Fil-Am Month parades, panels, films, mixers make LA Area buzz

Eddy M. Gana Jr. and Stephanie Sajor perform spoken word “Letter to Larry Itliong” at City of Carson Larry Itliong Day celebration & Awards. Festivities were held beside the statue of Jose Rizal at the Carson Community Center. PHOTOS BY FLORANTE IBANEZ

LOS ANGELES—Fiipino American communities in the Los Angeles Area buzzed with a seemingly nonstop celebration of Filipino American History Month as well as Larry Itliong Day as the month ended.

At the Loyola Marymount University (LMU) campus on October 22 a collaboration of community-based FilAm Creative, LMU Asian Pacific Student Services, Isang Bansa student organization and the Filipino American Experience Class brought the 4^th Annual Filipinos in Entertainment & Media Panel to St. Robert’s Auditorium.

The panel (followed by a mixer) included publicist Annalee Paulo, actress Ashley Argota, casting director Billy DaMota, filmmaker Gene Cajayon (“The Debut”) and radio personality Manny Streetz . Panelists discussed the topic “Creating Visibility: Establishing Individuality..

The same evening, at the Pasadena Playhouse, authors and poets Noel Alumit, Alison De La Cruz, Giovanni Ortega, Eddy M. Gana Jr. and Stephanie Sajor shared stories of laughter, bravery and triumph in ”Beyond Our Outward Guise, Filipino American Stories.”

On Saturday October 24, multiple events took place. In San Pedro, at the Croatian Cultural Center, Philippine Expressions Bookshop held screenings of “Delano Manongs: Forgotten Heroes of the United Farm Workers” with filmmaker Marissa Aroy and “Remembering Our Manongs: Sonoma County’s Filipino History.” Also featured was a book talk with author Patty Enrado, author of the new novel “A Village in the Fields.”

Creating Visibility: Establishing Individuality media panel at Loyola Marymount University, with casting director Billy DaMota, actress Ashley Argota, radio personality Manny Streetz, publicist Annalee Paulo, filmmaker Gene Cajayon and moderator Melissa Arce.

That same morning the City of Carson, held a parade around City Hall to mark Larry Itliong Day and recognized several awardees including, Gerry Villero and David Campbell (labor), Franco Arcebal (leadership), Kobe Paras and Michael Christian Martinez (youth) and Fritz Friedman and Dean Devlin (entertainment) Johnny Itliong, son of Larry Itliong, was also present with his mobile exhibit on his father’s role in the founding of the United Farm Workers Union (UFW).

Also at the Carson Library in the afternoon, Professor Susie Ling of Pasadena City College presented a talk “The Story of Tsinoys: Chinese in the Philippines.”

In Los Angeles, also on October 24, at Unidad Park in Historic Filipinotown, another parade and cultural performances celebrated “Remembering Our Story: Tandaan and Ating Kuwento” all in the shadow of the largest Filipino American history mural, created by artist Eliseo Silva 20 years ago.

Also in historic Filipinotown at Search to Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA),a panel including Marisa Aroy with Johnny Itiong followed the screening of “Delano Manongs: Forgotten Heroes of the United Farm Workers” to celebrate Larry Itliong Day.

At Cal State University Fullerton, many Filipino American student organizations came together for the annual Friendship Games. Cal State University Long Beach on October 26 held a special encore screening of Marissa Aroy’s documentary. Further screenings with Aroy present, were hosted by the LA County Norwalk Library (Pacific Resource Center) and Riverside Community College on October 27.

Throughout October Giselle Tongi host of the popular local TV program “Kababayan Today” interviewed guests and educated her audience with d programming related to Filipino American History Month.

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