Interview with Alberta Labillazo, June 6, 2022

Donna Kwon: Okay, I'm just going to give a little introduction here.

Alberta Labrillazo: Mhm.

Donna Kwon: Hello, my name is Donna Kwon and the date is June 6th, ah 2022. I am interviewing Miss Alberta or "Bert"-

Alberta Labrillazo: Yes, mhm.

Donna Kwon: Labrillazo. Is that correct?

Alberta Labrillazo: Yes, it is.

Donna Kwon: Okay. For the Stories of Asian America and Pacific Islanders in Kentucky Oral History Project.

Okay! So, our first question is just, tell us a little bit about yourself, what you do, and your background.

Alberta Labrillazo: Uh, my name is Alberta Labrillazo. I am 61. Uh, my parents are both full-blooded Filipinos. Uh, and I am a teacher at the uh, School for Creative and Performing Arts. And I teach theater and direct musicals.

Donna Kwon: Mhm. Wonderful. Um-- So please tell us a little bit about 00:02:00your family in Kentucky or in the region.

Alberta Labrillazo: We have my mom's siblings. And there are four of them left, uh, mostly living in Louisville, Kentucky. And then we-I have siblings that live in uh, Vine Grove, Kentucky, and in Nicholasville, Kentucky.

Donna Kwon: Okay. So I remember hearing that you have, that you might have lived in Hawaii or that you have some Hawaiian ties?

Alberta Labrillazo: My- my sisters, who are adopted, were born uh, in Hawaii.

Donna Kwon: Oh, okay. So that's the connection.

Alberta Labrillazo: Yes.

Donna Kwon: All right. Um, so kind of building upon this, tell us about your life before Kentucky--um?

Alberta Labrillazo: Sure. Um, my dad is in the Army. Was in the army. And so, um, he was stationed in Fort Gordon, and so I was born there, in Fort Gordon, Georgia. And when I was about a year old, he was stationed in Fort 00:03:00Knox, Kentucky.

Donna Kwon: Oh, okay.

Alberta Labrillazo: And that's how we ended up there. And also, my mom's a teacher-

Donna Kwon: Okay.

Alberta Labrillazo: -a second grade teacher. So she, y'know, started teaching in Fort Knox, Kentucky.

Donna Kwon: Okay.

Alberta Labrillazo: Yeah.

Donna Kwon: Um--can you, uh do you feel comfortable um, telling us like what generation your parents are, if they're both Filipino Americans?

Alberta Labrillazo: Yeah, sure. Both my parents are full-blooded Filipinos from Dueñas, Iloilo City, in the Philippines.

Donna Kwon: Okay. So were they the first of your family to immigrate here?

Alberta Labrillazo: Actually, they were.

Donna Kwon: Okay.

Alberta Labrillazo: They were. And my mom uh, ended up uh, petitioning for my grandmother, and then my grandmother petitioned for the rest of their siblings to come to the United States.

Donna Kwon: Oh. Okay. Nice.

Alberta Labrillazo: Yeah. So eventually, all of her siblings, and there were nine of them total, so eight of her siblings came back, came to the 00:04:00United States.

Donna Kwon: Oh, wow. That's a lot (laughs)!

Alberta Labrillazo: Yes!

Donna Kwon: So are they mostly in this region, then?

Alberta Labrillazo: Yes. Yeah.

Donna Kwon: Okay. Oh, that's nice. Okay so uh, tell us a little bit about your journey to Kentucky. Um, you-you kind of told us how you ended up here, but um, maybe just talk about what it was like growing up here.

Alberta Labrillazo: Well, I was--uh, during our first few years, we're on an Army base, so-- I- there was uh, my best friend was Filipino. And uh, so there were a lot of cultures and um, ethnicities represented there in-in Fort Knox because it's basically a lot of different people from a lot of different places. But when we went to, uh we moved to Radcliff, which is right outside of Fort Knox, uh during my fourth and beyond grades , y'know, there weren't 00:05:00that many Filipinos. And actually, my best friend who was in Fort Knox, they moved in the same, uh they moved to the same subdivision, so, y'know. But yeah, there were, there were not a lot of Filipinos that I knew of growing up.

Donna Kwon: Uhhuh. Um, where is Radcliff? Is that also in Kentucky?

Alberta Labrillazo: It is right, it- Radcliff is between Fort Knox, Kentucky and uh, E-Town, Elizabethtown.

Donna Kwon: Oh, okay.

Alberta Labrillazo: Yeah. It's the city that's between the two.

Donna Kwon: Okay. So it's not too far.

Alberta Labrillazo: And it's not a big city, actually.

