QCP #009 | A Trip Across the World and Into the Multiverse with Jethro

28-01-2022 • 1 hr 43 mins

Jethro is, what I like to call for fun, my younger brother from another mother. He’s the youngest son of my dad’s twin brother. Currently residing in Manila, by way of Cagayan de Oro Philippines. With his short stay in Manila, he immersed himself in his art within the underground hip-hop community. Through finding his artistic medium, he fixated his lens on the vibrant, unsung scene of the culture in Metro Manila.

However, his passion was only realized during a difficult time. At six foot four, he was a highly scouted youth basketball player by some of the most prestigious universities in the Philippines. As a professional basketball hopeful, his career took an abrupt stop after blowing his knee during the recruiting process. Without resources for surgery, It forced him to rethink his path. With help from his family and friends, he found his way - pulled by the gravity of a creative life. Through teaching himself the craft of editing and networking, the discipline he learned from basketball earned him some professional opportunities with film editing.

While we are similar on the surface level in an infinite number of ways, the reality is that we are also strangers to each other. I’m from the states, he’s from the Philippines. He grew up on a farm and moved to the city to connect with people. I was born in the city and sometimes work on a farm to disconnect from people (no offense).

Here in the States, many of us Filipino Americans are slowly finding our footing in reconnecting with our ancestral roots. We often find ourselves holding the idea of what it means to be a Filipino American on one side, and what it means to be a Filipino on the other. While it’s at times, the narrative of decolonizing our thoughts, our food, and our thinking, I find it difficult at times to answer some of these questions, only because they lead to more puzzling questions.

Enjoy!

Manila/ Ph Artists | Places | Mentions