VIA Times – June 2017 Issue Vital News, Vibrant VIews for Asian Americans in Chicago & Midwest

By: Joe Mauricio   July 2, 1776 was the official American Independence Day that the Second Continental Congress meeting in Philadelphia voted to approve a resolution for independence from Britain. On that same day, the Pennsylvania Evening Post published the ...

By: Janie Dantes   I consider myself the “My Cousin Vinny” of my family. Despite an undergraduate degree from the University of Chicago and a law degree from DePaul College of Law, the economic crisis that began in 2008 hurt ...

By: James DC   ANG PAGHIHIGANTI Isang gabi, naglalakad ang isang lalaki sa may tulay nang may makita siyang babae na nasa gilid nito at nagtatangkang magpatiwakal. “Huwag!” sigaw ng lalaki. At sa kabutihang palad ay nakumbinsi ang babae at ...

By: Robert Gard   Between Jan. 22 and April 29, 2017, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) deportation officers administratively arrest-ed 41,318 individuals on civil immigration charges. Between Jan. 24 and April 30, 2016, ERO arrested 30,028. That’s a 37.6 ...

By: Elsie Sy-Niebar   *Pres. Duterte’s declaration of Martial Law in Mindanao brings back memories of September 21, 1972, to this columnist… *Marawi City in Southern Philippines celebrated Flag-rasing ceremony in tears *President Duterte skipped the Philippine Independence Day celebration ...

By: Maria Girlie Pascual   The Philippine Independence Golf Tournament or PIDGT started way back in the 70’s when a few golfers decided to celebrate Philippine Independence Day in Chicago with a tournament that will be open to all golfers ...

By: Ryan Tejero   One of the longest and most stable Filipino communities farther down south is the Filipino American Society of Central Illinois (FASCI). It is a 501(3)c organization and a lively community that has grown to over 200 ...

By: Veronica Leighton   With the community in feverish excitement celebrating the 119th Philippine Independence this month of June (June 12th, to be exact), we wonder how the umbrella organization of the Filipino American Community of Chicago (FACC) is celebrating ...

By: Bob Boyer   The heroics of Florence (“Betty”) Finch provide the stuff of adventure or spy stories more often than obituaries, but this obituary is both moving and exciting. Betty Finch managed to get a job working for the ...