BOSFilipinos Podcast

Hello and welcome to the BOSFilipinos podcast. I'm your host, Trish Fontanilla.

Each episode, we celebrate Filipino and Filipino American culture, identity, and community in Greater Boston.

Today's guest is Filipino American playwright and anthropologist Hortense Gerardo.

In this episode, she talks about growing up Filipino American in Ohio and how anthropology shapes her writing. We also dive into this year's theme for Filipino American History Month, and Hortense previews her October projects around Greater Boston. I'm so excited for you all to get to know her. Enjoy!

Stay in touch:

• BOSFilipinos - IG: @bosfilipinos, Email: [email protected]

• Hortense Gerardo - https://www.hortensegerardo.com/

For the full transcript, head to BOSFilipinos.com/blog

Also mentioned on the pod:

• Boston Asian American Film Festival- https://baaff.org/
• Hortense's upcoming shows at the AAPC Fest: https://aapcboston.wixsite.com/mysite/playfest-7

Show Description (also the podcast Intro):

Hello and welcome to the BOSFilipinos podcast. I'm your host, Trish Fontanilla.

Each episode, we celebrate Filipino and Filipino American culture, identity, and community in greater Boston.

Today's guest is Jen Palacio, owner of Tiny Turns Paperie! She also has an art practice called Just Enough Nonsense, and teaches at some of our local colleges around the city. In this episode, we trace the winding path from her Filipino American upbringing in Connecticut to becoming a beloved small-business owner in Somerville.

She talks about discovering art through her grandmother, detouring into the corporate world, and eventually finding her way back to creativity through letterpress. This episode is a celebration of the thousand tiny turns that shape a life.

I'm so excited for you all to get to know her. Enjoy!

Stay in touch:

• BOSFilipinos - IG: @bosfilipinos, Email: [email protected]m

• Jen Palacio - Personal IG: @kokojuice, Store: @tinyturnspaperie

For the full transcript, head to BOSFilipinos.com/blog

Today's guest is Maria Dolorico. Maria is the daughter of Filipino immigrants - as she said to me in her pre-interview, she can't tell you who she is without telling you where she's from. She's a mental health clinician and a PhD student. In this episode, we talk about the cultural nuances of growing up in New Jersey. Maria also shares her journey from teaching to becoming a mental health professional. We also explore Maria's dissertation, which focuses on parenting third-generation Filipino Americans and the need to reclaim cultural identity through storytelling.

I'm so excited for you all to get to know her. Enjoy!

Stay in touch:

• BOSFilipinos - IG: @bosfilipinos, Email: [email protected]m

• Maria Dolorico - IG: @mariadolorico_mentalhealth

For the full transcript, head to BOSFilipinos.com/blog

Today's guest is Michelle Aguillon. Michelle is a theater artist, producer, director, actor, writer, and sometimes scenic designer. In this episode, we talk about Michelle's career path in theater, the challenges of representation in theater, particularly for Asian Americans, and her efforts to diversify casting and provide opportunities for people color. We also chat about her upcoming projects in greater Boston. I'm so excited for you all to get to know her. Enjoy!

Stay in touch:

• BOSFilipinos - IG: @bosfilipinos, Email: [email protected]

• Michelle Aguillon - IG: @meeshaguillon

• Key links:

  • Asian American Playwright Collective: IG: @aapcboston // website: https://aapcboston.wixsite.com/mysite

  • Creative Arts School: IG: @creativeartsschool

  • The Kittie Knox Plays with Plays in Place tickets (which are free!): https://www.tickettailor.com/events/playsinplace1 // IG: @plays_in_place

For the full transcript, head to BOSFilipinos.com/blog

This episode's guest is Virginia B. Johnson. Virginia is a costume designer and the owner of gather here in Inman Square, which is in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

In the interview, we dive into her journey from a naval base in the Philippines to Greater Boston, her career in costume design, and the origins of her shop, gather here. We also talk about the importance of community to Virginia and her work, and her recent Emmy nomination.

Stay in touch:

• BOSFilipinos - IG: @bosfilipinos, Email: infmailto: [email protected]

• Virginia B. Johnson - IG: @vee.bee.jay for behind the scenes pics, cats, food, gardens // LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/virginiabjohnson
• gather here - IG: @gather_here for what's happening at the shop // Threads: @gather_here // https://gatherhereonline.com

For the full transcript, head to BOSFilipinos.com/blog

Trish Fontanilla, BOSfilipinos co-founder and host of the podcast, welcomes cultural practitioner Ellie Tiglao and artist Lani Asunciòn to discuss their new project. Their upcoming event, "Transmuting Imperialism: A Visual and Culinary Exchange," features Filipino communal dining, projection mapping, and multi-disciplinary performance exploring cultural identity and resistance.

Stay in touch:

• BOSFilipinos - IG: @bosfilipinos, Email: [email protected]
• Ellie - Email: [email protected]
• Lani - IG: @lani.asuncion
• Kwentu - IG: @makingkwentu
• Event tickets - https://bit.ly/pagkakaisa-solidaridad

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.