Donna Kwon: Mhm. Okay. Um--So the-the rest of these questions here have to do with y'know, your first year in Kentucky. So I don't know if maybe we'll skip these, but, since you were born in the state. But if you want to talk a little bit about um, ah-- you know after you moved to Radcliffe, then what 00:06:00happened? Did you end up going to school in this area?

Alberta Labrillazo: Yeah. We, we- technically, we went to Fort Knox. And then, because my mom was a schoolteacher at Van Voorhis Elementary in Fort Knox, that's where she ended up staying. Ah, and then we moved to ah Radcliff, Kentucky, and that's- I went to Parkway Elementary and then James T. Alton Middle School, and then North Hardin High School.

Donna Kwon: Mhm. Um what was it like to go to middle school and high school in that area?

Alberta Labrillazo: You know, it's just a-it was like a country, for me, it felt like just a regular old country city (laughs).

Donna Kwon: Ok. Yeah.

Alberta Labrillazo: You know what I mean? It wasn't a city, city. It was like living in a town, I guess.

Donna Kwon: Do you feel like you stood out growing up there, or not really? Were people mostly pretty accepting of different types of people?

Alberta Labrillazo: My-my best friend was, uh, her mom-her mom was- uh my other best friend, her mom was Japanese, and her dad was American. So really, my closest friends were of Asian descent. It just ended up that way. Um although I did have a lot of friends that you know, were not Asian. Um my closest two friends were Filipino and then half-Japanese, American.

Donna Kwon: Oh, interesting.

Alberta Labrillazo: Yeah.

Donna Kwon: Um so what happened after that, after you graduated from high school?

Alberta Labrillazo: After I graduated from high school, I went on to um, UK because my mom got her master's in ah, I think it's special ed. I can't remember what she got her-her master's degree in. But she got her master's degree in, um, at UK. And so, she bought a house here. And there are, there were 00:08:00three sisters that were kind of stair stepped. We were all stair stepped. So she bought a house thinking that she will just let us live in it all through college, and then she'll turn it into a, a rental, a, a, you know. But I ended up staying there after college and ended up living there.

Donna Kwon: Nice. (laughs)

Alberta Labrillazo: Yeah. I've lived in that house for like 40 years.

Donna Kwon: Oh, wow!

Alberta Labrillazo: Yeah.

Donna Kwon: Um- would you say that your experience is much different than what your parents went through, or?

Alberta Labrillazo: Very different. Because my mom and dad were from the same town. It was out in the province. And my dad's side was literally what you would call dirt poor. They farmed the land. Did not have a whole lot of education. That's probably also why they pushed us to really get our degrees.

On the other side , my mom, all of her siblings were educated. That 00:09:00was the goal of their parents, is to make sure that their kids were all uh, educated. So my dad joined the Army, and was writing letters to my mom. You know, he saw her at church when he was uh, when he came home on one of his you know, R and R or whatever. And they exchanged letters, and then when he came home, he married her. And, they went to, uh because he was in the Army, they went to um, France, and my sister was born. And then they came to uh, Fort Gordon, Georgia. And then my sisters, my two older sisters were adopted, um-- And then we came to Fort Knox. But Dad, because he was in the 00:10:00Army, he traveled a lot. And we stayed, because Mom was a teacher, we stayed in the Fort Knox area.

Donna Kwon: Um, do you mind my asking what led your parents to adopt um, since they already had some children of their own?

Alberta Labrillazo: Well, their uh dearest friends were uh, Filipino-Hawaiian. And there was some marital problems between their parents. And my mom and dad agreed to take the two eldest.

Donna Kwon: Oh, okay. So it was kind of a personal um, kind of fostering sort of situation.

Alberta Labrillazo: Yeah.

Donna Kwon: Fostering to adopt kind of situation.

Alberta Labrillazo: Right, Yes. And they ended up adopting them. And about three years ago, my sister, through ancestry.com , they ended up, her niece 00:11:00contacted my adopted sister. And so she found their uh, she found her siblings.

Donna Kwon: Wow.

Alberta Labrillazo: And so we're all Facebook friends.

Donna Kwon: uh-huh. Wow. That's fascinating (laughs).

Alberta Labrillazo: Yeah! Yeah.

Donna Kwon: Have you been back to uh, the Philippines at all?

Alberta Labrillazo: Yes. Yeah.

Donna Kwon: Ok, so--

Alberta Labrillazo: The first time we went was when I was around, I was like a freshman in high school, like 1975. And, uh, we, as our whole family went um, there, and we stayed for two months. 'Cause usually, if you're going to go to the Philippines, you're going to stay awhile. You know what I mean? It's so expensive, and it's like a 24-hour trip, you know, the flight and everything. So we got to stay there. And ah, and then I came back in '91, '93. You 00:12:00know, I think I may have been back about six or seven times.

