this summer. i was there as a researcher with a small group in the philippines study program. met with folks involved in the peoples movements, UP professors, studied tagalog, spent time with fam, and made lots of photos for my research direction. it was incredible, and i vividly saw myself as a participant and product of colonialism's legacy there, and here.

one of my main goals through purposeful travel/research, documentary photography, my grad studies, education aspirations, and self-examination around a fil-am identity is to do what i can to induce empathy between the filipino diaspora and pinoys back in the PI. and to induce critical awareness in ways that build, and counter the exploitative relationship that has led the PI from one of asia's economic engines to a brain/labor farm. so whether that's in my own family, for example where i am trying to get my little cousins to learn about their relatives' social conditions/history in the midst of their own massive homes, or in the community with my kasamas & orgs doing a number of things, i'm trying to build connections and empathy between folks, while tying in how societal forces can counter that.

when i finally do a write up/photo gallery of our program/trip, i'll throw it in the sig & the sigeplayer list. thanks to okp, vette, and her sigeplayer list, i got to stay with a aussie pinay okp who just moved to manila from australia for a DOPE 3 days with the "creative" community in manila, mostly fellow photographers.






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Some of my photos from Cuba:
www.flickr.com/photos/workshopvisuals/sets/729092/

www.printroom.com/pro/workshop

www.myspace.com/rawsouthpaw