In my search for stories connecting the Filipino and American stories, ahead of the 80th Philippine-American Friendship next year and the 250th US Independence, I found myself, too. Did you know Filipinos were the first Asian settlers in the US? They arrived on a Spanish galleon, establishing a community in Louisiana before the US was a country. Meeting inspiring Filipino-American leaders, I saw the direct result of previous generations fighting for their place in society. But I also realized that Americans share that same fundamental struggle. The US is just a piece of land, but its heart lies with the people building their communities. I am caught between the worlds of journalism and content creation, I often feel I belong to neither. Perhaps this feeling of being in-between is a shared experience, one that many Fil-Ams know deeply. That shared struggle is the truest connection of all. On our last stretch for #RoadTo250