[music] [music] a beautiful evening to awful lets hear it for the beautiful dance. Has been a staple at commune events and they fwring all the time. A good evening to everyone here. Thank you so much for your presence. We are celebrating the ninthanual filipinoamerican History Month celebration with mayor london breed. Good evening to you mayor breed. And the city of San Francisco. I amming one of your hosts ginger from nbc bay area and along side me is this gentlemen franko finn. I cant do you justice. You did great. Good to see you, ginger. Come on this is one of my favorites ginger, i know each year how many been more then and there this year . 23, 4, a lot of supporters for thez now to this celebration, welcome this is one of the best celebration in my opinion especially in city hall. I look forward to im excited cohost with you again. We are the warrior season starting soon all right. Started this week. Im excited 21 seasons for me, i cant believe it. You must have started really young 8. The high school we went to. Exactly. Why we were young. You know tonight im proud, october Filipino AmericanHistory Month there is so much to celebrate it is already the end of the month. We are so proud to collaborate with the Host Committee a round to the Host Committee. By the way. Working hard to make this possible for us tonight. Yes. And tonight is a moment us occasion we are excited celebrate filipino and filipinoamericans all overnight are world. Hispanic heritage. Italianamerican, give it up for that Indigenous Peoples day on october 9 this month. Initial coming out day october 11. Larry young birthday october 25th. Round of applaud for that. October is busy very busy and we live in an incredible city, place the bay area in general where we are blessed to see all those things every day and play out in october. And this is i time that we as filipinoamericans honor our past and present or call it, past forward. Past forward. Nice ring to temperature you get this joke. That was written in there. As thissiers theme we recognize 1 twitch years of filipinoamerican history. Since the signing of the treaty of paris by spain and the u. S. Treaty that lead to the u. S. Annexation of the philippines, port rico, guam. Cuba opened the doors for the people this came before you to immigrate here to the United States. Begin our narrative and start our american dream. Right . Absolutelies. It is in the a dream that has been easy. It has fair share of challenges as many groups had. On the opposite side coming out of that, we as a community built resilienceful perseverance, a lot of love and continuous hope. Which is always beautiful to the look and seat example that thes have been put forward by those before. If i may take this opportunity. Speak of hose before us. Before we do get started with our celebration. We like to take this time to honor the memory and legacy ofus senator and formy San Francisco mayor Diane Feinstein. And an esteemed Community Leader greg. First a round for senator feinstein. A quick personal share, i was very fortunate to be an intern for her office in dc my junior year in collegism met the senator. We exchanged brief words about San Francisco. She was always very prud. She is inspire to being a young woman a trail blazer not just on the National Stage but of course, how everything began here in city hall and i was honored to you have been report about her and her legacy an among ago we were up stairs and people liningum and signing the books outside city hall what a site what a site. And our second female mayor of San Francisco sittings there following right in her legacy and her first up in making her legacy mayor breed. Thank you for joining us. A great legacy thank you for sharing that story. She loved San Francisco as much as we do, too. And proud natives of this city i dont have a lot to celebrate. Thank you Diane Feinstein for everything you have done in the city. Nice words lets talk about trail blazers. She is i trail blazer we will have awards for trail blazers in our community. We have Community Champions this are here in the house tonight very talent the filipinoamericans here in the bay area. Of course the performances and all that in between. And tonight is about recognizing those that have paved the way for all across the United States and those continuing to create a legacy for us here in the Filipino Community. Stick around we got celebration here. My favorite part of any event capitol f, food. Come on, you know i dont come like this over night there is food. 2 you go tie Filipino Party that means it is a big deal. Yao dont get 1 every day there are 2, my goodness. Both are looking at mow saying when are you going to eat mow. I hope soon. We will have the north light court a pop up marketplace. All the food. Venders please stick around we have a celebration here. Lets support our local filipino artisans and Small Business owners. So im getting hung row. I am, too. Kickoff our festivities we are starting off with having lowon will sing the Filipino National anthem and the spark of creation choir sing the American National anthem. Welcome them on stage. [singing] [applause] o say can you see. By the the dawns early light. What so proudly we hailed. At the twilights last gleaming. Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight. Oer the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming. And the rockets red glare. The bombs bursting in air. Gave proof through the night, that our flag was still there. O say does that star spangled, banner yet wave. Oer the land and of the free. And the home of the brave. [applause] can you do that . No. But i need to learn from those young ladies. Beautiful. About how far thank you so much. Spark of creation choir as well as lowon pala that was beautiful. Beautiful. Ladies and gentlemen every year we celebrate Filipino AmericanHistory Month in october established by filipinoAmerican NationalHistorical Society back in 1992. Am now october was chosen the mont to commemorate the arrival of the first filipinos at marrow bay that happened way back in the day i did not know this as a girl. I learned it later on in life it is amazing the first filipinos came in 1587. Wow. October. And the us of america has one of the most complex cultural identities in the world. Millions ofim grants from all over the globe journeys to america since the europeans discoverd and colonized this place back in the 17 and 18th centuries the rich and long history of the United States. Now the blylevening of cultural backgrounds system specific and unique to the United States. Become a melting pot of the world. Philippinose are among the millions of immigrants. I see my dad there. He is one. Thank you. For your unending support. We. I gave a shout out. The meting pot of immigrants people made sacrifices to chase a dream here. Tonight we recognize the trail blazers, Community Champions and emerging leaders that continue to put filipinoamericans at the forefront of making this an amazing, great country. That we must continue to believe. But first it is my honor to introduce our Event Committee chair San Francisco entertainment commissioner, and the man this never sleeps mr. [inaudible]. Al come on. Round of applause. Thank you. Hello, everyone. It is my honor and fridge to introduce our honored host of the beautiful Filipino American celebration the last 6 years. She is a champion and friends of the Filipino Community. In many filipino events celebrating our community. Made it a point to attend year after year and serve as a parade grand marshall in 2019. She has been advocate for community and vital support in the purchase of buildings for filipino serving Community Organizations like united players and west bay. And has supported men initiate itches and communities with highest concentrations of under served residents including the soma neighborhoods. She lead the city through through the pandemic and use judgment and stewardship in our post pandemic recovery. Through her leadership, San Francisco the city this knows how, will be show case in the the world stage when we host the, peck summit next month. As a native to the beloved city she is addressing the Critical Issues facing San Francisco residence denials and focused on promoting opportunities for not just fill ponento commune but all. Join mow in welcoming our mayor madam mayor london breed. [applause] thank you so much. Al for your heard work and year after year for cordinating this event. And let me also say to the Filipino Community that is joining us today, and including our general of the pill philippines. Thank you, thank you all for your understanding and accommodating us and moving this festival this event to another day in order to honor the legacy of our mayor our senator Diane Feinstein. This event was planned a couple weeks ago and because of her unexpected passing, and the need to host her here in city hall, this communities went did not hesitate to agree to move it to this date today. In order to allow for this service to take place. I want to express my gratitude and appreciation for what you did to make that possible. But also express my excitement to see so many people here tonight, in celebration of our filipinoamerican community at city hall. And let me start by rescue noising some of our lected leaders today i want to thank supervisor walton as well as supervisor matt dorsey. And supervisor engardio and mandelman here. Thank you to the board of supervisors for joining us here today. I want to thank our City Attorney david chu is joining us as well. Our fire chief Jeanine Nicholson and so many elected leaders. And will our chief of protocol who helps ensure the relationships that exist with our communities across the globe are in tact. Our chief of protocol thank you for being here today. And to our great host yling and franko you guys are doing a wonderful job we are glad to have you every year. And let mow just say to this commune that today is an opportunity to celebrate. The Filipino Community that descended on San Francisco in the early 1900s mostly lived in the south of market community. And what is so extraordinary about that time in comparison to now we are finally at a good place where we are investing in the Community Like never before. Yling and franko referenced the most recent, significant