FANHS Los Angeles Chapter Hosts "FANHS 101"

FANHS Los Angeles Chapter organized another successful event!

FANHS Vallejo Chapter's New Photo Exhibit

FANHS Vallejo Chapter's October 10th opening reception for their new photo exhibit, "Honoring Our Past By Telling Our Stories" was just one of their many Filipino American History Month activities. ~Photo uploaded to FANHS Vallejo Chapter Facebook Group by Belle Santos

FANHS Pennsylvania's 2nd Annual Filipino American History Month Banquet is a Success!

Many thanks to all the members of friends of the Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS) Pennsylvania Chapter who made our 2nd Annual Filipino American History Month Banquet a success. Our theme was, "Honoring Our Filipino American Veterans." We appreciate all the support from organizations such as the ...Filipino Executive Council of Greater Philadelphia (FECGP), Philippine Folk Arts Society (PFASI), MUTYA Philippine Folk Dance Company, Filipino Intercultural Society of Drexel University (FISDU), TUPAC, University of the Sciences of Philadelphia, Asian Americans United (AAU), Organization of Chinese Americans Philadelphia Chapter, Asian Arts Initiative and many other individuals and businesses.

~Photos by Marife Domingo & Vicky Aquino
Please click on collage to enlarge.

H. Res. 780 passes on 11.02.09: Filipino American History Month recognized by the U.S. Congress!

"H. Res. 780: Recognizing the celebration of Filipino American History Month in October" passed on November 2, 2009. The Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS) has been promoting Filipino American History Month for more than 20 years. Now, through the collaborative advocacy efforts of many individuals and organizations, Filipino American History Month is officially recognized by the U.S. Congress.
CSPAN Clip- http://www.c-spanvideo.org/flash/player-time.html?start=2009-11-02%2016:22:31&stop=2009-11-02%2016:28:01&net=1

Remarks of Mr. Lynch- http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getpage.cgi?dbname=2009_record&page=H12172&position=all

Tracking (shows co-sponsors, etc) http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=hr111-780

MANY THANKS to all whose efforts made this possible.

Updates on Filipino American History Month Legislation

Many friends have been working with national leaders on Filipino American History Month legislation. Many thanks to everyone who reported on the Senate Resolution to honor Filipino American History Month:

"On Thursday, October 1, the U.S. Senate passed on by unanimous consent on the U.S. Senate floor S. Res. 298, a resolution recognizing Filipino American History Month in October 2009, introduced by Senate Majority Leader, Senator Harry Reid (D-NV), and co-sponsored by Senator Daniel K. Akaka (D-HI), Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Senator John Ensign (R-NV), Senator Daniel Inouye (D-HI), and Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ). The bill text is very similar to H. Res. 780 in the U.S. House of Representatives as introduced by Congressman Bob Filner, Co-Chair of the Congressional U.S.-Philippine Friendship Caucus."
Full text of S. Res. 298 here: http://http://www.thomas.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:S.RES.298: : [Copy/paste url if link doesn't work.]

Its companion bill, H. Res. 780, "Recognizing the celebration of Filipino American History Month in October," is still pending in the House. Currently, 19 more sponsors are needed. To track H. Res. 780, http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=hr111-780

Ben DeGuzman (Washington, DC) drafted the following Action Alert:

CALL TO ACTION: The Senate has done its work! Let the House know we need to celebrate Filipino American History Month!

Friends:

On October 1, the U.S. Senate passed a resolution by unanimous consent recognizing this October as Filipino American History Month <http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:S.RES.298:>. The House now has the opportunity- the obligation- to follow suit and makes its own statement on behalf of our community. Your help is needed to make our Congress do the right thing- it will NOT happen without your action! On September 25, Representative Bob Filner (D-CA) introduced House Resolution 780 (H. Res. 780) to recognize October as Filipino American History Month. The Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS) has marked October as Filipino American History Month for over two decades and this important bill will provide important recognition of the contributions our community has made to the fabric of American life. The Senate passed its own version of this bill as Senate Resolution (S. Res) 298 by unanimous consent on October 1 to kick off Filipino American History Month. It is now time for the House of Representatives to do the same and pass its own version of this Resolution. This has already been an historic year for our community already. The passage of legislation for Filipino WWII veterans earlier this year marked an important victory for our communities. The Senate did its job and now recognizes Filipino American History Month and just recently on October 15, President Obama signed an Executive Order to reinstate the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, an important institution to help document and improve the federal government’s response to our communities. It is only proper that the House of Representatives recognize the contributions our community has made to the American narrative since first coming here in 1587. H Res. 780 requires at least 50 cosponsors in the House of Representatives in order to be considered for final passage. Your help is greatly needed to build the momentum needed to gain one more legislative victory for our community.