Donna Kwon: Oh, wow. That's a lot.

Alberta Labrillazo: Yeah. And we usually stay about a month, a month to six weeks. Yeah.

Donna Kwon: Uh-huh. Do you- there's a question on here. I'll just ask it. It may, it may not be relevant to you.

Alberta Labrillazo: Sure.

Donna Kwon: Do you consider- what do you miss the most about the Philippines? And do you consider it home in some way, or do your parents consider it home in some way, or do you pretty much consider Kentucky your home?

Alberta Labrillazo: Well, Kentucky is my home, but I-I have family still there. My dad's whole side is there, and my mom's cousins and nieces and nephews are all there. Um. I refer to it as home, but really, my home is Kentucky. You know, if I refer to it going back home, that means we're going to the Philippines, if we say "back home". .

Donna Kwon: Right.

Alberta Labrillazo: And so, we were, we- the last time I was there was 2017.

Donna Kwon: That's pretty recent.

Alberta Labrillazo: Pre-COVID. Yes.

Donna Kwon: Yeah. What do you like about the Philippines? I mean, you've gone a lot.

Alberta Labrillazo: Your dollar goes really far there (laughs). Um--in the province, they are not wealthy or rich. But their religion is rich. Their faith is rich. Ah, their family ties, their close-knit family connections are rich. And when I say I miss that, that's what I-I wish we had more of in the United States. Our family here is very close, but I mean, just generally, I, I wish, I wish that was part of the American family or life.

Donna Kwon: Yeah. I understand.

Alberta Labrillazo: Um, you know, the weather's great. It's hot. You 00:14:00know, the fruit. It would be like going to Hawaii, I guess, you know, but it's really, really inexpensive. So you can travel while you're there and treat everybody. Y'know, 'cause, generally, a dollar, there--is 50 pesos.

Donna Kwon: Ok.

Alberta Labrillazo: Yeah. And so, like, you could get a cup of coffee for 50 pesos. So, like, I could get my nails done um, for two dollars, where here it's like $45, you know.

Donna Kwon: Uh-huh. Right, right. Have you been to Hawaii at all?

Alberta Labrillazo: No, but I would love to (laughs)

Donna Kwon: Oh, yeah. I know. I hear it's so expensive (laughs).

Alberta Labrillazo: Yes (laughs).

Donna Kwon: Okay. So uh, describe um, your community. Um, broadly 00:15:00speaking, what does community mean to you?

Alberta Labrillazo: Well, um, community for me are the- how we consider a tribe, our tribe. You know, so my community are theater people, are SCAPA, where I teach. Um, politically, they're Democrats (laughs). I don't know if that's appropriate. They are mostly arts people. That's my community.

Donna Kwon: Just for the sake of the record, what is SCAPA?

Alberta Labrillazo: Oh. SCAPA is the School for Creative and Performing Arts. It's a, it's a gifted and talented program here in Lexington, Kentucky, much like YPAS in Louisville or SCPA in Cincinnati.

Donna Kwon: And how long have you been teaching there? Did you teach 00:16:00somewhere else first, or was that your first job?

Alberta Labrillazo: I did not.

Donna Kwon: Really?

Alberta Labrillazo: I started teaching 31 years ago at SCAPA.

Donna Kwon:Oh, wow.

Alberta Labrillazo: So I'm just now finishing my, my 31st year.

Donna Kwon: Wow. How lucky you are! (laughs)

Alberta Labrillazo: Yes, I know. I love the school.

Donna Kwon: Um--Okay. So which communities, groups, um, in Kentucky have you built connections with over time? You kind of answered this, but if you want to elaborate?

Alberta Labrillazo: Yeah, well, they-they have a Philippine, a Fil-Am community ah, group in Louisville and in Lexington. And I have gone to a couple of their events. You know, I-I'm truly so busy at work, in school. And when we're in summer, my mom always said 'work'. And so I always work, um so I don't really get a chance to socialize. And if I do, I go home to Lexington-uh to 00:17:00ah, Louisville - and visit my family there.

Donna Kwon: Um, what kind of events are- do they have? 'Cause actually, I haven't heard too much.

Alberta Labrillazo: They have like picnics. It's called Fil-Am. F-I-L, dash, A-M. Um mostly picnics, gatherings. You know, they'll have a, uh, Simbang Gabi. Which is a, it's a um, Christmastime um, mass, and then they eat a lot. Filipinos always have, you know, events that have food afterwards.

Donna Kwon: Does the mass happen at a church, then?

Alberta Labrillazo: Yes.

Donna Kwon: Or is it church oriented-

Alberta Labrillazo: Mm-hmm.

Donna Kwon: these events?

