The short documentary Filipinos in America: Misidentity & Mental Health follows the perspectives of twelve Filipinos as they answer the questions of whether they have ever been misidentified and if mental health is talked about in their households. Juxtaposed with the joyful unity and pride in being Filipino in the title sequence, this documentary takes a deeper look into the minds and lives of Filipino-Americans. Although the stories of how their families came to America differ from person to person, the responses they share show the evident similarities in the struggles they face of being Filipino in America. From being mis-recognized as other ethnicities to not being able to share their concerns and raw emotions with their family, the underlying theme of invisibility is apparent.

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Filipino-Americans are often known as the invisible minority. Filipinos are the second largest Asian immigrant population in America, yet they are still not recognized in American communities and in the media. With other Asian populations having their own shows and cultures presented on television, Filipino narratives fail to be portrayed at all. Their mix of cultures and physical features make them ethnically ambiguous and sadly unknown. This invisibility also permeates through the presence of Filipinos in American history. From the hundreds of thousands of Filipino lives lost in the Philippine-American War to the manong generation who toiled countless hours on farms in Hawaii, California, Washington, and Alaska, the resilience and strength of Filipinos continue to be undermined and forgotten. 

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Furthermore, the Philippines endured nearly 400 years of Spanish rule, which was immediately followed by a half-century of American occupation. Through these years of colonization, Filipinos have been immersed in an array of cultural influences. From Catholicism, the Spanish language being intertwined with native Filipino languages to American western ideals, these all have impacts on how Filipinos’ self-identify and how others identify them.

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Although Filipinos are placed under the “Asian” umbrella term, many people still do not recognize Filipinos as Asians. Filipinos are stereotyped of being the “brown asians” and are often mis-recognized because of their Spanish influenced first and last names. Although Asians are known as being the model minority, this idea often does not apply to Filipino-Americans, who are often seen as the help and as laborers. Filipinos do not fit the mold of the stereotypical Asian-American, which usually only refers to East or fair-skinned Asians. Because of these associations, some Filipinos wonder if they even fall under the identity Asian but rather the identity of Pacific Islander, in which some Filipino cultural practices and physical features resemble that of Polynesian countries.

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With all these identity crises, Filipinos have a hard time opening up to their families about these feelings. Being Filipino-American becomes a balancing act. Whether Filipinos immigrate to America themselves or are children of immigrants, they all feel the pressures to carry out the expectations and dreams of their parents and family members. When the topic of mental health is brought up, parents and loved ones often say “Bahala na” (Leave it up to God), which comes with being rooted in Catholicism. Furthermore, Filipino-Americans have to balance the sometimes-clashing cultures of staying rooted to Filipino culture, which includes putting family above yourself, and growing up in American culture, which gives you freedom and new opportunities. 

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Being Filipino-American, comes with its ups and downs, but we are so proud to be Filipino. From being surrounded by family and eating delicious food to working hard and reaching our dreams and those of our family, Filipinos are able to understand and relate to almost every minority group in America. Although we are known as the invisible minority, we are courageous, determined, hopeful and most importantly we exist.