About DIWA Magazine

DIWA is the cultural journal for Filipino America. Twice a year, we publish a collectible chapter that traces Filipino history through who we are today, told through fashion, food, film and the people shaping our culture. Between chapters, we publish new stories on our site, send The Loom, our free newsletter, and gather the community in Portland, Oregon.

Diwa is a Tagalog word for spirit, essence and consciousness. Filipinos say diwa ng Pasko for the spirit of Christmas, and the diwa of a story is its heart. DIWA is also named for our founder Kyle Beltran’s great-grandmother. Read the full story.

Daily news outlets and community papers cover what happened this week. DIWA publishes two chapters a year, so every story gets the research, writing and photography it deserves. Think of an arts and culture magazine you keep on your shelf, made by and for Filipino America, with gatherings in Portland that bring the pages to life.

Filipino Americans who want to see their lives told with care, whether you grew up in the Philippines or you’re second or third generation and figuring out what the culture means to you. DIWA is also for the artists and makers building that culture, the partners who support it, and anyone who loves thoughtful storytelling.

Every chapter traces a part of Filipino history through who we are today. We tell those stories through:

• Fashion and dress: from the baro’t saya and terno to the designers reinventing them.

• Food: the cooks, restaurants and recipes that keep memory alive and bring people together.

• Film and the arts: filmmakers, artists, musicians and writers.

• People: the founders, makers and community builders shaping Filipino America.

Two print chapters a year, in April and October. In between, we release four digital mini zines a year, publish new stories on diwamag.co, and send The Loom.

Chapter I, Islas de los Pintados, arrives in April 2027. It returns to the Visayas before 1521 and the Pintados, the tattooed islanders Spanish chroniclers named the islands after, and follows that history into the present. See Chapter I.

DIWA began in October 2025 with PROLOGUE: EPHEMERALITY, an exhibition of fashion photography and Filipino food at The Hoxton in Portland.

DIWA Membership starts at $5 a month and comes in three tiers: Gatherer ($5 a month or $50 a year), Maker ($15 a month or $150 a year) and Weaver ($30 a month or $300 a year). Sign up by November 30 to become a Founding Member. There’s no payment today; we’ll email your checkout link when membership opens. Compare the tiers.

Yes. Stories on diwamag.co and The Loom are free. Members also get the digital edition of each chapter 30 days after the print launch, and our mini zines a week before everyone else.

Weaver members get both chapters each year delivered to their door in April and October, plus a numbered copy from the first printing, which is reserved for Weavers. We’ll share other places to find DIWA as we add them. Join The Loom to hear first.

We welcome pitches from writers, photographers, illustrators and other creatives. Send a few lines on the story, why it matters now, and links to your work to stories@diwamag.co, or use our Share Your Story form. We’re especially interested in fresh perspectives on Filipino American life.

Yes, DIWA pays all contributors for their work. We believe in paying writers, photographers, illustrators and every creative collaborator fairly. Rate information is available on request.

Yes. Personal and family histories sit at the center of DIWA. Whether it’s how your family came to the U.S., a piece of clothing passed down to you, or what being Filipino American means to you, we want to hear it. Share your story.

Filipino American History Month is observed every October in the United States. It marks the arrival of the first Filipinos in North America on October 18, 1587, in Morro Bay, California, and celebrates Filipino American contributions to American history and culture. Learn more about FAHM.

Filipino Americans are one of the largest Asian American communities in the United States, yet we remain underrepresented in mainstream media and cultural conversations. DIWA exists to make room for nuanced Filipino American stories, told by and for the community.

We see cultural preservation as a living practice. DIWA documents Filipino American life today while honoring ancestral knowledge, looks at how traditions change across generations, and creates archival-quality work for future Filipino Americans to discover.

Yes. We host chapter launches, screenings, exhibitions and members’ gatherings, mostly in Portland for now. Members get first access to tickets, and every event is announced in The Loom and on Instagram.

Join The Loom, follow @diwamag on Instagram, come to a gathering, share your story, or become a member.

Yes. We partner with organizations, brands and venues that share our values and our commitment to the Filipino American community. See partnership options or email hoy@diwamag.co.

Join The Loom, our free newsletter, for new stories, early ticket access and a monthly guide to what’s coming up. Follow @diwamag on Instagram for behind-the-scenes moments.

We’re committed to making DIWA accessible to every reader and keep improving our site. If you run into a barrier, email hoy@diwamag.co and we’ll fix it.