2023 The APA Living Today July/August Edition

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THE APA LIVING TODAY

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Jim Chong

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Terri Torres DIRECTOR

Jim Chong

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Layne Imada

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS & SOURCES

Val Acoba

Felicity Andrews

Jessie Bowen

Linda Claramo

Leslie Edman

Elite Publications

Beverly Engkabo

Toby Gomez

Ines Ruiz-Huston

Emily La Russa

Linda Norris

Tanya Parmelee

Anna Sass- HerLife

Carrie Sass - HerLife

Michelle McCowan-Smith

Terri Torres

Cathy Wei

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Tim Ulmer

Jim Chong

Deadline to submit newsworthy information from non-profits, charitable organizations, or other sources is the 19th of each month for the following issue. Submitting information does not guarantee it will be featured.

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The APALT is digitally published bi-monthly by the APA Living Today.

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©The APA Living Today 2023

FROM THE DIRECTOR’S DESK:

Jim T. Chong

Are you ready for a Celebration? In July, we celebrate our Freedom in this country called the United States of America. As you read the stories and thoughts laid out by the authors, I hope you consider what history and experiences are behind what is written. I find that this publication is always giving me insight into the Asian communities but also leaves clues in terms of what is instore for the future. Some say that “History repeats itself” while others believe that “History lays a foundation to never repeat itself.” The answer is “Yes” to each of these. Please take the time to really enjoy the various articles, submissions, sponsors, and people that have taken their time to put down their thoughts so that we can be enriched by them.

I want to give a very special shout out to all the contributors and especially those that have provided us much insight into the past because of their contributions. A special shout out to all the veterans that have served our country faithfully, and to God who we are reminded to trust. No matter where you are at, there you are…remember to “Never forget where you come from” but also to be mindful that everything you do is a part of history in one way or another.

Live your life to the fullest with the intention of being the positive difference for the future.

– Jim

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The Asian Pacific American Living Today is a bi-monthly newspaper dedicated to providing a comprehensive publication, both in print and online, that seeks to raise awareness of issues of interest to Asians and associated ethnic groups in California and abroad.

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Strength - To give a voice to the community for sharing and lauding accomplishments and concerns.

Unity - Unite readers about the issues facing Asian Pacific Americans. Promote and encourage readers to take an active role in raising awareness in the community and its contributions and concerns.

Involved - Ask readers to be involved in the community as an informed member. While we most directly address the concerns of Asian Pacific Americans, our publication is not a racial or ethnic sorting. It is a gathering of all those who wish to gather.

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ARE YOU A “FANTASTIC FOREIGNER?”

Jim T. Chong, LegendMaker & Media/PR/Publicist

Connection is key to building any thriving community. One statement that I have always used as a mantra is to “Never Forget Where You Came From.”

In its simplest form, it means that as you achieve your level of success or advancement in life and see others struggling that are where you’ve been… to remember what it took and to not look down on those that are at a different stage in their journey. I hope that you are “Proud To Be An American” as the song so appropriately states and are grateful for the benefits we have in this country.

As we move forward, we should always keep in mind that the footprints we create today will be the legacy that we leave for tomorrow.

I wanted to take the time to first off acknowledge all the Veterans that have served our country so that we can enjoy the life we have today. Having my parents, Wing & Hing Chong, come to the United States has allowed me and my siblings to live in this great country as a citizen. I remember a statement someone made in answering the question someone else asked when they inquired “So what nationality are you?” The person replied that their nationality was American but their ethnicity was Ethiopian. Some may still confuse Nationality with Ethnicity as things are literally blended here in the USA.

That being said, our Nationality binds us all together while our Ethnicity gives us opportunity for differences where we can all provide enrichment to each other. I hope that we never lose sight of the tremendous times we are given to learn about people from all different countries that are now part of our family in America. In my county and communities that I am surrounded by, I strive to give people the ability to learn more about each other through Food, Music, Fashion, and the beliefs that we have because of our diverse backgrounds. Having provided entertainment through music (specifically what I refer to as “Premium Karaoke” and “Showcase Singing”), I learn about many different people through the songs they sing and why they sing them.

I appreciate my business partners like Larry Avent who is a Veteran and has literally decades of experience in Karaoke and sound engineering as well as Bassil Kamar who heads up our comedy shows. Through the music and comedy that we are able to provide, I have learned so much about the importance of laughter and music for enrichment and connection.

In my endeavors, I am launching the “Fantastic Foreigners” which will be my endeavor to help provide enrichment and educational opportunities to learn about different cultures, communities, and where we come from. We will be providing different opportunities for connecting over the upcoming months and years while enjoying the amusement and potentials of what we can really do…”TOGETHER” as a “Super Community”. In future editions, you will be hearing more about the Fantastic Foreigners…so stay tuned.

