This anthology book consists of personal narratives collected by the Filipino Association of University Women (FAUW) and published in August 2025.
In April 2023, the FAUW conducted its first writing workshop in Honolulu that gathered together voices that may have remained unwritten and unspoken.
With some nudging and support, these voices weave a tapestry of experiences that remind us of the healing that is found in storytelling. The 14 submissions generated from this workshop are grouped together in Part One of the book.
Part Two consists of mini-memoirs from the community. Some were unable to attend the writing workshop but submitted their narratives for publication. Others offered their memoirs in audio format, which were then transcribed, edited, and converted into a written narrative.
As noted in the back cover of the book, “within each of us lies a story—fragile, powerful, and deeply human. In this collection, ordinary individuals become storytellers, breathing life into moments that shaped them: childhood joys and sorrows, journeys across oceans, lessons of resilience, and quiet triumphs of the heart.”
It also reflects our history as Filipinos of Hawaii as culled from the recollections of the authors who are represented in all aspects of the socio-economic spectrum, and also diverse in terms of the specific island traditions in the Philippines from which they came and the languages that they speak.
The authors represent those who are in the second to third generations since the sakadas’ arrival to work in Hawai’i’s sugar plantations. Their life experiences differ to some degree from those who came after the Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1965, which allowed easier access to the US.
These overlapping generations form a tapestry of stories that need to be told, especially those of the earlier immigrant generations whose life stories will never be known if not documented now.
These stories define us and express who we are, our values, and traditions. It is important for the next generation to have first-person accounts of what life was like for those who paved the way. It becomes part of their heritage and the expression of their core values.
One of the most poignant stories was written by Romel Dela Cruz, a retired hospital administrator from the Big Island who now lives with his sons in Georgia after a health incident while visiting Laoag.
The story is an ode to his father, who started as a cane cutter in Pa’auilo in the Big Island, retiring as a truck driver. In retirement, he became an entrepreneur, offering yard services to well-to-do families who were primarily white folks.
One of his clients was a retired general who could not fathom that the county hospital hired a local Filipino to serve as administrator. Little did the general know that his yardman, the recipient of his “put-down,” was the administrator’s father.
Another eye-opener is the narrative offered by Roland Casamina, a 1972 graduate of Farrington High School and currently the president and CEO of House of Finance.
Titled “I Was Ashamed to be Filipino,” he recalls the time he was mistaken for a staff worker at the Waialae Country Club (of which he was a member for the past two decades) by one of its Caucasian guests and was ordered to finish some chores.
Instead of being offended by the incident, he reflected: “I cannot change the people’s perception that Filipinos in Hawai’i, especially those with the color of my skin, are the service workers, the yard men, the ones who clean the hotels.”
He offers this perspective instead: “I can’t change people’s perceptions, but I can change the career trajectory of those who want a better future.” He now offers scholarships, “so more people of color will become members of the board of directors or presidents of a thriving company.”
The most heart-wrenching story was the one written by Divina Telan Robillard, who chronicled her inner conflicts as she struggled with the decision to have her aging mother live in a care home. Trained as a nurse in the Philippines, she cared for her husband 24/7 as he succumbed to the ravages of ALS.
Her mom asked: “Hindi mo na ba ako gusto sa iyong bahay?” (Don’t you want me in your house?)
Her heartfelt response was: “I’ve been caregiving half of my life. Pagod na po ako. Kailangan ko na rin ng kaunting pahinga.” (I am exhausted. I need to take a break, too.)
Out of the 30 authors who submitted, eight immigrant women (Evelyn Llena, Michelle Aquino, Melga Gendrano, Margot Adair, Nilda Boland, Gemma Weinstein, Melody Calisay and Nanette Carreon-Ruther) shared their stories last September 27 at the Hawaii State Library.
The women’s backgrounds are as diverse as the process by which they arrived in Hawai’i— some had come to reunite with relatives who came as sakadas, while others came as students, or as spouses who followed their husbands. Others came on the fiancé visa, which requires the foreign fiancé to marry their petitioner within 90 days.
In February, as part of the People Power commemoration, others who shared their recollection of those days in the Philippines (Raymund Llanes Liongson), as well as the Marcos family’s exile in Hawai’i (Rev. Joe Lazo), will be asked to share their mini-memoirs.
Significant events in our recent history—such as the establishment of the Filipino Community Center in Waipahu and the annual Filipino Fiesta are shared by Eddie Flores Jr., who considers both events his pride and joy.
Lito Alcantra, president of Group Builders, considered the only Filipino-owned construction company in the State’s Top 16, shared a narrative titled “From Janitor to President and CEO” where he acknowledged the help in 1978 of the executive director of Hawaii’s Contractors’ Licensing Board. He recalls his advice—“Do not work for somebody. Go on your own,” and matched his words of wisdom with $30,000 that served as seed money for the small company.
He also recalls with pride that when he became a union trustee, he recruited a lot of Filipinos to join the union by providing training in the construction industry. He also helped prepare potential contractors to complete the required paperwork, including passing the test for licensure, thus increasing the number of licensed Filipino contractors. This is one aspect of his life’s journey that is not well-known.
Through these personal narratives, we get a glimpse of our recent history and our contributions to our adopted State. For those interested in acquiring a copy, the books can be ordered online via Amazon.com. All proceeds are donated to FAUW to fund its future publications. For more information, email the organization at fauw1987@gmail.com.
ROSE CRUZ CHURMA established Kalamansi Books & Things three decades ago. It has evolved from a mail-order bookstore into an online advocacy with the intent of helping global Pinoys discover their heritage by promoting books of value from the Philippines and those written by Filipinos in the Diaspora. We can be reached at kalamansibooks@gmail.com.
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