Filipino People In The Philippines

Research shows that due to the U.S. colonization in the Philippines, not only did cultural awareness spread, but also the association of the term “white”, with being “American”. Therefore marginalizing themselves inadvertently from the greater population. Yen notes that her first generation respondents rarely self identified as being American, and clung onto their Filipino ethnic identity, particularly those who had kept an accent, and identified very strongly with their background (Espiritu, 1994). All of Esperitu’s works that I have used for literary research on this topic has contributed a lot of helpful and indicative information regarding Filipino Americans, helping to understand the various dimensions of their culture within the U.S.

One of my interviewees, Judy Lime is of mixed race and said that in regards to feeling a part of Filipino culture, there was only a certain extent to which she could identify primarily because of her appearance. In addition to research which had attributed problems with identifying as Filipino, and identifying as “white” from inequalities that were perpetuated by Americans themselves. Differences in skin color, dress and even appearances associating some Filipino Americans as being more American, or westernized than others due to having mixed backgrounds from times of Spanish colonization, and U.S. inhabitation. Judy recalled a time when she had visited the Philippines, “EVERYONE stared whenever

Based on trends of Filipino immigration to the Unites States can be classified into four different time periods that begin in the mid 1700’s all the way until the present day (Herrera page 1). These immigration trends are essential for understanding the nature of which immigrants came to the U.S. The first wave of Filipino American immigrants was from 1763-1906. This group consisted of young workingmen from Manila, who hoped to escape the watch of Spanish colonists as they were treated poorly, and often injured. In their escape to the U.S., they sought better and more exciting lives working as crewmembers, mariners and domestic helpers. The second wave, from 1906-1934 were made up of Filipino’s who were uneducated, and single men from more rural areas of the Philippines who worked as farmers, laborers, as housekeepers and servicemen and janitors. The last wave of immigrants was from 1945-1965 and this group was comprised of war veterans, retired military members, families, and students who were easily accepted into the middle class society in the U.S. due to their ability to communicate, and civically engage with their community earning them status (Herrera, page