The F/Peminist Catholic

Published on by Lisa Category: Feminism, Moments Poetic, Spirituality and Religion

As a Spanish Filipina, one of the most complex elements of life is faith. Faith is not just the Catholic Church. Faith, for me, incorporates relationships, love, and family. My faith is the beating heart of my life. From what gives life, I believe, is my faith in Something larger than the human mind’s comprehension, and therefore, is considered sacred.

My relationship to catholicism is complicated by all the human conditions that I have been raised with: immigration, translation, ethnic shame, and ignorance. But it is a strong relationship. I know no other kinds of relationships other than strong ones. Despite all the destructive and narrow aspects of the human leadership I have experienced in the Church, I nonetheless, still believe in the power of Something larger and I believe in the spirituality of progress and growth.

As a peminist ([Filipina-American feminism or Pinayism]the “f” sound is not found in Filipino dialect and was enforced by the Spanish’s conquest and King Phillip – note the “PH” sound in Phillip), there is an often disruptive relationship between peminism and catholicism. The Philippines is largely Catholic, something like 90% of the Philippines identifies catholic, and there is no divorce either.

If you are Christian, you may be observing Holy Thursday today. This marks the beginning of the holiest time of the year in the Catholic Church. It is a time of solemnity, sacrifice, deep prayer, and observance. It gives way to Easter Sunday, the fireworks of all Holidays for the Catholic. (In addition, I can have movie popcorn again make it at home during Grey’s Anatomy. This sounds trivial, but you have no idea.)

So, for those of you who identify with the Catholic Church and concern over its well-being, here is a link. It’s a survey asking for any Catholic, under the age of 40 to answer questions pertaining to the future of the church and your personal experience. I had much to say, surprise, surprise.

But, I believe in supporting any kind of initiative that tries to gather opinion from the young. I believe that, despite what my experience tells me, the leadership, or at least some of the leadership, cares about what I, a young Catholic woman, thinks. This effort stems from someone in the the D.C area, surprise, surprise, and I encourage all who observe these holy days of the year, to contribute your thoughts to this survey.

In English:

http://www.emergingmodels.org/survey/catholic_diocesan.htm

En Espanol:

http://www.emergingmodels.org/survey/catholic_diocesanSP.htm

On Leadership

Published on by Lisa Category: Uncategorized

I wrote this yesterday after a writing workshop on leadership.

This sounds terrible, but up until recently, I’ve yawned in leadership’s face. Someone with a clipboard, microphone, conductor’s stick. It’s all been the same. YAWN.

Then, something deeper.

I yawned because that leadership is boring, the kind of person who barked at me for being too slow, the teacher who placed red Xs over my writing, and the priests who told me to be patient, be quiet, be good.

Leadership, in my experience, was men with authority, and for me, it was usually white men peering down at my 5’2 frame and telling me what to do and what not to do.

I never shied away from public speaking. I’ve always loved groups, psychology, connection, conversation, and showing my passion to improve the world. But leadership? It was for people with power and God complexes.

And then I began experiencing transformation. I began recognizing the world collapsing around me: the lush green fading into murky brown; enslaving poverty in the international world; the voiceless, unheard children I worked with.

I became agitated, enraged, and recognized no one was coming. No leader I knew was coming to save me, or the children, or these women. No one was coming.

And then I saw myself. I was there.

Feminism, Connections, and Whose Voices You Hear

Published on by Lisa Category: Moments Poetic


picture found on amazon.

For those of you unfamiliar with new media and the intersection with feminism, there is a large explosion of women bloggers, feminist bloggers, and women of color bloggers. What’s the difference, you might ask. Good question. And good questions often spit out complex answers.

There are women who blog about random things – work, business, gardening, family sorts of things. There are feminist bloggers who take on women and gender issues. Then, there are also women of color bloggers, who tackle issues of gender and women, but take an even more cerebral and, brave, I might add, step in publishing their CRITICAL thoughts of the world, especially the feminist world.

Jessica Valenti is the executive director and founder of Feministing.com (I won’t provide a link, google it if you want), which is a high traffic area for feminists, activists, academics, and journalists. I emailed Jessica several months ago and she was kind in dispersing advice about writing, academia, and connection. She and I are the same age and I couldn’t help but begin to devour blogs shortly after I found Feministing.

Joining the ranks of Jen Baumgardener and Amy Richards, authors of Manifesta,, Valenti/Feministing and mainstream feminism is skyrocketing with its cultural punktified articles and seething sarcasm targeted at patriarchal practices and governing politics.

However, shortly after familiarizing myself with Feministing, I tripped and discovered the Women of Color Blog, Brownfemipower, and her axis of progressive persons of color; activists, academics, and writers, my favorite folks, who exercise and advise caution with mainstream feminism. The featured cover is Jessica’s book that is coming out this spring. And I once again, notice the white skin tone of a book with FULL FRONTAL FEMINISM as its cover.

Sigh.

Oh, how many more white women writers with such certified feminist dexterity, empower their books with such titles and then dare to put a white woman’s body on the cover? How many MORE books will do this? How many mainstream feminists will once AGAIN put a face (or hip) on the cover of a supposedly feminist book?

STOP EXCLUDIG WOMEN OF COLOR. STOP BEING NARROW AND STOP SHORT CHANGING FEMINISM. STOP THINKING YOU’VE GOT THE ANSWERS FOR ALL OF WOMEN. PLEASE BEGIN TO PUBLICIZE YOUR BOOKS CORRECTLY, WITH THE TARGET AUDIENCE IN MIND.

