The legacy and spirit of my sister, Linda Mabalot,
lives on. In reflection, her most remarkable
feature is that she gave her generous heart
to her work, her friends and the Asian filmaking
community. Linda's family, friends and Visual
Communications will miss her, but Linda's
founded principle -- to have the Asian Pacific
American voice heard and to have the Asian
Pacific American story told -- prevails in
Asian media and Asian film festivals. Her spirit is very much alive! HowZ it? The
Mabalot family expresses gratitude for the
comfort and support you have shown us.

She was one of a kind. I'll miss her humor and brassiness the most...Linda was bigger than life and her personality filled a room, and then some. She was unique, generous and had a big, big heart.

I had the opportunity to work with Linda as an intern at Visual Communications (VC) back in '97 or so, but I must have known her for quite a few years before that. For me, she was synonymous with VC, the living breathing personification of having a big heart and lots of love for the community. She was one of the most genuine human beings that I knew, and was always supportive of us youngbloods as we tried to do our thing. She even used to hang with us youngbloods when we partied! Too cool! I still can't believe the loss and am still in shock about the whole thing. Linda, we loved you dearly and will miss you very much.

On behalf of the Hawaii International Film Festival, I want to say that we were completely shocked and saddened at the loss of a great advocate for APA culture & arts, but most of all, of a great human being. Linda was truly an inspiration, and her hard work and determination was very admirable. She was a prime example of someone who worked for the love and passion of APA perpetuation in the mass media. Her passing is a tragic loss to our community.

I had met Linda several times over the years at the VC Film Fest and had really hung out with her when she attended our festival in 2002. Her throaty laugh and wonderful personality was infectious. I admired her even more - as an advocate, community leader, filmmaker, etc. Linda was the "Real Deal." She will be deeply missed.

Linda was very down-to-earth. Startled to hear of her death, but I've been out of touch with folks at media arts centers.

I remember helping her out a little bit with her community activistism. I chaffeured her between two anti-martial law factions, when she visited DC years ago.

Am glad to know that she left VC with its capability intact. We should all be inspired to carry on with her spirit.

I was truly shocked to hear the news. I had interviewed Linda along with David and Abe for "the Debut" DVD featurette. There was not one sign of her illness present. I've always been shy and intimidated of those I highly respect. I never really got to know Linda. However, whenever Linda saw me and called me by my name, I instantly felt respected as not only a filmmaker but as a human being. That feeling is rare in this industry we work in and these are the moments I will always remember Linda by. Rest well, my friend.
-PG

Breaks my heart. Linda's great cheer and deep dedication to making human connections and building community will be sorely missed. And John, I'm totally with you -- I'm really going to miss that "Howzit!"

I arrived in LA late Monday night hoping I would get a chance to see Linda, only to hear the bad news. I will remember Linda for her boundless energy even though she always complained she had none. Whenever you saw her she was always down to chop it up and kick it with us “young folk” as she would say. As filmmakers, our lives are often spent wallowing in self-doubt, but Linda was always there to give you a boost with her infectious positivity. Like a mother hen, she nurtured us from our first shorts to feature film. When I told her about the plans to self-distribute “the Debut,” she said it was nuts. I was hurt, but now I realize she said it out of love. She just wanted to keep her chicks safe from harm. And to tell the truth, it WAS nuts. Visiting the VC offices will never be the same without her proverbial “Howzit?” greeting. It was real genuine when she said it. She really wanted to know how you were doing. Linda’s dedication to her community and her passion for the arts will sorely be missed. As brother Romeo put it, the best way to pay tribute to Linda is continue the struggle and produce work that she would be proud of. Peace out.

Linda was great.
I am not a filmmaker but I am a huge fan.
I was good friend of hers over the years and was fortunate enough to have known her.

A great woman. A great loss for the Asian American Community.

Linda's passion will continue to propel our community, impacting cinema & empowering media artists for years to come.

hi
my name is romeo candido...director of a film called Lolo's Child.

Linda has been very supportive of me and the pursuit of my own vision, and i just want to express my sense of loss and empowerment with her passing. she always pushed for me, and for all of us, to do our 'thang' despite the adversity and obstacles that await filipino/asian artists. i was shocked to receive the news today. the last time i saw her was in hawaii...talking about projects to come and projects that have passed...on a hotel balcony after a better luck tomorrow screening. she was so down. what a cool woman and touchstone to many people. so sad. i'll never forget about her. love and blessings to my pinay ate (sister) that watches us from above. much mahal linda. we will honour you with the work to come. - romeo

I was fortunate enough to visit Linda on Saturday just before she passed on. Although I can't say for sure if she recognized me, she had a wonderful smile on her face when I said hello. From all of the many beautiful flowers in the room it was obvious how Linda meant so much to so many people.

Linda was such a great help to me when I was working on "Flipside." She always made herself available for advice on fundraising, editing facilities, promoting, etc. You didn't even have to ask for Linda's help. If she saw potential in your film, she would automatically ask, "What do we need to do to get people to see your movie?" It meant a lot to me when she and the other programmers at Visual Communications not only made the trip up to Sundance to support "Flipside," but also sponsored our official party. I remember how genuinely happy and excited she was for me before the premiere.

Aside from her tremendous help with the business side, Linda was just a great person to be around. She always greeted me with a smile, even if things were hectic and stressful. Linda loved movies -she loved talking movies. She loved seeing the possibilities as each new filmmaking voice revealed itself. It excited her to see what new ground would be struck, what barrier would be broken. Linda's spirit will live on and be a part of whatever lies ahead for Asian American Cinema.