Walking into South Gym 234, I’m instantly greeted by the sound of friendly chatter and a cute little cloud doodle that features happy faces raining down the white board over the phrase “Barkada Filipino Club.” The animated, overlapping conversations in the room reflect the little drawing, as members bounce around ideas about how to promote their club.
The Barkada Filipino Club is new at City College. The club’s adviser and City College counselor Maristella Bacod is supporting the club’s efforts and endeavors.
“I’m excited for the students because the club has been inactive for almost two years now and they are able to build a small community for each other,” Bacod says. “I’m here to support them. It’s nice to see them take ownership and leadership of their own club.”
Barkada President and business major Emilee Vergara is hoping that promotion for the club will educate other students about Filipino culture.
“We would like other students to show their support,” Vergara says. “Also, acknowledge about how our culture is and what it is about.”
Barkada, which means “group of friends” in Tagalog, came about when the members were brainstorming for potential names and wanted something that would stand out.
Joyce Berthelsen, the club’s secretary, feels that the club is an easy way to make friends and is almost like family.
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Member Samantha Suarez feels the same way. “It feels very family-oriented,” Suarez says. “It’s very heart-warming and nurturing when I go here.”
Members don’t have to be Filipino, however. James Lopez joined because of his interest in the culture.
“I’m fascinated by Filipino people,” Lopez says. “I wanted to know more about them.”
One of the important aspects of joining the club is to figure out what it really means to be Filipino. Karen Asuro feels that to be Filipino means knowing your roots.
“I’m here for what it means to be Filipino,” Asuro says. “That is to know who you really are and your heritage.”
Besides promotion and education, the club also hopes to keep tradition alive on the City College campus. As Asuro says, as time goes by, people have a tendency to forget their heritage.
“Some [Filipino] people who were born here sometimes forget their roots,” Asuro says. “They don’t represent who they really are.”
