Much to Be Thankful For
Written by Joanna De La Cuesta
This past October’s Filipino-American History month reminded me of my own experiences as an immigrant in the US, and the many reasons why I have so much to be thankful for. My family and I flew from Manila to LA during one hot summer to start a new life. That summer was also one of the saddest times in my life because I left some of my closest friends and family behind. However, despite the sorrow and obstacles I faced moving to a foreign country, our move was also an opportunity of a lifetime. I am now thankful for living in a country that has such a diverse community, lots of great attractions, opportunities to earn a living regardless of age and ethnicity, and advanced technological innovations. I am also thankful for the continued support from Asian communities and friends who help me overcome the challenges that come along as an Asian immigrant.
Such experiences inspired me to join LACAAEA so I can contribute to the AAPI community. I am happy and proud to know that LACAAEA has accomplished so much in such a short time. During this year, LACAAEA appointed its’ new Executive Board, inaugurated its’ newsletter “The Drum Circle”, and welcomed over 30 new members. LACAAEA also held events and activities, such as the celebration of Asian Pacific Heritage Month in partnership with LA City Employees Asian American Association. Additionally, LACAAEA hosted distinguished AAPI leaders to share their stories and advice, provided scholarships to well-deserved youths, and held a Shang-Chi movie screening event. You can look forward to more member services and events this coming year, such as LACAAEA’s 50th anniversary celebration, more improvements on the LACAAEA website, and member trainings and workshops.
In this issue of The Drum Circle, you will find an Op-Ed on how Asians strive to excel, efforts to bring awareness of the 1871 Chinese massacre, some notable achievements of Filipino-Americans, County leader and former LACAAEA President Jackie Guevarra, lyrics to the song “Model Minority”, and so much more!
On behalf of LACAAEA, we would like to thank you for your continued membership support and involvement. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you would like to share your experiences and talents with us. There are many ways for you to get involved and we are always seeking volunteers to help us out. Contact us if you would like to know more.
I would like to wish you and your loved ones a joyous holiday season and a prosperous new year. We look forward to serving you in 2022!
Joanna works as a Senior Accountant-Auditor at the Dept. of Auditor-Controller (A-C), where she leads audits to assess and provide recommendations to strengthen the County's controls and processes. She started with A-C as an Accountant-Auditor and has been working with the department for over seven years. Before starting her career with the County, Joanna worked as an Accounting Supervisor at various nonprofits and has also worked as a Senior Financial Auditor at a regional CPA firm.
During her personal time, Joanna enjoys staying in touch with friends and family, going to k-pop concerts and stand-up comedy shows, and exploring different cities and theme parks with her husband. Joanna was born in the Philippines and moved to LA at the age of 16.
