Nurse Unseen
Kenya Ponseca’s Nursing Photo - My Mom
For countless Filipino-Americans, our family stories remain incomplete without recognizing the thousands of Filipinos who chose nursing as their path to a better life in America. This decision was anything but simple; it required leaving behind loved ones, the comfort of familiar surroundings, and embracing the uncertainty of new beginnings in a distant land.
My mother was among those pioneering nurses. Her heart once soared with dreams of becoming a pilot, but the promise of nursing offered a more grounded path to a life far removed from the one she had known. We lived comfortably, worlds away from her humble beginnings in a home without running water or electricity.
When she recounts her stories of immigrating here, her eyes either widen with excitement or grow misty with emotion, depending on the tale. The 60s brought the fun of miniskirts and rock and roll, the thrill of independence, and the discovery of her natural leadership. But she also endured the shock and sting of sexual harassment from doctors and the bite of racial slurs from hospital staff. She navigated the bewildering intricacies of American life—figuring out how to buy a newspaper, learning how to invest, or the proper way to dispose of garbage—each small task an enlightening lesson that further separated her from the world she had known, and from the family she had left behind.
During the pandemic, the story of Filipino nurses came into sharper focus. We learned how they were brought into the American healthcare system, often disproportionately assigned to the toughest battlegrounds. Thousands of Filipino nurses manned the frontlines of emergency rooms and ICUs, risking their health as they faced the worst of the crisis.
"Nurse Unseen," a poignant documentary, shines a light on this story. It uncovers the often-overlooked history of Filipino nurses who, far from home, have risked their lives on the frontlines of a global pandemic. The film lays bare the deep historical ties between the Philippines and the United States, revealing how these nurses have emerged as the unsung heroes of the American healthcare system.
Hope everyone has a great Labor Day weekend.
Kita kits,
Nicole
Check out their updated list of cities and stay tuned for screening info and how to purchase tickets 🎟️ Please spread the word!! We would LOVE to sell out all of the screenings!!! 🙏🏽
**JUST ADDED: CHICAGO!
📍New York, NY
Quad Cinema
Oct. 4 to 10
📍 Chicago, IL
with Asian Pop-Up Cinema
Oct. 8
**JUST ADDED!
📍Los Angeles, CA
Laemmle Glendale
Oct. 11 to 17
📍San Francisco, CA
Lee Cinemas - Marina Theater
Oct. 17 & 19
📍Seattle, WA
Grand Illusion Cinema
Oct. 20 & 21
📍New Orleans, LA
Zeitgeist Cinema and Lounge
Oct. 26 & 27
Learn more about the documentary and watch the trailer here.
NEW YORK
Philippines Fest x Mexico Festival
Woodside, Queens
A collaboration between Mexican and Filipino festival is a unique and vibrant celebration that blends the rich cultural traditions of both communities. This event will showcase the best of both worlds, combining elements like Mexican mariachi music and Filipino folk dances, such as the Tinikling, into a lively performance. The collaboration will feature a fusion of culinary delights with traditional Mexican dishes such as tacos and tamales alongside Filipino favorites like adobo and lumpia.
DATE: Saturday September 21
TIME: 10AM • 6PM
LOCATION: Woodside Ave. Between 63rd and 62nd Street, Queens, NY
MIAMI
Mark your calendars —
2nd Annual Banana Catchup coming your way!
RECIPE SPOTLIGHT
Chicken BBQ
Photography: Jeepney
Firing up the grill for Labor Day? Try out my recipe for sweet and juicy Filipino BBQ. Prefer to just reheat and eat? Order our BBQ on Goldbelly!
Ingredients
2¼ cups banana ketchup
1 cup 7-UP
½ cup fresh lemon juice
½ cup soy sauce
½ cup white sugarcane vinegar
½ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup minced garlic
3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
Cooking spray or vegetable oil, for greasing
Sawsawan, for serving
Note: If you are using wooden skewers, soak them in warm water for 15 to 30 minutes before you add the chicken so they don’t burn as you grill.
Directions
In a large nonreactive bowl, storage container, or ziplock bag, mix together the banana ketchup, 7-UP, lemon juice, soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, and garlic until the sugar has dissolved.
Add the chicken pieces and toss. Cover the bowl or container or seal the bag and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and preferably overnight.
When you are ready to cook the meat, heat a grill pan over high heat or heat a charcoal or gas grill to medium.
Reserving the marinade, thread 3 or 4 pieces of chicken on each skewer, letting the pieces touch slightly, and set them on a plate or baking sheet.
Pour the marinade into a saucepan and bring it to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 10 minutes; set it aside.
Spray the pan or grill grate lightly with cooking spray. Place the skewers on the grill pan or grill and cook, turning them and basting them often with the heated marinade, until they are cooked through or the center of a piece of chicken registers 165°F on an instant-read thermometer. This should take between 8 and 15 minutes, depending on your cooking surface. (Discard any leftover marinade.)
Transfer to a platter and serve immediately, with sawsawan.