September 5, 2025

The Asian Pacific Alliance in Higher Education (APAHE) at Palomar College strongly urges the California Academic Senate to recognize and include Filipino Studies as a distinct and essential component of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) curriculum across California’s public higher education institutions.

Filipino Americans are one of the largest Asian American groups in California and in the United States, with a rich and complex history of migration, labor, activism, and community contributions. Their experiences are integral to California’s history – from leadership in the Third World Liberation Front and the United Farm Workers movement to vital roles in education, healthcare, and the military – yet these stories are too often absent in our classrooms.

Recognizing Filipino Studies affirms the diversity within AAPI communities and ensures that students learn a fuller, more accurate account of our collective histories. This field not only expands interdisciplinary and intersectional scholarship but also strengthens student engagement, sense of belonging, and academic success, aligning with California’s Ethnic Studies mandate and equity goals.

We respectfully call on the Academic Senate to support this initiative and help advance the recognition of Filipino Studies as an important academic field within California’s higher education system.