A powerful read from a friend in New York, Bino Realuyo. "Resilient" and "survivors" are often used to describe Filipinos, and there are layers to unpack in that idea. Surviving the Marcoses. Surviving political theft that gives new meaning to the idea of the "1%." Surviving life in the "Ring of Fire," where rebuilding is a way of life. Surviving migration and culture shock, in a diaspora some 11 million large, in every corner of the globe.
I thought the kos community would appreciate Bino's essay. You can read the whole thing at Huffingington Post.
The close:
For now, I wish you healing. Tomorrow, when the noise dies down and the light is brighter, I will wish you more. I would wish that you don't surrender to silence. That you don't turn your back to this dark moment. I wish you would be angry. Very angry. Those who perished are now inside your heavy heart. You will hold in your throat their last cries for as long as time allows. They can only speak through you. I wish you strength as you find their voices and harness their anger to speak of truth. I wish you courage as you remind the world that no one wins a war declared against nature. I wish you a torch of light and truth as you fight those who will keep telling you that forgiveness can only be found in silence. I wish you a weapon called voice.
If you are in NYC, Bino and other Filipino-American writers are holding a discussion and fundraiser for Typhoon Haiyan survivors next Saturday afternoon. Kaya Natin! (the Filipino "Si Se Puede!") at the Asian American Writer's Workshop.
KAYA NATIN! / WE CAN DO THIS!
Proceeds from the event will go to two grassroots Filipino organizations that the participating writers have connections to: Kusog Tacloban and
Gota de Leche, a feminist organization. I don't have any links for Kusog Tacloban, but they are being advocated for by Gina Apostol, another Fil-Am writer, from Tacloban,
who wrote this for the NYTimes.