During the month of October we celebrate Filipino American History Month, which was first established by the Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS) in 1992. The month of October was chosen as it marks the first time Filipino settlers landed in North America as sailors aboard a trade ship. The Philippines are a group of 7,641 islands in the western Pacific Ocean, colonized by both Spain and the United States, before gaining independence in 1946. As the second largest Asian American ethnic group in the United States, Filipino Americans have made an indelible impact on our communities.
Please take time to learn more about Filipino culture and history by exploring the events, resources, and information below.
Emerson Resources
Emi Bague (she/her) is a Filipino American Emersonian. She is the Associate Director, International Student Career Services, with the Career Development Center.
Emi’s parents immigrated to the U.S. from the Philippines in the late ’60s. She was born and raised in the Boston area and has close ties to a local community called Iskwelahang Pilipino (Filipino School). Established in 1976, it is the first cultural school of its kind in the U.S. and a model for many throughout the country.
Emi would be happy to meet with anyone interested in connecting around the Filipino American experience and can be reached at emi_bague@emerson.edu.
Learn More
Celebration and awareness are interdependent and interconnected. Here are a few lesser known stories that provide context to social justice concerns for the Filipino American community.