Perhaps over time, the more we learn from and about each other, the more we will be able to once again be truly more connected rather than divided as people. Here’s to a great celebratory month for our Freedom Celebration in July.

To find out more about our Showcase and Venues, visit CitywideKaraoke.com

FantasticForeigners.com

TakeCenterStageEvents.com

Jim T. Chong

Jennifer Belle at Stones Casino

Larry Avent Performing at Blossom Vale Senior Living Community

WokStar flashback at Locke event

With Kirby

Daynim, Part 1: Where glossy lips face off with self empowerment

By Tanya Parmelee @growgreenhair

The members were cool enough to spend a Saturday morning from Thailand with me via Zoom.

We’ll take a deep dive into the making of their music in the next issue.

Intro

Looking at the media for Daynim’s latest release Glossy Lips, from their Pssst! album, made several things clear: they’re seasoned musicians, aren’t afraid of self-expression, and they also have a team of swank creatives in their mix. Turned out, my social media circles had already been listening to their music.

Meet DAYNIM

Making up this eclectic group are Watsaya Takkapaijit Pleng (vocalist, keyboardist), brothers Sirayu Lerstsongkram Get (vocalist,bassist) and Nattapat Lerstsongkram Kan (vocalist, drummer), with Siriwatchara Khanom Soe (vocalist, guitarist) rounding out even more layers of sound.

Now in their mid-20s, Pleng, Soe and Get share they met in college as music engineering majors at KMITL (King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang). During college, they moved into a house together, and Kan, Get’s younger brother, joined the mix.

When asked if they remember when they first met, Pleng shared laughingly, “I went to the same major as Get and Soe, but a different year…My impression of these two was like, two fun college ‘older generation’ versions of me. We started out as best friends and Kan is the younger brother of Get – He’s really energetic and fun people to hang out with!”

As they explored sounds and matured musically over the years, Daynim has developed a refreshingly unique sound of an alternative R&B, hip-hip, pop fusion. In fact, they’re most proud that their band is different from the 2000s-sounding love ballads that are popular right now in Thailand. Comb through the Thai Top 40, and the music drips Asian romantic drama.

Let’s meet Daynim, a band out of Thailand.

Tanya Parmelee

Glossy Lips the Single

https://adadaynim.lnk.to/PSSST

Just launched from their Pssst! album, is Glossy Lips. The single continues with the album’s message of self-empowerment. Glossy lips being a metaphor for presenting yourself in the image of what’s “in” versus the bravest truth of being yourself.

Glossy Lips the Music Video

https://youtu.be/Pe4jhOTD7pA

Pleng shares the Glossy Lips music video was created by their label Yeezaa Music’s Ted, and inspired by the bathroom therapy scenes of Netflix series, Sex Education. Poetic visuals make observant statements. The message? — It’s OK to be different. Mid video, tiny words appear below the footage:

Differences bring contrast, contrast brings shades, shades bring dimension. All together brings uniqueness.

Next Live Performance

August 5, 2023 Bangkok

Make sure to subscribe to Daynim’s social media channels and download their music so they know you’re listening. If you happen to be in Thailand or a quick hop away in August, Daynim will be teaming up with Yeeza friend, Thai Milk Tea, to open for Japanese multi-instrumentalist, Tendre. It’s Daynim’s first time to open for an international performer.

Join us in September/October for the full interview and a recap of their August performance.

Follow DAYNIM:

IG: https://www.instagram.com/daynim.official

FB: https://www.facebook.com/daynim.official Twitter: https://twitter.com/daynimofficial

Key Words / Tags

#daynim #glossylips

#pssst #yeezaa

#tendre #warnermusic

#thailand #thaimilktea

Pssst! Glossy Lips album cover

Video screenshot from Glossy Lips the music video Pssst! Glossy Lips album cover

Asian Americans Then and Now Linking Past to Present

Source: Asia Society • asiasociety.org/education

A look at the long history of Asian Americans and its role in shaping US identity. The essay also looks at the push-pull factors that have helped define demographic trends in the United States to present day and also covers some darker periods of American history, including the Congressional Exclusionary Act restricting immigration based on race and the Japanese American Internment during WWII.

Our children should not be placed in any position where their youthful impressions may be affected by association with pupils of the Mongolian race. —San Francisco School Board, 1905

In response to the challenge of changing demographics more than a century ago, the San Francisco School Board established a segregated Chinese Primary School for Chinese children to attend, including those who were American-born. By the turn-of-the century after Japanese immigrants had settled in the wake of Chinese exclusion, the School Board also applied the Chinese segregation policy to Japanese students. School superintendent, Aaron Altmann, advised the city’s principals: “Any child that may apply for enrollment or at present attends your school who may be designated under the head of ‘Mongolian’ must be excluded, and in furtherance of this please direct them to apply at the Chinese School for enrollment.”