For individuals who think that a white naked hip is an appropriate cover for a book dealing with Third Wave feminism. For ultra-hip cool folks, who prefer high fiving other hands that agree with Whitestream feminism.

Can’t Read You

Published on by Lisa Category: Uncategorized

 

You know when you reach a level of stress where you don’t even know what you’re stressed about anymore? All you know is you feel really disconnected from your body? There’s not much happening externally. But, internally, there’s a war going on.

There’s a lot of blood, a lot of casualities. A lot of sadness.

Inside, there’s a beautiful sunrise coming, but the nighttime still reigns. On my face, I can’t really show what’s happening because everything inside is consuming my attention.

So, you see, there’s little left for those I interact with, and love, and need.

I’m sorry.

But there’s something going on inside, trying to battle it’s way into peace.

I pray it’s over soon.

Very soon.

Posted by Picasa

Hiatus

Published on by Lisa Category: Uncategorized

This weak is the pinnacle of my busy-ness at work. It’s crazy.

So, this week, my blogging might be lame. Or, maybe, if I get really frustrated, I may have a lightning bolt of inspiration in the midst of craziness and blog some brilliance. Either way, this week might be a little awkward to write some deeper things. I’m consumed with things like banquet details, award ceremonies, and room assignments for conference breakout sessions.

You know, things that make you feel alive.

Peephole

Published on by Lisa Category: The Philippines Filipino Culture Philippine History

The first day of spring is a big deal.

For those who suffer from SAD (Seasonal Affect Disorder), this day cannot come soon enough. For those like Adonis, who endlessly talks about the beneficial impact of natural sunlight year round, days like today and the equinox should be observed holidays.

So, in observation of more light and goodness, I thought I’d add a bit of humor to my blog today. This is my favorite Vlog, Happpy Slip. (see side links to more of her stuff)

If you’ve never met my parents and would like a glimpse of what Filipino immigrant parents are like, here’s a little bit of a treat for you.

This is not really an exaggeration of what my actual parents are like.

MOVE IT

Published on by Lisa Category: Uncategorized

I received this and fully support it. Many filipinas were a part of this atrocity during WWII. If you know what a Comfort Woman is and you don’t think, at the very least, they are deserving of acknowledgement and an apology for systematic rape, get off my blog.

Anyone who is interested in taking on a greater leadership or coordinating
role in the campaign may contact Annabel Park at annabelpark@mac.com –
Theresa Mah
Support 121 Coalition Campaign in March
121 Coalition Lobby Day on Capitol Hill Thursday, March 22nd
Press Conference 9am
Lobby on Capitol Hill 10am-5pm

We are calling for a multicultural team of 30-40 people to walk around to
all the House Representatives’ offices representing the coalition and making
the case for H.Res 121 and getting co-sponsorships.

Write a Letter Asking Your Representative to Co-sponsor 121
We need to get as many co-sponsors as possible. The most effective way is
for 5-6 constituents of a congressional district to write a personal letter
to their representatives. It can be emailed or faxed. On each Rep’s webpage,
there is fax and email information.

To identify your congressman and to go to his/her webpage, go to:
http://www.house.gov/
To see the list of current cosponsors, go to:
http://www.thomas.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:HE00121:@@@P
To read H.Res. 121:
http://www.thomas.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?c110:1:./temp/~c110tq5sPj ::

The letter can be very simple making 4 points:
1) I live in your district.
2) I have read and I support H.Res. 121
3) This resolution is very important to me.
4) I urge you to support and co-sponsor the resolution.

Sample Letter (my personal letter to my Congressman)
Honorable Chris Van Hollen
1707 Longworth H.O.B
Washington, DC 20515
RE: Support and Passage of H. Res. 121

Dear Congressman Van Hollen:

I live in your district. I am writing to let you know that I have read and I
fully support H.Res. 121, a resolution proposed by Congressman Mike Honda
calling for Japan to make an unequivocal apology for enslaving 200,000 girls
and women of Asia for institutionalized rape during WWII. The rape victims
were referred to as “comfort women” but they were mostly girls under
eighteen. And these girls and women were tortured, degraded, abused in the
most inhumane, violent manner.

The Japanese government has never made a clear apology and periodically
launches campaigns to deny that the government was directly involved. In
fact, Prime Minister Abe is engaged in this pursuit now and I am deeply
outraged by this.

This resolution is very important to me because it pertains to historical
truth, human rights, women’s rights and victim’s rights. As a U.S. citizen,
I feel that it is important for us take a position for the sake of world
peace and humanity. I strongly urge you to champion H.Res. 121 by
co-sponsoring it and asking other House Representatives to join you.

Thank you for considering this.

Highest regards,
Annabel Park

If Screens Could Shout

Published on by Lisa Category: Uncategorized

In the dark twiddling of writer’s self-doubt and just as I started a bashful journey to begin saying, YES, I am a WRITER, I receive the most joyous affirmation from G*d.

One year ago, I jumped at the chance to review a manuscript. A laborious effort, but I hung in there, believing in good karma.

Twenty moons later, today, I open an envelope and find a lovely card from the author and a sneak preview of the cover. The cover is stunning, but what caught my eye was my name on the jackflap, with my words in italics.

My name, YES, my name was spelled correctly and from all the reviews, mine was listed first. I rejoiced in a way that was similar to when Adonis first reached for my hand seven years ago during a city park walk. A feeling so euphoric, I nearly covered my face in disbelief.

My name, written correctly, reviewed a published book, for the world to see.