BOSFilipinos Podcast

Kaitlin Milliken hosts her final episode of the show. In it, she shares a personal essay on her Boston experience.

BOSFilipinos is turning 5 this year! In this episode, we'll look ahead and share what you can expect from our group in 2022. Trish Fontanilla, who runs BOSFilipinos, joins us for this episode.

For many Catholic Filipinos, religious life means celebrating the ways that their heritage and religion intersect. Father Alex Castro discusses Filipino religious traditions and the  Filipino Apostolate of the Archdiocese of Boston. 

Aldrin Agas, chef and owner of Kuya's Cooking, joins us to talk about his own culinary journey and tips for improving your kitchen chops. That includes how he launched his catering and popup business, where to get ingredients for your Filipino pantry, and how to get your hands on recipes. 

In this episode, we discuss when Filipinos first came to Massachusetts, as well as the organizations that create communities to bind them together. Guests include Richard Chu of University of Massachusetts Amherst and Mary Talusan of California State University Dominguez Hills.

IP is the longest continuously running Filipino cultural school in the US. Today, the completely volunteer run program serves students between pre-K all the way through high school with a variety of cultural programming. That includes language, cooking, dance, and a rondalla music program.  We are joined by three of IP's volunteers to discuss the program's history and how to get involved.

September 1st is when most of the leases in Boston begin. People across town are making their apartments and brownstones feel like home — including many who are moving here for the first time. In this episode, Michele Garlit shares tips for moving, apartment hunting, getting settled and making friends. Michele is a law student at Suffolk University. Listen for more. 

Paulina Mangubat moved to Boston in February of 2021. She's spent her career working in the political sector and relocated to the city to work on a high profile race: Boston's upcoming mayoral election. Paulina is the Digital Director on the Michelle Wu campaign. During our conversation, Paulina shared why she was drawn to the Wu campaign and what got her started in politics.

Lilia Mundelius, chapter coordinator for Malaya Movement Massachusetts, has been involved with fundraising since they were young. After moving to Boston post-grad, Lilia combined their experience raising money for important causes with their love of cooking to support Filipino human rights campaigns through baking. During our conversation, Lilia shared how they decided to start hosing bake sales to support these issues, and resources to get connected to causes in the Philippines.

Hortense Gerardo describes herself primarily as a writer. With a background as an anthropologist, she writes plays about modern relationships, culture, and what the world may look like post-pandemic. In this episode, she shares what inspired her to start writing plays and where she finds inspiration. 

The past year has been called a national reckoning for race. This panel explores why it is important for Black and Asian people to be in solidarity with each other, and historical examples of support between these communities. This conversation took place on April 20, the day that Derek Chauvin was found guilty of all charges in the death of George Floyd. The conversation includes representatives from the following organizations: Boston PEAR, Malaya Massachusetts, Boston South Asian Coalition, The Party for Socialism and Liberation’s Boston and Rhode Island Chapters, and the ANSWER Coalition.

In his debut graphic memoir, Bren Bataclan explores developing love and understanding for the people who shape us. “My mom, she had lots of fits of rages and tantrums... She lacked the maternal skills, but she was a great friend,” Bren says. “[The book is] about this dual personality of hers. In the end, it's all about love and forgiveness and the strength of a Filipino family.” Bren is a full-time artist based in Boston. Get a copy of the book at fememoir.com.

In this episode, we profile Fatima Lacanlale. Fatima’s journey to Boston has taken her from the Philippines to the Bay Area to the Bay State with stops in Utah and Tennessee in between. During our conversation, Fatima discussed her immigration story and the tales behind her different moves throughout the US. She also shared her personal hobbies in the arts — including an upcoming series of 12 paintings that depict life in the Philippines. 

Growing up, Josee Matela would tell her family that she spoke eight languages. That included, English, Filipino, and Boston. She grew up wanting to go to college in Boston, and achieved those dreams by attending BU as a first-generation student. Now, Josee is a postgraduate living and working in digital marketing. In this episode of the BOSFilipinos Podcast, she shares her experience as a first-generation student, young professional, and Filipino-American.