Throughout their history, Asian Americans have confronted a long legacy of exclusion and inequity in relation to school policies and practices, particularly during periods of changing demographics, economic recession, or war. In spite of historic, linguistic differences, distinct Asian nationalities have been grouped together and treated similarly in schools and in the larger society. The grouping of Asian Americans together, then, makes sense in light of historic links from the past to the present.

Beginning in the 1850s when young single men were recruited as contract laborers from Southern China, Asian immigrants have played a vital role in the development of this country. Working as miners, railroad builders, farmers, factory workers, and fishermen, the Chinese represented 20% of California’s labor force by 1870, even though they constituted only .002% of the entire United States population. With the depression of 1876, amidst cries of “They’re taking away our jobs!,” anti-Chinese legislation and violence raged throughout the West Coast.

In 1882, Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act—the only United States Iaw to prevent immigration and naturalization on the basis of race—which restricted Chinese immigration for the next sixty years. The “Chinese Must Go” movement was so strong that Chinese immigration to the United States declined from 39,500 in 1882 to only 10 in 1887.

By 1885, following Chinese Exclusion Act, large numbers of young Japanese laborers, together with smaller numbers of Koreans and Indians, began arriving on the West Coast where they replaced the Chinese as cheap labor in building railroads, farming, and fishing. Growing anti-Japanese legislation and violence soon followed. In 1907, Japanese immigration was restricted by a “Gentleman’s Agreement” between the United States and Japan.

Small numbers of Korean immigrants came to Hawaii and then the mainland United States following the 1904-1905 Russo-Japanese War and Japan’s occupation of Korea. Serving as strike-breakers, railroad builders, and agricultural workers, Korean immigrants faced not only racist exclusion in the United States but Japanese colonization at home. Some Korean patriots also settled in the United States as political exiles and organized for Korean independence.

South Asian Indian immigrants also entered the United States as laborers, following Chinese exclusion. Recruited initially by Canadian-Pacific railroad companies, a few thousand Sikh immigrants from the Punjabi region immigrated to Canada which, like India, was part of the British empire. Later, many migrated into the Pacific Northwest and California, and became farm laborers. Ironically decried as a “Hindu invasion” by exclusionists and white labor, the “tide of the Turbans” was outlawed in 1917 when Congress declared that India was part of the Pacific-Barred Zone of excluded Asian countries.

By 1924, with the exception of Filipino “nationals,” all Asian immigrants, including Chinese, Japanese, Koreans, and Indians were fully excluded by law, denied citizenship and naturalization, and prevented from marrying Caucasians or owning land.

With all other Asians excluded, thousands of young, single Filipinos began migrating in large numbers to the West Coast during the 1920s to work in farms and canneries, filling the continuing need for cheap labor. Filipinos were not

legally excluded by the immigration laws because the Philippines was already annexed by the United States as a result of the 1898 Spanish-American War. Racism and economic competition, intensified by the depression of 1929, however, led to severe anti-Filipino violence and passage of the Tydings-McDuffie Act of 1935 which placed an annual quota of fifty on Filipino migration— effectively excluding their entry as well. During the half century from 1882 to 1935, three waves of early Asian immigrants contributed their labor to the building of this country but were eventually denied entry and not granted naturalization rights until 1952. Though coming from different countries and cultures, the pioneering Chinese, Japanese, Koreans, Indians, and Filipinos each faced similar conditions of exclusion which forged the beginnings of a common, shared Asian experience in America.

There are important parallels between European and Asian immigration history, especially in terms of how individuals responded to the “pushes” and “pulls” in their homelands and then faced contadictory experiences of discrimination and opportunity the U.S. However, the “push-pull” model commonly used to explain European immigration, like the melting pot paradigm of immigrant assimilation, does not explain the fundamental differences in patterns of Asian immigration and exclusion.

These differences can only be understood by recognizing critical features of the historical period, including:

• the reality of western colonialism and unequal power relations in Asia;

• the insatiable need for cheap labor that accompanied manifest destiny westward expansion and economic development in the United States; and

• the influence on social policy and public attitudes that resulted from lack of knowledge about Asian peoples, and racist notions of white superiority.

Though many are familiar with Ellis Island as a symbol of America’s immigration history, few realize that Angel Island—a comparable immigration detention center

for the West Coast—was the site where immigration policy was enforced during the Asian exclusion years. Angel Island represents an important counterpoint to Ellis Island and the saga of American immigration history.

Between 1910 and 1940, hopeful Chinese immigrants were detained at Angel Island where they were required to undergo humiliating medical examinations and detailed interrogations. Questions ranged from “What are the birthdates of each member of your family?” to “Who lived in the third house of the second row of your village?” Failed answers were grounds for continued detainment and eventual deportation back to China.

