Little Manila Symposium in Stockton 4/9 (A people service part 6)

From: Dawn Mabalon
Date: Fri, 25 Mar 2005 15:54:57 -0800

Subject: Little Manila Symposium in Stockton 4/9

Join us April 9 in Stockton as we celebrate the contributions of the Filipina/o Labor Movement in Stockton's Little Manila and provide a progress report on the revitalization and preservation of Stockton's Little Manila neighborhood!

"Reclaiming the Legacy: The Labor Movement and the Filipino Immigrant Experience in Stockton, California, 1920s to 1950s."

Don't miss this great opportunity to learn about this very important part of our American history that is not widely taught at local schools.

For more info, click on http://www.littlemanila.net.
The conference will take place on April 9, 2005 from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm at San Joaquin Delta College, West Forum. Onsite registration fees are $5 for students and $10 for general public.

The conference consists of three sessions:
1. Immigration and Settlement
2. The Filipino Labor Movement in Stockton
3. The Little Manila Foundation - A Progress Report

Little Manila Foundation is dedicated to honoring and preserving the history of Filipino-Americans in Stockton and the Central Valley. This forum is part an educational series that provides an opportunity for us to share our community's heritage with the general public.

Our invited speakers represent experts from the labor movement, academia, and the community who will share their knowledge and perspectives on the role of Filipinos during a vital period of the building of California's agribusiness.

From the 1930s through the 1970s, Filipino laborers were actively involved in labor organizing to protect their rights as workers and to demand better wages and working conditions. The Filipino Agricultural Laborer's Association in fact led the noted 1938 Asparagus Strike that crippled the asparagus industry. The strike led to first Filipino labor union affiliation with the American Federation of Labor (AFL). Filipino labor leaders later formed the Agricultural Worker's Organizing Committee that allied with the National Farm Workers Association and became the genesis of the United Farm Workers (UFW). Among the founding members of the UFW, were Larry Itliong and PhilipVera Cruz, both of whom were veteran Filipino-American labor union leaders. As Vice Presidents of the UFW, Itliong and Vera Cruz worked alongside Cesar Chavez to lead the famous Grape Strikes and Boycott movements of the 1960s and 1970s.

"Reclaiming the Legacy" is sponsored by Cultural Awareness Program of San Joaquin Delta College.