TGIF Feature: Filipina American's film is streaming on Netflix

Since you're staying home to avoid the coronavirus, check out this timely film on Netflix  about a Filipina undocumented  immigrant.

Lingua Franca, written, directed and starred-in by Isabel Sandoval, has attracted great reviews and could be Oscar-worthy. It gives a glimpse of an immigrant  community and a life that is rarely seen by most Americans.

In this beguiling drama, an undocumented Filipina immigrant paranoid about deportation works as a caregiver to a Russian-Jewish grandmother in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn. When the American citizen she’s secretly paying for a green card marriage backs out, she becomes involved with a slaughterhouse worker who is unaware that she’s transgender.

If you're someone who prefer the action-packed films filled with special effects and superheroes, Lingua Franca is probably not for you. It might have more appeal for the type of filmgoer who wants to explore stories and meet people just outside of your real-life world and perhaps put yourself in someone else's shoes.

“It’s just reflective of the kind of person I am,” Sandoval told Variety. “In the film, what’s important is what’s left unsaid. The spaces carry more emotional weight between the characters.”

The auteur said she wants to “make films that linger; let the themes and emotions marinate. It’s not filmmaking with a megaphone or bullhorn. I set up limitations and tried to defy them.”

#ShapePride Summit: Geena Rocero calls for people to 'wake up' during this time to protest

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Geena Rocero gave the keynote address at the Pride Summit.

“Pride Month this year, besides the celebrations, at its core should be a protest! A reminder that the work is far from over," said Geena Rocero at the #ShapePride Summit Friday.

The Filipina American LGBTIQ+ activist gave the keynote address at the virtual event that took place in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, movements for racial justice and renewed push back on LGBTIQ+ rights in some parts of the world.

"We should all protest systems of transphobia, homophobia, racism, inequality and all forms of dehumanization. I’m celebrating by uplifting the voices and leadership of black and brown LGBTIQ+ voices. Pride was started by trans people of color."

June is Pride Month promoting equality and visibility of the LGBTIQ+ community. Pride represents a time to celebrate self-affirmation, reject shame and social stigmas, stand up for human rights and uplift the powers of love and diversity.

This year, Pride Month is taking place within context of the activism spurred by anti-racism demonstrations after the death of George Floyd, a black man, while he was being arrested in Minneapolis two weeks ago.

"If the movements for gender equality doesn’t involve and center trans people of color, it won’t last and it won’t be effective," said Rocero.

"Now more than ever, we have to be there for each other. We have to be more intentional. For me the future of activism is when it is a common calling for everyone. If you’re not dismantling any systems of oppression, it’s time to wake up,” she said.

Rocero (she/her) is a supermodel, transgender advocate and founder of Gender Proud, a media production company that tells stories of the transgender community worldwide to elevate justice and equality, based in the U.S. 

She kept her sexual status a secret as she established a career as an international supermodel. Rocero shocked the fashion industry when she came out as trans in 2014 in a TED talk. 

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter or at his blog Views From the Edge.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal tears up talking about her child

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U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayaapal gets emotional when talking her child.

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U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) urged lawmakers to legislate with “love” instead of “fear”, during the House Judiciary Committee meeting about the Equality Act, reports CNN.

After several GOP legislators and Republican-affiliated witnesses expressed concerns against the Equality Act, a law that would provide basic civil rights protections for LGBTQ+ individuals, Rep. Jayapal found herself discussing, for the first time, why this legislation was deeply personal — her own child belonged to this community.

“As I listened to some of you today, I was struck by this push to presume that these provisions would somehow be manipulated or used by people in ways that would hurt existing sex protections,” Jayapal said early on in her speech, reports NBC News. “It occurred to me that we are talking about fear versus love; we are talking about fear versus freedom.”

Jayapal said she “didn’t intend to” share the tearful story about the freedom her child gained once embracing their gender nonconforming identity.

“My beautiful, now 22-year-old child told me last year that they were gender nonconforming, ” Jayapal said. “Since this deeply impactful moment last year, my child’s embracing of their nonconforming gender identity and all that it has allowed, all that it allows in terms of their creativity, their brilliance, their self-expression, the only thought I wake up with every day is my child is free.”

Jayapal continues, “My child is free to be who they are, and in that freedom comes a responsibility for us as legislators to protect that freedom.”

The representative, who was the first Indian American woman elected to Congress and is a member of the LGBT Equality Caucus, has a history of advocating and uplifting progressive values. Jayapal unveiled new ‘Medicare-for-All’ legislation earlier this year and has been reported to be a strong mentor to Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rashida Tlaib, and Ilhan Omar.

Vedant Patel, who is the communications director for Rep. Jayapal, also confirmed with NBC News that Tuesday’s committee hearing was the first time the lawmaker had shared that story.

According to Out Magazine. if this bill presented by House Democrats passes, it would be the first federal legislation ensuring LGBTQ+ protections to pass in this congressional body.

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