I’m not the type to get really passionately into “Identity Politics” or anything “Identity.” I like to let a person stand on their own without whatever labels we give them. In other words I let you stand on your own as an individual… it’s you and only you that I care about. And I hope people will do the same with me. I hope they get to know me…  April-Liesel Binapri! ;)

But for the sake of this posting let me talk to you about my “Identity.” I am first and foremost a creation of God. And I thank God for dreaming me into life. Thanks God for creating me in your image and likeness. I am spiritual and therefore have a healthy relationship with God. I am a person who is madly and deeply in love with God. It has always been God and me! He also thought it best that I manifest into this universe as a Human Being. Therefore I am a Human Being in the Human Race second.

Religiously speaking I am a Roman Catholic Christian. My Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ was Jewish and his Vicar resides at the Holy See also known as Vatican City. I will always embrace and love my Jewish Brothers and Sisters, Christian Brothers and Sisters as well as Vatican City. I will also embrace my fellow descendants of Abraham, my Brothers and Sisters of Islam. And because Jesus was Jewish and therefore of Israel I will always love Israel! But my religion takes me back to what I am first and foremost… I am created in the image and likeness of God. I am his always and forever. If anyone wants to classify me as anything I am created in the image and likeness of God first, always, forever and eternally as long as God exists.

God thought it best that I would be born in Hollywood, California in the United States of America.  Therefore I am an American next. There is no greater nation on the face of the earth than the United States of America. I love that with my American Pride I can also embrace other cultures. Americans to me are truly my favorite people on earth. Even the ones I disagree with. I’m very proud to be an American. And I thank the troops who give their lives in service to protect American Greatness. I also am grateful for the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution and the other founding documents of our Great Nation. From Sea to Shining Sea from every State and Territory of the United States I declare now that I am a Very Proud American and I will defend this country until I die. I love Americans and our Great Country!

I will always think of myself as a Hollywood Woman until the day I die. You can take me out of Hollywood but you can’t take Hollywood out of me. It’s all about Los Angeles County! I love where I was born and I love the legacy of Hollywood and the influence it has over the world. I may not agree with every bit of expression that comes out of the city and area of my birth but dang it’s the Entertainment Capital of the World, I live here and I’m damn proud. I will always be a proud Southern Californian. I was born here and I hope God will let me die here. We’ve got the best weather and best amenities here. We have it all! Everything is 2 hours away. If I want snow I can go to the mountains. If I want an Island get away it’s a ferry away. If I want another country it’s just a drive south. If I want Europe I go to Solvang. If I want Las Vegas it’s a drive away. If I want anything it’s a drive away and I love it! I may not agree with my neighbors on everything here in the Great County of Los Angeles but I sure as heck love it here. Yeah, I even love Orange County and Palm Springs. In my book there’s no place better to live than in Southern California even with the smog, earthquakes, mudslides, fires and the high price living and the crazy politics. There is no place like home! Thanks God for letting me be born and raised here and please when you want to take me back home let me die here.

As for my Heritage… both my Parents were born in the Philippines and came here as teenagers. All four of my Grandparents were born and raised in the Philippines, although three of them spent most of their adult life here in the United States after they immigrated. I am very proud of my Pinoy (Filipino) Heritage and Culture. While there are things within my culture I don’t agree with generally I’m proud to be a Pinay (Filipina). I love the importance of family. I love the respect of those who are older than you. I love that my younger cousins, relatives and even friends that are of Pinoy ancestry refer to me as their “Ate” (Pronounced as Ah-Teh or Awe-Teh. A term of respect for an Older Sister or Female Cousin) or Manang (The Aklanon term for Ate). When it comes to hospitality the Pinoys and Pinays can’t be beat. And I’m proud of that. I can go on and on about my Pinay Ancestry.

I do have Chinese, Irish, Scottish and Spanish Ancestors who went to the Philippines. After being an American I am a proud person of Pinay (Filipina) descent. And then I am an American of Chinese, Irish, Scottish and Spanish Ancestry. Looking at the history and achievements of China, Ireland, Scotland and Spain I am happy that my ancestors from there came to the Philippines so that I can inherit them. I even claim Germany as my Step-Grandfather is an American of German; descent and he is the only Paternal Grandpa I’ve ever known and I love him as if he is my blood. And he spoke of his German roots to me on many occasions. If the Philippines, China, Ireland, Scotland, Spain and Germany and its people want to claim me I would be so very much honored. Because I’m proud of my Chinese, Irish, Scottish, Spanish and by way of adoption German ancestry and heritage.

I am also a Woman! I am indeed a Feminist. And when I say I am a Feminist that doesn’t mean I abandon and thrash Men. But rather, I am of the belief that I can do anything a Man can do if I put my mind to it. Men are certainly not above me and Women are certainly not above Men. I am a Feminist in that let’s face it… Sexism must go! If a Man can do it… so can a Woman! I will always be proud of the many strong and powerful women throughout the History of the World and some of them I wish to emulate in my own April-Liesel way. And I will always be an advocate for Females until the day I die. I am for merit based pay. But if a Man and a Woman do the same work with equal merit and quality you better damn well pay them both the same. I can’t wait for the first Woman President of the United States of America and I think it’s about time.

But for the sake of what country has my loyalty… the United States of America will always have it first. I will always be for my fellow Americans first among nations and nationalities. I will always believe that the United States of America is the best among nations and its people are my favorites among others. Then the land of my Parents and Grandparents birth… the Philippines and the Pinoys/Pinays (Filipinos/Filipinas). Then China, Ireland, Scotland, Spain and Germany equally have my loyalty after the Philippines. And Israel and Vatican City can’t be ranked as both nations will always have a spot in my heart and soul.

But above all this I am a child of God and he is my first, my last, and my everything! And I am his! And because of this I am able to be for all of his creations which I care for more than my nationality, heritage, ethnicity, religion and sex. However, because of my God I care about my nationality, heritage, ethnicity, religion and sex because this is how he chose to manifest me into this universe. And because of my God I really don’t care what your identity is. Because you and I are created in the image and likeness and I’ll let you stand as a fellow creation of God. But there you have it. My Identity! ;)
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