Filipina flourish

Filipino transplant and native Texan, Diane Paragas tells Rose’s multi-pronged story as she chases her dreams of country music stardom, finds her place in Texas, and confronts the reality of immigration in America. 

(Photo by Gigi Stoll)

Written, directed, and produced by Diane Paragas, “Yellow Rose” draws heavily on the her own experiences. 

“After escaping Martial Law in the Philippines, my family moved to Lubbock, Texas when I was four,” she writes in the film’s press kit. “As the only Filipino growing up in Lubbock, I often felt alienated, and I used music and art as a means of escape” — much like Rose in the film. 

She calls “Yellow Rose” “a deeply personal film” that she hopes will “put a human face on the plight of Dreamers, while entertaining the audience with original Americana music.” 

wonder | wander | world crows with another proud shout out for our fearless Filipina artists - Mabuhay! 

(Photo by August Thurmer)

STARRING

Eva Noblezada   Princess Punzalan  Dale Watson

Lea Salonga  Liam Booth Libby Villari  Gustavo Gomez

AWARDS

Grand Jury Prize, Narrative Feature,  2019 Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival (LAAPFF)

Special Jury Prize, Breakout Performance Eva Noblezada, 2019 LAAPFF

Grand Jury Prize, Narrative Feature, 2019 Bentonville Film Festival

Grand Jury Prize, Narrative Feature, CAAMFEST37

TILAOK for Ruben de Jesus

Ruben De Jesus is a children’s book illustrator, a graphic designer, and a professor at the Department of Visual Communication, College of Fine Arts, University of the Philippines Diliman.

Ruben de Jesus, the artist

He is a founder of “Ang Ilustrador ng Kabataan” (Ang INK; the Illustrator of the Youth) and the Sectoral Representative for Illustrators of the Philippine Board on Books for Young People (PBBY).

His illustrations in Ang Mahiyaing Manok established a distinct style recognized and honored in visual and children’s literary art circles.

Mother's Day 2019

Celebrations of mothers and motherhood can be traced back to the ancient Greeks and Romans, who held festivals in honor of the mother goddesses Rhea and Cybele.

The clearest modern precedent for Mother’s Day is the early Christian festival known as “Mothering Sunday.”

Once observed as a day on which people would visit their "mother" church, it has become an occasion for honoring the mothers of children with feasting and gift giving.

To all past, current and future Mother Goddesses - any and all who embody, represent and personify nature, motherhood, fertility, creation, destruction and the bounty of our Mother Earth.

Happy Mother's Day to you!

celebrating everyday heroes

This week pick is none other than a prime project of Angelica Berrie - the Russell Berrie Foundation Making A Difference Award.

Dear to our hearts because Angelica is our beloved relation and the awards recognize these everyday heroes in our midst.

TUNE IN: Making a Difference Week on
"One-on-One" with Steve Adubato at NJTV. 

Every day, we have people in our midst who are making a difference. 

The Russell Berrie Foundation recognizes these everyday heroes with the Russ Berrie Making-a-Difference Award, which will be presented on May 3 at Ramapo College in New York.