In 1970, a park ranger discovered sets of Chinese characters carved into the wooden walls of the barracks. Now recognized as an historic Iandmark, the Angel Island detention center bears witness to the bitterness and frustration of excluded Chinese immigrants who carved more than one hundred poems into the walls.

Although minor reforms in immigration law, due to changing international relations, allowed for limited numbers of Asians to enter the United States following the World War II era, United States immigration laws remained discriminatory toward Asians until 1965 when, in response to the civil rights movement, non-restrictive annual quotas of 20,000 immigrants per country were established. For the first time in United States history, large numbers of Asians were able to come to the United States as families. In addition, due to the United States’ eagerness for technology during the Cold War, foreign engineers and scientists were also encouraged to emigrate to the United States. The dramatic changes in the Asian Pacific American landscape during the past twenty years, particularly with the explosive growth of new Filipino, Korean, South Asian Indian, and Chinese populations have resulted from the liberalization of immigration laws in 1965.

Beginning in 1975, Southeast Asian refugees from Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos have entered the United States after escaping from war, social chaos, discrimination, and economic hardship. Roughly one million Southeast Asians, including about 30,000 Amerasian children of American servicemen and their families, have entered the United States since then through a variety of refugee resettlement and immigration programs.

Refugees from Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos each have distinct cultures, languages, and contexts of historical development. Although each country shares certain influences from their common history as a French colonial territory for nearly a century until 1954, Vietnam is much more culturally influenced by China while Cambodia and Laos have been more influenced by India. Within each country, there are Chinese and other ethnic minority populations such as the Hmong, Mien, and Khmer from Laos.

Many cases also link the present to the past. The experiences of personal struggle, economic contribution, racial harassment, and discriminatory legislation targeting Vietnamese fishermen in California’s Monterey Bay during the 1980s, for example, are almost identical to those of earlier generations of Japanese and Chinese fishermen who successively fished in Monterey Bay during the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Japanese Americans

Teaching Art to Students

By Emily La Russa

ArtZkids is an excellent art-filled summer camp where your child will be exploring different styles of art and many types of mediums, such as acrylic paint, clay, watercolors, oil pastels, printmaking, and so much more. ArtZkids is owned by Para La Russa and oldest daughter Emily.

Together they teach the importance of art to elementary students. The primary teacher is Para La Russa, and Emily assists in teaching when needed, but primarily focuses on the graphic arts side of the business.

Emily has assisted her mother with summer camps since they started in 2012. As a child, she was constantly surrounded by art and creativity. She was always interested in the arts and was a part of theater from elementary through high school. Going into college, she thought of becoming an elementary school teacher since that is what she grew up with, but she soon learned her heart belonged in a different field. She now has a background in digital content marketing and graphic design. With over four years of experience in the graphic design industry, she has had the privilege of working with various clients, including public institutions, non-profits, and small businesses. She earned her Associate’s Degree in Graphic Communication in December of 2022 at Los Medanos College. She is pursuing her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design at the University of the Pacific, with an anticipated graduation date of May 2024. As the president of the AIGA (American Institute of Graphic Arts) student group at UOP, she is committed to promoting excellence in design while also serving on a design team for the upcoming edition of Calliope, UOP’s Art magazine. She is currently employed at BGG West/BGG Creative and is excited to design for her local community.

PARA LA RUSSA

As a child, Para her Nana, an art teacher, introduced her to art at the age of two. Growing up, she moved around and attended 22 different schools. She had an interesting childhood and didn’t have the opportunity to keep many friends, but she had art. It was this magical world she could create and control and it was her happy place. It was my home. Art gave her the knowledge and strength to overcome life’s challenges.

After finishing college, she worked in the dot-com world for several years, dabbling in web design, logos, and e-greeting cards, before migrating to the bright lights of the movie industry, where she worked at DreamWorks Animation, the studio responsible for blockbusters such as Shrek, Kung Fu Panda, How to Train Your Dragon and Madagascar. However, her career

objectives changed after becoming a mother to two beautiful girls. She wanted to spend all her time with them and provide them with a stable upbringing. Her devotion to them led her to become a room mother, teacher’s assistant, and eventually, an art teacher.

She became an active member of the National Art Education Foundation member and the California Art Education Association. As an art instructor, she created and taught school-wide art enrichment programs, after-school programs, and seasonal art camps for over 1,000 students for over ten years. She specializes in the education of children with all different experience levels from kindergarten through fifth grade, including the privilege to teach those with learning disabilities.

EMILY LA RUSSA

Emily La Russa

ArtZkids owner Para La Russa

CLASSROOM AND CAMPS AT ARTZKIDS

In the classroom and during camp, Para uses a story method to incorporate art history in a fun and exciting way so they retain the knowledge. The children will learn, grow, and expand their artistic ability with these easy-to-follow art instructions. They will walk away with newfound capabilities and a strong sense of confidence! Whether you sign your children up for just one camp or multiple, they will learn new and exciting art forms every week. Camp ends with a fantastic art show by the students, a fun art party with treats and prizes, fantastic face painting, and a photo booth. All camps include t-shirts, sketchbooks, personal art packs with markers, colored pencils, erasers, stickers, and more. Daily snacks and fresh lemonade are provided. Full and half-day camps are available.