-MORE-
How You Can Help: · Please write/email/call your U.S. Representative to become a co-sponsor of H.Res. 780. A Sample Letter for your use is below. To find the contact information of your Representative, visit: http://www.congress.org/congressorg/home/ · Please spread the word and ask your friends/family to write to their Representative and Senators to become a co-sponsor of H.Res. 780.

Tips for Writing Your Members of Congress: ·
Identify Yourself: State your name and address in your correspondence. If you are a registered voter, say so upfront. If you represent an organization, figures on how many members are registered voters in the member’s district are helpful. · Do NOT send Postal Mail to Washington, DC: Faxed letters, e-mails and phone calls to Congressmembers’ personal offices in Washington, DC are more likely to be received in a timely manner. Mailed letters continue to encounter higher security measures. In general, the more time it takes to send correspondence, the more weight it is given (calls are worth more than e-mails, faxes are worth more than calls). · Clearly Identify the Bill Number: When writing to your Representatives, be sure to refer to H.Res. 780, Filipino American History Month Resolution. ·

In your letter, ask your members of Congress to co-sponsor H.Res. 780, and explain why it is important to you. · Personal Touch: Congressional offices tend to notice or pay more attention to a letter that is handwritten and or personalized in some way. Thus, to be most effective, try to personalize your letter when possible. -MORE-

A Sample Letter:

DEAR :

As a constituent in your district, I am writing to strongly urge you to support HRes. 780: The Filipino American History Month Resolution. The Filipino American community is one of the fastest growing in the U.S. and is the largest Asian American population. Filipino Americans have contributed to every facet of life in the United States, from defending democracy and our way of life in World War II to the arts and sciences- going back to the arrival of the first Filipinos to Morro Bay, California in 1587 and the first settlement of Filipinos in Louisiana in 1763. Unfortunately, our history books continue to lack information about our role in areas as diverse as the farm workers movement in the 1950s, to propping up the health care industry in the 1960s and 1970s, even to pop cultural role models such as Lou Diamond Philips and Tia Carrere. H Res 780 will designate October as Filipino American History Month. It will allow the contributions of the Filipino American community to history, politics, culture, and the arts to be appropriately recognized and celebrated. We look forward to your support of this important resolution. Please contact us at [provide your own contact information] for further information. This October is the perfect time to stand in support of Filipino American History Month!

Sincerely,



-END-

Thousands Attend FANHS Filipino American History Month Events

From FANHS New York to FANHS Midwest and through the west's FANHS Chapters in Oregon and California, FANHS members and friends organized October's Filipino American History Month events that collectively drew thousands to learn about Filipino American history. (Reports on many of these FANHS regional events are forthcoming.)

-photo by the Asian Art Museum, San Francisco http://www.flickr.com/photos/asianartmuseum/sets/72157622518447638/

FANHS San Francisco Consortium worked with the Asian Art Museum and other organizations to organize a Filipino American History Month program that drew 2,675 people to the October 4, 2009 event. Congrats and many thanks to FANHS National Vice President Vangie Buell and FANHS National Assistant Secretary Baylan Megino, event coordinators, and all the many volunteers and groups who worked on this most successful event. http://www.asianart.org/filamhistory.htm

Filipino American History Month: FANHS Chapter Events

FANHS Metropolitan New York Chapter Elects New Board
Pictured here during the FANHS NY reorganizational meeting on August 14, 2009 are: Charisse Joan Sangat Santayana, Carlos Tabaco, Jackie Bleza Tabaco Ted Martinez Lorial Crowder Rose-Ann Ubarra-Cunanan, Julman Arevalo Tolentino, Joey Tabaco, Bonnibel Fonbuena, FANHS National Secretary Ronald Buenaventura, Kevin Nadal, Marie-Therese C. Sulit, Danilo Sulit, FANHS New Jersey Chapter President Nestor Enriquez For Filipino American History Month, FANHS NY will be co-sponsoring a book reading for Kevin Nadal's new book, Filipino American Psychology http://www.authorhouse.com/Bookstore/ItemDetail.aspx?bookid=60777


