California Story Fund
Pioneer Filipino Women in California
Mindanao Lilang-Lilang, San Francisco
Berkeley
Project Director: Jose Bibal
An exhibit of photographs of pioneering Filipina immigrants
This project created an exhibit of photographs of the courageous women who were among the first Filipino immigrants to California during the first part of the 20th century.
The exhibit consisted of reproductions of photographs rescued from attics and garages by families of the women and sometimes by the women themselves. The exhibit also included the stories of six women, including a Manila clubwoman who transformed a local church into a center of Filipino cultural activities, and a seamstress turned clothing entrepreneur. These women told their stories as part of an earlier research effort.
“The intent of the project was to debunk the prevailing concept that the first Filipino immigrants to California were men,” said Project Director Jose Bibal.
The exhibit was held in several venues in San Francisco, including a campus of the City College of San Francisco..