2023 Summer Camp

Burlingame

2023 CLASSES

11

ArtZkids owner Para (left) with daughter Emily (right).

ArtZkids student artists.

Ichiro Suzuki on trailblazing path and past racism ahead of historic Hall of Fame induction

By Kimmy Yam

Source Cited: Asian America NBC News • Aug. 23, 2022

SEATTLE, Wash. — Years before he would make his entrance into Major League Baseball, Japanese outfielder Ichiro Suzuki, then 22, made a trip stateside. Sporting a “Tom and Jerry” sweater and a giant grin, he met with NBA legend Michael Jordan in Chicago and sat in on the Bulls’ practice. Jordan’s work ethic that day, Suzuki said, remains unforgettable.

“I just saw how serious Jordan was and how he was the guy who was doing it on his own and I saw the other guys following,” Suzuki recalled to NBC Asian America, speaking through longtime translator Allen Turner. “That really had an impact on me.”

He didn’t know it then, but the visit would eventually be seen as a meeting between two American sports legends.

Now, more than a quarter century later, Suzuki himself is set to be inducted into the Seattle Mariners’ Hall of Fame this coming weekend, the first Asian player in the team’s history to do so. Suzuki — more popularly known as Ichiro — is also widely expected to become the first Asian player inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown when he becomes eligible in 2025.

With that in mind, he’s been doing a lot of reflecting on his 19-seasons in the American big leagues.Making his 2001 MLB debut with the Mariners, Suzuki blazed a trail as the first Japanese position player, or nonpitcher, in the league. While fans are well acquainted with the 10-time All Star’s trail of accolades, they’re less aware of the more muted, difficult moments that Suzuki says he endured as a Japanese outfielder establishing himself in America’s favorite pastime.

“As a player from Japan, as a guy that had led the league in hitting all seven years, and then coming over being a first position player, I knew that I would be judged. And Japan baseball will be judged on how I did.”

SUZUKI, ON THE PRESSURES HE CARRIED WITH HIM HIS ROOKIE YEAR.

“I came over here after playing in Japan and everybody doubted me,” Suzuki said, who played nine seasons in his home country before signing with the Mariners. “But each step of the way. I was able to perform and show them what I could do. And they weren’t doubting anymore.

He added: “It was hard times. I had some times where I struggled a lot, but I was able to stay my course and be able to go at it head on and be able to overcome it. So I’m proud of that.”

Suzuki, 48, will be honored in a series of events this weekend. He retired with the Mariners in 2019 at the Tokyo Dome in Japan, leaving the field to a standing ovation, and has nearly three decades of playing experiences to look back on.

Before he would go on to rack up 10 Gold Glove Awards, more than 3,000 hits, three Silver Slugger Awards and establish a hitting record across his career that placed him among baseball legends like Ty Cobb, Suzuki was a 27-year-old with a lot on his shoulders, he remembers.

At the time, more than 20 years ago, Suzuki had already established himself as one of the biggest names in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball League. However, with no other Japanese position players before him to pave the way, and Asian athletes still a rarity in the MLB, Suzuki said he was intensely aware of how American fans would perceive him. He said he didn’t set out to “perform for Asians,” but he knew his play would carry weight.

“As a player from Japan, as a guy that had led the league in hitting all seven years, and then coming over being a first position player, I knew that I would be judged. And Japan baseball will be judged on how I did,” Suzuki said. “If I wasn’t able to produce, then they would judge Japan baseball as being at a lower level. And so that pressure was there and that’s what I had to carry.”

Suzuki said that he was also cognizant of how his smaller size, at 5-feet-9 and 170 pounds, would lead many to be skeptical of his abilities, adding that after he came to the states, “People looked at me like, ‘Man, who is this skinny guy?” (The average MLB ballplayer is over 6 feet and weighs more than 200 pounds.)

Experts say that when examining the MLB, a league that has championed an intensely Western idea of masculinity, Asian players have had to work against a history of the emasculation of Asian men in the U.S. Asian players before Suzuki, like Dodgers pitcher Hideo Nomo, “had to go out there and prove themselves, to defy so many of the stereotypes that we have when it comes to Asian male bodies,” Christina Chin, an associate professor of sociology at California State University, Fullerton, previously told NBC Asian America.

“Asian and Asian Americans are always seen as not masculine enough,” Constancio Arnaldo Jr., an assistant professor of Asian and Asian American studies at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, previously said. “Then you have a game that’s seen as part of the embodiment of this white masculinity.”