In 2020, getting a haircut feels like a luxury. Filipino-American small business owner Marc Anthony Lujares can help. This year, Marc launched a business where he gives mobile haircuts and style consultations in the Greater Boston Area.  Marc is also a personal image concierge, who gives style consultations to help men look their best. Marc shares how he pivoted into the fashion game and tips for developing your own personal style.

When it comes to her job, Katherine Choi says she feels most fulfilled when she helps her students communicate their wants and needs. That could be asking for a snack, or their iPad, or sharing their feelings with a loved-one.  Katherine is a speech-language pathologist, who aids people with speech or swallowing disorders. Today, she is a practicing clinician at a school for special needs students. Katherine shares the different ways she works with her students, the factors that led her down this career path, and her life outside the classroom. 

Art offers one way for people to share their stories and connect. This episode features two pinay artists, who share their inspirations and creative journeys. First, we sit down with Magdalena Dolorico, a 15-year-old artist in Massachusetts. Then, we step outside of the Bay State to hear from Malaka Gharib, author of the graphic novel, I Was Their American Dream.

When Marge Maallo was in elementary school, her dad would bring home college-level physics books for her to read on the weekends. That kicked off her passion for science that has taken her all over the world — from her home in the Philippines to Australia to Pittsburgh and most recently to Boston. In this episode of the BOSFilipinos Podcast, Marge shares her experience as a scientist and discusses her research on pain at Boston Children's Hospital. She also talks about maintaining a connection with her Filipino friends and family around the world.  

In July, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte signed the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 into law. This bill expands the definition of terrorism so it could include, strikes, rallies, protest, and providing support to political activists. This episode dives deep into The Anti-Terror Law, how groups in the northeast are organizing in resistance, and why.  Three organizers guide this conversation. Bernadette Patino is Northeast Regional Coordinator of the Malaya Movement. She is based in New York. Allan Basco Espejo and Erin Berja are both organizers for Boston Philipinx, Education, Advocacy and Resources — or PEAR.

Star grew up with a love hate relationship with music. They slept through piano lessons in their youth. However, writing poetry and eventually lyrics became a creative outlet for Star. That musical journey led them to release a solo album, move to Boston, and form their band The Sunset Kings.  In this episode of the BOSFilipinos Podcast, Star shares the origin story of The Sunset Kings, their creative process, and how music has shaped who they are — as well as their relationship with culture.  This podcast includes clips from "Metronomin'", "Symphony Blues," and "Come By" by The Sunset Kings. 

When researching for her memoir, Grace Talusan found pictures of herself as a 1-year-old, mimicking the acts of reading and writing. In 2019, Grace shared her stories with the world in The Body Papers. The book gathers Grace’s essays, touching on deeply personal topics. Her writing explores her cultural identity, experiences as an undocumented immigrant, genetic disease, and her time as Fulbright Scholar in the Philippines. In this episode, Grace shares how writing the book has shaped her life. 

If you’ve ever been to a BOSFilipinos event, you definitely know Trish Fontanilla. She’s the one running the show. She’s also the person who does most of the BOSFilipinos spotlights and the group’s newsletter.  In this episode of our podcast, we put Trish on the other side of the interview and ask her about founding BOSFilipinos. Trish also shares her experience growing up as a Filipino American in New Jersey — including why she grew up with two birthday parties. 

BOSFilipinos Podcast Host, Kaitlin Milliken, talks about her relationship with culture to kick off the show. To better explain her background, she visits her grandma, Odette Semana Rojas, in her hometown. 

In this brand new podcast created by BOSFilipinos, we’ll highlight a different aspect of the Filipino American experience in Boston—from language, to food, to dance, and so much more. Our first episode will be up soon, but until then you can subscribe to our show wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also read awesome profiles and catch up with our blog posts at bosfilipinos.com. If you want to be highlighted or know someone who we should feature, DM us on Instagram @bosfilipinos.