Alberta Labrillazo: Yeah, it's a Catholic, Roman Catholic.

Donna Kwon: Oh, okay. Oh so that's neat. So there is a Filipino mass that occurs at one of the churches.

Alberta Labrillazo: Yes. At -- at Christmastime.

Donna Kwon: Interesting. Is there-

Alberta Labrillazo: And they also do, you know, picnics and Memorial Day parties.

Donna Kwon:Have you come across anyone who does um, any Filipino cultural traditions, dancing?

Alberta Labrillazo: Well, in, ah, in Louisville, my, my uncles have been presidents of that Fil-Am Society of Louisville- or, it's really Kentuckiana. And so we have done, several times um, our family members have done the folk dances, and-

Donna Kwon: -Oh, neat.

Alberta Labrillazo: Yeah.

Donna Kwon: Actually, I went to World Fest last summer. I did see a group performing with the, with the you know, pole.

Alberta Labrillazo: Tinikling? Yes.

Donna Kwon: Yeah.

Alberta Labrillazo: That's the common one. Or else they'll do the um... I don't know what the name of it's called, but they'll, they'll do the dance with water or candles on their heads.

Donna Kwon: Yeah. Um, okay. Tell us about the activities you enjoy doing in Kentucky.

Alberta Labrillazo: Um, well, doing shows. Ah--and I love, our family is really close. There are over a hundred of us in the United States that are 00:19:00blood relatives.

Donna Kwon: Wow.

Alberta Labrillazo: Yeah. And so, when I have time, I go to Louisville. And we all meet up at this one house, and we play mahjong. (laughs)

Donna Kwon: Ah! (Laughs)

Alberta Labrillazo: That's something that brings me great joy, is playing mahjong with my cousins. Um, you know, I like to travel. Um, we've gone to Canada. We've got friends and family in Canada. Ah, of course, to the Philippines. And then our cousins are at different places in-in Arizona, in New Jersey, in ah, California. So uh, we travel.

Donna Kwon: Mhm. Wonderful. Um--Okay, so uh, tell us about the activities that you miss doing back in the Philippines.

Alberta Labrillazo: Well, I- because I was not born there, the things that I miss-Also, I play mahjong (laughs)- is just shopping in the Philippines-

Donna Kwon: Uh-uh

Alberta Labrillazo: -and visiting with family. The thing about Filipinos is that when you walk in the door, they'll say, 'Did you eat?' That's always what they ask, "Did you eat? Did you eat?" And then, of course, you have to eat.

Donna Kwon: Right.

Alberta Labrillazo: And then of course, they always have- you know, they just lay out a big old buffet. And when you leave, you have to bring what, what we call a balon or a ba'on. You know, take with you. Take home. So that's something I miss, just the togetherness-

Donna Kwon: Yeah.

Alberta Labrillazo: -of our family members in the Philippines.

Donna Kwon: Do you have any favorite Filipino foods?

Alberta Labrillazo: Oh, my gosh (laughs). Adobo. Chicken adobo, which is, you know, vinegar and soy sauce and bay leaf. You know. Uh, I like this food called dinuguan. Which is sort of, its- uh, we used to call it blood pudding 00:21:00or chocolate meat.

Donna Kwon: Mhm.

Alberta Labrillazo: You know. Uh, we don't, we don't put it out-

Donna Kwon: Is it like a sausage, or is it more-

Alberta Labrillazo: No, it's a soup.

Donna Kwon: A soup?

Alberta Labrillazo: Like a soup!

Donna Kwon: Oh, okay.

Alberta Labrillazo: And so we don't-we don't put it out very often when we have our American friends or Caucasian friends, because it's kind of, you know, for some, it's just weird, y'know? But it's truly my favorite food. Um--of course-

Donna Kwon: Have you tried like the, is it the Scottish or the Irish version?

Alberta Labrillazo: Haggis?

Donna Kwon: Yeah.

Alberta Labrillazo: You know, I haven't. But I know that uh, our-our dinuguan, or blood pudding, is, it's very tangy and-

Donna Kwon: Uh-huh. Spicy?

Alberta Labrillazo: Yeah. Because of the vinegar and soy sauce. But um, those are the- and of course, lechon, which is a roasted pig that they put in a pit and they cook overnight.

Donna Kwon: Uh-huh. Right.

Alberta Labrillazo: They roast it overnight. That's so good! Which is so terrible for us (laughs) you know, because we don't exercise here in the States like they do in the Philippines, you know?

Donna Kwon: Uh-huh. What kind of exercise do they do there, or is it just you have to be active to survive?

Alberta Labrillazo: It's really hot, so you sweat a lot. And just, they walk a lot, in the province where my family's from. You know, it's not in this big city, you know, so. In Dueñas, Iloilo, they walk or take a taxi, you know. Yeah.

