overseas Filipinos

[OPINION] A Filipina’s journey from pandemic ground zero to election ground zero

Leticia Labre

This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

[OPINION] A Filipina’s journey from pandemic ground zero to election ground zero
'As an immigrant woman of color, I have learned to feel fear at the sight of these [Trump-Pence] signs'

When lockdown in New York City lifted last May, my family and I hightailed it out of there. We were 4 adult-sized human beings, two of whom were moody teenagers, going on 8 weeks in a 100-square meter apartment. As it dawned on us that the pandemic would be a fact of life for the next couple of years, we were desperate to find more sustainable living arrangements.

I threw myself into a property search and in record time found an idyllic lake house in the rural mountains of Pennsylvania. By July, we were happily plopped down on its sunny dock, congratulating ourselves for having escaped virus-ridden civilization. Then, I started noticing details that made me wonder whether I had pressed on the gas with eyes closed and hopes high.

The nearest grocery was 30-40 minutes away. There was, however, a local farm 10 minutes away where I could point to the chicken I wanted to eat for dinner and wait while they butchered it for me, before putting its warm carcass in my trunk. My neighbors were all senior citizens and white, prompting a family joke that we had inadvertently moved to a retirement community that had race specifications on top of age-related ones. And Trump-Pence signs began to crop up on the lawns lining my drive to and from home.

A Trump-Pence sign spotted during a drive. Photo by Leticia Labre

As an immigrant woman of color, I have learned to feel fear at the sight of these signs. They automatically called up Trump’s violent rhetoric towards immigrants, regardless if they were foreign students, Filipino vets who had served with the US forces, skilled professionals, or simply people looking for better lives. Apparently, only Scandinavians were welcome. They brought to mind migrant children separated from their parents, languishing in modern-day concentration camps on America’s Southern border. Just in case I ever fooled myself into thinking Trump’s words were just words, his administration’s track record was there to remind me that every hateful word was backed by deliberate action.

Other symbols of hate abounded to remind me of my place in Trump’s America. At the grocery, a truck with a Confederate flag parked beside me. “Should I brace for slurs?” I asked myself as we both got out of our vehicles and my eyes fleetingly met those of the truck’s white male driver. Walking into another shop, I saw a blonde woman wearing a Women for Trump shirt walking out. “Maybe she’s thinking ‘model immigrant’ rather than ‘China virus,’” I thought optimistically as we passed each other and she glanced at me. 

Must Read

[OPINION] The biggest immigration issue facing Fil-Ams in 2020

[OPINION] The biggest immigration issue facing Fil-Ams in 2020

I monitored the news as Pennsylvania emerged as the tipping point among the swing states. Because of the peculiarities of the US presidential electoral system, this meant I was living in the state most likely to decide the next US president, as Florida had done in 2000. I had moved from pandemic ground zero to election ground zero. 

As I await election day, I marvel at the irony of my situation.  Grasping for peace, I am, instead, in more chaos. I monitor both infection rates and election polls. I lurch from cursing the Filipino immigrants who support Trump, to resolving to understand them, conscious that a respect for others is crucial to overcoming the politics of hate. And like a good Filipina, I pray that November 4 will bring relief. – Rappler.com

Leticia Labre is a writing enthusiast using this space as a good excuse to embark on some adventures, gain wisdom, and make friends along the wayFollow her on Twitter: @beingleticia.

Add a comment

Sort by

There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation.

Summarize this article with AI

How does this make you feel?

Loading
Download the Rappler App!