WITH FILIPINO AMERICAN History Month just days away, a fundraising drive to create the country's first Center for Filipino Studies is being launched today (Sept. 29).
Though Filipinos have had a presence in the state since 1587 when the first Asian, an "indio" of Luzon, stepped onto California shores as a crew member of a Spanish galleon and have grown to become the largest Asian group in the state, little is known or taught, studied or research about their history, contributions, issues and their ongoing evolution through immigration.
The Carlos Bulosan Center for Filipino Studies Initiative (BCFSI) aims to continue Bulosan’s legacy by advancing research, education, and advocacy for historical and contemporary issues faced by Filipinos in the United States, the Philippines, and abroad.
Under the direction of Dr. Robyn Rodriguez (Professor and Chair of the UC Davis Department of Asian American Studies) the BCFSI seeks to establish both a physical and digital institution at the UC Davis campus. The Center’s focus will stretch across multiple disciplines and fields, such as public policy, sociology, cultural studies, history, public & economic health.
Other ethnic groups have created study centers in other parts of the country, but a center for Filipino studies has been lacking. There is a Philippine Studies Center at the University of Hawaii, but its focus on the Philippines.
"Our goals for the Symposium are to build coalitions with Filipino organizations across the region, advance and develop a 2019 Policy Agenda pushing for progressive policies that will better our community's well being, and organize the first-ever Filipino Legislative Advocacy Day in Sacramento in 2019," states the symposium's website.
With California's General Election coming up on Nov. 6, the symposium will emphasize the importance of civic engagement and participation with an eye to making an impact on the 2020 Presidential race and Census.
After the symposium, a benefit dinner with entertainment will be held starting at 6:30 p.m. featuring DJs, hip-hop and spoken word. The dinner is sold out but tickets for the sympsium are still available: $20 for the public and $5 for students.
Rodriguez added that the center was named after Carlos Bulosan, the famed Filipino American author, because of his work as one of the most prominent figures in the labor movement and because of his commitment to lifting up the experiences, stories and issues of the most marginalized of the Filipino community.
She hopes sometime in the next year to get the state of California, which just passed a bill requring ethnic studies in its public schools, to formally adopt Bulosan's semi-autobiographical novel "America Is in the Heart" as recommended literature through the California Department of Education.
“What was quite disturbing was the fact that Carlos Bulosan, who really has become really central to Filipino American studies at the college level is nowhere to be found when it comes to the recommended literature list for K-12 education in our state,” she said. “It’s not even that he’s missing, but there is actually very little in terms of Filipino Americans so we’re hoping to change that.”
Under the direction of Dr. Robyn Rodriguez (Professor and Chair of the UC Davis Department of Asian American Studies) the BCFSI seeks to establish both a physical and digital institution at the UC Davis campus. The Center’s focus will stretch across multiple disciplines and fields, such as public policy, sociology, cultural studies, history, public & economic health.
Other ethnic groups have created study centers in other parts of the country, but a center for Filipino studies has been lacking. There is a Philippine Studies Center at the University of Hawaii, but its focus on the Philippines.
The Carlos Bulosan Center for Filipino Studies and LEAD Filipino are co-leading an inaugural Filipino Policy Symposium on Saturday, September 29 from11:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. at Wellman Hall on the campus of the University of California, Davis.
"Our goals for the Symposium are to build coalitions with Filipino organizations across the region, advance and develop a 2019 Policy Agenda pushing for progressive policies that will better our community's well being, and organize the first-ever Filipino Legislative Advocacy Day in Sacramento in 2019," states the symposium's website.
With California's General Election coming up on Nov. 6, the symposium will emphasize the importance of civic engagement and participation with an eye to making an impact on the 2020 Presidential race and Census.
After the symposium, a benefit dinner with entertainment will be held starting at 6:30 p.m. featuring DJs, hip-hop and spoken word. The dinner is sold out but tickets for the sympsium are still available: $20 for the public and $5 for students.
Rodriguez added that the center was named after Carlos Bulosan, the famed Filipino American author, because of his work as one of the most prominent figures in the labor movement and because of his commitment to lifting up the experiences, stories and issues of the most marginalized of the Filipino community.
She hopes sometime in the next year to get the state of California, which just passed a bill requring ethnic studies in its public schools, to formally adopt Bulosan's semi-autobiographical novel "America Is in the Heart" as recommended literature through the California Department of Education.
“What was quite disturbing was the fact that Carlos Bulosan, who really has become really central to Filipino American studies at the college level is nowhere to be found when it comes to the recommended literature list for K-12 education in our state,” she said. “It’s not even that he’s missing, but there is actually very little in terms of Filipino Americans so we’re hoping to change that.”
If you wish to donate to the Carlos Bulosan Filipino Studies Center, click here.
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