BCPRESS

To lola who spends her day marinating meats, chopping vegetables, and washing rice, 

Thank you for cooking me dinner. 

To tatay who shines shoes for a dollar on the streets, 

Thank you for making me laugh. 

To nanay who goes to the night market every Sunday to sell her renowned ube halaya  

Thank you for teaching me how to speak Tagalog when my parents refused to. 

To kuya J who handles the family’s finances, 

Thanks for tutoring me in math. You really saved me from flunking out of school. 

To ate B who worked at the beauty store in the mall nearby,  

Thanks for making me feel beautiful in my own skin. 

To tita who gives food to the needy, 

Thank you for taking me in.  

To the family that lives at the cyan blue apartment down elm street  

To the family that is not a stranger to name calling, racial slurs, and insults  

To the family that was thought of as uneducated, unfit, ugly, and selfish  

To the family that was robbed of their dreams despite hard work and determination because of their race 

To the family that was judged too quickly  

To the family that taught me you can still be happy with your ancestry even if the world tells you not to be 

To the family that still laughs and smiles as they hide their scars  

To the family that had been given nothing but has given me everything

Thank you 

Thank you for teaching me that I should not be ashamed of where I came from and who I am  

You shaped the woman I am today,  

A proud Filipina who is not afraid to speak up for others  

who go through prejudices like you did 

Many people have you to thank  

And I am one of them  

So let me be the first to say 

“Salamat po”  

Translations:  

Lola = grandma / Nanay = mom / Ube Halaya = A Filipino Purple Yam Jam / Tatay = dad / Ate = sister /  

Kuya = brother / Tita = aunt / Salamat po = thank you