis explains what it was like to open a coffee shop in the middle of a pandemic. He also enlightens the crew on…

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Episode 167 – TFAL Goes to Chicago: Arts, Politics, and Community with Ginger Leopoldo and Mark Calaguas

One of the great things about traveling to a different city like Chicago aside from eating the wonderful food and visiting a Michael Jordan monument, is meeting people who have done tremendous work uplifting the Filipino American community. First, we got a chance to talk to Ginger Leopoldo to talk about what it’s like to…

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Episode 166 – TFAL Goes to Chicago: Traveling to Chi-Town

The TFAL Crew is in Chicago!  Over the next three episodes, TFAL brings you to the capitol of the Midwest!  We will talk to some of the city’s community leaders and small business owners and discuss what the MIdwest Filipino American experience is all about. In this introductory episode, the TFAL crew discusses traveling for…

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Episode 165 – The 2022 Philippine Presidential Election

In less than two weeks, Filipinos across the Philippines and dual citizens around the world will go to the polls to elect a new president.  This is a very important election for the Philippines and will affect those of us in the diaspora tremendously.  We at TFAL want to make sure you all know the…

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Episode 164 – Belligerence Has Arrived! TFAL gets real with Melissa Beck from Real World NOLA Homecoming

In the year 2000 MTVs Real World took the audience to New Orleans and introduced Filipino Americans to Melissa Howard. Over 20 years later Paramount Plus is giving Gen Xers the opportunity to revisit classic Real World casts. In 2021 Real World New York and Los Angeles opened the door to these Homecoming reunions. These…

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Episode 163 – Who’s le beouf? TFAL talks food criticism with Annabelle Tometich

Surprise, surprise, TFAL talks about their favorite subject – FOOD – in this episode! Specifically food criticism. The team talks about the rise of Yelp reviews to which one of us wanted to be a food critic? Could you guess who that might be? If you suspect a TFAL food appreciator, you might be correct!…

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Episode 162 – Estatue, Filipino America? A Memorial-able Discussion about Filipino American Monuments

Monuments, statues, street signs, plaques, memorials, murals.  Our communities are filled with tributes to the people, places, and things that hold some sort of significance to the people who live there, and this holds true in past and present Filipino Communities throughout America.  Jose Rizal Bridge, Larry Itliong Village, and the upcoming gateway arch in…

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Episode 161 – The Complicated History of SPAM with Gabrielle Berbey

Oh SPAM…the delectable, delicious soft pink slab of pork meat so ubiquitous to Filipino and Filipino American weekend breakfast meals. You love it fried, crispy, maybe with a sprinkle of sugar, served with a warm heap of garlic rice and egg. It tickles our taste buds and tummies with such delight, but also clogs our…

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Episode 160: TFAL talks The Girl Who Sees with Pattie Umali

  It’s no secret that TFAL Producer Mike and Elaine love a good video game from Animal Crossing to Uncharted to Final Fantasy.  Role Playing Games (RPG) are a favorite pastime. If only there was a Filipino inspired one we could explore? Well turns out there is!  In this episode the crew shares their experiences…

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Episode 159 – The Secret’s Out: Secretly Filipino

Ever wonder why that peculiar Chinese restaurants have no chopsticks on their table settings?  Have you noticed that your finance branch at your work has a lot of Filipinos? Did you ever think, what’s up with basketball leagues that are 6 feet and Under? These questions are some of the same things we’ve asked. We…

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