Helen Villagracia, who emigrated from the Philippines to the U.S. six years ago, was wearing a blue and red Superman t-shirt and holding an American flag as she relaxed on a folding chair in front of the Water Tower on July 4th. The Bocce Club’s Independence Day festivities were in full gear- a bike parade, games, magic performance and free hot dogs and ice cream.  I asked her what makes her patriotic, this not being her home country. The freedom here, she said, to be who she is. She is lesbian and suffered discrimination in the Philippines, including in employment. Here she works as a caregiver for children. With Villagracia and helping her respond to my questions was Aurora Hermoso, a friend of Villagracia’s partner who was at work that day. Hermoso is a nurse who was one of thirty Filipino nurses whose immigrant visas were sponsored six years ago by New Cortland Elder Services in exchange for a three-year commitment to work for the company.

Watch video interview here