PETER’S PINOY PATTER — APRIL 2017

Bridge Generation News

(The aging Bridge Generation is a rapidly vanishing generation.  Another in a series remembering the life of a deceased Bridge Generation Filipino American) Flora (Arca) Mata, 1917-2013: The first Filipina/Asian American to teach in the Stockton Unified School District, Flora was hired in 1948 and remained with SUSD until her retirement in 1978. In reflecting on what it meant to be the first Filipina/Asian American teacher in Stockton, she told the Stockton Record, “To be first is not that important.  It’s what you do after that that’s important.” By breaking new ground in the school district, Flora paved the way for countless minority educators.  She also set an example for relatives to follow her into the teaching profession. “Education has been a part of our family,” said granddaughter Sheree Mata, a Stockton kindergarten teacher. “I think it runs in the blood.” Born in Honolulu, Flora and her family moved to the Little Manila section of Stockton in the early 1920s. She attended local schools before heading to the University of California, Los Angeles. While students, Flora and her future husband, Vidal Mata, worked for the Campbell Soup family and for screen legend Boris Karloff of “Frankenstein” fame. Upon their graduation from UCLA, they were unable to find teaching jobs in the United States. A dean advised the young couple that if they wanted professional jobs commensurate with their education, they should move to Hawaii. In author Dawn Mabalon‘s 2002 Voices: A Filipino American Oral History, Flora recalled posing a pointed question to the dean. “Why is it that America would educate the minority and not give them an opportunity to use this education?” she asked. “Why is it that they need a college education to be dishwashers?” Instead of listening to the dean and moving to Hawaii, the Matas headed to the Philippines to find teaching work. They returned to Stockton in the aftermath of World War II, at which point Flora saw a Stockton Unified classified ad seeking substitute teachers. Flora called the school district. “You must come in,” she was told. “You don’t sound like a minority.” The following year, she was hired full-time, teaching kindergarten classes at two South Stockton schools. She was assigned to teach younger children because “they seemed to think there would be less prejudice with little ones than with older students.” She taught only at predominantly minority South Stockton schools until later in her career since it was rare for minorities to be assigned to schools in White North Stockton. Flora was not bitter about the discrimination. “My mother embedded in us the idea that you cannot hold hate,” she said…………….. Another of the legendary San Francisco Mangos is gone. Felix Duag, a stalwart on the Mango basketball teams that dominated Filipino Youth Club tournaments in California during the 1940s-50s, passed away on February 7.  Born and raised in San Francisco, he honed his athletic skills as a multi-sports star at Galileo High School.  Felix, like most of his contemporaries, was a Korean War veteran.  He matriculated at San Francisco State, ending with a masters degree in education. His professional life was spent entirely with the SF Unified School District — as a teacher, principal, and finally as area superintendent. Felix is believed to be one of the first Filipino Americans to move his family to the then segregated Daly City of the 1950s.  Today, Daly City’s Filipino population is 40% and rising……………. So nice of Roni Calibjo of Fremont CA to send a circa 1930s group photo of the Manong Generation.  In the first row was the late Tanciong Lapiz of Vallejo, the outstanding manong volleyball player of the 1930s-40s. During the 1950s I remember watching in amazement as Manong Tanciong was still competing at a high level against much younger Bridge Generation players…………. Happy April Birthdays to: Esther (Navarro) Romero, Mary (Gorre) Cantil, Mel LaGasca, Ray Paular , Dolores (Rosales) Supat, Art Villarruz,  

