25 Facts about FACT

25 Facts about FACT

Okay, so these aren't really hardcore facts about FACT. They're facts about what happened to me or my thoughts at FACT, the Filipino Americans Coming Together Conference at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign this past weekend.

I just like trying to have a play on words. Let's start backwards?

25. That's the number of Pilipinos opening keynote speaker Professor Rick Bonus thought would be at this Midwest conference.

His dialogue actually went like this:

"When they told me I was going to a Filipino conference in the Midwest, I thought, ‘Oh, so 25 people?’ I’m from California, okay? We didn’t know there’s Filipinos here."

This statement really touched me because I find it unfortunate that people in the West Coast (maybe even East Coast) can't believe there are actually Pilipinos here where the deer and the antelope play. It's probably because as I was growing up, I was always surrounded by Pilipinos and Pilipino culture: I went to the Seven Last Words Mass on Holy Thursday, I sang at every Pilipino party, my family was in a Pilipino association, we had TFC, I did cultural dances, and more. I was always aware that there were Pilipinos all over the world (not that West or East Coast Pilipinos don't think that). When I heard this statement, I thought in my mind, "C'mon, you really can't think there aren't any Pilipinos in the Midwest, can you?? Really?? (Hello, President Obama's Executive Chef comes from here ;)http://bakitwhy.com/articles/white-house-chef-criseta-comerford-be-honored-chef-year-chicago).

24. Something Dr. Kevin Nadal said in his "Filipino Psychology 101" workshop that stuck out with me was school. School, to Pilipinos, is very important. Whenever you talk to any family member, one of the first things they ask is, "How's school?" I told Dr. Nadal that one of my uncles always asks this, as if by ritual, whenever he calls us in Chicago; so much so that my sisters, cousins, and I have completed that ritual each time with, "Oh, it's good…" which is followed by my uncle saying, "That's good," then followed by an awkward silence that's broken with us saying, "So, you wanna talk to my mom?"

But anyway, that's not the point. What Dr. Nadal mentioned is that status is very important to us Pilipinos, whether it's with school or a job. This thought made me think of one of my titas who seems to be more concerned with school/job status than with how we're doing, how our relationships are going, and other things like that. Maybe she's not, but she always asks those kinds of questions first. And he mentioned how all that focus on status and competition is what leads us to stress and depression.

23. Dr. Nadal's workshop also opened my boyfriend's eyes to things about me and my culture. At dinner that night, he said to me, "Everything that he said… reminded me of you. And now I get you a little bit more now." He then said he wished there was a conference for Chinese people like this so I can understand him (if you know of any, let me know so I can tell him; I'm sure they exist somewhere!).

22. As some previous FACT coordinators advised in a previous article (http://bakitwhy.com/articles/making-most-your-pilipino-conference-experi...), have fun, party, and go to the afterset… but don't go to FACT (or any conference for that matter) *because* of the afterset. Since my first FACT in 2005, it really wasn't the afterset that was fun for me: learning and experiencing everything is really what sticks with me longer. It's always disheartening to me to see any student/delegate go to any conference just because there's an afterset and not realize how equally (if not more) fun and awesome the workshops are.

21. Speaking of fun, Chris and Marah Sotelo's intro FACT song to the tune of Beauty and the Beast's "Bonjour!" song was one of THE best things ever. As soon as there's a video on YouTube, you'll see it here!

20. And speaking of Chris, his Crazy Manny Fan video was super hilarious. Again, as soon as these videos go up on YouTube, the BakitWhy.com Midwest Team will share it with you ASAP!

19. Ho Chie Tsai's workshop about finding your passion was really good and one of those things that made me realize as confused and maybe here-and-there as I may think I am, I'm actually on the right path. He taught us a little history on Asians, shared with us encouraging words and videos from Asian artists like Michelle Martinez, and then the best part: made us fold paper into sixes.

How was this the best part? Ho Chie Tsai had us write "passion," "purpose," and "people" in the three columns. In each, we'd write things related to each title. He took one delegate's paper and just by combining the different things she wrote in each column, he described her, her life, and her dream job. When I looked at mine, the consistent theme I saw was helping the Pilipino American community and Chicago, and it's a dream job I'm doing now.

18. While manning the BakitWhy.com table at registration, I had a very Pilipino moment. Something needed to be grabbed from the car, so I turned to my boyfriend and asked, "Did you fark par?" Took me a second or so to realize what I had just said and I just kneeled and put my head down on the table while my boyfriend, Camelia, and her boyfriend just laughed. At least I know I'm Pilipino!

17. Going back to 21 and 20 and speaking of videos, there were three other awesome videos at FACT:

Ram's Student Org leaders' shoutouts: http://bakitwhy.com/videos/fact-2010-variety-show-video
Kinema Group's FACT video: http://vimeo.com/16571318
And the MIDWEST I AM BAKITWHY shootout: http://bakitwhy.com/videos/i-am-bakitwhycom-midwest-shoutout

16. Going back to 24 and 23, Kevin Nadal is hilarious at stand-up comedy too.

15. Going back to 22, some people go to FACT because of the afterset… I go to FACT not only for FACT, but because of Cocomero and Sonic, two places that either solely exist in Urbana-Champaign or are more convenient to go to in Urbana-Champaign than driving to Chicago suburbs to reach. More than half of the BakitWhy Midwest team hit up both food places at the beginning and end of the FACT weekend.

14. Earning the title of best hair whipper during our BakitWhy photoshoot.

13. Watching my cousin (the cultural coordinator for UIC's FIA) perform a dance she choreographed, led, and organized. Having danced Pilipino cultural dances since my freshman year of high school (ahh, back in 2005!), I was like a proud mother watching her perform.

12. Hearing and seeing the crowd's reactions when they saw the BakitWhy celeb and org leaders' shoutouts... another really proud moment. I can only imagine how Ram, our media producer and the man who made the videos, felt when he heard the crowd!

11. Hearing some of the student org leaders' answers to BakitWhy Midwest team's questions for the FACT v-show video was very inspiring, especially with their answers like, "A leader lets their members know that THEY are leaders too." These leaders are the leaders of their orgs for a reason.

10. The Backstreet Boys singalong before v-show started. I tweeted the Backstreet Boys, and am still hoping they'll tweet BakitWhy and me back. Wouldn't that be cool?

9. Did I mention Chris and Marah's clever rewrite of "Bonjour!" from Beauty and the Beast? Well, it was that awesome that I had to mention it again.

8. Going back to 14, the sore neck I had the following Monday after all my hair whipping. The sacrifices we make for being the best...

7. Getting tweets from Dr. Nadal and Sunda co-owner Aeron Lancero that FACT *and* BakitWhy are awesome.

6. RYNE - without him, we wouldn't have covered this year's FACT conference like he did. And without him, I wouldn't have joined BakitWhy! You da man ;)

5. ROWIE - our awesome Midwest head of PR and such an organized lady. You're awesome, Rowie!

4. RAM - what more is there to say about this talented superstar busting out awesome quality videos left and right so quick?? You da man too ;)

3. CAMELIA - a powerful and passionate addition to our Midwest team, and I'm so glad she is. I can't wait to see what you'll do with BakitWhy, Cam :)

2. JASON, VOLTAIRE, and LIZELLE. - our equally passionate "assistants" for BakitWhy! Thank you all for your help, enthusiasm, and cameras :) My FACT experience wouldn't have been the same without you three.

1. Cheesy as it sounds, the number 1 best Feeny fact about FACT was... FACT. Going to FACT this year was a better and different experience than before, all because I was with the BakitWhy team as well as my boyfriend. Any conference you can go to, do go! That's all I can say.