Donna Kwon: Yeah. I-I can understand that. Um--people walk more.

Alberta Labrillazo: Right, right.

Donna Kwon: Uh, did you have any, did you experience any challenges, um incidents that might have happened to you um, as an Asian, um, as a Filipino, um, American?

Alberta Labrillazo: Well, you know we don't really talk about these things. You know what I mean? But I had to do a monologue. And--I called it--uh, 00:23:00I'm trying to remember what I called it. But anyway, I had to do a monologue. Uh- and it was like, I think I referred to it as 'Like Me'. And, they had...what happened was I used to work at the UK Med Center, ok? And I was walking between the VA Hospital and the UK Med Center. I was walking down the tunnel. And this vet was screaming at the top of his lungs. I was way down the hall. And I was in scrubs 'cause I was a ward clerk, you know, I was clearly- I worked there. He was saying, "Vietnam! Vietnam!" And, you know, I-I'm Filipino, but I thought, "Who's yelling?" And I looked back, and he was yelling at me, he was talking to me.

And ah, he said, "How long you been here?" And you know, I- because I worked there, I just felt like I needed to, you know, be civil, and, you know. Of course, if I were not working there, I think I would've been so embarrassed that I just would've run away, probably? But I worked there, and I just said, "Well, I've been here all my life." At that time, I was maybe 23, you know, and I said, "I'm-I'm as American as you are," you know, just to kind of stand up for myself. And he kind of, uh, he just kinda lost steam or whatever--you know and kind of grumbled. And then I just kept walking. But I was so embarrassed. And not that-not-not that he, you know, just that he pointed out my Asian-ness, y'know, and he was so loud and just like, I wasn't allowed to be here? 00:25:00(laughs) And I-I'm like, "I help. I help you."

Donna Kwon: Right.

Alberta Labrillazo: Basically.

Donna Kwon: I mean, do you think he was having some kind of PTSD-

Alberta Labrillazo: Well-

Donna Kwon: Or do you think he was just being a jerk? (laughs)

Alberta Labrillazo: Ah, who knows? I think, I think maybe he has had a prejudice, and I was clearly- I mean, my hair is colored right now, but it was pure black. Y'know, who knows? But for him to yell, "Vietnam! Vietnam!" Just- you know, it makes me cringe thinking about it. But that happened, y'know, 40 years ago. But I still remember it.

Donna Kwon: Yeah. I think things like that still happen.

Alberta Labrillazo: Yeah. Hm.

Donna Kwon: Um--Okay. So I did want to follow, um, go back to, um, ah, your theater background a little bit.

Alberta Labrillazo: Sure.

Donna Kwon: So how did you end up- so your first job or one of your first big teaching jobs was SCAPA, and you remained there.

Alberta Labrillazo: Yes.

Donna Kwon: So how did you end up going into theater in the first place, and education?

Alberta Labrillazo: It is- It is a long journey.

Donna Kwon: Ok (laughs).

Alberta Labrillazo: I was planning to be a teacher. And I just had so- I changed my major so many times and was not all that great in school. I was not the best student. You know. And the pressure, really, to, when you're Asian is to be better, to be equal. I mean, that's what my dad told me.

Donna Kwon: Yeah.

Alberta Labrillazo: And I think that has shaped my work ethic. You know, to just- but when I was in college, I kind of rebelled and did not do well and was changing my major. And then finally, I took a theater class, and I loved it. And for some reason, I just connected. But also, on the other hand, 00:27:00y'know, my upbringing was not to, you know, be too showy, or, um, which I think is an Asian thing, you know, to be subordinate- in sub- you know to be subordinate and to not be loud or whatever. So I-I loved taking the class, but it was like, I'm not like them. They're just too crazy and wild and loud. But I kept taking so many classes that, at a point, I talked to my advisor, and she said, "Do you know, Bert, you-- you are just one semester shy of a degree?" (laughs)

And so I changed my major. You know. Then, of course, I told my parents. I said, "Well, I'm not going to be a teacher. I'm, I'm getting my degree in theater." To which, you know-- Asian parents do not- I mean, they want you to be a 00:28:00doctor or a nurse or an engineer- you know- or a teacher. So, well, my parents, you know. And so they just were silent, and they said, "So--you're going to be a director?" And I was like, "Well, no." And they said, "An actor?" And I'm like, "Well, I really like stage managing because it's behind the scenes, and you get to call the shots, and you know, you have to know everything about the, the theater. So you have to really be knowledgeable." And it's, to me, it was an honorable thing. But they didn't, know you, they were okay, but they were sort of disappointed, I think. You know.

