109: “Don’t let others or the color of your skin get in the way of proudly identifying as Filipino.” Biracial identity crises, long distance relationships, & being raised by single Filipino moms with Michelle Werle

109: “Don’t let others or the color of your skin get in the way of proudly identifying as Filipino.” Biracial identity crises, long distance relationships, & being raised by single Filipino moms with Michelle Werle

This episode is also available on YouTube: https://youtu.be/e5hzZxdnSxc

Michelle Werle joins the ladies of TFAW Project to discuss the internal disconnect in being raised with a Filipino mom and an American dad. She shares how she compares her mixed identity to siopao; perceived as white on the outside, but being brown on the inside. She pays homage to her ate, April Werle (From ep. 94 https://www.tfawproject.com/episode/094), for being her biggest influence and providing an example for how to wade through the messy waters of a identity crisis. 

Jen, Nani & Michelle also discuss what it’s like to be in relationships with non-Filipino men, and the special quirkiness that comes with learning to understand a significant other in the context of their cultural heritage. 

Reach out to Michelle on Instagram @werlebit or @chelleybean32

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ABOUT US: From 2019 to 2024, The Filipino American Woman (TFAW) Project was a podcast that strengthened Filipino voices one conversation at a time through all things life, culture, and personal development. Learn about the latest happenings of the show, which'll be announced SUMMER 2025: TFAWPROJECT.COM

ACADEMIC PAPER: Special thanks to the Bulosan Center for Filipino Studies at UC Davis for the opportunity to present our academic paper, Pinay Podcasters: Building a Self-Sustaining Community Through Storytelling, Collective Healing & Learning, and Collaboration. The initial draft is now available! Read more at http://pinaypodcasters.com/

RECOGNITION: In December 2020 and December 2021, we received an Honorable Mention at the Asian American Podcaster's Golden Crane Podcast Awards. August 2020, Jen Amos participated as a speaker on behalf of TFAW Project for PodFest Global, which now holds the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title for Largest Attendance for a Virtual Podcasting Conference in One Week. May 2020, we were recognized as “Amplifying Asian Women Voices” on Spotify during AAPI Heritage Month.

We've also been featured in Realtime Community Oakland, Mochi Magazine, Ossa Collective, SUPERBANDS, Chopsticks Alley, FoundHer by Entrepinayship, Spotify, PodFest Expo, Philippine American Foundation for Charities, When In Manila, You Are Collect;ve, San Diego Union Tribune, NBC 7 San Diego, and much more! Read more at: https://linktr.ee/tfawproject.featured

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Learn more about your host, Jen Amos, at

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