The Filipino American Story

For hundreds of years, Filipinos have been immigrating to the United States for labor, learning, and love, establishing diverse communities across the United States.

Join Marissa and Jordan as they go back to the mid 1700’s to stomp on shrimps with the earliest Filipinos, the Lousiana Manilamen, and study hard with the government sponsored Pensionado students of 1904. They encounter the struggles of contract laborers like the Sakadas of Hawaii's sugar plantations, the migrant worker Alaskeros of the Alaskan Salmon Canneries, and the Agricultural Workers of California's asparagus fields who fought for the rights and privileges we take for granted today. They stand proud with Filipino American Military Servicemen and the Filipino Women who were War brides instrumental in selling war bonds and responsible for laying the roots of our Filipino American community. Then put on your white coat and a stethoscope because the next group of Filipinos Marissa and Jordan meet are Professionals like doctors, nurses, and engineers.

With each new wave of immigrants, the face of our Filipino American community has continued to grow and change over the years.