Episode 190 – TFAL Tambayan: Where do Filipino Americans make Tambay?

This Filipino American Life

Where do Filipino Americans hang out? Where is the place where they are allowed to tambay (Tagalog slang for loitering from the English “stand by”)? Where are can one find Filipino immigrants and Filipino Americans alike in public places?

According to some sociology scholars, the third place in modern capitalist society refers to spaces that are the home (“first place”) and the workplace (“second place”). Examples of third places include churches, cafes, clubs, bookstores, stoops, porches, parks, barber shops, etc. To many, these third places serve as locales where people come together for friendship, community, and dialogue. They can even serve as a places where the sense of belonging and discussion they foster become essential to democratic institutions.

In this TFAL episode, Joe and Ryan (united to form Bernardo Carpio) discuss places where Filipino Americans hangout. Listen as they talk about what places they’ve seen Filipinos hang out at, what “loitering” means and the racial and class politics behind it, how to create community as public spaces become more commodified, and what physical spaces Filipino Americans need to connect and strengthen our community. This conversation may see odd and philosophical, but we promise we weren’t high while recording this!!

Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on this page, or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts here. And for folks on Spotify, you can take a listen to us here.

Where have you seen Filipinos hang out? Do you have a place where you and other Filipinos hang out at? Let us know! Leave us a voicemail (805) 394-TFAL or email us at [e-mail].

PC: Bancroft Library, UC Berkeley