Welcome to Season 5, Episode 5 of The Loida Lewis Podcast! Today, we uncover a vital, deeply emotional piece of US-Philippine history: the reality of Filipino Amerasians.

Tita Loida welcomes the leadership and beneficiaries of the Philippine American Guardian Association (PAGA), an organization founded in 1921 to support the children of US military personnel left behind in the Philippines. Alongside PAGA Chair Lisa Kircher and Executive Director Jill Cortes, we hear real, raw stories of hope and survival from scholars who are breaking the cycle of generational poverty.

From young students navigating life without their parents, to former Executive Director Deanna Bajar using DNA testing at 80 years old to finally locate her American family, these stories will stay with you forever. We also dive into PAGA’s 2026 goals, the structural impact of EDCA, and the crucial push for the US government to provide justice and humanitarian aid to the Amerasian community.

✨ What we discuss in this episode:

A Century-Old Mission for Filipino Amerasians

Stories of Resilience from PAGA Beneficiaries and Staff

Breaking Generational Poverty Through Education

The Power of DNA Testing: Finding Family After 50+ Years

The Impact of EDCA and the Search for Recognition

📚 Empower yourself with books by Tita Loida and Tito Reggie:

How to Get a Green Card (HTGAGC): https://amzn.to/4vuXzrw #ad

Why Should Guys Have All the Fun? (WSGHATF): https://amzn.to/4xbKx3B #ad

Why Should White Guys Have All the Fun? (WSWGHATF): https://amzn.to/4oaaRao #ad

Rate and review us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts for a chance to be featured on a future episode! Email your questions to askloidalewis@gmail.com. Let’s live, love, laugh, and learn together.

How do you survive 8,057 days in solitary confinement for a crime you didn’t commit, only to emerge with a heart full of love instead of anger?

In this unforgettable episode of The Loida Lewis Podcast, Mrs. Loida sits down with the extraordinary Nick Yarris. Nick spent 23 years on death row before DNA evidence finally proved his innocence. He opens up about finding his humanity through literature, his philosophy of "neuroplasticity healing" to erase PTSD, and a surprising, deeply moving connection to a pen pal in the Philippines.

Nick also talks about what it’s like to have his life adapted into the hit Broadway play, The Fear of 13, starring Adrien Brody and Tessa Thompson, and shares his ultimate lesson: “You forgive to the level of love you give a human being.”

Don't forget to follow the podcast and share this episode with someone who needs a little hope today.

📖 Explore books by Loida Nicolas Lewis and Reginald F. Lewis (HTGAGC, WSGHATF, WSWGHATF)

How to Get a Green Card (HTGAGC):

https://amzn.to/4vuXzrw #ad

Why Should Guys Have All the Fun? (WSGHATF):

https://amzn.to/4xbKx3B #ad

Why Should White Guys Have All the Fun? (WSWGHATF):

https://amzn.to/4oaaRao #ad

Support Nick Yarris:

https://nickyarrisofficial.com/

https://amzn.to/4vme1Kk #ad

https://amzn.to/4vzvXSa #ad

https://innocenceproject.org/cases/nicholas-yarris/

Learn more about his Broadway show The Fear of 13, his books (The Fear of 13, Seven Days to Live, etc), and the Innocence Project.

How does a mathematics teacher go on to conquer the world’s greatest concert halls?

Today, Mrs. Loida Lewis sits down with Dr. Raul Sunico, an internationally celebrated concert pianist with an incredible five degrees - ranging from a Master’s in Statistics to a PhD in Piano Performance from NYU.

Dr. Sunico shares his extraordinary journey, from getting accepted into Juilliard while recovering from illness, to the night he memorized a 40-page piece in just a few hours. He also reveals how his mathematical mind helps him perform feats no other pianist dares to try, like playing all four Rachmaninoff concertos in a single three-hour performance.

Listen in for a masterclass on discipline, memory, and the power of representing the Philippines on the global stage.

🌐 Links:

Learn more about Dr. Sunico: raulsunico.com

Send your questions for Mrs. Loida: askloidalewis@gmail.com

What is a massive goal in your life that you need to start tackling "page by page" using Dr. Sunico's advice?