I was the guest speaker for Friday night’s event and everyone’s been asking what exactly it was that I said that was so upsetting. It’ s amazing how in today’s world it is THE TRUTH that gets you in trouble. Has fallacy become the norm in society? I merely said what I felt had to be said… particularly since the group of people I was respectfully disagreeing with were in the room. Some say it was mostly criticizing, but even so, I think it was both tactful and inspirational. I’ll let you decide for yourself. I hear there’s video of it, so I’ll be posting it up with the other stuff on my website in the next month or so. Wanna hear what I said?? Here’s the speech I gave on Friday night (below):
Good Evening. Thank you for having me here tonight – I greatly appreciate the opportunity to share with you not only a few experiences I’ve had since and because of this organization, but also humanitarian convictions and sentiments very near to heart that sustain my life’s work as well as everything I do.
Before I continue, (now that I have the opportunity to do it in person) I would like to personally thank you for providing the amazing experience of visiting the Philippines for the first time in 2007 in such a unique and authentic way. I sincerely express my heartfelt gratitude for the experience that has served as a catalyst for so much more.
I have traveled extensively around the world – teaching and performing in over nine countries since I have last seen you, and I must say I’m happy to report that upon my first trip to the Philippines, I was finally able to really understand on a holistic level the sweet nostalgia of sounds, sights and smells of the islands many of you have called home your entire lives. It was a beautiful place, the festivities were a wonderful time and I thank you for that.
I cannot stand here, however, without mentioning a caveat. For I feel it would be a great disservice to you and myself if I didn’t mention this concern that in spite of the innate beauty of the culture and land of the Philippines, supersedes all I’ve discovered and learned my entire stay there. It will continue to be at the forefront of my memories of the Philippines and much of it will haunt me for a very long time… that is, until as a community we decide to change. And when I say community, I’m not speaking about Miagaoanons, Americans or even Filipino-Americans, as labels can only and have only divided us in the bigger picture. As a community of people who visit another country, or as in many cases here, return to their homeland…as a community of people with good intentions… people hoping to define themselves by the contributions we make to this world… to uphold our integrity to ourselves (and consequently to each other) we must follow through on all we say and choose to do.
We must be responsible for each other, and unfortunately, I feel in the Philippines, the supposed contributions to the community I was told were happening were not seen or even common knowledge while I was there. I had gone to the Philippines under false pretenses. I was told we had raised money to send kids to school, help rebuild houses affected by typhoons and just give back to a community that has formed many of our families that live here today. When I arrived in Miagao, I never heard of these things again. I spoke to people on the street, local government officials and visited schools – no one knew what I was talking about. My very naïve preconceived notions of a trip being spent volunteering or at the very least contributing in a concrete way, were shattered. I feel physically visiting a country that could use so much of our genuine help and not doing much beyond attending events, on my part, was very shameful.
I spent one day in Miagao riding with the mayor (at the time) to an international medical mission screening people and giving free surgeries at a local hospital to as many people as they could during the few days they were there. I went with a family member to pick up a neighbor whose eyes were completely blinded by cataracts. I spoke with Canadian nurses who were crying in the halls of the hospital at the beauty of changing lives forever so quickly. I watched doctors profusely thank the mayor for hosting them in his country. While I was speaking to one of the women waiting for her son to be screened , the mayor told me that they’ve already seen us, we’ve made an appearance, it was enough and we had to leave. The affects of his indifference have never left me.
The mayor’s disposition I have little to no say about, but when I continually saw Filipino-American mansions in these tiny communities where their next-door neighbors had literally nothing, when I go to these fundraisers where Americans are dressed like they’re going to a prom, with DJs, dance instructors, a huge buffet and rows of children (some without shoes) holding onto the bars that separate us from them – watching an extravagant event take place inside the bars to fundraise for their education, while they were deliberately kept out – I had to question the general Filipino-American attitude towards coming home. A man who lived in Miagao spoke at that event about how much he disdained seeing Americans spend all this money on showing off when it could do so much more good. I filled a plate full of fruit and walked through the bars outside to eat with the kids, but none of their parents let them speak to me. This strong dichotomy between us and them, American and Filipino, rich and poor, among other socially-constructed barriers broke my heart. And though I’ve always been involved with human rights, experiences like these both break and support me at the same time.
The life we witness unfold around us regardless of our location, is a human story, and that involves all of us – our hypocrisy and authenticity equally. Since being in the Philippines, I’ve traveled a bit more and every experience I have reaffirms my belief that though we may not all choose to (because of time, fear, lack of information, what-have-you…) we all want to do good for the world and deep down have good intentions. I’ve started a non-profit organization in honor of my late father, Josef Sarreal, providing free therapeutic arts programs to women and children around the world who have been victimized by domestic violence and/or human trafficking – which has become an increasing problem in the Philippines and South East Asia in particular. There are more people in slavery today than there ever have been in the history of our world. Over 27 million. And though I know I cannot abolish modern-day slavery alone, every little bit I do to change one life at a time, or inspire one more person to action, is everything to me.
I’m just one person, and to see a room full of people who have collectively, as an organization, fed over 200 families with your Food Project, it gives me hope. I applaud and commend that wonderful project, and I know the potential to do much more exists, but I want to challenge you to really question “who” you are as an organization and not just “what”. We all know that this organization promotes charity to Miagao as well as a perpetuation of its rich culture, but it is in how that is accomplished that gives it its true meaning and defines “who” the organization is, not just “what”. We do not choose where we are born, but we are where we are for a reason. If even not a good reason, it is our responsibility to bring purpose to it. Being Americans with the influence and power we have to make big changes in the world with little everyday actions, I do want to implore you to really consider with the myriad of resources and time and energy in this room alone, what more can be done in Miagao and in our own communities here. Filipino-Americans seem to identify with the soil of their mother country, but until the focus leaves the idea of a connection to soil and enters the hearts and minds of the people through tangible action, we will never transcend those fictitious boundaries of us and them, which are strongly felt all throughout that beautiful country. So I want to leave you with the challenge of using your solidarity as an organization to do more good. There is always more to do. And if somehow you find a way to better bridge the painful gaps still seen and felt between Filipino-Americans and their countrymen, you will have all my support.
Thank you.
