Philippine and Mexican Communities Hold Cultural Encounter in New York

01 December 2017 NEW YORK — It was a night of rediscovery and rekindling of ties between the Filipino-American and Mexican-American Communities in New York During at the inaugural Filipino-Mexican Community Exchange held at the Philippine Center on November 28.

With the theme “Discovering the Bonds Between our Peoples,” the event featured messages from Philippine Consul General Theresa Dizon-De Vega and Mexico’s Consul General Diego Gomez Pickering. Inspirational immigrant stories were shared by Mexican Dentist and Community Leader Dr. Gabriel Rincon and Filipino-American High School Principal and Education advocate Carl Vincent Manalo.

The evening also saw performances by the Escuela de Mariachi Angeles de Nueva Mexico based in Harlem, New York and the Mutya Philippines Dance Company under the direction of Mr. Rey Borras. All the featured performers are second and third generation members of their communities.

The event also provided opportunities for networking among young professionals and second or third generation community members. The evening ended with Community Singing of popular songs from the Philippines and Mexico such as “Manila” and “Cielito Lindo.”

Fil-Am Leader, Public Health Professional and media host Rachelle Ocampo and Mexican Maria Jose Torres served as the night’s emcees. 

Consul General Dizon-De Vega spoke of the historic ties which bind the Philippines and Mexico going back more than 400 years, and hitting its apex with the Manila-Acapulco Galleon Trade, the precursor of globalization and transocean trade in the Asia-Pacific region. She also noted that while the Galleon was a great undertaking, Filipinos and Mexicans in the US have the opportunity to forge stronger ties on a number of common issues like education, health, migration, and community empowerment.

For his part, Consul General Gomez Pickering spoke of the substantial contributions of Mexican-Americans and Filipino-Americans to US society and how these achievements must be acknowledged and serve as an inspiration to the younger generations.

Dr. Rincon and Mr. Manalo each shared their journeys as members of immigrant families in the US and the challenges and opportunities for migrants to have a genuine stake in the country’s future.

The Filipino-Mexican Community Exchange is the result of the common desire of the Philippine and Mexican Consulates General to provide a platform for migrant communities in the US to come together to promote greater diversity and acceptance in US society. END

Clockwise from left: Consul General Dizon-De Vega welcomes guests to the Philippine Center; Consul General of Mexico Diego Gomez Pickering delivers a message; The only Filipino-American High School Principal in New York Carl Vincent Manalo gives a short talk; and Award-winning Mexican-American Community Leader Dr. Gabriel Rincon shares his incredible journey as an immigrant in the US (photos by NYPCG)

Left photo: Students from the Mariachi School of Harlem perform traditional Mexican songs; Right photo: The Mutya Dance Company with Consul General Theresa Dizon-De Vega.

For more information, visit www.newyorkpcg.dfa.gov.ph / www.newyorkpcg.org or https://www.facebook.com/PHLinNY/.