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IN THIS ISSUE Life Down Under Word Power Doggone Helpful Greetings from Costa Rica Taking Technology into Account(ing) Lucky Fall CurricuNet Chancellor's Column Development News Factoids Newsmakers Accomplishments
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Cultural
Connection “I grew up in Southeast San Diego, in a multicultural community, and knew the stresses common to Filipino Americans born to immigrants — those issues associated with something called ‘acculturation,’” she said. Acculturation is the change of a culture — or an individual’s culturally based behaviors — brought on by close contact with a different culture. According to Patacsil, first generation Filipino Americans generally acculturate more readily than their parents do, which often leads to conflict in the home and a breakdown of communication and cohesion within the family. The need to develop an identity is pronounced in adolescents. In their search to find a sense of self, Filipino-American teens often question family customs, challenge cultural values and try out new behaviors. Filipino core values that call for obedience, closeness to the family and respect for elders often come into conflict with American values of equality, individualism, self-assertion and independence. “I witnessed other Filipino Americans and bi-cultural students trying to deal with ethnic identity issues and cultural conflicts with their families. I decided to become a counselor myself to help others better understand the emotional struggles of Filipino Americans and other multicultural and mixed race individuals,” she said. Patacsil completed her master’s degree in counseling with an emphasis in multicultural competency from San Diego State University. A licensed psychotherapist, she worked in mental health care and SDSU Psychological Services before coming to Miramar College in 1992. The commitment to make a difference has never skipped a beat. In her goal to further understanding and awareness of the issues faced by Filipino Americans, Patacsil founded FASA, the Filipino American Student Association at Miramar College. She chairs the Miramar College Committee on Diversity and Inclusion. She is the current San Diego Chapter president and actively involved in the Filipino-American National Historical Society, whose mission is to research, disseminate and celebrate Filipino-American history, and was on the original board of the local San Diego chapter. Since Patacsil joined Miramar, she has coordinated countless community and student events on campus, including celebrations of Filipino History Month, the October celebration of the landing of Filipinos at Morro Bay in 1587; high school conferences; Asian Pacific American Heritage Month activities; and, most recently, the debut of the video documentary “Silent Sacrifices.” “Silent Sacrifices” addresses the struggles of immigrant Filipinos and their American-raised children, and provides a forum for open dialogue to find solutions. Patacsil co-wrote the film’s Companion Guide. In
keeping with her passion for “global understanding,” Patacsil
loves to travel as much as her schedule allows, taking her 13-year-old
son with her, whenever possible. In the last year, she’s trekked
to Italy, Hawaii, Seattle, San Francisco, the East Coast and, naturally,
the Philippines.
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Filipino Americans represent the fastest growing Asian ethnic group in the nation. Historically, the West Coast has served as the “port of entry” for generations of Filipinos, and today almost half of the 1,800,000 Filipinos in America live in California.
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