October. The tenth month of the calendar year is mostly known as the spookiest season of the year, but it also represents the opportunity to celebrate an underappreciated group in America: Filipinos.
Filipinos represent the second largest Asian-American ethnic group, and October acts as Filipino American History Month, a chance to recognize their impact on society.
About FAHM:
October was officially established as Filipino American History Month in November, 2009 at the 111th meeting of Congress to celebrate the contributions to American society by Filipino Americans. October was the chosen month because on October 18, 1587, the first Filipinos arrived in the United states at what is now known as Morro Bay in California.
CSArts Student Ideas on Ways to Celebrate FAHM:
- Support local Filipino businesses and restaurants.
- Learn more about Filipino American History through sources like the Filipino American National Historical Society.
- Try cooking dishes from the Philippines! From savory to sweet, Filipino cuisine has everything. You can even try one of my favorite’s, Filipino Adobo!
- Just acknowledge FAHM. In terms of the various history and heritage months throughout the year, Filipino American History Month flies under most people’s radar.
Filipino Representation at CSArts:
According to the 2022-2023 CSArts Handbook, Filipinos made up 2.74% of the student body here at CSArts. That’s about 24 of the 950 students last year. To celebrate the growing population of Filipino students at CSArts, the Asian American Pacific Islander Club (AAPI for short), is planning on hosting a fundraiser featuring Filipino cuisine and activities at this year’s Spooky Fest. Look for details about the event soon!
A Chat with Mr. Gomez