In honor of Filipino American History month, Minnesota Employees of Asian Descent at the State of Minnesota - MEAD has partnered with MNDOT to light the I-35W bridge in the colors of the flag of the Republic of the Philippines on the evening of October 1st, 2025 to honor the contributions of Filipino Americans in Minnesota!
MEAD Minnesota Employees of Asian Descent wishes you all a happy Filipino American History month 2025! #FAHM2025
https://mn.gov/mmb/ergs/join/mead/
Filipino Americans are the second largest Asian American group in the nation and the sixth largest API ethnic group in #Minnesota.
The celebration of Filipino American History Month in October commemorates the first recorded presence of Filipinos in the continental United States, which occurred on October 18, 1587, when “Luzones Indios” came ashore from the Spanish galleon Nuestra Senora de Esperanza and landed at what is now Morro Bay, California.
Filipino American History Month in the United States was observed in the United States during the month of October, prior to the current federal administration's Initial Rescissions Of Harmful Executive Orders And Actions dated January 20, 2025 and the subsequent mothballing of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders.
Final report here:
https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/.../WHIAANHPI-Report...
In 2009, U.S. Congress recognized October as Filipino American History Month in the United States. Various states, counties and cities in the U.S. have established proclamations and resolutions declaring observance of Filipino American History Month. The late Dr. Fred Cordova, along with his wife, FANHS Founder Dr. Dorothy Laigo Cordova, first introduced October as Filipino American History Month in 1992 with a resolution from the FANHS National Board of Trustees.
We can still celebrate and encourage folks to spread the word that we WILL be celebrating!
Manuel (Jun) B Zuniga Jr, Salima Khakoo
Co-Chairs of #MEAD