And so I got my degree, and then I was teaching so many summer camps, like, constantly. And I found that I really enjoyed it. And then a friend 00:29:00of mine called me and said they are needing a theater consultant at this new school. At the time, it was only like three or four years old. And so I applied and got the job as a theater consultant at SCAPA, and then, you know-

Donna Kwon: it went from there.

Alberta Labrillazo: Yes. So- because I had- I didn't have my certification at the time, but I had a four-year degree in theater. And then eventually, I got my master's, um-

Donna Kwon: In education?

Alberta Labrillazo: Mm-hm. So- in essence, I'm highly qualified (laughs). You know what I mean? I got a master's in teaching and a four-year degree in theater. So that's how I ended up, you know, at SCAPA for 31 years.

Donna Kwon: And I'm sure that made your parents happy, too, because you ended up being a teacher (laughs).

Alberta Labrillazo: Well, yes. Exactly. I mean, it was better that I was a teacher. At least, I'm a teacher, you know .

Donna Kwon: (Laughs) Um--Okay so um, yeah. That's just an amazing story. I love that (laughs). How do you identify yourself in this community?

Alberta Labrillazo: Well, in the community, I'm-I'm very proud of my heritage. So I-I let people know that I'm Filipino. Is that what you-you're asking?

Donna Kwon: I guess, yeah. I guess that's where this is going. Yeah. But it could be a different kind of identity.

Alberta Labrillazo: I'm a teacher, I'm a theater person--And I'm Filipino, I'm Filipino-American. You know.

Donna Kwon: Mhm. Yeah. Has this self-identity changed at all over time, um?

Alberta Labrillazo: You know, it's interesting. My parents, when we were being raised in the late '60s and '70s, they want-they did not want us to learn the language. They never spoke our language unless they were speaking to 00:31:00each other.

Donna Kwon: Oh.

Alberta Labrillazo: Because they wanted us to assimilate. They did not want us to stand out. Well, now our society is ethno-proud. We're proud of our ethnicity. But growing up, you just kinda, didn't want to be noticed as different, or Asian, you know, or ethnic. So now um, I'm very proud.

Donna Kwon: Um, would you say that your um, identity as a Filipino-American, does it inform your work as an educator theater director at all, or?

Alberta Labrillazo: I'm aware when I cast that, that I am making sure that I have a diverse cast.

Donna Kwon: Yeah. That's so, such an interesting area (laughs).

Alberta Labrillazo: It is!

Donna Kwon: Casting.

Alberta Labrillazo: When I see commercials , or if I see a board of 00:32:00directors, or, if I see-for example, this person, uh, a friend of mine, has a, a business as a uh, photographer. And I called him and said, 'you have no Asians. You have no people of color. I mean, you-you have no brown people.' He had African-American clients that he had taken head shots, and I was like, 'There are no Mediterranean. There are no, no Asian people.' (laughs) I was like, 'May I give you the number of people, some numbers of people to add to your, your portfolio?' you know.

Donna Kwon: How do you feel about the issue of, of ethnic representation and casting? So, say you were doing um, a production of Mulan or something like that. I mean, I know you just did Moana. Um, but how- do you feel 00:33:00like you have to stay faithful to the ethnicity of the part character? Or do you think there's, it can be, as long as the cast in general is diverse, then that's-

Alberta Labrillazo: Yes. For example, if I were casting Mulan and there were no Asians, I would make sure that it was a, a BIPOC represented. I just would. And when I cast, I try to be colorblind.

Donna Kwon: Okay.

Alberta Labrillazo: Yeah.

Donna Kwon: Okay. But if there were very talented Asian-Americans who would audition, then would they have like a better chance, or not necessarily?

Alberta Labrillazo: Oh, my gosh. You know, I don't know. Um--I probably would, if they were just as good as their Caucasian counterparts, I probably would put a person of color in there. Because our kids need to see people that 00:34:00look like them. You know. Um, so I guess I would.

Donna Kwon: It's just a thing that I've thought about a lot (laughs).

Alberta Labrillazo: Yeah! If they were just as good and strong--yeah, I would probably, because this is the day and age that we've got to be more diverse. We've got to represent. You know. And not just Asians, you know. Just any, any person of color, I think.

Donna Kwon: Mhm. Um--okay. So you kind of were going in this direction before, but you were talking about your work ethic.

Alberta Labrillazo: Yes, yeah.

Donna Kwon: And I know that you are incredibly active in your field, and you're just nonstop. So I guess my question is what drives you? What influences you? What drives your philosophy?

Alberta Labrillazo: Well, when I was growing up, my dad did say, 'You have to be better to be equal'. And I wore that like a curse for a while. And I 00:35:00think subconsciously I just worked hard. You know, because I didn't want to be viewed as not good enough.

