Labor Organizing? It’s been in our Filipino blood since the beginning...
To be real, like most people of color - Filipin@s have had it pretty rough when they first moved to the U.S. Our brown ancestors suffered horrible working conditions and were paid incredibly low wages when many of them first immigrated to work on sugar plantations in hopes of fulfilling their “American Dream.”
Pablo Manlapit was a Tagalog immigrant who led 2 strikes in Hawaii the 1920′s in response to the poor conditions. Unfortunately, both of the strikes failed which led to Filipin@ evictions and blacklisting of labor union members. Manlapit was then deported since he was considered a “threat.” He then traveled back to the U.S., particularly to California in the late 1920′s to help exploited Filipin@ asparagus workers organize because of their harsh working conditions. This man is only one example of the many Filipinos who demanded respect and better wages.
The Delano Grape strike isn’t the first instance in which Filipinos have organized because the people who led it, like Larry Itliong, were inspired by their brothers and sisters who came before them.
Source:
Mabalon, Dawn Bohulano. "Little Manila Is in the Heart." Little Manila Is in the Heart: The Making of the Filipina/o American Community in Stockton, California. N.p.: Duke UP, 2013. N. pag. Print.
Picture sources:
http://hamakuatimes.com/filipino-labor-leader-featured-p317.htm
http://ucifilam.blogspot.com/2009/11/hawaiian-sugar-plantation-association.html