It’s partially why, Arnaldo said, that even undeniable standouts like Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels, who’s been compared to Babe Ruth for his hitting and pitching prowess, are confronted by a debate over whether they can be the face of American baseball.

Ichiro Suzuki

Photo: Steph Chambers/Getty Images

Suzuki, the first Japanese non-pitcher to be signed by a major league team, will be the first Asian player inducted into the Seattle Mariners Hall of Fame.

When Suzuki arrived in Peoria, Arizona, for spring training in 2001, the voices of skepticism were apparent, Turner said, describing those days as “chaos.” Turner, who joined the Mariners in 2000, has been there since the beginning of Suzuki’s MLB journey. Initially, Turner joined the Mariners to work with then-relief pitcher Kazuhiro Sasaki and doubling as a bullpen catcher, before working with Suzuki for the majority of his MLB career.

Turner remembers that spring training as a major transition. Suzuki was still acclimating to his new surroundings in a new country, learning to speak the language and adapting to a new culture, Turner said. Meanwhile, American fans were being introduced to an outfielder who did not fit the typical MLB build. Simultaneously, a crowd of reporters was examining his every move. Suzuki struggled.

“When you looked at him … you don’t think that this guy is going to be anything special. And then spring training, I remember he wasn’t hitting that well,” Turner said. “That’s the only example that we had of him from the Americans.”

Suzuki was also exposed to a wide array of fans, many of whom were not accustomed to seeing Asian faces on the field. Turner remembers that at times, fans would throw things at Suzuki from the stands. In one game, a quarter hit him in the head.

“I never took it as racism. I never thought anything of it. But when I first came, of course there were a lot of eyes on me,” Suzuki remembers. “Many, many times, fans would yell, ‘Go back to Japan.’ That was just the norm.”

However, he said he was able to “perform early,” with successes like a home run in the team’s first road game that year. And by the end of the season, Suzuki was deemed the American League’s rookie of the year.

“As I came back to Seattle, the cheers started getting louder and louder and louder as the season progressed,” he said. “More and more as they got to see me and I did my thing, fans accepted me.”

Suzuki held many stats after his first 10 years in the MLB, including 200 hits each season of that first decade, a major league record. Turner said this was largely in part to Suzuki’s “no days off” approach that involved a militant stretching regimen, helping him to remain largely without injury — a feat that once led the football icon Tom Brady to text Suzuki for his secrets.

Suzuki’s had proved to be memorable for other reasons, too — particularly his reputation as a master of smack-talk in multiple languages. He’s been know to switch to Spanish to roast his Latino opponents, for example, before all parties dissolve into laughter. For Suzuki, it’s all part of communication and establishing deeper connections. Over the years, it’s made a lasting impression among the other international players. And one “funny experience” stands out.

“It was an All-Star game. I think it was Houston, where all the Latin guys from the All-Star Game got together to take a group photo,” Suzuki remembers. “Some of the guys called me over and said, ‘Ichiro! Come into picture!’ So I was in the picture with all the Latin guys. That was really special to me, that they included me.”

He added: “They’re happy that I’m trying to speak with them in their language, or to Americans, use some slang from how they speak. … It was just a way to communicate. And hopefully bridge that gap.”

Suzuki has remained, in many ways, the same athlete he’s always been. He still shows up to the ballpark daily to work out with the players. When the Mariners are on the road, Suzuki trains with the injured athletes. And it’s not uncommon to find him launching balls into the outfield or roasting players, like the up-and-comer Julio Rodriguez, during practice. He says, 21 years after his MLB debut, that he can now reflect on his career with pride. But perhaps way before that, game had already recognized game.

Spring Training Ichiro Suzuki concentrating on a pitched baseball. March 20, 2010 Pieoria Sports Complex, Peoria, Arizona.

Ichiro during his second stint with the Mariners in 2018 Suzuki with the Seattle Mariners in 2018

Spreading the Joy of Dance

By Felicity Andrews

In 2021, sisters Isabella and Felicity Andrews accomplished their dream of opening Elevate Dance Studio in Modesto, California. With a vision, plan, and guidance from their mom Carol Andrews, the two sisters embarked on turning their passion for dance into a dance studio for children. After years of planning, the studio had its grand opening on August 23, 2021, with a mission to instill a love for dance in young hearts.

From a young age, Isabella and Felicity started on their dance journey, immersing themselves in various dance styles but with a primary focus on ballet. Starting at a local dance studio, they dedicated themselves to developing their technique and expanding their knowledge. Their talent and passion soon led them to dance for one of Modesto’s preprofessional ballet companies, where they had the privilege of training under the guidance of industry professionals.

During their dancing career, the two sisters had the opportunity to perform at the Gallo Center for the Arts in Downtown Modesto. On the stage, Isabella and Felicity performed in classic ballet productions such as The Nutcracker, showcasing their skills and talents. Because of their experience in dance, the two sisters wanted to spread their knowledge and joy for dance to another generation.

