Embrace your cultural identity -- and share it

When you know about your family's heritage, you are one step closer to knowing who you are. Many advantages can come from learning about your heritage.

Being close to my Filipino heritage has broadened my horizons and definitely contributed to my individuality.

Although I can't write the entire history of the Philippines, here is a brief description of this colorful culture.

The Philippines are entirely in the northern tropics with more than 7,000 islands. It is the only predominantly Christian nation in Asia and is one of the most Westernized Asian nations.

The Philippines has a heritage that is a unique blend of the Malaysian, Spanish and American cultures. Following three centuries of colonial rule, the Philippines gained independence after World War II.

Filipino culture and traditions are still widely practiced around the world today. The Filipino-American Community of Sonoma County Inc., or FACSCI center, is on Fulton Road in Santa Rosa. The center is one of the places where Filipino culture thrives. There is also a small museum in the FACSCI building.

As a Filipino-American teenager, life is never dull. I get to learn about myself through cultural experiences.

Filipino festivals are put on at the FACSCI, and cultural dance, music, food and games are shared with fellow Filipinos and anyone who is interested.

Just recently, the FACSCI put on a Miss and Mrs. Philippines event. I was fortunate to participate in this program and be crowned Miss Teen Philippines. Another participant in the program was Yvonne Labbe, a friend of mine and fellow Ursuline student. Her given title is Miss World Philippines.

We started practicing for this event in May and put in a lot of hard work and dedication. That night, we performed our cultural dances. It was a dinner dance, so everyone was dressed up.

The title holders wore elegant gowns, including many made and flown in from the Philippines. After the title holders were crowned, everybody gathered together on the dance floor and danced. The event was a memorable one.

I will never forget this experience. It was truly a beautiful event, and I learned so much from it.

Being able to be so close to a culture that is halfway around the world is truly a blessing. I am also thankful that my mom, Fe Lunod De Mange, has kept me close to our Filipino culture.

I am also thankful that I have many friends who share or who are interested in my background. I hope that everyone gets a chance, to have hands-on experiences to enjoy their own colorful ethnicity.