When thinking about social and economical issues, the Philippines is a country that is rarely noticed. As a Filipino American, I have to admit that I do not know a lot about my culture and my heritage; however, that does not mean that I ignore, nor will I forget where I came from. I met two amazing people during my semester at college, and they taught me so much about friendship, love and most importantly, family. With little knowledge about my country, I joined a Filipino Activist organization called Anakbayan Long Beach, where I met Joselle De Los Reyes and Jazlyn Tabar; they welcomed me as one of their “kasamas” which means companion in English; and instantly, I felt accepted. I attended weekly workshops and meetings to discuss social change and justice in the Philippines, but the most prominent lesson I learned from joining Anakbayan is that Filipinos have each other’s backs. Through thick and thin, my kasamas will always support and love each other in any sort of matter, and I am so happy that I met them.
I interviewed Joselle and Jazlyn about their story of how and why they joined Anakbayan, and added a little twist of showing their artistic sides of fashion, styling and their identities. Meeting Joselle and Jazlyn made me realize a lot about my own growth as a second generation Filipino American, and with that, I am prideful about where I came from.
What is Anakbayan?
Anakbayan is a Filipino youth and student organization working to educate, organize and mobilize the community to address issues that affect us in the United States and in the Philippines.
What is Anakbayan fighting for?
The United States send $194 million to the Philippines in the form of military and police aid; however, this has been used as an attack against the poor and those who expose the brutality of President Duterte’s fascist presidency. We combat in our fight for national democracy and socialism in the Philippines as we want to see a society that is free of US imperialism; where the people are able to be liberated from the violence, corruption and poverty brought by imperialism.
What are Anakbayan’s major accomplishments?
Anakbayan USA was established as a nationwide mass organization in 2012 and currently has 24 national chapters across the US in order to help fight against the three basic problems of the Philippines: Feudalism (landlessness), Imperialism (foreign control), Bureaucratic Capitalism (corruption). These problems are the reasons for the displacement of 6,000 Filipinos every year from their homeland. This year as Anakbayan Long Beach, we hosted Liberation Education Biweekly Workshops that broke down specific experiences and topics relating to the three basic problems and how they connect to us as Filipino Americans. On the weekend of November 30th of this year, Anakbayan USA had its 3rd National Congress where hundreds of youth and students nationwide gathered to rise against the fascist US-Duterte regime.
What are your roles for Anakbayan?
Jazlyn: I am the Finance Officer and I have been a member since Spring of 2017.
Joselle: I am the Education Officer and I have been a member since Fall of 2018
How do you incorporate fashion as organizers/activists?
Jazlyn: What I’ve really become aware of this past year is how to create meaningful relationships. I’ve found clothing to be a really great talking point because if I like someone’s style I will say something! Even though it may seem superficial, there are a lot of layers to fashion, which are its raw materials, its labor and also its carbon footprint. These are all things that go into the fashion industry and being conscious of how and what we are consuming affects workers and environments around the world. I might not start off talking about all these things, but to be able to make connections between our interests and everyday struggles is such a powerful tool as an organizer.
Joselle: I love seeing people being comfortable in their own bodies and reclaiming their space through a look! When we really get down to it, the way we dress is influenced by society’s imaginary borders on class, culture and gender divisions created under the control of the ruling class (think of “white collar” jobs vs. “blue collar” jobs) What is the significance of a piece of cloth that is the amount of persons rent and utilities for the month? What is the significance of a cheap item created by exploited working conditions? The challenge of fashion while organizing is to work against it while still staying true to yourself and what you like while being resourceful and mindful.
Why is fashion important to you as an organizer/activist?
Jazlyn: Anyway people can express themselves is very important to organizing. I do not really know technicalities of fashion aside from the two classes I took in college, but what I have learned from reading about Mao’s Cultural Revolution is that meaningful art is created when it is representative of the thoughts and feelings of the people and should not be made for just art’s sake. In order to be able to include the masses in this type of artistic expression, it needs to be accessible and the flaunting of excess and your “drip” is not always necessary to be a fashion icon and spread awareness of the dangers of the fashion industry.
Joselle: Tying into Jazlyn’s reference of Mao’s Cultural Revolution and meaningful art for the masses, I have an additional observation. It is noticeable in our current society in the US that there has been an increase of buying secondhand/thrifted clothing; this is due to the need of more affordable clothing and the education being spread about the unethical consumption of fast fashion. By buying each others clothes, we are practicing sharing our resources, and once the masses have collective ownership of our resources, we will all feel a part of an artistic expression instead of separate due to the insatiable need to consume under capitalism.
Do you have any advice to young women about fashion?
Jazlyn: This is such a crazy time that you’re asking this because I just reflected a lot about my identity and my growth from this past year. As someone who is non-binary (they/them pronoun), the conditions that have contributed to my confidence and passion as a genuine care about and support me, which is what I got from joining Anakbayan. It took me a while to get here, but I realized that my friends are my friends because they care about me and I should not be afraid to reach out. I was given a space where I could allow myself to grow into the confident person I am now, and I think it is reflected in my relationships, organizing and fashion.
Joselle: Identifying as a woman means carrying many conflicting systemic ideas of how you must be perceived as. I generally have an optimistic personality and outlook towards a bright socialist future, but at the same time, it exists my contradicting trait of depression and darkness. This translates into my fashion sense because it is how I feel and what I want to express as a healthy way to cope. It is scientific and essential to explore old and new feelings of what is expected of us and where these feelings and expectations come from. Being in a revolutionary space like Anakbayan is the perfect opportunity to explore and be supported.
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