FilAm entrepreneur says 'culture without knowledge of history is artifice.’

Acceptance Speech of Lisa Angulo Reid

Entrepreneur awardee of the Filipino American History Month celebration 2025

(Editor's Note: The Filipino American National Historical Society Metro New York honored outstanding Filipinos in the American diaspora on October 11, 2025 at the Queens Museum.

Awesome Media is publishing the acceptance speech of awardee Lisa Angulo Reid, a Fil-Am entrepreneur. Other awardees included Noel Pangilinan for his Lifetime Achievement Award, Potri Ranka Manis, Rena Pedaria, Clifford Robin Temprosa, Dr. Michael Salgarolo, and artists Maureen Catbagan and Jevijoe Vitug.)

Full text:

Happy Filipino American History Month!

And congratulations to all of the awardees today. It is an honor to be here with you. October is a special month for us at Dear Flor. We launched our gummies in California in October 2023. We launched our online business in October 2024. And now, here I am — accepting a FANHS Metro New York Community Award in October 2025.

Our company, Dear Flor, was founded to share Filipino culture with the world. And through our gummies, we’re sharing our culture one flavor at a time. As a marketer by training, it’s my job to understand Filipino American culture and trends.

But culture without knowledge of history is artifice. Culture without history reduces our people to a trend.

Filipinos first came to this country in 1587. Filipinos created the first settlement in the bayou of Louisiana before the U.S. was even a country.

We started movements that changed workers’ rights. We power this country’s healthcare system.

And Filipinos have been wowing audiences with our bold talent and artistry since 1899.

Filipinos have been making history in the U.S. since the moment we got here.

So no — Filipinos are not a trend. Others may try to reduce our culture to hashtags, memes, and ube lattes — but we know better. Knowing our history — our struggles and our triumphs — gives context to culture. It’s what unites us, and what defines us.

That’s why this recognition from FANHS means so much — not just to me, but to Brian and the kids. We’re a family of history nerds, and FANHS has been doing the work to make sure our history isn’t conveniently forgotten or omitted so that our people aren’t reduced to trends.

Because of FANHS, I know that my kids — and the next generations of Filipino Americans to come — will know where they came from, and where they’re going.

Thank you to my husband Brian and to my kids, Marcial and Winter who are here with me today. Thank you to FANHS Metro New York for this incredible honor. I look forward to continuing to make history with you — every day, and not just in October.#