Oftentimes, bridging the gap between diverse backgrounds and cultures can be challenging. Take, for instance, a Filipino and an American trying to find common ground. Yet, celebrations such as Filipino American Friendship Month serves as a reminder to promote cultural exchange and unity. This month-long celebration highlights the vibrant heritage shared between the Philippines and the Filipino-American citizens in the United States.
Helping foster these connections is Gawad Kalinga USA (GK USA). GK USA is dedicated to eradicating poverty for millions of Filipino families through community empowerment. Additionally, GK USA places importance in bridging cultural divides by involving Fil-Ams in these projects.
Recently, through a partnership with The Filipino School, Gawad Kalinga was able to welcome young Filipino Americans coming from different US states from their 2024 Filgrimage to a GK Village and understand and experience the ground works of Gawad Kalinga in helping the poor. We were blessed enough to interview three Fil-Am participants—Adrian(24, Boston), Emma(22, Washington), and Austin(36, San Diego)— to share their experiences visiting the Philippines for the first time and how it deepened their connection to their history and themselves.
The young participants all took a big leap of faith when they signed up for the 2024 Filgrimage with The Filipino School. They’ve never been to the Philippines nor did they know much about the country despite having Filipino roots. However, Adrian, Emma, and Austin each had personal and familial reasons for their journey to the Philippines. They all wanted to connect with their family back in the Philippines as well as connect with their inner Filipino heritage to get to know themselves more. As second or third generation immigrants from the Philippines to the United States, they were raised with more Western ideals and experiences but grew to want to know more about their identity and be comfortable(and beautiful!) in their own skin. This lack of self-knowledge and identity motivated them to learn more.
The participants had distinct initial impressions of the Philippines. Adrian recognized the country’s beauty but was also aware of its economic disparities and political issues, which had initially made him hesitant to visit. They all mentioned that they had limited expectations due to her lack of prior knowledge but was still eager to explore. They noted significant cultural differences and similarities with the US, and said that their interactions with locals were eye-opening and enriching.
While in the Philippines, the participants were introduced to Gawad Kalinga’s mission of community empowerment and poverty eradication. Before arriving at a GK Village in Dasmariñas, Cavite , none of them had much awareness of GK or what GK does. Their immersion in the village included volunteer work to help construct homes for the homeless, share meals with the community and play games with the children. Adrian was glad to witness hope and happiness among the communities despite their economic status. Emma, while initially nervous about the impact of her efforts, was impressed by the sustainable change GK was striving for. Austin was really excited about the house-building activity because it was his first time doing that type of volunteer service, which they did “bayanihan” style– working together as a community. They all enjoyed classic Filipino games such as Trip To Jerusalem (musical chairs), Hip-hip-Horray!, and Stop-Dance. Adrian shared that it was nice to learn these games because he wasn’t used to children playing outside anymore due to the influence of technology.
The GK visit had an emotional and intellectual impact on all three participants. Adrian had an eye-opening realization about the differences in living conditions between the US and the Philippines. He thought he already knew what it was like in the Philippines but was particularly struck by the challenges in accessing basic necessities like clean water and healthy food in a lot of the areas. He said “You can always put yourselves in their shoes, but you have to put yourselves in their shoes on the land that they grew up in.” Emma agreed and noted that while most Americans are aware of these disparities, witnessing them firsthand provided a deeper understanding.
Adrian, Emma, and Austin’s experiences highlight the importance of strengthening ties with their homeland. They all emphasized the value of such visits for other Filipino-Americans. They stressed that truly immersing oneself in Filipino culture requires being present in the Philippines, experiencing life as locals do. Emma encourages others to visit or, if unable to, to take the time to learn more about the Philippines and support initiatives, such as GK USA, that help fellow Filipinos to feel more connected and empathetic with their fellow Filipinos, especially those who are less privileged.
Austin shared that “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” Truly, the Filgrimage participants’ journey to the Philippines and their engagement with Gawad Kalinga left a lasting impact on them. These young individuals stepped out of their comfort-zones in the best way possible in order to be more comfortable with who they are. They experienced firsthand the beauty and challenges of their ancestral land, gaining a greater appreciation for their heritage and the resilience of the Filipino people. Learning the “bayani” (hero) and “kapwa” (kindred/shared identity) culture gave them more pride in who they truly are. Their stories serve as a call to action for other Filipino-Americans to explore their roots and support community-driven initiatives during Filipino American Friendship Month and beyond!
Connect more with your roots and your fellow Filipinos even if you are across the world from them. Visit www.gk-usa.org to know how to give or get more involved with our communities!
Learn more on how you can connect with young Fiipino Americans who share the same passion in helping the poor by visiting https://gknextgen.wixsite.com/my-site or through their instagram account : gknextgen
Check out The Filipino Story as well and their 6-part video series about what it means to be a Filipino here: https://youtube.com/@thefilipinostorystudio?si=NWNCgHl2iQMrSBUw
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