As guests shared their stories of Al Robles, whether on stage or over food, I couldn’t help but notice that Al Robles was a man of multi-dimensions but of one purpose, which is to change community, change the world. His activism was not limited to his work with the International Hotel, but it was in his writing, his talk-story, and his interaction with people on a daily basis. Among all these dimensions and interpretations of this man, what stuck out the most, was that Al Robles was teacher. Not the type you typically see in a classroom or at an academic conference but on the streets of San Francisco where, muni stops, Thai food restaurants, and apartment steps became his classroom. Where teaching meant speaking as much as it meant listening. It wasn’t just about sharing stories, it was about sharing energy, sharing love, sharing perspective. It was about building relationships and changing culture.
Although my knowledge of Al is limited to a college course visit, his poetry, and a familiar face at a community event, it is hard to forget this man. Beyond his white hair and Hawaiian shirts, was an energy that resonated from his being. It is difficult to describe but it was a positive energy that can be felt through the sound of his voice as he recited poems about the manong and manang generation, as he described the Philippines, San Francisco, his love for food, and what it meant to be Pinoy or Filipino American. He was deep, he was as Jessica Hagedorn would say, the “Caribou kid”. Like Caribou, he was loyal, gentle, strong, hard-worker, and extremely humble. Although he will be missed, his impact and influence will never die as we will continue to reproduce and retell the things that he stood for across countless generations.
Thank you Al.
-ARISTYLES
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