FANHS Midwest Chapter
2009 BIENNIAL REGIONAL CONFERENCE

Conference Theme: “The Filipino American Experience in Ohio and Other Midwestern States”
October 16-18, 2009 (Friday-Sunday)
At University Plaza Hotel & Conference Center, 3110 Olentangy River Road, Columbus, OH Filipino American National Historical Society. To submit proposals, contact: Dr. Felicisima Serafica <fserafica@hotmail.com>, Fran Alayu Womack: tefalayu@hotmail.com, Dr. Virgilio R. Pilapil: gilpini47@yahoo.com orP.E. Kiram: pekiram@uwm.edu


FANHS Wisconsin Chapter
In Commemoration of Filipino American History Month
the Milwaukee Public Museum & FANHS Wisconsin Chapter, will celebrate the centennial of the purchase of morethan 400 Philippine Artifacts from the l904 St. Louis World Exposition. This is the first time many of these artifacts will be seen by the public. FANHS WI will show photos, films, stories, performances, and a Pintig Excerpt of "Alamat," an award winning play of a family whose Igorot ancestor was one of the "exhibits" at the Philippine Village at the World's Fair.
October 9 & 10, 2009
Milwaukee Public Museum
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Free with Museum Admission
For more information: Angeli Varona: atvarona@yahoo.com P. E.Kiram: pekiram@uwm.edu


FANHS Pennsylvania Chapter
FANHS PA will hold its 2nd Annual Filipino American History Month banquet at 6 pm on Friday, October 23, 2009 at the H.K. Golden Phoenix Restaurant @ 911-913 Race Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107. (It's the same place we celebrated last year!) For more information, contact:
FANHSPA@gmail.com or call Kim Barroso, FANHS PA President: 713.501.3463


FANHS San Francisco Bay Area Consortium
On Sunday, October 4, 2009, FANHS SF Bay Area Consortium will host "CELEBRATING 422 YEARS: FILIPINO AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH" at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco, CA. Please see complete information here: http://www.asianart.org/filamhistory.htm as well as the Facebook Event page http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=111940028020


...other news to be added soon!!

Filipino American History Month Resolution passes in California!

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/09-10/bill/sen/sb_0001-0050/scr_48_bill_20090910_enrolled.html


RESOLUTION CHAPTER
Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 48—Relative to Filipino
American History Month.

legislative counsel’s digest
SCR 48, Yee. Filipino American History Month.
This measure would designate the month of October 2009, and
every October thereafter, as Filipino American History Month.

WHEREAS, The earliest documented proof of Filipino presence
in the continental United States was the date of October 18, 1587,
when the first “Luzones Indios” set foot in Morro Bay, California,
as published by Lorraine Crouchett in her book, Filipinos in
California (1982), which annotated John Walton Caughey’s book,
California (1953); and

WHEREAS, The Filipino American National Historical Society
recognizes the year of 1763 as the date of the first permanent
Filipino settlement in the United States in St. Malo Parrish,
Louisiana, which set in motion the focus on the story of our
nation’s past from a new perspective by concentrating on the
economic, cultural, social, and other notable contributions that
Filipino Americans have made in countless ways toward the
development of the history of the United States; and

WHEREAS, Efforts must continue to promote the study of
Filipino American history and culture, as mandated in the mission
statement of the Filipino American National Historical Society,
because the roles of Filipino Americans and other people of color
have been overlooked in the writing, teaching, and learning of
United States history; and

WHEREAS, It is imperative for Filipino American youth to
have positive role models to instill in them the importance of
education, complemented with the richness of their ethnicity and
the value of their legacy; and

WHEREAS, California is home to over half of the Filipino
population in the United States and the location of historic Filipino
communities such as in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Stockton,
Vallejo, Delano, San Diego, and Salinas among others; now,
therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly
thereof concurring, That the Legislature recognizes October 2009,
the 422nd anniversary of the presence of Filipinos in California,
as a significant time to study the advancement of Filipino
Americans in the history of California and the United States, as a
favorable time of celebration, remembrance, reflection, and
motivation, and as a relevant time to renew more efforts toward
research, examination, and promulgation of Filipino American
history and culture in order to provide an opportunity for all
Californians to learn and appreciate more about Filipino Americans
and their historic contributions to California and the United States;
and be it further

Resolved, That the Legislature designates October 2009, and
every October thereafter, as Filipino American History Month;
and be it further

Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of
this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.

