I AM TODAY'S FILIPINO

I Am Today’s Filipino documents the many stories of present-day Filipinos, one-hundred years after the first significant wave of Filipino migration to the U.S.

I AM TODAY'S FILIPINO

This exhibit provides an intimate glimpse into the individual lives and experiences that reflect the collective story of the Filipino community in 2006.

I AM TODAY'S FILIPINO

It preserves a moment in the current history of Filipinos in America and encourages a greater awareness of the many contributions that Filipinos have made and continue to make to the U.S.

Through the artistic display of photos and video, this original exhibit celebrates the diversity of the Filipino community while recognizing the rich cultural heritage and traditions shared among all Filipinos.

I AM TODAY'S FILIPINO

Opening Exhibit — October 28, 2006
Farmani Gallery, Beverly Hills, California

I Am Today’s Filipino documents the many stories of present-day Filipinos, one-hundred years after the first significant wave of Filipino migration to the U.S. This exhibit provides an intimate glimpse into the individual lives and experiences that reflect the collective story of the Filipino community in 2006. It preserves a moment in the current history of Filipinos in America and encourages a greater awareness of the many contributions that Filipinos have made and continue to make to the U.S. Through the artistic display of photos and video, this original exhibit celebrates the diversity of the Filipino community while recognizing the rich cultural heritage and traditions shared among all Filipinos.

The Smithsonian Institute led the national commemoration of the 100th Anniversary of the arrival of the first significant numbers of Filipino immigrants who came in 1906 to work on the plantations of Hawaii. The migration filled the need for an expanded labor force that has become vital to the development of the U.S. Today, Southern California is home to over one-million residents of Filipino descent, the largest Filipino population outside the Philippines.

I Am Today’s Filipino is the official project of the Los Angeles/Southern California Filipino American Centennial Planning Committee, in partnership with the Smithsonian Institute’s Asian Pacific American Program and is supported by ABS-CBN/The Filipino Channel, Washington Mutual, Wells Fargo Bank and Southern California Edison.

ARTIST STATEMENT

We wanted to showcase and document today’s Filipinos as a way to honor the first major wave of migration from the Philippines to America.

Being that we are both of Filipino descent, we really wanted to do something special to celebrate our history and heritage. We decided to use our creative expertise to produce an immersive art experience that acknowledges the contributions that Filipinos have made and are making in the U.S. We decided to interview 100 Filipinos to commemorate the 100th year anniversary of the first major wave of immigration. We intentionally decided to not make it a Who’s Who list and included a wide cross section of people from different age groups and professions. This project took seven months to produce, with all of the interviews conducted throughout Southern California.

We are honored that this exhibit was selected as the official project of the Los Angeles/Southern California Filipino American Centennial Planning Committee, in partnership with the Smithsonian Institute’s Asian Pacific American Program and is supported by ABS-CBN/The Filipino Channel, Washington Mutual, Wells Fargo Bank, and Southern California Edison.

Our sincerest thank you to all who supported and contributed to this project. We could not have done this without all of you!

With Deep Gratitude,
Celina Taganas-Duffy and Ray Carbullido
Artists & Producers of I Am Today’s Filipino

I AM TODAY’s Filipino

Please note: Archived videos, interviews, stories, photographs, names, and titles are from 2006.
Click here to view the full video and photography presentation.

Faustino Caigoy

Artist

Jo Koy

Comedian

Helen Brown & George Brown

FOUNDER OF THE FILIPINO AMERICAN LIBRARY & RECOGNIZED AS THE FIRST FILIPINO GRADUATE OF UCLA

Jannelle So

HOST AND PRODUCER OF KABABAYAN LA

ALLAN (APL.DE.AP) PINEDA

MEMBER OF THE GRAMMY AWARD-WINNING BLACK EYED PEAS

Mark Pulido

THE HONORABLE MARK E. PULIDO, BOARD MEMBER OF THE ABC UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

PROSY ABARQUEZ DELA CRUZ

COMMISSIONER ON BOARD OF CIVIL SERVICE FOR LOS ANGELES CITY MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT AND CO-CHAIR FOR FILIPINO LEGACY FUND AT UCLA

MEG MALPAYA THORNTON

COORDINATOR OF STUDENT AND COMMUNITY PROJECTS AT UCLA ASIAN AMERICAN STUDIES CENTER

Mariano R. Elepano

PRODUCTION SUPERVISOR/ADJUNCT FACULTY FOR USC SCHOOL OF CINEMATIC ARTS, JOHN C. HENCH DIVISION OF ANIMATION & DIGITAL ARTS

Casimiro Urbano Tolentino

ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGE FOR STATE OF CALIFORNIA & THE LA FIRE COMMISSIONER

MaryAnne Robinson

REGISTERED NURSE FOR THE DIALYSIS UNIT AT UC IRVINE MEDICAL CENTER

AQUILINA SORIANO-VERSOZA

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF PILIPINO WORKER’S CENTER

Click Here To View The Full Exhibit

Winston F. Emano

PUBLIC RELATIONS EXECUTIVE

Yey Coronel

COMMUNITY ADVOCATE AND CO-CHAIR FOR THE LA/SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CENTENNIAL PLANNING COMMITTEE

Maria Quiban

BROADCAST METEOROLOGIST/ANCHOR FOR
MY13 NEWS AND FOX 11 NEWS LOS ANGELES

Ronald S. Buenaventura

NATIONAL SECRETARY OF FANHS & SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST FOR THE LA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

Ted Benito

PRODUCER AND FOUNDER OF TDRZ PRODUCTIONS, INC.

Florante & Roselyn Ibanez

FLORANTE IS MANAGER OF LIBRARY COMPUTER SERVICES AT LOYOLA LAW SCHOOL & ROSE IS A DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOOD EMPOWERMENT AND COUNTY COMMUNITY ACTION BOARD MEMBER

Melvin Tabilas

FIELD DEPUTY FOR CONGRESSMAN XAVIER BECERRA

Cecilia De Castro

CHEF AND CULINARY ARTS EDUCATOR

Dante Basco

ACTOR

Zen Lopez

ARTS AND CULTURE COMMISSIONER FOR CITY OF GLENDALE

ISAIAH (DJ ICY ICE) DACIO

RADIO PERSONALITY DJ ICY ICE &
ENTREPRENUER OF STACKS VINYL

Theresa De Vera

COMMISSIONER FOR THE COMMISSION ON DISABILITY & GRADUATE OF LOYOLA MARYMOUNT UNIVERSITY

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Bruce & Christopher Ricketts

BRUCE RICKETTS IS AN ACTOR & MARTIAL ARTIST & CHRISTOPHER “TOPHER” RICKETTS IS A FILIPINO MARTIAL ARTS MASTER & CHIEF INSTRUCTOR FOR BAKBAKAN INTERNATIONAL & KALI ILUSTRISMO