Interview - Joanna Po

Joanna Villarena Po was born on September 11, 1943 in Balasan, Iloilo, Philippines, one of ten children. Of her five brothers and four sisters she was the only one who came to America on her own, but she eventually sponsored two of her brothers to come later in life. When she was younger her brother helped her complete her bachelor's degree in nursing in the Philippines; afterwards she came to work Houston Methodist. She received her master's degree at Texas Woman's University. She met her husband through a Filipino social group in Houston and they have two daughters. Later on in life she owned a jewelry business which she eventually gave up to be able to spend more time traveling and with her grandchildren. Throughout the interview Mrs. Po discusses incidences of discrimination she has endured as an Asian woman living in the United States, as well as general differences between her life in the Philippines and her life in the U.S.

View interview transcript PDF — Full interview materials on Rice Digital Scholarship