EVERYTHING WE NEVER HAD

Four narrators depict intergenerational Filipino sons and fathers over the course of a century. Ramón de Ocampo portrays young Francisco, who works tirelessly on California farms in the 1930s, occasionally regretting having left his Philippines home. JB Tadena captures angry Emil, who lives and works in poverty after Francisco, now an adult, deserts his family to pursue Filipino rights in 1965. Manny Jacinto portrays cowed, angry Chris, whose father, Emil, now grown, limits his options and leads him to discover his Philippine heritage in 1985. During the pandemic, Jesse Inocalla reveals sensitive Enzo's worry about disease and his abusive grandfather, Emil, who mistreats the family that has taken him in. Unique, powerful renderings connect for a view of how historical struggles create generational trauma. S.W. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2024]