Despite their age, Isabella and Felicity’s determination and ambition enabled them to open their own business, in addition to encouragement and support from their mom. Felicity had just graduated high school and began her college career at Modesto Junior College while simultaneously bringing their dance studio to life. Isabella, having completed her Associate’s degree, pursued further education at CSU Stanislaus, where she studied Child Development. Isabella completed her Bachelor’s degree in December 2022 and the knowledge acquired from her coursework has helped her teaching style with the children.

Located in Northern Modesto, Elevate Dance Studio offers a diverse range of classes, including ballet, creative dance, and family and me sessions. With their extensive experience and a warm and inclusive approach, Isabella and Felicity have created a nurturing environment that encourages children to explore their creativity and express themselves through the art of dance.

Isabella teaches the dance classes throughout the week, utilizing her skills and knowledge to engage and inspire the next generation of dancers. Meanwhile, Felicity takes care of administrative tasks, manages the studio’s social media presence, maintains the website, and applies her graphic design skills wherever necessary. Despite an injury preventing her from teaching

dance, Felicity’s creativity continues to flourish as she pursues a Graphic Design degree at the University of the Pacific. Her talents have led her to internships at Blackwing, a pencil manufacturing company, and BGG West, an advertising and design agency. Through her artistic contributions, Felicity brings a visually captivating experience to the studio.

Recently Isabella and Felicity have expanded Elevate Dance Studio’s offerings beyond children’s classes. Adult workout classes have been introduced, allowing individuals of all ages to stay fit, express themselves, and connect with their bodies through movement. Currently they are offering Pound, ReFit, TONE, and PiYo classes. They recognized the importance of providing opportunities for adults to experience the joy and benefits of movement as well.

Felicity Andrews

Isabella with student

Additionally, Elevate Dance Studio offers studio rentals for private lessons, rehearsals, classes, and special events such as birthday parties. The goal of this service is to create a welcoming environment that promotes accessibility and community, allowing others to come together.

At the heart of their business lies Isabella and Felicity’s desire to bring joy and passion for dance to children from all aspects of life. Their classes not only allow the children to receive a balanced experience of professional training but also foster confidence, self discipline, and respect. They strive to create an environment where every child feels supported and encouraged, using dance as a medium for self-expression and personal growth.

Elevate Dance Studio owners and sisters Isabella (right) and Felicity (left) Andrews.

Elevate Dance Studio owners and sisters Isabella (right) and Felicity (left) Andrews.

Spring Cleaning and Treasurers Found!

By Terri Torres, FANHS Museum Manager

It’s that time of year when people are doing their spring cleaning or clearing out unwanted items in their homes. We at the FANHS Museum have been very fortunate in receiving some of these items!

When the national non-profit, Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS), voted in 1994 to build a national Filipino American history museum in Stockton, California, the local FANHS Stockton chapter started collecting items deemed worthy of telling their stories.

Stockton was chosen as the site because of its historical significance to the Filipino American community across the United States, not just Stockton alone. The call went out to the community and nationwide to send FANHS anything that might tell the important almost 500-year history of Filipinos in the US.

We received thousands of photographs and hundreds of artifacts from those who didn’t want their stories to be lost to time.

Some of the earliest items we received were related to the agricultural history of the San Joaquin Delta area. Tools, furniture, photographs, and stories that talked about the “campo” life – working and living in a labor camp.

Then we received uniforms, medals, paperwork, all relating to the 1st and 2nd Filipino Infantry of World War II – some from those who were still alive to tell their own stories!

A more recent “find” was donated to the FANHS Museum at Stockton’s ArtSplash event in June – an art stroll held on the 2nd Friday night of each month from May to October in downtown Stockton. A visitor, Lisa Cunningham, came into the museum to view and listen to the artists performing that evening, and handed us an old, tarnished key with a metal key fob that had “Manila Hotel” stamped on one side and the number “516” on the other.

Lisa Cunningham holding key.

Terri Torres

Our staff was excited to receive this “treasure”. The Manila Hotel was once located at 227-229 South El Dorado Street in downtown Stockton. It was one of the buildings torn down for the Crosstown Freeway that decimated the Asian community’s livelihoods in the late 1960s-early 1970s. Under the hotel was also a bar and gambling hall. While the museum has collected various stories from the “bridge generation” of the area Filipino families that feature the Manila Hotel, we didn’t have any artifacts from it – now we do!

