PETER’S PINOY PATTER — SEPTEMBER 2021
Bridge Generation News
(Today’s Bridge Generation – now in their 70s, 80s, and 90s – is a rapidly declining population. Over the years, most members of these American-born children of the first wave of Filipino immigrants have passed away. To remember their contributions to the history of Filipinos in America, a deceased BG individual is a recurring feature of this blog. This issue features Patricia (Justiniani) McReynolds. Her 1997 memoir “Almost Americans: A Quest for Dignity” is a major source of the following account of her life.)
I first met Patricia in 1999 in Livingston CA at a meeting of California chapters of the Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS) hosted by the Central Valley Chapter. She was one of two delegates representing the San Diego chapter. Perhaps because of the happy coincidence that our memoirs were recently published, we quickly connected.
Patricia was born on September 17, 1926, in Santa Cruz CA, the only child of immigrant parents Jose` Justiniani from the Philippine province of Negros Occidental and Norwegian-born Ruth Kongsvold. Her adventuresome parents, who took separate paths in seeking the promise and excitement of America, met and married in New York City. Patricia recalled her confusion as a child in trying to understand why her parents — unsophisticated of 1920s America — unwittingly disobeyed the American taboo against interracial marriage. As an adult, while still suffering the stings of prejudice herself, Patricia often assumed the parental role of helping her parents deal with the racism they were unable to resolve.
Before Patricia was born, her parents lived a nomadic life on both coasts working as domestics. Not long after her birth, however, her father found steady work in Los Angeles as a combination butler, valet, and house manager for automobile millionaire Earl B. Anthony. Anthony was a prominent Southern California businessman whose radio commercials of his Packard auto dealership filled the airwaves. The Anthony’s lived lavishly, often entertaining the business, political, and Hollywood elite. Patricia’s father, required to be on hand for the entirety of these events, worked long hours. For Patricia, it was a time to continue to build on her close relationship with her mother, read the many books purchased by her parents, and visit with her girlfriends. This was the life the Justiniani family led for two decades.
This is not to say the Justiniani’s did not have a life of their own. Her parents regularly entertained close friends — usually other Filipino domestic workers and their white wives. The well-known Filipino boxer, Speedy Dado and his wife Olga, were frequent dinner guests. According to Patricia, the couple “exuded glamour and flaunted wealth.” Dado contended for world championships in three weight classes. After retiring, he worked as chauffeur for film actress Mae West.
In 1936, Patricia and her parents spent four months in the Philippines – all expenses paid, thanks to the generosity of Earl B. Anthony. Although her father schooled her in the Filipino culture and in the Justiniani family, Patricia was not quite prepared for what she experienced. The Justiniani’s, their relatives, and friends were among the Philippine elite. They were plantation owners and/or businesspersons — wealthy men and women who had inherited land and worked hard to maintain their positions. Ten-year-old Patricia thoroughly enjoyed her visit and her Filipino relatives. In the following years she maintained frequent communications with several cousins.
Neither of Pat’s parents went to college but made sure their only child did. Through the years, they regularly put away money in a small metal bank that added to $350 by the time Pat became of college age. That amount and her B+ scholastic average enabled her enter the University of California at Los Angeles. At UCLA, presumably due to her mestiza features, she was the object of curiosity that often bordered on racism. The usually reticent Pat became a political activist — much to the chagrin of her father who bemoaned “American Imperialism” and the cruelty inflicted on Filipinos by the Japanese during World War II.
While still in college, Pat was among those selected as extras for the movie “They Were Expendable,” starring John Wayne. She found the long filming delays boring, despite help from director John Ford on how to better project herself. Of her World War II years, Pat recalled dancing to the swing music of the Tommy Dorsey, Harry James, Duke Ellington, and Glenn Miller bands, listening to the bitter-sweet lyrics of “I’ll Never Smile Again,” and missing her absent soldier friends in the song, “I’ll Be Seeing You.”
