South Bay exhibit about history of Filipino diaspora gets year-long encore

Photo from Filipinos of South Bay Exhibit

A lack of Filipino-American representation is evident not just in San Diego but across California but this Filipinos of South Bay Exhibit (FOSBE) in Chula Vista looks to shine a light with its display of historical artifacts and remnants.

Despite Filipinos making up the largest Asian American group in San Diego, Fosbe exhibit co-chair executive director Anamarie Labao Cabato and historian Judy Patacsil agree on one thing—many Californians are unaware of their histories.

Shedding light on the forgotten history of Filipinos in San Diego is the historical collaboration between PASACAT, the Council of Philippine American Organizations of San Diego, and the Filipino American National Historical Society’s San Diego chapter—the team behind the Fosbe exhibit in Chula Vista’s central library.

Apart from books, the library now holds treasures of Filipino Americans’ past encapsulated in the form of old flags, family portraits, beauty pageant sashes, and artifacts all displayed in the back corner of the library.

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A tapestry of historic tales

As you walk in, you’ll be immersed in Filipino immigration sagas. From Larry Itliong, Cesar Chavez, and other labor organizer’s United Farm Workers flag to newspaper bits of an Imperial Beach barbershop transforming into an evening dance studio, it’s a virtual crossover to the past.

One of Patacsil’s cherished stories is of the Manongs, the first group of immigrants to reside on the West Coast, which also recently got a park named after them.

While for Cabato, the three towering cases at the exhibit’s center steal the show. These display the vibrant history of Filipino community groups, churches, and dance groups—the so-called “pillars of community,” she says.

Originally slated to close this December, the organizers decided to keep the exhibit running until the end of next year.

“We’re just proud. It was a beautiful collaboration,” Cabato said.

And let’s not forget that with the exhibit’s renewal until December 2024, it’s a significant step towards representation. “Representation matters,” said Patacsil. “To see yourself in places like this is really important.”

Another year-long journey of this exhibit is your chance to connect with stories that might just reflect your own.