Congress made May Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month in 1992. These days I mostly see it called Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month.
While it鈥檚 been around officially for more than three decades, it was really new to me about 10-15 years ago. And it鈥檚 become a bigger and bigger part of my life year after year.
I鈥檓 unapologetically Filipino American twelve months of the year, but it鈥檚 nice to dedicate some time to really highlight and celebrate our AAPI cultures
Celebrating these cultures can mean a lot of things 鈥� eating the foods, wearing the garb or performing traditional dances that originate from the countries of our ancestors.
I鈥檒l always love eating lumpia, sporting a barong or watching kids dance the 鈥渙tso otso鈥� (I never really had the moves.) They're all Filipino traditions, but I want to celebrate the culture of our diaspora during AAPI Heritage Month.
As our grandparents and parents immigrated to the United States, some traditions adapt to American life or evolve into something more modern and sometimes new traditions get added into the mix.
I feel most Filipino when I鈥檓 with my Dela Cruz family, my mom's side. That's when I feel that I can fully be who I am as a Filipino American.
So the seemingly mundane things we do together, and the traditions we鈥檝e built, are as much a part of the culture of the diaspora as any cuisine or attire that comes from the Philippines.
The Dela Cruz family tends to get together on a Friday evening, the night before some bigger party on Saturday. We鈥檒l sit around the kitchen table with snacks and a few one-liter bottles.
Then one cousin starts singing. We all join in. Then another cousin pulls out a guitar 鈥� usually my younger cousin, Christian. And we pass around the guitar and take turns strumming. The guitar ends up back in Christian鈥檚 hands. He's really the best at it.
We may not be experts with the music, but bringing family together and passing the guitar around is a family tradition that is now a part of our culture.
I yearn for spaces away from my family and friends where I can be as authentically Filipino.
Cleveland鈥檚 best weekend of AAPI Heritage Month is the two-day Cleveland Asian Festival in the city's AsiaTown neighborhood.
The festival鈥檚 creators should be proud of what they started 17 years ago. It's a celebration that really shows off the talents of a demographic that makes up less than 5% of Cuyahoga County鈥檚 population.
The last few festivals have attracted more than 40,000 visitors and I鈥檝e been lucky to have taken part 鈥� eating the amazing food and enjoying the cultural performances, but also as someone who takes the stage.
I鈥檝e been an emcee at the festival since 2019. This weekend, I鈥檒l be hosting the 鈥淭rivia Challenge鈥� and the 鈥淏est Food Awards.鈥�
And I鈥檒l be sharing the stage with 精东影业 Technical Producer Chris Dudley, who also is Fillipino (his mom is a Gamboa). I want to pair the festival, a great Cleveland tradition, with one of my favorite family traditions 鈥� making music.
Come hang out us because we鈥檒l be playing ukulele and guitar and signing a few songs 鈥� Dela Cruz style.
"The Cut" is featured in 精东影业's weekly newsletter, The Frequency Week in Review. To get The Frequency Week in Review, The Daily Frequency or any of our newsletters, sign up on 精东影业's newsletter subscription page.