After graduating from UCLA with a Bachelor of Arts degree, Pat received a Masters degree from San Diego State University. Pat went on to a successful career as an educator in art history, archivist, and author. As long time members of FANHS, Pat and I usually found time to catch up at national conferences. At the 2014 San Diego conference, I was looking forward to renewing our friendship. Sadly, I learned from her daughters Daria, Maria, and Lisa that Pat had just passed away from cancer. Rest In Peace, Patricia (Justiniani) McReynolds.
Another BG Memoir
IndoPino Joe Talaugon of Guadalupe CA recently announced the publication of his memoir “Mestizo Through My Eyes.” The book — a recollection of growing up in his “father’s world of Filipinos” — is available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
O0ps
In last month’s Rita (Dublin) Previtera piece, she should have been identified as the third child of eight children.
Happy September Birthdays: Mardena (Ambon) Ragsac, Peter Bacho, Pam Bulahan, Ernie Cabreana, Narce Caliva, Jocelyn (Mercado) Revilla, Jerry Salac, Aurelio Simon
Pinakbet — News Across America
Filipino American History Tidbits
In 1815, many Filipinos fought alongside Americans and the notorious pirate Jean LaFite in their victory against much larger British forces during the Battle of New Orleans.
Tokyo Olympic Highlights
Justine Wong-Orantes, the libero (defensive specialist) on the USA women’s volleyball team that won gold was amazing — returning booming serves and expertly setting for her spiker teammates. Multi-ethnic Wong-Orantes is Filipino, Chinese, and Mexican………… Also for the USA, Lee Kiefer won the gold medal in women’s fencing, the first American to win in individual foil…………… The undisputed pride of the Philippines was weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz, native of Zamboanga. In her fourth consecutive appearance in the Olympics, she became the first Filipino to win a gold medal since the Philippines joined the quadrennial meet in 1924. Diaz set an Olympic record in the clean and jerk.. Nesthy Petecio, of Davao del Sur, Philippines, became the first Filipina boxer to bring home a silver medal. Women’s boxing made its Olympic debut in 2012….. Men’s boxing contributed two more medalists from the Philippines — Carlo Paalam took silver as a flyweight and Eumir Marcial, won the bronze in the middleweight division.
Musings
Is Excluding People of Color in Favor of White Supremacy in America’s Future? Voter Suppression. It Has Always Been About People of Color. Part XIX
Last months’ blog bemoaned the failure of Congress to pass two critical pieces of legislation — the “For the People Act” and the “John R. Lewis Voting Advancement Act.” Both would end restrictive voter suppression legislation (389 bills in 48 states) introduced by Republican controlled state legislatures since the November election. Some states introduced laws that would create commissions with authority to overturn election results they simply do not like. Other state bills take aim at absentee voting, seek stricter voter ID requirements, make voter registration harder, and cut back on early voting. Congress has yet to act, mainly because the Republican Senators have continued t0 hide behind the outmoded filibuster rule — thus defeating the two progressive bills. Only Congress can end such practices. If federal action is not taken to stop the restrictive voter suppression legislation taken by states, democracy will be replaced by autocracy. Urge Congress to pass the “For the People Act” and the “John R. Lewis Voting Advancement Act.” Save our democracy from autocracy!!!
Federal failure to act is not solely due to Republican inaction. Despite their rhetoric, the Democratic Party and the White House have not taken full advantage of their immense political power. Instead, they have chosen to focus on other priorities. Nothing is more important to our democracy than preserving voter rights and our democracy — not infrastructure, not climate change, not even Covid.
Voter suppression bills are clearly aimed at People of Color who turned out in record numbers in the November elections. It is not a mere coincidence that the 389 bills introduced by 48 states came in the wake of the November 3, 2020 election. Without the votes of Blacks, Latinos, and Asian Americans, Trump would have been elected president. Do not be fooled by the bills’ claims of fairness. Voter suppression legislation is not about voter rights. Instead, its goal is to again elect Trump in the 2024 presidential election!!!
Your faithful blogger has consistency raised the threat of White Supremacy for several years. It is clear that the real targets of restrictive voter suppression bills — like Trump’s embrace of White Supremacists at Charlottesville in 2017 and the January 6, 2021 insurrection inspired by the twice impeached ex-president — are People of Color. IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT PEOPLE OF COLOR!!!
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