Best This Filipino American Life Podcasts (2025)

1
Episode 231 – Meeting the Moment: A Conversation with Los Angeles City Councilmember Ysabel Jurado 57:08

25d ago57:08

57:08

https://thisfilipinoamericanlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/tfal-episode231.mp3 On Election Day 2024, while most of the level-headed American public mourned the re-emergence of the far-right orange man, local folks in Los Angeles had a moment of electoral triumph with the victory of Ysabel Jurado to the Los Angeles City Council. Jurado is the f…

1
Kain Tayo! Why Filipino-Americans Share Not Just Food but Love 10:45

2d ago10:45

10:45

Filipinos love food! I truly believe our love language is food! "Kain tayo!'", "Mangaon ta ninyo!", "Let's eat!". This is not just an invitation to eat but an invitation to a relationship. Yesterday, our community: Filipino-American Association of the Lower Cape Fear or also known as Filipino Americans of Southeastern North Carolina (in Facebook - …

1
What happened to Chicago's Japanese community? 7:00

1d ago7:00

7:00

Lakeview once had a thriving Japanese community, but it fell victim to a push for assimilation. As one Japanese-American puts it: “You had to basically be unseen.”

1
From Palo to Peace: A Filipina's Journey to Complete Healing and Grace 11:37

5d ago11:37

11:37

Many of us carry silent wounds—pain from childhood, broken relationships, or seasons of deep struggle that we’ve tucked away for years. In this vulnerable and powerful episode, I share my personal journey growing up in the Philippines, navigating emotional, physical, and verbal wounds, and how the grace of God carried me from survival to healing. Y…

1
Car towed? Listen to this on your way down to Chicago’s Central Auto Pound 10:28

8d ago10:28

10:28

If you’ve had your car towed in Chicago, there’s a decent chance you had to journey down to Lower Lower Wacker Drive — likely not in the best of moods — to open your wallet and recollect your vehicle. “It's supposed to be a happy process,” said Michael Lacoco, the deputy commissioner of the city’s bureau of traffic services. In our last episode, we…

1
"Mahal ko siya... but why is it so hard?": Cultural Struggles in Filipino-American Marriages 9:55

9d ago9:55

9:55

In this deeply personal episode, I open up about the early years of my interracial marriage—navigating culture shock, unmet expectations, and the silent struggles many immigrant wives face. From discovering dishwashers to dealing with loneliness, I share the raw truth of adjusting to a new life in the U.S. and how God’s grace met me in my pain. Whe…

1
Lower Wacker Drive: A uniquely Chicago street 6:42

9d ago6:42

6:42

Curious City has gotten several questions about Wacker Drive over the years. We head down to the lower levels in search of some answers.

1
Banig Bags and Big Dreams: My Leap of Faith to America 8:55

12d ago8:55

8:55

In this very first episode of RISE Tayo: Stories of Filipino Resilience and Calling, I take you back to the moment I left the Philippines—clutching my passport, boarding a plane, and stepping into the unknown. I share the raw emotions of saying goodbye, the heartbreak that led to surrender, and how God’s faithfulness carried me from a painful break…

1
INSANELY SUS KPOP IDOL STAGE MOMENTS & DISCUSSING JUST B'S "BAIN" COMING OUT 25:54

14d ago25:54

25:54

ASIAN GLOW PODCAST x LOOP EARPLUGS | USE CODE “CLARENCEX-LOOP” FOR 20% off your pair of Loop Earplugs HERE 👉 https://bit.ly/4mkXpPG For deleted clips of this episode: IG: @clarenceeangelo IG: @asianglow.podcast Tik Tok: @asianglowpodcast For more yapping with the rest of the Glow Gang, join our community discord server and watch our livestreams on …

1
Schools, Water Plants and City Hall: We search for Chicago’s nuclear fallout shelters 10:46

15d ago10:46

10:46

Nuclear fallout shelters are still among us, though they are not exactly ready for the apocalypse. These remnants of Cold War-era infrastructure do exist across Chicago, often in places you might not expect. This episode originally aired in 2015.

1
Why does Chicago have a law prohibiting nuclear weapons? 6:32

16d ago6:32

6:32

Tucked in the city’s municipal code is a law that prohibits the production, storage and launching of nuclear weapons in Chicago. We find out why the city decided this law was necessary.