Donna Kwon: Mhm. That's really deep. I wore that as a curse.

Alberta Labrillazo: Oh, it was awful.

Donna Kwon: Oh, my goodness. It just hit me (laughs).

Alberta Labrillazo: Yeah. I mean, you hear that. When you hear that, that's something you keep hearing in your head, you know. And so, it drove- that's what drove me. But also, I love doing what I do, you know. But there was always that fe- and I don't know if this is just my own, uh, my own self-confidence issues or because I am Asian, but that came from an Asian dad, who, you know- most of us that are first Am- first generation born here in the 00:36:00United States had parents that worked really hard to come here to the United States. They sent money home to the Philippines because that's what we do. You know, or they separated from their families to work here in the United States, or Saudi Arabia, or Australia, you know, so that they could make money to send back.

So for us that were brought here or born here, the goal was for us to be you know, doctors and lawyers and all that. So, you know, I think I always felt like I needed to be-work harder. And-and now I thank him for doing that. I, I hated it before. But I, in retrospect, now that I have a 31-year legacy at 00:37:00where I teach, I'm none the worse for it. Put it that way.

Donna Kwon: Mhm. Right. Yeah. I guess, building that, what would you tell the future generation of students, artists, performers, um, especially those with um, AAPI backgrounds or people who are BIPOC?

Alberta Labrillazo: Well, I would just say represent. Get out there and be seen, and do good work. Y'know? Be a solution.

Donna Kwon: Mhm. Oh, that's a good one.

Alberta Labrillazo: Yeah. Um-- I try to be involved in my school, in our SBDM council. Every chance I get, I s-I apply to be a teacher rep because um, I think it's important to see through my Asian eyes, you know. To represent.

And on Facebook, I'm always, I'm anytime a Filipino-American does something, or a Filipino does something in the United States, I always make sure to put it on my newsfeed and say, "Filipinos represent'. You know, 'Hashtag Filipinos represent'. So, you know, I guess I would say just represent and be positive. Don't be something that is negative and looked down upon.

Donna Kwon: Right.

Alberta Labrillazo: Because it is so easy to-it's so hard to build a reputation. It's so easy to lose it.

Donna Kwon: Right.

Alberta Labrillazo: You know, by the choices that we make or whatever, so um--

Donna Kwon: Would you tell people to work harder, you know, no matter who they are, I guess?

Alberta Labrillazo: Oh, that, it's- that's a hard one because-- I have pretty much had my career with that kind of thinking, with that kind of 00:39:00philosophy. Just, be better just so that you could be equal. You know? I hate to- I would hate to have to say that, though. You know what I mean? I would hate to perpetuate that kind of thinking because it makes, it would make a BIPOC person, uh, somebody who's BIPOC, feel less. You know? I just think we all need to uh, see each other not by our skin color.

Donna Kwon: Mhm. Mhm.

Alberta Labrillazo: You know, one of the things that was really difficult, when one of my uncles came here to the United States, they had come here, 00:40:00and he was shopping at Walmart. And this person, this Caucasian person, uh, was so disrespectful to him. And I really think it was because he was an Asian who didn't um, who had an accent. But what they didn't know was he was a very successful lawyer and the, the uh, mayor of his town for two, you know, terms. And his father before him was an educator who was, for four terms, y'know, the mayor. And that he has a street named after him. And I just thought, I just- you are looking at what this person sounds like and what they look like. 00:41:00And it just, you know, things like that. They don't have any idea sometimes of what is behind that look and sound.

So that, I-I think a lot of Asians experience that, who come here to the United States, and in their daily lives they, y'know. And I think, because I have kind of a Southern accent, that people forget that I'm Asian, you know? And also I color my hair, you know.

Donna Kwon: Have um, during this COVID-19 pandemic, how has that affected your life work? Um, have you heard of any specific anti-Asian incidences happening?

Alberta Labrillazo: Not in my circle, you know. Because also, I have a very insular circle of people around me . It's either the parents of my 00:42:00students or my family, or my very small chosen group of theater friends. You know what I mean? I'm not really out there, per se. Uh. Yeah. I don't, I have not. Not in my circle, I haven't.

Donna Kwon: That's good to hear.

Alberta Labrillazo: Yes!

Donna Kwon: But I guess more generally, how has the pandemic just affected your, your working life, or has it? Have you just chosen to forge ahead, or?

Alberta Labrillazo: Well, I'm a teacher, so we make it work. You know, that's what we do. And we make it, we teach our kids that we just, we just you know, stay positive. We do the best we can. You know that's what we do. So, it has been hard, but I think that would not have anything to do with a person's ethnicity.

