Bay Filipino American History Month Celebration Launched at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco

05 October 2017 SAN FRANCISCO - The Asian Art Museum in San Francisco hosted the launch of the Filipino American History Month celebration at its Samsung Hall on October 01.

The Museum’s Director, Jay Xu, and Philippine Consulate Deputy Consul General Jaime Ascalon welcomed members of the Filipino American community and guests to the celebration.

“The Museum is committed to supporting programs that promote the culture and heritage of the Philippines and other Asian countries.” said Director Xu. He cited the ongoing exhibition “Philippine Art: Collecting Art, Collecting Memories” which features 30 pieces of the Museum’s Filipiniana collection and runs until March 2018. 

Deputy Consul General Ascalon said “the community should continue celebrating Filipino American History Month every year to ensure that the contributions of Filipinos and Filipino Americans to this country’s nation building efforts are recognized by government and the greater community.” He stressed the importance of inspiring the younger generation of Filipino Americans to actively steer the Filipino American community to uncharted grounds and to write stories about such journeys. The Consulate launched the Spark*Connect*Empower* movement to contribute to the community’s efforts to empower the Filipino American community, and to encourage the younger generation of Filipino Americans to connect with their heritage and history, community and homeland.

The program culminated in a presentation entitled “Under the Bamboo Trees” which included performances originating from the Sulu Archipelago, the Lumad and Rural Philippines.  The performances were choreographed and restaged by Sydney Loyola and Eric Solano and participated in by 56 performers from the Youth Program Performing Cast of the American Center of Philippine Arts and its musicians, and the Parangal Dance Company Performing Cast.

In partnership with Target and AARP, the Filipino American Community and Bay Area residents were treated to free entrance to the Museum. END

For more information, visit www.sanfranciscopcg.dfa.gov.ph / www.philippinessanfrancisco.org or https://www.facebook.com/PHinSF/

Dr. Jay Xu, the Director of the Asian Art Museum, welcomes the Filipino American Community on the 7th launch hosted by the Museum in celebration of Filipino American History Month

 Deputy Consul General Jaime Ramon Ascalon encouraged the Community to seek inspiration from the first generation Filipino-American immigrants and continue the narrative and history of the Filipino Americans in the US