1
Even when nothing goes wrong, moving is trash 18:23

22d ago18:23

18:23

It’s typical to see moving trucks winding through streets and alleys of Chicago on the first day of any month. The act of moving hardly sounds like a luxury, but as we heard in the last episode, it could be worse. About a century ago, Chicagoans only moved on May 1 and sometimes Oct. 1. That meant thousands of moving wagons clogging the streets, pr…

1
‘Pure chaos’: Why did Chicagoans once move on the same day? 6:50

23d ago6:50

6:50

You think moving is hard work? For about 100 years, Chicagoans used to move at the same time. Moving Day: May 1.

1
The complicated statue of labor leader Samuel Gompers 4:08

1M ago4:08

4:08

Samuel Gompers fought for the eight-hour work day and helped create child labor laws. But for all he achieved, he was also fiercely anti-immigrant. We explore Gompers’ life, legacy and the statue built to this complicated man.

1
Maria Rodriguez: From fashion designer to restaurateur 13:22

1M ago13:22

13:22

In our last episode, Curious City question-asker Emily Porter sent us on a quest exploring the world of local fashion designers, all after she found a thrift shop sweater with a tag that reads: “Maria Rodriguez Chicago.” Who is Maria Rodriguez? How did she get into the industry? And what is it like to be a fashion designer in Chicago? To answer tho…

1
Like NYC and Paris, Chicago was a hub for fashion designers 6:35

1M ago6:35

6:35

A question about a sweater in a thrift store turns into a search for a prominent Chicago designer of the 1980s. Along the way, we discover the city’s golden age of fashion designers.

1
MUSIC FESTIVAL WEIRDOS & CRASHING OUT TO ENHYPEN COACHELLA 29:56

1M ago29:56

29:56

So music festival season is in full swing, which also means that jealousy, lust, and festival boyfriends are more alive THAN EVER. In this week's episode, we talk all things Coachella, Reddit festival horror stories, and goon for Enhypen. We hope you enjoy this week's episode of Asian Glow Podcast.For deleted clips of this episode: IG: @clarenceean…

1
Episode 230 – TFAL x Dear Flor – A Conversation with Lisa Angulo Reid 45:38

1M ago45:38

45:38

https://thisfilipinoamericanlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/tfal-episode230.mp3 In this episode TFAL’s Elaine and Producer Mike have a conversation with Lisa Angulo Reid, founder of Dear Flor @lovedearflor. Dear Flor’s mission is to bring Filipino culture to the world, one flavor at a time. Lisa shares her journey as an entrepreneur and how she…

1
How sweet the sound: The history of Evanston folk coffeehouse Amazingrace 12:14

1M ago12:14

12:14

Folk music surged in popularity across America in the late 1950s through the ‘70s, including here in the Chicago area. Last episode, we looked at how a few area coffeehouses catered to many patrons in their teens and early twenties. These were alcohol-free spaces where people could listen to live music and hangout for hours. Curious City host Erin …

1
‘An underground subculture’: How Chicago coffeehouses shaped the folk revival movement 7:42

1M ago7:42

7:42

In the 1960s and 70s, Chicago coffeehouses were popular spots for young people. These were alcohol-free establishments where people in their teens and 20s could listen to live music or just hangout for hours.

1
Episode 229 – Filipinx Studies and its Radical Possibilities with Allan Lumba 1:13:20

2M ago1:13:20

1:13:20

In this TFAL episode, Joe talks to Dr. Allan Lumba, writer, researcher, historian, and professor at Concordia University in Montreal, about potential of Filipinx Studies to inspire our community to fight for a better world. Listen how he developed into a brilliant scholar focused on Philippine Studies, the growing number of Filipino and Filipino Am…

1
You May Also Like: Stories Without End 22:17

2M ago22:17

22:17

Introducing WBEZ's latest podcast series, Making: Stories Without End. Host Natalie Moore takes you on a journey to learn about daytime soap operas and their broad reach on television. From the early radio days in the 1930s through the invention of TV to streaming, this way of telling immersive stories has endured. There are intergenerational famil…

1
Is extremist ideology still fringe? 20:15

2M ago20:15

20:15

Extremism in America has been on the rise. Last episode, we looked at extremist groups in Chicago and how they terrorized select groups of people and influenced housing policy in the city during the 1950s. But what does extremism look like today? Curious City host Erin Allen talks with Odette Yousef, a national security correspondent focusing on ex…

1
How much influence did white supremacist groups have on Chicago housing? 6:50

2M ago6:50

6:50

Extremist groups of the 1950s played a violent part, alongside real estate and neighborhood organizations, in keeping Chicago segregated.

