Christine Currie and Jacelyn Arradaza are both of Filipino heritage. The two met while working at the South Carolina Commission for Minority Affairs (renamed the SC Commission for Community Advancement and Engagement). In 2024, they sat down with StoryCorps to share some personal experiences that inspired them to bring a greater understanding of Asian history and culture into our nation’s schools.
TRANSCRIPT:
Christine: So, at the commission, we both advocate for the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities here in South Carolina. So, Jacelyn is actually my intern. She's been helping me with so many projects and getting involved. Specifically, one that I'm really passionate about that she's been able to connect me with people to help with, it’s a national nonprofit, Make Us Visible. And the South Carolina State chapter just got started, and it's working to advocate for Asian American history in K through 12 classrooms, which I think is super cool, because—
Jacelyn: That is so cool!
Christine: How neat--I don't think that when I was in elementary, middle, or high school that I learned, really, about any Asian American pioneers that made any kind of contribution to the US, which, obviously, there have been large contributions that have been made. But, like, do you feel like you were ever represented really in school?
Jacelyn: No, I mean, I took the AP level courses. APUSH. AP Gov…
Christine: Yeah.
Jacelyn: And the only ever time that you would hear anything about like Asian Americans or just Asian in general will be like Pearl harbor…
Christine:…the internment camps, the wars.
Jacelyn: Yes, the railroad…but other than that, like, you don't, you don't ever get names.
Christine: No, not about people that made, like, hefty contributions.
Jacelyn: Yeah, you'll just get the event and then that's kind of it.
Christine: Yeah.
Jacelyn: There was this time in, I think I was in seventh grade, we had a social studies teacher and a science teacher that we had to switch classes to. And my social studies teacher, he a big foodie and he found out I was Filipino and he loved Filipino food. And that was, like, probably one of the most memorable moments because it was the first time I really felt seen as a Filipino in South Carolina.
Christine: Aw!
Jacelyn: At seventh grade. He wanted to tell everybody. He walked me over to my science class, which is right across the hall, told her, and she looked at me and was like, “Oh, so you eat monkey?”
Christine: (Gasp!)
Jacelyn: I was like, whoooooa--
Christine: What a broad assumption to make!
Jacelyn: --that is crazy. Like, imagine feeling like, so seen, like, “Oh, my gosh, he knows what Filipino people are, where the Philippines is. He knows about Adobo Sinigang, like all these amazing dishes…” Just for me to walk across the hall and be told, I eat monkey because I'm Filipino.
Christine: Oh my gosh. It takes one person to ruin it or just be closed-minded that way for you to be like, crawl back into your hole and not want to think about being Filipino again for a while.
Jacelyn: Right.
Christine: Yeah.
Jacelyn: And right in front of that history teacher. I think the history teacher says something like, “No, why would you say that?” I mean, I-I don't know.
Christine: Yeah, it's sad. You definitely have the people, though, that really embrace everything
Jacelyn: Yes.
Christine: And are so excited when they're like, “Oh, my gosh, like, what's your favorite food?” Or, like, “Can you tell me, like, just anything?” Yeah, just anything about it. So, I hope that by the time my son is old enough to understand that he has a good, strong community here and that I, will know enough to where I can really make sure that he has a love for his culture and is surrounded by people that can help teach him and answer any questions that he has.
Jacelyn: Yeah, I'm excited, too.
