Filo-American History Month

Kaia Matsubara: Maria Ressa 

Maria Ressa is a Filipino-American journalist who was born in Manila in 1963. She moved to Toms River, New Jersey when she was nine, and she uses her dual citizenship as a tool to help give voice through her journaling to the digital news site she helped found—which is based in Manila—called Rappler. After graduating from Princeton in 1986, she went back to the Philippines with a Fulbright scholarship, an international academic and cultural exchange program designed to fund students who help build peaceful bonds between countries, and pursued her career as a journalist. She worked for many Philippine news stations and was also an investigative reporter for CNN, reporting on political events in Southeast Asia, which involved digging into terrorist groups there following the 9/11 attacks. Maria launched the Rappler website in 2012, becoming the executive editor and CEO. It became one of the biggest news sites in the Philippines and gained even more popularity in 2015. That is when Ressa interviewed Rodrigo Duterte, a mayor at the time, who admitted to killing multiple people. After he was elected president in 2016, her fact-based articles were quick to criticize his corrupt administration, as well as expose his murders and unlawful policies involving his war on drugs. As a result, he was recently charged with crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for his violation of human rights. Ressa faced backlash from the Philippine court for doing so, which silenced her press freedom. Although she was convicted and found guilty of cyber-libel—the act of making false statements through digital platforms—she and critics of the case denied those claims, calling it unjust and politically motivated. But this didn’t stop them from defending her freedom of expression. She won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2021 for advocating for press freedom and used her voice and expression to expose abuse of power, violence, and dictatorship in the Philippines. 

Mahlani Tanap: Vicki Draves

Vicki Draves, born on December 31, 1924, was a groundbreaking Filipino-American athlete and community leader who made history at the 1949 London Olympics. She was the first Asian American to ever win a medal at the Olympics, and the first woman to win gold medals in both platform and springboard diving.  Her achievements broke barriers in sports and inspired generations of future Asian-American athletes. Once her athletic career was over, Draves became an advocate for the Filipino American community and worked hard to highlight the contributions and stories of Filipino Americans, helping others to take pride in their heritage and culture by bringing Filipino American representation to the spotlight. From Olympian to Filipino-American advocate, Vicki Draves is a symbol of pride, excellence, and representation for the Filipino American community. 

Jacob Cuares: Carlos Bulosan

Carlos Bulosan was a Filipino-American author who was born on November 24, 1913. Carlos spent most of his childhood in the countryside working as a farmer, where he was forced by the corrupt, rich elite to live in poverty—which would end up becoming a main theme in his writings. Carlos left for America in search of a better life on July 1, 1930, and arrived in Seattle where he faced racism and was forced to perform hard labor while receiving low wages. Carlos was diagnosed with tuberculosis in 1936, which caused him to spend two years in the hospital, where he spent all of his time reading and writing. Some of his most famous works include America is in the Heart, The Cry and the Dedication, and The Laughter of My Father. However, Bulosan’s works were largely forgotten around the time he wrote them; they were only appreciated around two decades after his death when they were rediscovered by a group of young Asian Americans. Carlos was an important figure in Filipino American history, being one of the pioneers in fighting racism against Filipinos. Although he wasn’t alive to see his work be acknowledged, his ideas and beliefs stand up to this day, and he shall always be remembered.

Conner Chinn: Lea Salonga

Maria Lea Carme Salonga, or Lea Salonga, is a renowned Filipino actress, singer, and producer known for her work in animated classics Mulan and Aladdin. Born on February 22, 1971, Salonga is most recognized for her beautiful voice and pitch, leading to her receiving 46 nominations and winning 29 awards. Labeled as the “Pride of the Philippines," Salonga’s career has spanned more than four decades, starring in many Broadway productions. She began performing in theatre at the age of seven in her home country, but would achieve global praise for her role in the West End production, Miss Saigon, in 1989. She would continue her Broadway career, starring in Les Misérables, Here Lies Love, and recently Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends. Along with her work on Broadway, Salonga took part in Disney classics, Mulan and Aladdin, providing the singing voice for Jasmine in “A Whole New World” and Mulan in “Reflection.” At the same time, Salonga worked as a singer, releasing her album Small Voice in 1981, as well as Lea Salonga in 1993, which went on to achieve platinum status. Additionally, Salonga was recognized many times, earning a Laurence Olivier Award in 1990, a Tony Award in 1991, and two Grammy nominations. Lea Salonga has been both a leading voice and a hero for Filipinos around the world.  

Kian De Alwis: Apolinario Mabini

Apolinario Mabini, born in Batangas on July 23, 1864, was one of the most influential people in Philippine history. He was born into humble beginnings, yet he pushed past adversity and earned a law degree from the University of Santo Tomas. Unfortunately, his polio diagnosis led him to be paralyzed from the waist down in 1896. However, he was not going to let this stop his fight for his country’s independence from Spain. Serving as the first Prime Minister and Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the First Philippine Republic, he stood as a person of bravery and courage. After the Spanish-American War in 1898, he saw the US as a threat to Philippine independence and fought against American colonization. After the Philippine Declaration of Independence on June 12, 1898, Mabini advocated for resistance against American imperialism. This unfortunately led to his capture and exile to the island of Cebu. It was during this time that he contracted polio and this later led to his unfortunate death. Books such as The True Decalogue/El Verdadero Decálogo demonstrate his efforts to push for democracy and strong moral standards. While his presence may not physically stand with us today, he still serves as a symbol of wisdom for those all over the world.    

