Filipino American History Month has officially kicked off this October, with thousands of parades and cultural performances planned around the nation in celebration. October is a chance to recognize the rich history and impact that Filipino Americans have on the country.
To celebrate, the Filipino American Student Association (FASA) invites students, faculty and staff to partake in some engaging events. The events are meant to highlight the thriving culture of Filipino American students and to recognize the importance of fostering diverse communities on campus.
Below are three annual events that FASA has planned for the month.
Cultural/Political Workshop
On Oct. 21 from 6-7 p.m., FASA will host a Cultural/Political Workshop titled “Unity Through Diversity and Adversity.” The event is being organized by the club’s Political Chair, Ian Piedad, and Cultural Chair, Rafael Baluyut. The workshop will be held in Dundon-Berchtold Hall Room 130.FASA's Instagram.
“It’s in the planning stages right now and we've done similar workshops in the past,” Piedad said. “The whole goal of them is to educate people on Filipino American history, as well as what's going on in the Philippines currently.”
The workshop will cover themes like Filipino resilience and pride, while including discussions about immigration policies and Filipino migration stories, according to Piedad.
Like previous FASA workshops, this event will be as much a lecture as an interactive event. Here, attendees will have the opportunity to share their thoughts and experiences.
For Baluyut, this workshop is about building an understanding around cultural identity and the shared experiences of Filipino American students on campus.
“I want to touch on what being Filipino means to everyone here and the importance of us all coming together,” Baluyut said. “Some topics might be simple things like culture, food and clothing. But we also want to include the basis of why we have this club and what it stands for.”
Night in Manila
On Oct. 24, FASA is collaborating with Pilots After Dark (PAD) to host their annual “Night in Manila” event from 9-11 p.m. in the Pilot House.
This late-night festivity will include popular Filipino party games like “Newspaper dance” and “Gimme Gimme,” a game in which a host asks participants to “gimme gimme” a random item located nearby.
There will also be raffle prizes and free food inspired by local Filipino snacks.
President of FASA Sarah Cayabyab is particularly excited about the variety of foods being served at the gathering.
“The snack inspiration for this year are these things called sari-sari markets, which are just like street vendors,” Cayabyab said. “And we're trying to get some baked pastries from Chik and Chuck Pinoy Bakery, a Filipino bakery in Portland.”
Cayabyab stressed the importance of FASA being able to bring traditional Filipino foods to campus and supporting local Filipino businesses in the process.
“The sari-sari store theme for Pilots After Dark pays homage to these typically family-owned markets in the Philippines that many in the working-class rely on,” Cayabyab said.
Halo-Halloween
On Oct. 30, FASA will be hosting their annual “Halo-Halloween” from 7-9 p.m. This event will be located in the Quiet Side of Bauccio Commons and is a part of a larger cultural gathering that aims at highlighting Asian American clubs.
For this night of fun and cultural expression, FASA is collaborating with the South Asian Students Union (SASU) and the Korean Students Association (KSA). Cayabyab also says FASA is reaching out to more clubs about additional “Halo-Halloween” collaborations.
“Halo-Halloween” takes the Western holiday of Halloween and mixes in Filipino mythology and culture.
Students are encouraged to come dressed in costumes. Participants can expect plenty of storytelling and folklore from each culture represented.
Additionally, halo-halo is a Filipino dessert made of crushed ice, milk and flavoring that became popular at FASA events on campus.
“We serve it every year, so that's how the event got its name!” Cayabyab said. “‘Halo halo’ means ‘mix-mix’ because you mix the dessert before eating. But I also like the double meaning as this event is a collaboration and ‘mix’ of cultures.”
Cayabyab encourages students to check FASA’s official instagram page for updates on this event.
Rieve Randall is the Community Engagement Editor for The Beacon. He can be reached at randallr28@up.edu.