1
breakup songs that I think every heartbroken person needs to hear 42:28

2M ago42:28

42:28

Ariana Grande decided that she wanted to grab us by the hair and drag us and read us to filth and release a deluxe version of her most recent album, Eternal Sunshine. As a resident Arianator since a very young age, in this week's episode I unpack the new songs and how these songs and this album can help us move on from the shitty ex we all once had…

1
What's up with the Chicago's feral cats? 5:01

2M ago5:01

5:01

Chicago is home to thousands of feral cats, and some people are looking after them.

1
is k-drama love real? (dating, singles inferno, and settling for mediocre asian men) 26:41

2M ago26:41

26:41

We kick our feet, we daydream, and we pine for it — but is kdrama love real? From trash reality TV to the fun and horror that is asian dating, in this episode we talk all things romance. We hope you can enjoy this week's beach episode of Asian Glow Podcast.For deleted clips of this episode: IG: @clarenceeangelo IG: @asianglow.podcastTik Tok: @asian…

1
Episode 228: TFAL talks Animation with Bobby Pontillas (Rise Up Animation) 1:10:24

2M ago1:10:24

1:10:24

https://thisfilipinoamericanlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/tfal-episode228.mp3 The TFAL crew is no stranger to the world of animation. In episode 28 (TFAL talks Voice Acting (and Secrets & Fears)), the crew had a conversation with voice actors Eric Bauza (@bauzilla) and Earl Baylon (@earlybgoode). While Producer Mike and Elaine were on their t…

1
“Enemy Alien”: How Chicago photojournalist Jun Fujita avoided Japanese internment camps 18:06

2M ago18:06

18:06

Jun Fujita is the Japanese-American photographer behind some of the most recognizable photographs taken in Chicago in the 20th century, including his shots of the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre of 1929, the Eastland passenger boat disaster of 1915, and the 1919 Chicago race riots. Fujita was also a published poet and something of a regional celebrity…

1
Restriction and sanctuary: A look at Chicago mayors’ wildly different approaches to immigrants 7:12

2M ago7:12

7:12

Chicago is in the national spotlight when it comes to the immigration debate, but that’s nothing new to the mayoral office. We take a look back at how mayors have either embraced or rejected new arrivals.

1
asian shows + kdramas that changed my 20s forever 30:03

2M ago30:03

30:03

As Asian entertainment is continuing to grow and get more popular, there are a select few series that have lived in my brain and stood the test of time. Whether it be for good reasons, bad reasons, or h*rny reasons, in this week's episode we talk all things Asian entertainment. For deleted clips of this episode: IG: @clarenceeangelo IG: @asianglow.…

1
The Life and Legacy of Alice Hamilton 4:10

2M ago4:10

4:10

Scientist Alice Hamilton’s investigations into toxins in Chicago’s factories led to some of the first workplace safety laws in the country. She was known for her “shoe leather” epidemiology, wearing out the soles of her shoes from all the trips she made to Chicago homes, factories and even saloons to figure out what was making people sick.…

1
How does honoring the dead impact the environment? 15:18

3M ago15:18

15:18

How should we decide what happens to our bodies when we die? And what implications does that decision have for the living? It’s common to think a burial at a cemetery is the final resting place for a loved one. But as we heard in our last episode, sometimes the need to progress as a society is in direct conflict with the desire to honor the dead. T…

1
for those who feel they are failing at their dreams rn... 35:07

3M ago35:07

35:07

Recently coming back from a dance event in Los Angeles, a show inspired me and made me think about the hustle towards a dream. Specifically, the garbage parts of it when you feel like your dream is slowly fading or people are telling you that it's not easy or possible. In this week's solo podcast episode, we discuss all things about dance, pursuing…

1
Why is there a cemetery at O’Hare Airport? 7:14

3M ago7:14

7:14

The suburban village of Bensenville has a long history of getting eaten up by development. Resthaven Cemetery is a symbol of what remains.

1
How one Midwestern community avoids road salt all winter 10:15

3M ago10:15

10:15

Chicago — like so many other frigid American cities — can’t seem to kick its dependence on road salt. Last episode, we talked about why chloride from salt is harmful to both our natural and built environments. So we spent some time looking around for a cold-weather community that avoids using it altogether. And we found one! A little community way …

1
the queerification of kpop... 31:20

3M ago31:20

31:20

Have you felt a recent increase in rainbow activity in the K-pop industry? Well, like it or not, it's happening -- and we're here to professionally educate and lead the socratic seminar on the queer-ification of K-pop. From talking about groups like ZB1, Twice, and SKZ to discussing which idols would absolutely cook a pride parade float, we hope yo…

1
Could Chicago ever ditch the road salt? 6:08

3M ago6:08

6:08

Road salt helps us get around safely during snowy, Chicago winters. But salt is corrosive and harmful for the environment. Could the city ever go without road salt?

