Jill Damatac is a writer and filmmaker who was born in the Philippines, raised in the United States, and is now a citizen of the UK based in San Francisco. Her work has been featured in major media like Time magazine, the BBC and at film festivals worldwide. She holds degrees from Cambridge University and the University of the Arts in London.
Jill is also the author of a new book, “Dirty Kitchen: A Memoir of Food and Family.” She joins the Exchange to talk about her life as an undocumented immigrant in the U.S., why she left, and why she's back.
Jill's memoir is a mix of in-depth storytelling of her life adventures, including traumatic episodes of sexual assault and attempted suicide (possibly triggering for some readers), and how she managed to find herself despite the circumstances she experienced in America.
Throughout her book Jill weaves the foods of her Filipino culture, along with her favorite recipes, which reconnected her with her home country, her culture ... and herself.
