Thank you to my dear friend and colleague LoraSaysSo for this awesome write up for Filipino American History Month. Enjoy!
I’m pleased that October has been recognized as Filipino-American History Month in the Sweetwater Union High School District. Please note the choice of the word “History” vs “Heritage”. The purpose is to focus on events and experiences rather than customs and traditions. Why October? Filipinos first arrived to the U.S. in Morro Bay in October 1587 and it is the birth month of Larry Itliong, one of the fathers of the West Coast Labor Movement.
The Filipino American National Historical Society is a great resource. Their mission is to promote understanding, education, enlightenment, appreciation, and enrichment through the identification, gathering, preservation, and dissemination of the history and culture of Filipino Americans in the United States. This year’s theme of Filipino American History Month is “The History of Filipino American Activism.”
At Sweetwater High, we offer world language classes in Filipino. We are also the the first in San Diego County to offer a Filipino American History class which is an A-G college prep course.
Here are some events / articles / documents:
- October 2, 7:00 PM Filipinx American History Month Speaker, CA Assemblyman Todd Gloria and San Diego’s first interim mayor (2013-14) of Filipino ancestry. Register here.
- October 13, 5:00 – 6:30 PM LGBTQ Filipina/x/o American Activism: Intergenerational Perspectives Facebook Live event.
- Little noticed, Filipino Americans are dying of COVID-19 at an alarming rate
- The Four Waves of Filipino Immigration to the United States, compiled by BVH counselor, Reynila Calderon-Magbuhat, and Ronald S. Buenaventura.
- Grapes of Wrath: The Forgotten Filipinos Who Led a Farmworker Revolution
- Why Filipinx Americans Should Be in Solidarity with Black Lives Matter: Lessons From American History
- Joshua Dela Cruz, Blues Clues host, talks to kids about coronavirus racism
- Suggested Texts, Fiction and Nonfiction, for ELA 9-10, Outcome 10 Theme: Culture – Filipino-American and Columbian Heritage.
Videos
- African-Americans in Filipino History
- A short clip about Filipino Women Guerillas who served under the US Flag in the Philippines during WWII discovered from a film crew who is currently completing a documentary film, Legacy of the Fighting Filipinos, about the Filipinos soldiers who were conscripted to fight in the US Army in 1941 and are still waiting for recognition, restitution and promised citizenship.
- Open Door, Rescue in the Philippines. Jewish Refuge from the Holocaust, a documentary of how the Philippines saved Jewish refugees.
- A 28-minute version of The Delano Manongs, how Larry Itliong and Cesar Chavez and many others joined forces for the Delano Grape Strike and established the United Farm Workers union.
- A Filipino American Story Since 1587, video presenting the pivotal moments of courage, sacrifice, and triumphs of Filipino Americans.
- Why the US has so many Filipino Nurses
- If you have a KPBS Passport, the Asian American Series shown last May is available at pbs.org.
And to kick off the month, for the first time ever on a UC Campus, UCLA will be offering a Pilipino Studies minor this fall! Exciting!
Happy Filipino-American History Month!