1
The First Black-Owned And Operated Airport Was In Robbins 20:04

3M ago20:04

20:04

The Chicago area played a key role in Black aviation in the early 1900s. The founders of the first Black-owned airport learned to fly in Chicago and went on to teach thousands of others.

1
Episode 227 – Coming Home for the First Time – Elaine and Producer Mike go to the Philippines 1:04:12

3M ago1:04:12

1:04:12

https://thisfilipinoamericanlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/tfal-episode227.mp3 Is it truly “More Fun in the Philippines? Well technically not any more, because that marketing campaign ended in 2023. Now it’s “Love the Philippines”, but do we? They say there’s “no place like home” (which is especially fitting, since this is episode “227”… look …

1
kpop songs that deserve a live stage comeback or we just d!e 33:49

3M ago33:49

33:49

Dear K-pop labels, we understand that songs and the music industry move very fast — but hear me out, I say while on my hands and knees, some songs are so powerful that they cannot be put away for too long or I start going rabid. From our time in Asia to talking about new K-pop music, grab a snack and a blanket and enjoy this week's Asian Glow Podca…

1
“It’s too complicated”: The state of cannabis record expungement in Illinois 11:55

3M ago11:55

11:55

When Illinois legalized recreational use of marijuana five years ago, it came with a goal to right the wrongs of the war on drugs. “We’re addressing the past harms of discriminatory prosecution of drug laws,” Governor J.B. Pritzker said at the time. Many low level cannabis charges would automatically be expunged and legal aid would be made availabl…

1
Illinois has made a lot of money from recreational pot. How’s that money used? 6:28

3M ago6:28

6:28

The state has made about $500 million in marijuana tax revenue since the state legalized recreational use. Social programs have benefited from those funds, but experts say it won’t last forever.

1
There’s a delicate alchemy to overturning a wrongful conviction 17:34

4M ago17:34

17:34

What does it take to get a wrongful conviction overturned? Quite a lot, according to investigative reporter Alison Flowers, who says proving innocence is much more difficult than proving guilt. She has investigated the cases of many wrongfully convicted individuals, including that of Chicagoan Robert Johnson. In our last episode, Invisible Institut…

1
Why does it take so long to free an innocent person from prison? 7:08

4M ago7:08

7:08

We follow the case of Robert Johnson. Now, three decades after his arrest, a judge will decide whether to release him later this month.

1
How Filipino food entrepreneurs’ “sense of community” help them thrive 13:31

4M ago13:31

13:31

Chicago is a city of food as much as it is a city of neighborhoods and cultural communities. Last episode, we talked about how Chicago may not have a concentrated Filipino enclave, in the way neighborhoods like Chinatown and Humboldt Park are cultural hubs. But the community comes together and supports each other nonetheless. And Filipino food in C…

1
Is there a Filipino neighborhood in Chicago? 7:01

4M ago7:01

7:01

While a concentrated community area might not be as easy to spot as a neighborhood like Chinatown or Little Village, the Filipino community has a long history in Chicago that stretches back to the early 1900s.

1
Episode 226 – Filipino American Masculinity 1:26:54

4M ago1:26:54

1:26:54

For generations, society has taught Filipinos and Filipino Americans what our specific gender roles should be. For men, masculinity is usually associated with ideas of strength, competition, emotion-less, family responsibilities, and protection. At times, these concepts can create narrow definitions of manhood and can pigeon-hole heterosexual men i…

1
Drama, scandal or scores: What takes a sports team down? 15:51

4M ago15:51

15:51

It’s no secret that last year was the worst year in Chicago sports. Last episode we got into what that means for future fans. But 2024 wasn’t the absolute worst for every individual Chicago team. Sometimes a bad season isn’t defined by a long losing streak or a record number of losses. Sometimes it’s the internal turmoil and drama on the team. Toda…

1
What happens when your team keeps losing? 6:50

4M ago6:50

6:50

Collectively, 2024 was the worst year for Chicago sports teams. Chicago fans are used to remaining faithful to some loveable losers. But the younger generation of sports fans aren’t as forgiving.

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This Filipino American Life Podcasts

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