Hey there. Welcome to my friendly quarters of the vast world wide web. Let me first thank you for taking a peek in my neck of the woods. There are lots of places you could have gone to. For example my lovely friends and colleagues at www.kirkclay.com, www.drlawtina.com, or www.stevephillips.com. You could have even gone to my brother’s spot at www.pilotscabin.com. But you’re here!!! And for that, thanks. If you ever want to take a peek at the ones listed above, I encourage you to do so. And if something on their sites is towards your fancy, then I encourage you to follow them.
Well, how about we start with a little bit about myself. If you haven’t gotten a chance yet to see my About Me section, then you’re in luck!! You’ll get the personal story first. And if you have seen my About Me section, then you’re just saving the best for last. Weren’t ya? Thought so.
I currently live in D.C. But I was born and raised in California. Southern California to be exact, in a city called Rancho Cucamonga that lies within the Inland Empire (909 pride!). My parents are immigrants from the Republic of the Philippines, making my brother and I second-generation immigrants. Though my family’s roots are young, you’ll get the opportunity to learn about each person and hopefully see how much of a modern family we are.
My father is a postal carrier and for the past 30+ years has been walking up and down the hills of Monterey Park delivering mail and stopping by to chat with those on his route. He’s the oldest of three, coming from Chinese-Filipino roots. He taught me how to play basketball when I was 4 and told me to shake it off when I fell off my bike and skid my knees yet again. Sometimes he can drive me insane, but he’ll always be there.
My mother is currently a caretaker (domestic worker) for the elderly. She’s a newly registered CNA. (Congrats to my mom for finally going for it!) Prior to being a domestic worker, my mom worked for in customer service at a major department store. She is the youngest of ten. Yup, ten. Her family came to the U.S. from Victoria, Tarlac. She emphasized that smarts were more important than looks. She came to every single marching band tournament in high school. And she was the one who dropped me off and helped me settle in the first time I moved out to D.C. She’s pretty awesome.
So this young lady is the product of those two people. And those two people taught this young lady and her young brother a lot of life lessons. You see, my parents aren’t college graduates, like many immigrants. So what they were able to provide were more along the lines of morals. My parents taught us to give and take. They taught us to fight fair. They taught us to take care of one another. They taught us to keep on striving no matter what. And they taught us to love, laugh and forgive. Though they didn’t hold a degree, they taught my brother and I everything we needed to live righteously and fully. And that, is just as important. Life isn’t just about what you do or what degree you hold. It’s how you live your life, too.
So even though I work as a social justice advocate and I hold a degree from American University, that doesn’t mean that’s all there is to me. Though there are many who keep the personal private, I believe that there is no alternate life; just your life the way you live it and experience it. With that, I welcome you to venture through this crazy, fun, vivacious and multi-faceted life with me.
‘Til the next time,
E