purchases that occurred. The purchase of Additional Space for u noticed players run by rudy corp us and the new permanent home of west bay im not sure if carla is here. But these extraordinary institution support the Filipino Community they embrace all of San Francisco with amazing programs for families, seniors and kids. This community is celebrating past forward. Celebrating what happened in the past but awfuls how far we come to move our neuroeveraffordability forward with our communities and children and history and culture. Today is a celebration of that of the resiliencey of this community the xoiment about what is to come. We want to appreciate you all for being here today at city hall to cell brit. We than there is so much more work but we appreciate the inclusiveness and how the community is coming together today. To not only celebrate your heritage but share your heritage with the rest us. I want to that i can take this moment to acknowledge and recognize the Host Committee and al perez for his leadership. Our Council General, neil ferrara being here and continuing to be a champion and add haveicate in the community. Our mc yling and franko. Todays keynote. We are looking forward to hearing from you. And all of the honorees being recognized tonight, thank you for being here and iment to ask al perez to come forward at this time even though he is working making sure everything is together. Come on up. On behalf of the city of San Francisco we are goo going to declare it filipino heritage month in San Francisco can we have our elected leaders in the Host Committee to come forward for a photograph, please . Lets have the dance company. Yawn mercado, neil to come up as well. If we can have the hest committee come up as well. Host committee. A roun, everybody. Putting this together Host Committee. Come up, please, please, if we can have neil ferera come up. Get awardees, come up to, not yet. Mayor. Not yet come on up. We have you up there who i we are the mayor here with us. That will be the last and then the next portion. Awardees come up with your families. Wonderful. Upon one last thing i wanted to acknowledge former mayor and former councilmember in daly city ma nalo now work nothing my office thank you so much. She is joining the team of the Mayors Office in San Francisco now thank you so much. Thats amazing. We can have Council General ferera come up and say your speech. Thank you. Thank you. Mayor. Neil ferera, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you very much. San Francisco Mayor london breed. Members of the San Francisco board of supervisors and federal, state, counts and he city officials present. San francisco entertainment commissioner al perez and members of the San Francisco filipinoamerican history among organizing committee our awardees for the filipino history among celebration. Members. Filipinoamerican community. Other guests. Good evening. Before i begin please allow mow to take this opportunity to pay electron to the late u. S. Senator and San Franciscos first woman mayor Diane Feinstein. A good friend of the philippines and champion of freedom and democracy for peoples around the world. Many Filipino Americans remember how mayor feinstein appointed people from the Asian American community in San Francisco including Filipino Americans in office. They remember how mayor feinstein attended many events including the philippine consulate general and took time to visit many homes with interest in knowing the condition of women of color including female filipinoamericans. Feinsteins legacy of trail blazing live on in the years to come. You in gives me great privilege to join you for the thenth celebration of filipinoamerican History Month in the city and county of San Francisco. The 31 years ago by filipinoAmerican NationalHistorical Society. October has become the month long commencement rigz of filipinoamerican history. Which dates become to october 15, 1587. With the arrival of natives in california. Considered the first recorded presence of filipinos in the United States. Today this translates to 436 years of fill ponento presence in america predating the founding of the United States by 189 years. For filipinoamericans in california october also holds significance as you remember the life and legacy of filipinoamerican farm worker upon union leaderan verse row yesterday october of 25 celebrated state wide. Amplified call for better labor condition in california. And inspired a generation of Migrant Workers in america to fight for racial and social justice. Closetory home, the year 2023 marked mile stonan verse rows the filipinoamerican community in San Francisco mainly, the 15 years of the dance company. 30 years of the and raid of the filipinoamerican art exhibition. 30 years of fill ponento cinema festival. And 50 years of the know fran filipinoamerican chamber of commerce. For machine like mow born and raised in the philippines i believe it is important to celebrate filipinoamerican history machining to shine a spotlight on contributions of filipinos and filipinoamericans to so sight. Commend filipinoamericans in San Francisco and across the bay area when