Pinakbet — News Across The Country

Anthony Armada, CEO of Swedish Health Services — a $4 billion institution and the largest non-profit health provider in the Greater Seattle area —  announced his resignation on February 24. Armada’s three year tenure was highlighted by his work for people of color. Only days before his resignation, CEO Armada issued a strong statement of social justice in solidarity with immigrants and refugees in opposing President Trump’s proposed executive order banning travel to the U.S. from seven Muslim majority countries. Because there are so few Asian Americans who have broken the bamboo ceiling, the Seattle Asian community– especially Filipinos — took Armada’s resignation particularly hard. In Washington state, Armada was the only Filipino American heading a major mainstream organization. A sampling of Filipino American reactions: “It’s an outstanding achievement to become CEO of a major organization,” said Dolores Sibonga, former Seattle City Council member. “If you’re an Asian American CEO, it’s even more amazing because we are often viewed as being quiet and submissive — in other words, worker bees and not leaders,” said Sibonga. “Tony Armada was a great role model and inspiration for our local Filipino and Asian Pacific Islander community,” opined Tony Ogilvie, president of the Filipino Chamber of Commerce of the Pacific Northwest. “We in the Filipino business community are saddened by the resignation of Mr. Tony Armada,” added Bert Golla, past president of the Chamber. Filipino community leader Frank Irigon commented, “I was reminded of former Seattle Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu when he was let go after less than a season with the Mariners. Would they have been given a second chance if they weren’t Asians?”…………….. On February 9 dentist Allan Bergano scored a well-deserved victory in his case against the City of Virginia Beach VA.  Several years ago the area in which his office of 32 years is located was scheduled for redevelopment.  After being told he would have to relocate, he moved to another site.  Unlike other impacted businesses, however, the city refused to compensate him for relocation expenses. He subsequently brought a suit in Federal court. On February 9 Judge Henry Morgan ruled that the city violated state relocation statutes and Dr. Bergano’s rights to equal protection and due process…………. Countdown 11 months — For the Board of Trustees, Filipino American National Historical Society, to provide critically needed financing to ensure keeping the FANHS National Museum in Stockton………….. Did you see Bruno Mars’ tribute to fellow Filipino icon Prince at the Grammy Awards on February 12? A truly great performance befitting the greatness of Prince…………… Also at the Grammy’s — the “Make America Great Again” dress worn by singer Joy Villa, who voted for Bernie Sanders, was designed by Philippine immigrant Andre Soriano, a Trump backer…………… Did you know that the world’s only armless airplane pilot is a Filipina American?  Born without arms as the result of a birth defect, Jessica Cox never allowed herself to believe that she couldn’t accomplish her dreams. She is an expert martial artist, college graduate, motivational speaker, mentor, and an advocate for people with disabilities.  Jessica’s amazing story is chronicled in the Emmy Award winning documentary Right Footed……………. Lou Diamond Phillips, who has played a variety of ethnic roles, is considered by many as the present day Anthony Quinn.  Most recently he was an Emmy nominee for the TV series The Crossroads of History in the role of a tribal chief.

Musings

 March 15 was a bad day for the Trump Administration.  (1) Its rewritten Travel Ban — limiting refugees from six Muslim-majority countries and immigrants on travel status from entering the United States — was again struck down by Federal courts.  (2) The Republican bill to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (aka ObamaCare) faced certain defeat after a number of Republican members of Congress declared they would vote against it. And on March 24, the bill was pulled after it was clear that the bill would lose by at least 31 votes in the House of Representatives………… For months your faithful blogger has been railing against the Trump Administration’s efforts to suppress and conceal news from the free press. Following are more recent examples: (1) Donald Trump firing his National Security Adviser, retired General Michael Flynn, on February 12 for collaborating with the Russian ambassador during the campaign — but only after the mainstream media broke the story; (2) denying admission of the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Politico, and CNN to the White House briefing on February 24; (3) Attorney General Jeff Sessions belatedly admitting on March 8 that he made unauthorized contacts with the Russian ambassador during the campaign — but only after news stories made it public; and (4) State Department staffers forcibly escorting respected journalist Andrea Mitchell from a news briefing on March 10. The long term purpose behind the Trump Administration’s efforts to suppress freedom of the press?  TO SUPPRESS THE TRUTH.  If the Administration succeeds in delegitimizing the mainstream media, thus rendering it ineffectual in holding government accountable, TRUMP’S TWITTERS AND THE TABLOID MEDIA WILL BE AMERICA’S ONLY SOURCE OF NATIONAL NEWS.

Notes: Mata photo courtesy of the Stockton Record; Duag photo courtesy of San Francisco Chronicle; Armada photo courtesy of Northwest Asian Weekly; Cox photo courtesy of Positively Filipino.

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