M.T. Vallarta, Author at Pinay.com
M.T. Vallarta
M.T. Vallarta is a Ph.D. student from Los Angeles, CA. She received her undergraduate education at the University of California, Berkeley, where she double majored in English and Asian American Studies. While at Cal, she was an editor of {m}aganda Magazine and was heavily involved in student of color groups and community organizing spaces. She identifies strongly as a scholar-activist, and hopes to produce scholarship that directly impacts and benefits the very communities she serves. When not blogging, writing, or studying, she enjoys reading, playing video games, drinking tea, and eating good food.
7 Sparkling Tips to a Long Distance Relationship
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I am in a long distance relationship. Yes, I know it’s difficult. Yes, I know a startling number of long distance relationships don’t last. But that does not stop my partner and me from trying. We have been in a long distance relationship and our love has not dwindled at (more…)Read More
I Am Proud to Speak Tagalog; It’s a Gift
M.T. Vallarta
I am standing in a classroom next to my mother. The wall is an assemblage of red, yellow, and blue bulletin boards, plastered with papers and pictures I could not readily decipher. A young blonde and willowy woman is speaking to my mother. I could only guess what they must (more…)Read More
Pinay Voice: Watch 5 Amazing Musical Talents
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From rap, hip-hop, acoustic, and rock, countless Pinays have illustrated their musical talents and skills and have become incredible figures in America’s entertainment industry. By creating music that highlights Pinay expression, Filipino culture, and even political struggle, these five musicians demonstrate the beauty, diversity, and tenacity of Pinay voices and (more…)Read More
So What If I’m Queer? I Am Proud of It
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I first encountered the identity of “queer” as a first year in college. I attended a meeting for one of the Filipino organizations on campus, and one of the coordinators introduced his program as a “space for queer Filipinos.” I was surprised to hear that term. In high school, the (more…)Read More
5 Pinay Stellar Novels You Need to Read
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The Filipino novels Noli Me Tangere, Urbana at Feliza, America is in the Heart and Rolling the R’s have been regarded as examples of the best Filipino/American literature. These works contain stories of political struggle, of kinship, of migration, and of Filipino/American community formation. However, they were all written by men. (more…)Read More
Mabuhay! Your Light Shines on Us
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When you hear the word Pinay, what comes to mind? “Resilience. Resistance. Strength. Struggle. Beautiful narratives.”— Malaya, 20 “My mother. My aunts.”—J.N., 31 “…a long line of strong courageous women.”—Alyssa, 24 “…the amazing perseverance of Filipinos that I continue to see in the community today.”—Justine, 23 A Pinay is a (more…)Read More
“I Am Not Your Mail-Order Bride:” Filipinas Online and the Search for Authenticity
9 June 2015 | 6:47 pm When I first started “Sampaguita Girl,” I had a vision of creating an online resource for Pinays. I wanted to create a site with critical articles that interrogated what it meant to be Pinay, that would tackle topics that were unspoken and taboo in our communities. I wanted to celebrate being Filipina/American, and to highlight… Continue reading “I Am Not Your Mail-Order Bride:” Filipinas Online and the Search for Authenticity →
Guest Post #2: “And I Remember: the (De-)Sexualization of My Pinay Body”
30 May 2014 | 8:01 pm by Kristin I have a game for you all. (Don’t worry. No one is judging you. I have a feeling you will be answering partly based off of your own experiences. There won’t be any form of shaming done around here.) And now for the answers! Starting with #1: Playing pretend with my Barbie dolls… Continue reading Guest Post #2: “And I Remember: the (De-)Sexualization of My Pinay Body” →
5 Pinay Writers You Need to Check Out
28 March 2014 | 6:34 pm This is the last segment I’ll be posting for Womxn’s Herstory Month. The following are 5 amazing Pinays who are not only writers, but educators. Their poems, novels, and short stories have empowered the next generation of Pinays to produce their own works of art as well as contextualize and construct their own personal and… Continue reading 5 Pinay Writers You Need to Check Out →
5 Pinay Anthologies You Need to Read
19 March 2014 | 9:54 pm Last week we honored five awesome Pinay scholars. This week, here is a list of five of the most groundbreaking Pinay anthologies. These anthologies have transformed how we think about Filipin@ literature and culture, and have inspired countless Pinays to become writers, researchers, and leaders in their communities. 1. Babaylan: An Anthology of Filipina and Filipina… Continue reading 5 Pinay Anthologies You Need to Read →
5 Pinay Scholars You Need to Know
14 March 2014 | 1:47 am This post is in celebration of Womxn’s Herstory Month! It is by no means a complete list, but here are 5 Pinay scholars who are interrogating, challenging, and decolonizing the world with their groundbreaking research and activism. 1. Nerissa Balce is an Associate Professor of Asian American Studies at Stony Brook University (SUNY). Her research interests include… Continue reading 5 Pinay Scholars You Need to Know →
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Discovering the Babaylan in Me
Sept. 6, 2016
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