PH CONSULATE CELEBRATES PHILIPPINE, AAPI HERITAGE MONTHS WITH “COLORS OF DIVERSITY” ART EXHIBIT
Consul Rowena Pangilinan-Daquipil (center) and Global Artists’ Creative Collaboration for Empowerment founder Bernadette Escalona-Cooper (center-left) lead the ribbon-cutting ceremony to formally open the “Colors of Diversity” art exhibit at the Philippine Center in San Francisco. (San Francisco PCG photo)
SAN FRANCISCO, USA – The Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco—in partnership with the Global Artists’ Creative Collaboration for Empowerment (GACCE)—is hosting the “Colors in Diversity” art exhibit at the Kalayaan Hall of the Philippine Center in San Francisco until 30 May 2025, in celebration of National Heritage Month in the Philippines and Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month in the United States.
The Consulate co-organized the opening reception for the art exhibit, the Consulate’s second exhibition of the year, on 16 May 2025 at the Philippine Center’s Kalayaan Hall.
The multicultural art exhibit highlights the diverse meanings of colors across different cultures, as well as to showcase their similarities in cultures.
The art exhibit featured the artworks of four of GACCE’s multicultural artists from the Bay Area: Bernadette Escalona-Cooper (GACCE founder, Filipino American); Ayesha Samdani (exhibit curator, Pakistani American); Trieu Dao (Vietnamese American); and Ayelet Gal-on (Israeli American).
Representing Consul General Neil Ferrerduring the event, Consul Rowena Pangilinan-Daquipil gave her remarks, where she encouraged the attendees not to view the exhibit merely as a display of artworks but as a dialogue between artists and audience.
“We are here to witness how our heritage is preserved and our identity is reflected through the power of art. These works tell stories that stretch across oceans, generations, and histories. They speak of migration, memory, resilience, and dreams. They are as much about the Filipino and Asian Communuty as they are about America,” said Consul Pangilinan-Daquipil.
“May this art exhibit remind us that culture is not static but alive, and it is our responsibility to nurture it for future generations of Asian, especially Filipino, Americans in this country,” Consul Pangilinan-Daquipil further said.
The 2025 National Heritage Month theme “Preserving Legacies, Building Futures: Empowering Communities Through Heritage” highlights the role of shared heritage among diverse communities to connect and empower future generations, with the hope that more collaborations will be developed and generations of conservation advocates will be empowered.
Meanwhile, in San Francisco, this year’s AAPI Heritage Month theme “Energizing the Next Generation” spotlights the importance of youth leadership in turning the next page for the Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Community, two decades since this month-long commemoration was first celebrated by the City and County of San Francisco. END
(San Francisco PCG photo)