Where you can find me in June.
Read MoreThat’s glitter on my face in case you’re wondering!
Where To Find Me In June
in Events
Some of my parents’ immigration and citizenship documents.
The Path to Dual Citizenship in the Philippines (Am I A Balikbayan Yet?)
in Personal, Interviews
For me, it’s about more than just voting rights. It’s also about my personal ties to the Philippines and how much I want to strengthen them. My maternal and paternal sides of the family are still there. And I want my kids to be Filipino in both ethnicity AND nationality.
Read More
Let's Set The Record Straight About Immigration
It’s time to set the story straight. Not everyone who immigrated to the U.S. actually wanted to come here. My parents didn’t. They wanted to stay in the Philippines with their families and their friends. So why did they move here? It’s time for a brief history lesson…
Read More
Photo c/o Bayan USA. If you’re the photographer or know who is, please let me know so I can give them proper credit.
Why Is Everyone So Mad About The Philippine Midterm Elections?
Gut instinct, I knew that the 2019 Philippine midterm elections that took place on Monday, May 13th would be a shitshow. But I hoped for the best anyway. The day after the elections, I woke up to check social media and was disappointed and angry but worse…I wasn’t at all surprised.
Read More
Your Classics Aren't My Classics! Deconstructing Literary Canon For Asian Americans
I grew up thinking that the most important books were written by white men and women. I was wrong. Entire generations of Asian Americans have been erased or misrepresented. It wasn’t that we were voiceless all these years. It’s that we weren’t being heard.
Read More
Dancing Queen: Interview With A Stripper
in Interviews
There is something about a woman who is willing to show off her body without shame that enrages a certain type of (terrible) person. And despite the ubiquity of strip clubs all over the country, so little is known about the workers inside. I talked to Tiffany* and she gave me the insider scoop.
Read MorePeople Power in DC: The National Summit for Human Rights & Democracy
Last weekend, I attended the National Summit for Human Rights and Democracy in the Philippines in Washington, D.C. More than 350 people from various organizations came from different cities across the United States to participate in one of the largest political summits gathering Filipinos to unite against the fascist Duterte administration and U.S. imperialism in the Philippines.
Read More
Support Asian owned businesses! Little Heart Tee by ThreadTank (Asian-owned!).
The Dark Arts Of Manipulating The Media
When trolls and media repression represent the dominant culture, how can we have faith that our news hasn't been manipulated for the sake of hits?
Read More
With my mentor, Filipino American activist/journalist, Jon Melegrito, and Dr. Jennifer Marana at the Filipino American Studies (FAST) gala at University of Maryland - College Park last month.
Join Me In DC April 6-8th
Join me in D.C. from April 6-8 for the National Summit for Human Rights and Democracy in the Philippines. I will be a speaker at the Defending Press Freedom panel.
Read More
One Night at Arundel Mills Live! Casino & Hotel
One night at Live! Casino and Hotel in Baltimore. My review.
Read More
The Arrest of Maria Ressa and the Rise of Illiberal Democracy in the Philippines
Aesthetic Distance condemns the recent arrest of Filipino journalist Maria Ressa, co-founder and CEO of online news outlet, Rappler, and a vocal critic of President Rodrigo Duterte's regime.
Read More
My friends and I got to meet Jose Antonio Vargas!
Events in February 2019
in Events
If you are in the Baltimore/DC area this month, here are some events where you can find me!
Read More
Blondie tee by Berhska. Copper sequined leggings by Boohoo. Zebra double buckle belt by Sacred Hawk Clothing. Red cowboy boots thrifted on Poshmark.
The Backlash Against Marie Kondo is So Stupid (and Racist)
Have we really progressed as a society when it comes to how we view Asian women? What is really behind the backlash against (very benign, very gentle, very sweet) Marie Kondo?
Read More
With my fellow panelists and friends, Danny “Atomic Goofball “ Nguyen and Garrett Taira at the Renaissance Arlington Hotel for the 2019 AASLE Conference.
The AASLE 2019 Conference
Yesterday was an amazing experience at the AASLE (African American Student Leadership Experience) conference in DC. I participated in a discussion panel about being an Asian American creative and facilitated a workshop with students from all over the country. I left feeling so inspired and motivated!
Read More
White button down linen dress by Free People. Faux fur jacket by Patricia Field. Black patent leather belt by Bebe. Black bustier by Forever 21. Black stiletto heels by Colin Stuart. Blue nail polish by Sinful Colors. Photo by Kate Christofano. Hair color by Sarah Vitek for Artistic Edge Studio.
Events in January 2019
Happy New Year!! I can’t believe Aesthetic Distance is in its 5th year now! I hope everyone had a wonderful, restful holiday. I know I did. And now I’m ready to get back in action. Here are a few events that I’ll be hosting or am involved in this month.
Read More
Military hat by Sacred Hawk Clothing. Leopard coat by ASOS. Lavender lace set by Free People. Black lace-up boots thrifted from Poshmark (I added my own white laces).
The Best of 2018: My Greatest Hits
As 2018 comes to an end, I had a look back at everything I wrote, shot, podcasted, and collaborated on this year and boy did I have a lot of projects. I learned so much and met so many amazing people. My brand is constantly evolving to become more and more of a community and providing a perspective not often found in mainstream media. And I wrote A LOT of essays.
Read More
Decolonize Your Bookshelves
My book club is coming soon. Get ready to decolonize your bookshelf in 2019. I hope to host some great, thought-provoking discussions and open people’s eyes to what they’ve been missing by relegating Asian American writing as “special interest” and therefore, inessential. To us Asians, these works are absolutely necessary to discovering our own identity and liberation.
Read More
Corporations That Encourage Charitable Giving Are Only Helping Themselves
Since it's Christmas, be wary of any corporation that encourages charity (like Walmart and countless universities across the U.S.). They could just, you know, pay their fucking employees a livable salary.
Read More
The Bmore Creatives Gallery Opening: December 13th
Thank you so, so much to The Bmore Creatives for naming me among the city's most influential figures. As part of this recognition, the above portrait of me will be on display on Dooby's gallery wall alongside an inspiring group of other Baltimore makers, artists, and movers and shakers.
Read More
Yellow checked sweater by The Ragged Priest. Floral embellished scuba miniskirt by ASOS. Black embellished leather jacket by Blank NYC. Silver metallic boots by ASOS. Red leather fortune cookie handbag by Le Accessories. Black fishnet tights from Amazon.
We Need To Change Course, But What's That Mean?
During the Trump presidency, many Americans have found themselves desperately trying to not just point out the longstanding problems in our society but actually find pathways to fix them. But what does that mean?
Read More