Karen Mendoza "The Life of KC": by Cindy Mae Angot

The Life of KC

Karen Mendoza is a 23 year old Filipino Immigrant. She came to America

at the age of 18 with her family. She is an alumni at Skyline College,

and is now a student at Berkeley University.

Table of Contents:
i. Background
ii.Diversity
iii. Immigration
iv. Identity

Background:

KC talks about her life before coming to America.
She also talks about how in the Philippines families are
more interactive with one another, always coming together
for special occasions.

"When asked what set of Filipinos apart from other Americans, my respondents - of all ages 
and class backgrounds - repeatedly contrasted close-knit Filipino families to what they perceived to be the more impersonal quality of U.S. family relations" -Yen Le Espiritu (Family, Culture, and Gender in Filipino American Lives)

Diversity:

In this video, KC talks about the cultural differences
between her life in the Philippines and America.

Immigration:

KC talks about the ideas she had prior to immigrating,
she also explains how she communicates with
family back home.

Identity:

"... my Filipino respondents seldom identify themselves as Americans" -Yen Le Espiritu (Family,
Culture and Gender in Filipina American Lives)

KC tells us why she still identifies herself as Filipino,
rather than Filipino-American. She also tells us
how she maintains a sense of identity without
losing her own culture.

"Having experienced anti-Asian prejudice at home, they drew parallels between their own 
experience and the negative stereotypes used to dehumanize the 'enemy.' 
These experiences encouraged young activist to return to their own roots and recover
their culture and history" (Competing Visions, pg. 375).