TWO TYPES OF LUMPIA. IT’S AN EGG ROLL, BUT IN FILIPINO IT’S CALLED LUMPIA, LIKE BRAISED BIZTALK OR BEEF STEAK. CHICKEN FRITTATA MARINATED DEEP FRIED PORK, BELLY FLOP AND BECO. THAT’S WHAT WAS ON THE DINNER MENU FOR THIS MONTH’S CAFE FILIPINO. IT’S THE TASTY FUNDRAISER PUT ON BY THE FILIPINO AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF PITTSBURGH. THAT’S THE BEST WAY TO SHARE ANYBODY’S CULTURE IS THROUGH SOMEONE’S STOMACH. THAT IS THE NUMBER ONE WAY TO DO IT. THE AARP REGULARLY COOKS UP FILIPINO COMFORT FOODS AND FAVORITES FOR LOCAL FESTIVALS. THE IDEA BEHIND CAFE FILIPINO CAME TO BE AFTER SEEING A NEED. ALWAYS FOLKS WOULD COME UP AND SAY, HEY, IS THERE A FILIPINO RESTAURANT IN PITTSBURGH? AND WE ALWAYS SAY, NO, THERE ISN’T A FILIPINO RESTAURANT IN PITTSBURGH. SO WE THOUGHT OF AN IDEA OF DOING A POP UP DINNER. WE WANTED TO TO HAVE THE GUEST EXPERIENCE FINE DINING, FILIPINO STYLE CAFE, FILIPINO IS HELD MONTHLY AT THE PHILIPPINE CENTER OF PITTSBURGH HERE IN WEST MIFFLIN. ANOTHER WAY THE FAP SHARES THAT CULTURE IS THROUGH DANCE IN HONOR OF AAPI HERITAGE MONTH, THE ORGANIZATION OWNS DANCE TROUPE PERFORMED AT THE DINNER THE FILIPINO AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF PITTSBURGH ITSELF STARTED AS AN INFORMAL SOCIAL GROUP BACK IN 1957. THE MISSION IS TO TO PROMOTE AND PERPETUATE THE FILIPINO CULTURE AND PITTSBURGH. IT FORMALLY ORGANIZED IN 1964. THEIR MISSION CONSISTS OF THREE PILLARS CULTURE FOR CHARITY AND EDUCATION. ONE OF THE LONGTIME MEMBERS IS JUNE CALLAHAN. HE’S BEEN WITH THE FAP SINCE 1965. AND TO SEE THAT MORE PEOPLE ARE COMING IN AND WE’RE BEGINNING TO HAVE MORE VOLUNTEERS GETTING EXCITED ABOUT DOING THESE KIND OF THINGS. IT FELT VERY GRATIFYING AND IT’S GOOD TO SEE THAT THE YOUNGER ONES ARE TAKING OVER BECAUSE WE’VE BEEN AROUND TOO LONG, HE SAYS EVENTS LIKE CAFE FILIPINO MAKE HIM HAPPY TO SEE THE ORGANIZATION COME SO FAR. IN THE PAST, IT WAS EASY TO PROMOTE OUR CULTURE THROUGH CULTURAL ACTIVITIES LIKE FOLK DANCING AND SINGING. BUT WE KNOW THAT CULTURE INCLUDES FOOD, SO IT’S GOOD THAT CAFE FILIPINO IS MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION. THE FAB PRESIDENT SAYS WE NEED TO COME TOGETHER FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE, ALL COMMUNITIES AND CULTURES. NOW, MORE THAN EVER. I THINK NOWADAYS, AND ESPECIALLY WITH THE CULTURAL DIVIDE, ETHNIC ASIAN HATE THAT’S BEEN HAPPENING SINCE THE PANDEMIC, IT’S GOOD TO BREAK BREAD WITH THE COMMUNITY AND THEN TALK ABOUT WHAT WHAT WE CELEBRATE. AND THE NEXT CAFE FILIPINO IS SCHEDULED FOR FATHER’S DAY WEEKEND. IF YOU’D LIKE TO RESERVE A SPOT, WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION OVER ON OUR WEBSITE, WTA FROM WEST MI