The White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (WHIAAPI) and the White House Office of Public Engagement (OPE) hosted a Celebration of Filipino American History Month (FAHM) on Friday, October 2, 2015 at the White House Click here to view President Obama’s message delivered by FANHS Executive Director Dorothy Cordova at the FAHM celebration at the White House on October 2, 2015. Click here to view the video of the message. The Celebration kicked off FAHM in October and featured discussions with Administration officials and prominent Filipino Americans, as well as performances by distinguished Filipino American artists.
In 2015 thru the efforts of the Philippine Consulate in Chicago and the leaders of the Filipino community, the following proclamations were issued to declare and celebrate October as the Filipino American History Month.
Illinois Governor Bill Rauner “proclaims October 2015 as Filipino American History of Filipino Americans to our state and to our nation, and in recognition of Filipino Americans who call Illinois home.” Click here to view the 2015 proclamation from Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner.
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel “encourage all Chicagoans to acknowledge the enduring legacy and ongoing impact of the Filipino American community and join with them in celebrating this auspicious month.” Click here to view the 2015 proclamation from Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel.
Click here to view the 2015 proclamation from the Village of Bolingbrook Mayor Roger Claar.
Click here to view the 2015 proclamation from the Village of Morton Grove Mayor Daniel Di Maria.
Chicago, Il. – In 2009, the US Congress thru the House of Senate and House of Representatives respectively passed H. Res. 780 recognizing October 2011 and every October thereafter as Filipino American History Month (FAHM) to celebrate the history and culture of Filipino Americans and their historic contributions to the Nation. Starting in 2011, the Philippine American Cultural Foundation (PACF) spearheaded an invitation to many Filipino American organizations in Chicago and suburbs to organize a variety of events to celebrate FAHM every October. Since 2011, Filipino American community groups in Chicago and suburbs have been working and partnering together to consolidate and promote the various events in celebration of FAHM every October.
This year, we are commemorating 2 significant milestones in the Filipino American History – the 50th anniversary of the Immigration Act of 1965 and the 50th anniversary of the grape strike in Delano, CA.
- The Immigration and Naturalization Act (INA) of 1965 was signed by President Lynden B. Johnson on October 3, 1965. It dramatically changed the demographic landscape of America. The law abolished the National Origins Quota System; made family-based immigration the basis for U.S. immigration policy; and established a preference system for people with special occupational skills to become permanent residents.
- The Philippines, after Mexico, has been the largest beneficiary of the liberalized immigration law. According to U.S. Census and Homeland Security sources: in 2008 there were in the U.S. approximately 1.7 million foreign born Filipinos; and approximately 1.4 million native born Filipinos, most who were the children or grandchildren of one or both parents who arrived after 1965.
- 50 years ago today, elderly Filipino men working in grape fields in Delano,CA decided to go on strike to fight for better wages and working conditions. That courageous decision would have effects far beyond the grape fields. In fact, ALL Filipino-Americans owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to these men. If not for the kind of bravery they displayed, we would not be able to enjoy the lives we lead today. If you didn’t already know this (it’s not your fault, until AB123 is fully implemented, this is a history few of us have the privilege of learning), take some time to educate yourself today. One good resource is https://welgadigitalarchive.omeka.net/.
The Philippine Consulate General in cooperation with the Filipino American community would like to invite everyone to actively participate and support the celebration of the Filipino American History Month Celebration in Chicago and the Midwest. The schedule of events/activities is listed below. Let us take pride of our Filipino heritage and history. Let us come together and make every October celebration – a meaningful and memorable month.
Click here to view the 2015 FAHM Newsletter.
FAHM planned events in 2015
Oct 1, Thursday On view through October 19** – We are Family Exhibits at The Field Museum, 1400 S. Lake Shore Drive. (Contact Tito Ruben at [email protected], Sponsor – FAHSC)
Oct 2, Friday (10:00 A.M. Opening) to October 30, 2015 – “ART IS PASSION . AGELESS . SOCIAL . SERVICE” is an Art Exhibit featuring watercolor paintings done by volunteers and clients of the Pilipino American Social Services and Human Resources (PASS), a 501 ( c ) 3 not for profit organization which distributes food weekly to qualified families. Venue at Pilipino American Social Services and Human Resources (PASS) 1511 W. Irving Park Road, Chicago, IL 60613 (Contact Susan Alforque Silvano Email: [email protected] Sponsor – PASS)
Oct. 13, Tuesday to Oct. 16 Friday 10:00 am – 4:00pm – Silip/Sulyap 2 – Art Exhibits by 3 Filipino Artists – Bueno Silva, Eulalio Silva and Willi Buhay in celebration of the Chicago Artists Month and FAHM at the Philippine Consulate 122 S Michigan Ave #1600, Chicago, IL 60603 (Contact Willi Buhay at [email protected], Sponsor – Philippine Consulate)
Oct. 18, Sunday 11 am – 4 pm**- FAHM Luncheon Honoring the Outstanding Fil-AM Seniors at Four Points by Sheraton Chicago O’Hare Airport 10249 West Irving Park Road Schiller Park, IL (Contact Adeline Fajardo at [email protected] Evelyn Natividad, Ph.D. 773 457-3402 Sponsor – PACF)
Oct 24, Saturday 2pm – Film showing of “The Gift of Barong” at Fountaindale Public Library District 300 W Briarcliff Rd, Bolingbrook, IL 60440 (Contact Tito Ruben at [email protected], Sponsor – FANHS-GC)
Oct 24, Saturday 7:30pm** – Voice of the Nightingale Lani Misalucha and Arnel Pineda at Portage Theater4050 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, Illinois 60641 (Sponsor – Red Ink and Reliable Document)
Oct 24 to January 29, 2016** – We are Family Exhibits at Trickster Art Gallery, Schaumburg, IL (Contact Tito Ruben at [email protected], Sponsor – FAHSC)
Oct. 25 Sunday 12 noon – FAHM celebration in Mundelein. Mass in the chapel at St. Maria del Popolo, 116 North Lake Street, Mundelein, IL (Contact Yolly Rodrigo 847-951-0148)
Oct. 26 Monday and Oct. 28, Wednesday at 8:30pm** – Screening of an indie film “ARI – MY LIFE WITH A KING” by Carlo Encisco Catu, Philippine Entry to the 51st Chicago International Film Festival at the AMC River East 21 located at 322 E. Illinois Street, Chicago, IL 60611
Oct 30 to Nov 7** – Art and Anthropology: Portrait of the Object as Filipino. Display of 10 paintings and creation of collaborative mural by 5 Fil-Am artists from Chicago and 5 artists from the Philippines. Field Museum of Natural History Chicago, 1400 S. Lakeshore Dr. Events take place during museum hours. (Almira Gilles [email protected])
For the latest updates, please visit the
Philippine American Cultural Foundation website http://pacfmidwest.org/2015/09/fahm2015/ and the Filipino American Network website – http://fan-chicago.org/2015fahm/
For more information, please contact
ANNA LIZA ALCANTARA, Cultural Officer at 312-583-0621 ext 13. or email the Consulate at [email protected] or
RUBEN SALAZAR at (630)969-2971 or email [email protected]
** Ticketed Event