Donna Kwon: Mhm. Has teaching- I mean, people have said that there's 00:43:00been you know, an uptick in mental health issues for young kids. Have you noticed much of a difference on, with the pandemic situation impacting your students, or not so much?

Alberta Labrillazo: I think so. It, because number one, they're not able to socialize with each other. Or they haven't. We're just saying these past two years. They have not been able to socialize with each other freely. And so, some of them have lost or not really developed their interpersonal skills, being able to, you know, just have a conversation, you know. Like they're, they feel like they need to stay on their, on their computers, you know. Also, I think being home has been very stressful. It's been stressful to parents. It's been stressful to the kids. And we're seeing an uptick in negative 00:44:00attitudes and impatience. I think that's what's, what has- and it's also been hard academically to keep up, you know.

Donna Kwon: Um, has the pandemic affected your self-identity as an Asian, um, as a Filipino-American at all, you think, or not really?

Alberta Labrillazo: No, not really. You know, I think- Filipinos- our family, we just lay low. We're not loud people. You know what I mean?

Donna Kwon: Yeah.

Alberta Labrillazo: I think if we had something to say, we would. You know, I have gone out. I went to the Women's March. I mean, I have gone to be an activist. But I'm not really a loud person, you know.

Donna Kwon: Yeah. I'm not, either (laughs).

Alberta Labrillazo: Yeah. So I don't think that it has affected that much because we just work hard and do what we have to do.

Donna Kwon: Mhm. Mhm.

Alberta Labrillazo: Yeah. I think that's- I think that might be a little bit of an Asian thing.

Donna Kwon: Um--so, um, I guess, in conclusion, we're wrapping up now, tell us what you learned about living, uh living in Kentucky, learned about yourself living in Kentucky.

Alberta Labrillazo: Well, living in Kentucky and having gone back home to my parents' home, um, one of the things that I know is how much we have here in the United States and how incredibly blessed we are here in the States. We-we have access to so much, you know. And in the Philippines, especially in 00:46:00the province where my family is from, they don't have access to a lot of things and it's harder to come by, you know. They could get the things that we have, but, my goodness, they, it's hard to come by.

I mean, we have friends of our family who, you know, that wash clothes for people, and family members that do nails for people. And that's how they make their money, you know. And then I go home, and I've got a complete manicure set, and I've got tons of nail polish. And I'm thinking, 'Gosh, that-this would make this person's career. They could make so much money with what I have right here, that I hardly use'. You know? So, so I think just knowing how blessed we are here and how, how accessible things are for us, you know.

In the Philippines, however, they think everything is easy, you know. And in the Philippines, you have people who do your laundry, who come in and you know, wash your clothes, and you have people who live with you who you, send them to school, and they're your house family or whatever. You know, you-you kind of 'adopt' people and they-you send them to school, and they work for you in the house. Well, here in the States, you, you get none of that. You do all your laundry. You do all your dishes, your cooking, everything. You know. So there's, there's a little bit of, uh, you know--

Donna Kwon:Yeah. That's interesting (laughs).

Alberta Labrillazo: Mmhm.

Donna Kwon: Yeah. So- is there anything that we haven't talked about that you want to mention? You had said something about um, wanting this to be 00:48:00something- wanting to talk about things that you would tell your nieces and nephews.

Alberta Labrillazo: You know, actually, um, my aunt sent me a- this was on Facebook- she-she sent me a link to a uh, a learning video about basic Philippines. So I sent it to my brother's children who were born here, who do not look Asian, but they are fifty percent Filipino and fifty percent American. Or see, I said American, but fifty percent Caucasian. And so I said, 'You are fifty percent Filipino. You should know where your Lula came from.' And Lula means your grandmother, you know. I think it's good that we, we are 00:49:00proud of our heritage nowadays. It's not the way it was when I was growing up. That's something I love knowing.

Donna Kwon: Mhm. Yeah there are some incredibly successful artists these days who have Filipino background, but you don't know it half the time-

Alberta Labrillazo: -Right! Bruno Mars,

Donna Kwon: I know - Olivia Rodrigo-

Alberta Labrillazo: -Yes.

Donna Kwon: So many (laughs). It's amazing.

Alberta Labrillazo: And you know, the other thing is we tease that Filipinos are born with a karaoke mic in their hand. There are few people that are Filipino that don't have a karaoke machine in their house.

Donna Kwon: Right (laughs). Uh-huh.

Alberta Labrillazo: We love to sing.

Donna Kwon: Um, well, thank you so much for sharing your story with our project.

Alberta Labrillazo: Thank you for asking and wanting to know.

Donna Kwon: Mhm. Yeah. Thank you so much for your time.

Alberta Labrillazo: All right.

Donna Kwon: All right.

Alberta Labrillazo: Thank you.