Next to the month of June—where Filipinos across the globe celebrate Philippine independence—October is the busiest month for the Filipino-American community. Various events and activities are staged this month to celebrate Filipino History Month. In New York and New Jersey, there is no shortage of festivities to cover. Last October 1, Tuesday, the Metro New York chapter of the Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS) kicked off the celebrations with their third annual community awards to several individuals who have demonstrated commitment to the preservation of Filipino American history and the promotion of the Filipino American community of the Metropolitan New York area. There was also a photo exhibit featuring the winners of the organization’s “Filipino Americans in New York” photo contest. An annual contest, the photographs “exemplify the history, culture, neighborhoods, community, families, and organizations of Filipinos in New York.” There are original photographs of Filipino Americans taken from earlier time periods, ranging from pictures of Columbia University students in the 1920s and of various Filipino immigrants in the 1930s-1950s. Led by co-presidents Dr. Kevin Nadal and Lorial Crowder, FANHS bestowed Luis Francia, a Filipino American poet, journalist, and nonfiction writer, with a lifetime achievement award. Francia, who has lived in New York City for decades, is the award-winning author of several books including Eye of the Fish: A Personal Archipelago, Flippin’: Filipinos on America, and A History of the Philippines: From Indios Bravos to Filipinos. He was an Assistant Editor/Writer of The Village Voice from 1984-2006 and is a former Op-Ed columnist for the New York Daily News. He is a professor at New York University and Hunter College, and he lives in Queens with his wife, Midori.
Posted on: Sat, 05 Oct 2013 00:37:26 +0000
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