LiLi Tanap: Jessica Sanchez

Jessica Sanchez is a Filipino-American singer who was born in Chula Vista, California in 1995 to a Filipino mother and Mexican father. She started singing when she was a child and has always liked music. When she was 16 years old, she went on American Idol and finished in second place. She was liked by many people because of her powerful voice and ability to sing challenging songs. She made a lot of people proud, especially Filipino Americans. Jessica takes great pride in her Filipino heritage, and she expresses it frequently. She went to the Philippines a few times to sing at important events, even singing the national anthem. She has collaborated with other Filipino singers and continues to create music and perform today. Many Filipinos admire her because she demonstrates that it is possible to pursue your dreams while still embracing your culture. She serves as a positive role model for young people and inspires them to believe in themselves, regardless of their backgrounds. 

Myles Cline: Bobby Balcena

Robert Balcena was born on August 1st, 1925, in San Pedro, California. Fred and Lazara Balcena, his parents, moved to the U.S. from the Philippines before World War I. Balcena had two brothers and three sisters, and they all lived in San Pedro. His neighborhood was primarily Slovakian, so he learned the language and sang Slavic songs with his friends. He learned how to play baseball and football with them, which he would excel at and continue to play at San Pedro High School. During his senior year, Balcena enrolled himself in the U.S. Navy and served in the Pacific Theater in World War II. He was an aviation machinist until he was discharged in 1946. After the war, he returned to San Pedro and played semi-professional baseball in an otherwise all-Slovakian team. A man nicknamed “Red” watched Balcena hit a home run that won a sandlot game and offered him a minor league contract. He became a minor league star for the next fifteen years–from 1948 to 1963. He started in 1948 with the Mexicali Eagles, playing centerfield. In the next season in 1949, he led the league in runs batted and total bases. After the St. Louis Browns bought his contract, he played for the Wichita Indians in the Western League. He hit .290 with eleven home runs, but was not yet considered major league material. The Browns sent him to training with the San Antonio Missions in 1951, where he would hit two home runs in one inning against Huston. After a period of struggle, he again impressed the St. Louis Browns in spring training, solidifying himself as a promising player. In September of 1956, he was called up by the Cincinnati Reds after playing with the Seattle Rainiers, with whom he won the 1955 Pacific Coast League championship. He debuted with the Cincinnati Reds on September 16, 1956, making him the first Asian American and first Filipino Major League Baseball player. Although he only played seven major league games in one season and returned to the Rainiers the following spring, he became a hometown hero in San Pedro. The local fisherman and longshoremen organized “Bobby Balcena Night” as a tribute, since he worked as a longshoreman and fisherman after playing baseball. He died on January 4th, 1990, in his favorite chair, watching television at the age of 64, having lived a long and successful life.

Emily Chang: Dawn Bohulano Mabalon

Born on August 17, 1972, Dawn Bohulano Mabalon was a historian and activist who played an integral role in preserving Filipino-American history. Being raised by second-generation immigrant parents in Stockton, California, Mabalon was surrounded by strong Filipino culture in the heart of a neighborhood called Little Manila. As a child, she grew up hearing stories of discrimination from her elders, which were the roots of her motivation to research the history and culture of her ancestors. She earned a PhD in history from Stanford University in 2003 and went on to become a professor of history at San Francisco State University. Her book, Little Manila Is in the Heart, was published in 2013 and depicts the experiences of Filipino Americans in what was once the largest Filipino community outside of the Philippines before gentrification and urbanization devastated the neighborhood. Mabalon has displayed significant activism in her co-founding of the Little Manila Foundation—which fights to preserve what remains of the community—and her contributions to obtaining recognition for Little Manila as a historic site. Regrettably, she passed away unexpectedly in 2018 while on vacation in Kauai, Hawaii. She was in the middle of several projects at the time of her death—she was surely not done making major contributions to Filipino-American history—but her legacy lives on in her foundation and in the numerous scholarships and memorials established in her name to extend her efforts of preserving her culture.

Michelle Chambers: Simeon Acoba Jr

On March 11, 1944, Simeon R. Acoba Jr. was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, to Filipino immigrant parents who grew up on Hawaii’s sugar plantations. Acoba excelled academically and in leadership, continuing his education to study at the University of Hawaii, Manoa, where he participated in civil rights activism and advocacy, notably assisting in bringing Martin Luther King Jr. to campus in 1964. After graduating and subsequently earning a law degree from Northwestern University, Acoba began his career in public service, working jobs including being a judicial clerk and attorney before eventually serving on the Hawaii Supreme Court from 2000 to 2014. Acoba earned the title of being only the third Filipino American to sit on the state’s highest court. He continued to serve his community as a University of Hawaii Regent and as founder of the Hawaii Supreme Court's Access to Justice Commission, where he pioneered the expansion of legal services to underserved populations. Acoba’s commitment to equality and public service has impacted generations through his mentorship and community engagement, making him an inspiration to Filipino Americans.