Ms. Amanda Sellen
English Educator, Beloit Memorial High School
March 2024 - From Ignorance to Pride: Embracing My Filipino Heritage and Building AAPI Community Connections
Embracing My Asian Heritage that Encompass a Wide Range of Ethnicities, Cultures, and Nationalities
Asians come from a variety of backgrounds, not just Japan and China. We are from Vietnam, Korea, Iraq, Singapore, Turkey, and India to name a few. It also includes the Philippines, where I was born. Even though the government has officially recognized Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month since the 1970s, I didn’t know it existed until I was in college. My adopted brother and I were raised by a white family in southeast Wisconsin. Growing up, our cultural heritage and background were not celebrated. We only knew that we were born in the Philippines. As a result, I knew very little about Filipino culture and history. At the time, it didn't matter much to me. As my oldest entered 5th grade, they started researching the Philippines to learn more. They learned words and phrases in Tagalog (one of the official Filipino languages), showed me food videos, and proudly drew the national flag in their notebooks. The pride they had in my heritage made me want to know more and learn more.
Making Connections and Honoring My Heritage
At the beginning of the 2022 school year, a group of AAPI teachers, including me, sought to make purposeful connections with our AAPI students on campus. Our first meeting was in November, and we gathered to share personal stories and histories. Since then, we have made time to meet once a term. These meetings are filled with joy, laughter, and food. This was a group that I wished had been at my high school. Through these interactions, I have seen my experiences and those who have also been adopted reflected back. It’s also been interesting to hear about those raised by Asian families whose backgrounds differ from mine. My hope is that the group continues to grow in numbers and pride.
Another way I honor my heritage is by attending Todd Elementary’s annual AAPI celebration. Principal Samuel Karns organizes AAPI leaders from Beloit and the surrounding area to read stories, dance, and teach crafts to students because AAPI Heritage Month is for everyone. For my youngest, who attends Todd, this is a way for him to see his heritage represented and celebrated.
Celebrate, Participate, Embrace
In closing, I encourage everyone to share in our celebrations during May. Please buy or eat from a local Asian establishment. Read books. Watch movies. Create a craft. Most importantly, make a commitment to be or continue to be an ally to the AAPI people in our community. Find out how best to support your friends, family, neighbors, and classmates. Educate yourself on issues related to the AAPI community. The more we support and understand each other, the stronger we stand together. Salamat (Thank you)!
