Spring BIPoC Gathering

On Thursday evening, the Power & Privilege Committee hosted our final BIPoC family event for the 2022-2023 school year, where we celebrated and acknowledged our community accomplishments: our LatinX, Lunar New Year, Black Life & Culture, Holi, and Diwali awareness raising events.

Additionally, we solidified our BIPoC Middle/High School and High School White Antiracist Affinity. Next year, our student affinity spaces will be broadened to include Middle School White Anti Racist and LGBQTIA+ spaces. We also hosted NAACP Image Award winner, George McCalman for an intimate talk.

Parents, students and staff shared their gratitude for the things they have seen and felt this year, and also discussed ways to further this work with intentionality and commitment.

The Power & Privilege is grateful to be supported in this work by BWX leadership, as well as by students and parents.

Our beautiful evening was centered around the theme of AANHPI (Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander) Heritage month, as we enjoyed a traditional Filipino style feast, called "Kamayan", which was cooked and catered by Freya and Sergio's close friend Geraldine and her sweet family. Here are some words from Geraldine below:

“Kamayan" is a communal-style Filipino feast, composed of colorful food that are usually served on banana leaves and eaten without utensils but your actual hands! “Kamay” is Tagalog (Philippine's main language) for hands. When we normally eat with utensils, we use our body’s four senses: smell, sound, sight and taste. With Kamayan we are able to have a physical connection with our food to enhance our dining experience.

How do we eat with our hands?

You get your protein, noodles, rice and whatever you want to have on the first bite and pinch the food together with all five fingers like making a clump with your finger tips. We do not have the food touch our palms, the food should be no farther than the first line of your finger tips. Once we get the food together, you bring it to your mouth and push the food with your thumb. This is a fun experience but also a tradition that goes back many years in Philippine culture. Best part? Easier and faster clean up with having little to no dishes needing to be washed!

Last night I wore a Barong top that originates from the Spanish era when Filipinos were forced to wear see-through clothing to show that they had no weapons on them. This is similar to why people started shaking hands as a form of greeting— to show that they have no weapons, that we are present and demonstrating a peaceful intent.

My parents decided to home cook the meals instead of ordering from a restaurant so the food that was shared was properly and lovingly prepared with recipes that go back many years in the family from back in the Philippines. A core memory was made watching others embracing the flavors I grew up with (and a reminder to never take my parents’ cooking for granted!).

Filipino-Americans make up 4.6% of the SF’s population, so sharing our/YOUR culture is important to decrease the feeling of isolation and fear and increase our sense of belonging.

Food can bring out the love by spending quality time through dining with one another, and food can also give us that warm feeling of being closer to our culture, our roots and our ancestors. No matter your background, you’re always welcome at the table!

Thank you Freya and Serge for trusting me! Adobo, sisig and lechon next time!

-Geraldine Veras