*****

On behalf of FANHS, we express special thanks to Senator Yee who introduced SCR 48.
FANHS Sacramento Chapter President Frances Tibon Estoista, Consultant, Senate Elections, Reapportionment and Constitutional Amendments Committee @ the California State Capitol
and FANHS National Trustee & Filipino American History Month Coordinator Mel Orpilla (FANHS Vallejo Chapter) worked with many, many people and organizations to make California's Filipino American History Month Resolution a reality. MANY, many thanks to everyone who made this possible.

~Joanie
Dr. Joan May T. Cordova
FANHS National President

California's SCR 48 just passed!

FANHS Sacramento Chapter President Frances Tibon Estoista, Consultant, Senate Elections, Reapportionment and Constitutional Amendments Committee @ the California State Capitol just sent this news:

SCR 48 just passed off the Senate floor 39-0

More updates and photos soon!

~Joanie
FANHS National President

FANHS National Trustees meet in Stockton, CA

MANY THANKS to all who welcomed the FANHS national trustees to Stockton, California! What a productive and fun meeting!
Many thanks to Professor Emily Lawsin for this post!
"Day 3 of the Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS) Board of Trustees Meeting, with Trustees, Chapter members and friends from all over the country, at the Filipino Center Plaza, Stockton, California, Monday, July 27, 2009. (This photo shows only half of the 50+ people in attendance.) Agenda included planning for the future site of the FANHS National Museum (in Stockton), preserving the FANHS National Pinoy Archives (in Seattle), and discussing next year's FANHS National Conference (in Seattle July 2010). We also had an incredible tour of Stockton's historic Little Manila, where we met a 103-year-old Manong at the Filipino Federation of America, and saw spirit-filled artifacts at the Legionarios del Trabajo's Daguhoy Lodge (founded in 1926). Maraming Salamat to the FANHS Stockton Chapter, Central Valley Chapter, Sacramento Chapter, and Sonoma Chapter for being such great hosts! For more on Filipinos in Stockton, see: http://www.littlemanila.net/ For more on FANHS, see: http://www.fanhs-national.org/ or http://fanhsis25.blogspot.com/

In this photo: Herb Jamero (FANHS Central Valley), Lourdes Cereno (FANHS Oregon President), Titania Buchholdt (FANHS Alaska), Simeon Mamaril (FANHS Oregon), Fran Alayu Womack (FANHS National Secretary & FANHS Midwest), Art Villarruz (FANHS Central Valley), Mel Orpilla (FANHS Vallejo), Joan May T. Cordova (FANHS National President & FANHS Pennsylvania), Nena Calica (FANHS LA), Dely Alcantara (FANHS Rio Grande New Mexico), Vangie Buell (FANHS National Vice President & FANHS East Bay), Moreno Balantac (FANHS Stockton), Letty Bantillo Perez (FANHS Stockton), Baylan Megino (FANHS East Bay), Emily P. Lawsin (FANHS Michigan), Concordia Mamaril (FANHS Oregon), Princess Emraida Kiram (FANHS Wisconsin), Patricia Espiritu Halagao (Hawai'i), Luna Jamero (FANHS Central Valley), Dorothy Cordova (FANHS Executive Director, Seattle), Melvin Arthur LaGasca (FANHS Stockton), Fred Cordova, Bob Luna (FANHS Central Valley President), Christine R Marasigan (FANHS Alaska), Maria Terri Torres (FANHS Stockton). Missing but in attendance are: Dawn Mabalon (FANHS Stockton & Little Manila Foundation), Ron Buenaventura (FANHS National Secretary & FANHS San Diego), Linda Revilla, Bobby Roy, and Pam Bulahan (FANHS Sacramento Delta), Fran Tibon Estoista (FANHS Sacramento Delta President), Delia Repolla (FANHS Sonoma County Presdient), Al Acena (FANHS National), Eduardo Datangel (FANHS San Francisco President). Other trustees sent email: Ray Obispo (FANHS Hampton Roads, Virginia), Oscar Penaranda (FANHS San Francisco), Nestor Enriquez (FANHS New Jersey), Gil Pilapil (FANHS Midwest), and Enrique Dela Cruz (FANHS LA).