ESEA Heritage Month: Beyond "Asian Other"
September is East and South-East Asian Hertiage month. We spoke to Vanessa Vidad, a member of Bloom in Colour to find out more about her ESEA heritage and what this year’s theme ‘Reframing Resiliance’ means to her.
Great to meet you! Can you explain a bit about your heritage and what it means to you?
Hi, I’m Vanessa. I am a cis-gender female of Filipino descent. Whilst born and bred in London, I feel very close to my Filipino heritage. I am very lucky to have visited The Philippines multiple times throughout my life and with it, a real sense of appreciation of Filipino culture having seen it first hand. From provincial life to the city lights of Metro Manila. From the beaches of Pagudpud, Boracay and Palawan to farm life in Pampanga. Being Filipino means a lot to me - there is a real history to my heritage and one I’m slowly starting to get to know more about.
In what ways has your background influenced your professional journey?
Maybe at times it made it slower - masking, code-switching, making myself small because there was this culture of staying hidden. But I’m unpacking that, finding my voice and using it.
I have to note that my work ethic definitely comes from my parents - they left home in their early 20s, moved to a country where the language they spoke was not their first, worked hard and built a life for themselves with my brother and I. They also showed me that there’s always something to learn and it’s never too late to pivot into a different career - my dad went back to college in his late 30s and started a wholesale bakery in his 40s. So the values they’ve instilled in me to work hard and never stop learning keep me going on my journey.
Are there any obstacles you’ve encountered as an ESEA woman, and how did you tackle them?
It’s hard to pinpoint one, elaborate and give a solution because there are quite a few that POC, not limited to those with an ESEA background, still face on a day-to-day basis. One obstacle that I’m proud of is getting South East Asian added as an option on a survey under the ethnicity question. As someone who has always had to tick the “Asian Other” box, it’s nice to now have an option that is more closely linked to who I am and not be othered.
Are there any ESEA women, historical or contemporary, whose lives or work deeply resonate with you?
Maria Ressa - Filipina laureate and journalist who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2021. She has been using her voice to fight for freedom of expression in The Philippines and has highlighted the corruption that exists within the country. Given what is happening in The Philippines now, freedom of press and expression is pertinent.
What insights or encouragement would you offer to young ESEA women coming of age in today's world?
Surround yourself with good people and a good mix of people - having people who are exactly the same as you lead you to exist in an echo chamber. It’s good to know people who are older than you, younger than you, from a different place to you, who speak a different language. Never stop learning. And get yourself a couple of good mentors - it doesn’t need to be anything official but people that can support your growth in different facets of what make you, you.
This year's ESEA Heritage Month theme is Reframing Resilience, what does that mean to you?
I’ve thought about this a lot over the month as resilience is a funny thing. In most cases, you’re not taught to be resilient, you become resilient because of what’s happened to you. I’m resilient not because I wanted to be but because I had to be and sometimes that’s not an easy thing. So for me, it’s a hard one and one I’m still trying to unpack. And that’s ok.
Quick Fire!
A must-listen ESEA podcast?
I must be the only person not listening to podcasts at the moment (my Spotify playlist is currently monopolised by KPop Demon Hunters because of the kids that I don’t dare open it) but key social media profiles that I follow:
Onedown.media - Filipino media
FoodwithMae - Filipino food content creator
GnochGnoch - another favourite food content creator
Your favourite cultural tradition?
Food! Food is definitely a love language in The Philippines! “Have you eaten?” is more often than not the first question you get asked when you walk into a Filipino household. If the answer is “yes” - still expect to be fed.
A dish that truly embodies your heritage?
Adobo. Nuanced in the way it is prepared depending on what region you are from but that’s part of the joy - shows you the versatility of the ancestors, adapting it to reflect the ingredients available to them. And it’s always delicious!
