Long Beach City College’s TTC campus hosted its annual Filipino American History Month Kick-Off event on Oct. 13, bringing people together to celebrate Filipino culture and community.
The event featured Filipino dishes, games and live performances. It gave students and attendees an opportunity to celebrate Filipino heritage while learning more about a culture they may or may not be familiar with.
During the event, performers Eli Villongco, Jazlynn Pastor, Jesse Ocampo and Rogelle Zamora, who are part of Pinay Pages Performers, entertained attendees with cultural performances.
The main theme of the event was “Celebrate Kapwa,” which reflects the Filipino value of shared identity and highlights the importance of community, connection and supporting one another.
Cyrus Fernandez, the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility Analyst for LBCC, emphasized the importance of recognizing Filipino Americans’ contributions to both national and local history.
Fernandez said the celebration also highlighted the Filipino community’s lasting presence in Long Beach.
“There is a thriving Filipino community here. We’re absolutely here, we’re not going anywhere,” Fernandez said.
Steven Serrano sings the national anthem in Filipino at the Filipino American History Month Kick-Off event on Oct. 13. The event was held at LBCC’s Trades, Technology and Community Learning Campus and celebrated Filipino culture while bringing the community together. (Sammy Mayorga)
Feena Martinez attended the event to support her friend, Steven Serrano, who sang the national anthem.
Born in the Philippines, Martinez moved to the United States when she was young.
Martinez said understanding her heritage has become more meaningful as she has grown older.
“I thought this was just regular life,” Martinez said. “But now, the importance of knowing our heritage, remembering it, celebrating it and passing it on to generations, I think that’s important for me.”
Danny J. Lopez, a first-year psychology major, attended the event because she enjoys learning about different cultures.
“I’m always interested in learning more about other people’s culture, and this is one of the best ways to do it, especially through food,” Lopez said.
She also learned more about the Philippines’ many islands and the diversity of its people.
Lopez said events like this are important because they allow students to experience cultures they may not be familiar with.
“It’s important to keep these events free and accessible in order for people to see what other cultures have to offer and keep people open-minded,” Lopez said.
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