Historicizing the Legacy of Intergenerational Community Activism in the Campaign for Pilipino Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles

• In Event: Transformative Education for Asian Pacific America: Bridging Filipinx American Studies and Educational Research

Abstract

Objectives & Research Questions
The Filipinx campus community in all its forms (i.e., students, faculty, staff, and alumni) worked to transform the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) on their own terms. This paper begins to historicize the Campaign for Pilipino Studies (CPS) movement as an example of historical and contemporary efforts committing to antiracism. The following questions guide this inquiry: What strategies did community members involved with CPS use to advocate for Pilipino Studies? How was CPS sustained across generations? We trace this concerted effort using document analysis, paying attention to who was involved and context.
Theory
Ethnic Studies has served as a fruitful and contentious field among educators. Sleeter (2011) discusses the validity and power of Ethnic Studies in terms of developing a stronger grasp of history, critical thinking, and empowerment towards social action, among other benefits. In the pursuit of this work, we employ Critical Race Theory (CRT) as our theoretical framework. CRT provides the integral role of setting the foundation for resistance to racism in the postsecondary space, the integration of methods such as storytelling and the illumination of the transformative power of social movements (Johnson-Ahorlu, 2017). Using CRT also gives our project the opportunity to not just lift up the voices of intergenerational activism, but also is an important tool to examine the structure, context, and decision-making processes of CPS.
Methods/Sources
We use document analysis methods (Bowen, 2009) to examine archival material and secondary texts (e.g., application forms, event flyers, news stories, opinion columns, photos, program schedules) made available through the Samahang Pilipino Digital Archive, UCLA Asian American Studies Center, and Daily Bruin newspaper for content and overarching themes. These records provide information on the history, goals, and objectives of CPS advocacy efforts.
Findings & Significance
The documents reveal how each decade had a unique central focus. Spanning five decades, CPS movements are characterized by the following themes: The Genesis (1970-1980), Connections and Parallels (1980-1990), Community Retention (1990-2000), Pave (2000-2010), and The Inauguration (2010-Present). From the beginning, students built the foundation of CPS on the teachings of Ethnic Studies, focusing attention toward affirmative action, Filipinx empowerment, and transforming the narrative of UCLA’s Filipinx community. CPS was sustained through intentional collaboration of community members and evolved with local and global social movements influencing organizers. The institutionalization of CPS via the Pilipino Studies concentration in 2009 and the Pilipino Studies minor in 2020 was made possible through the efforts of campus actors building over time.

Authors

• Kristine Jan Cruz Espinoza, University of Nevada - Las Vegas

• Natalie Ricasa Bagaporo, San Diego State University

• Reuben Deleon, University of California - Los Angeles