Oregon Governor Brown Declares State-wide Celebration of Filipino American History Month

PRESS RELEASE
SFPCG-PR-098-2021

Oregon Governor Brown Declares State-wide Celebration of Filipino American History Month

Oregon Governor Katherine “Kate” Brown encourages the citizens of her state to learn and appreciate the historic contributions of Filipino Americans in Oregon and the United States at large, following her declaration of October 2021 as Filipino American History Month.

In a proclamation signed in the state capital of Salem on 24 September 2021, Governor Brown said that Oregonians should be informed of “the positive impact Filipino Americans have had on our communities,” in fields such as business, medicine, education, the sciences, agriculture, humanities and the military.

“Efforts must continue to promote the study of Filipino American history and culture because the role of Filipino Americans and those of other people have been overlooked in the writing, teaching and learning of United States history,” Governor Brown said in her proclamation.

The Oregon Governor also highlighted the importance of the month-long celebration to educate Filipino American youth about their history and heritage. “It is imperative for Filipino American youth to have positive role models and to instill in them the importance of education… that uplifts the richness of their ethnicity and the values of their legacy,” the Governor further said.

In a letter to Governor Brown, Philippine Consul General Neil Frank R. Ferrer extended his appreciation to the Oregon Governor for her recent proclamation, noting that said proclamation is not only “a recognition of the shared history of our two countries but is also a testament to the state’s continuing efforts to preserve racial diversity and promote social equity and justice among immigrant communities, including Filipinos.”

Consul General Ferrer also expressed his appreciation to Governor Brown for the financial relief provided by the state government to businesses that were severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including those owned by Filipino Americans.

The annual commemoration of Filipino American History Month marks the first recorded presence of Filipinos in continental United States, when Luzon natives arrived in Morro Bay, California onboard the Spanish galleon ship “Nuestra Señora de Esperanza” on 18 October 1587. END