So, when you’re doing your spring cleaning and clearing out your closets of items collected years ago, don’t look at them as “trash” but as “treasure” –it may tell the history of your city, of your home, and/or your life. And contact us at the FANHS Museum if it pertains to Filipino American history! Thank you! [E-mail: fanhsmuseum@aol.com, phone: 209-932-9037]

We

Membership applications can be requested by sending an email to: STOCKTONFANHS@outlook.com

@fanhsstockton

www.fanhsstockton.com

Linda Claramo, President

Manila Hotel key and fob

Manila Hotel key fob

FILIPINO AMERICAN HISTORY PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBIT June 3, 2023, through July 30, 2023

By Melvin LaGasca and Terri Torres,

with information reprinted from https://www.thealvaradoproject.com/

At the Lodi San Joaquin County Historical Museum in Micke Grove Park is an exhibition developed by the Smithsonian’s Asian Pacific American Program in collaboration with the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, called “Through My Father’s Eyes: The Filipino American Photographs of Ricardo Ocreto Alvarado (1914-1976)”. This project was created by Janet Alvarado (The Alvarado Project) in 1997, the daughter of Ricardo, and it toured the United States through the Smithsonian’s SITES program from 2003 to 2006. It is now housed in the Department of Special Collections at the Stanford University Libraries and is available for touring through the Exhibit Envoy program.

Ricardo Alvarado arrived in California in 1928 as a 14-year-old in the first wave of Filipino immigrants. Working as a janitor and houseboy, he enlisted in the U.S. Army First Filipino Infantry Regiment in 1942. After serving in combat in the South Pacific during World War II as a medic, he became a civilian cook at San Francisco’s Letterman Army Hospital.

For 20 years he studied the city and nearby rural areas in his free time with his view camera in hand, recording Filipino community life at dances, banquets, baptisms, funerals, and other gatherings. In 1959, Alvarado ended his work in photography and returned to the Philippines to marry Norberta Magallanes. They had two children, Janet and Joseph Alvarado, who currently live in San Francisco.

When he died in 1976, Ricardo Ocreto Alvarado left an archive of nearly 3,000 rare photographs, a vital portrait of early Filipino Americans.

On June 3, 2023, the SJHC Museum opened the Alvarado exhibit with a full day of Filipino food, entertainment, and guest speakers that included members of the Alvarado family. Panelists included Melvin LaGasca (member of the Filipino American National Historical Society [FANHS] Stockton Chapter and FANHS Museum), Dillon Delvo (director of Little Manila Rising), and Sue Hopwood, the niece of Janet Alvarado, with Philip Merlo, Executive Director of the SJHC Museum as facilitator.

Each were asked how seeing this historic photographic exhibit made them feel about themselves and their community – why was it important to share this exhibit with the public, the youth, etc. All panelists have been involved with the Filipino American community of Stockton and the vicinity for decades are experts in their fields.

“My favorite photo, of many favorites, was the one of my friends, Robert Ragsac’s father, who was playing in a small band,” remarked Mel LaGasca. “The hidden story behind this picture, is Robert still has the guitar of his father in his possession.”

Robert R pointing at Dad on guitar

Robert Ragsac remarked “The “Pinoy Band” was playing for a party at the Traveler’s Cafe in San Jose, owned and operated by the Arevalo family. The Cafe was located in the basement of the Gran Oriente Filipino building, a Masonic Lodge, in the old Chinatown area. The band, circa late1940s, was captured by Ricardo Ocreto Alvarado and displayed at an exhibit arranged by his daughter Janet Alvarado, at the San Jose History Park many years ago where I saw it to my amazement. The photo is a significant image as it shows how far my dad rose from a being “Sakada” working in the plantations of Hawaii in the 1920s under the poorest conditions for the Filipino field workers, to a machinist with a love for music through his Gibson.”

Mel LaGasca states, “Sometimes we have to look a little deeper into “generic” pictures in order to get a better understanding of how life was in past generations. This brings me to the point of we all have rich histories behind those family and individual photographs. Taking the time to accurately date plus add descriptions, will add so much more value to any photo. Today’s

cell phones have amazing, built-in cameras that give you the opportunity to document! Mr. Ricardo Alvarado used a “Graflex Speed, Graphic 4 x 5 Camera” back in the 1950’s.”

Special thanks to Janet Alvarado for preserving, sharing, and formalizing this exhibit of her father’s wonderful photo collection. plus, to the San Joaquin County Historical Museum for hosting this unique collection of Filipino Americans in their natural settings. Janet will be coming to Stockton to speak at the FANHS Museum on July 9th about her father’s collection. For more information, you may email fanhsmuseum@aol.com or call 209-932-9037 to leave a message.

Thank you to curator, Julie Blood, and executive director Philip Merlo for making the exhibit accessible to the public. Please make sure to visit the museum at 11793 N. Micke Grove Road, Lodi, CA 95240, before it leaves on July 30th.

JANM Extends the Ireichō to December 1, 2024

Contact: mediarelations@janm.org • (213) 830-5690

June 8, 2023

LOS ANGELES, CA – The Japanese American National Museum (JANM) has extended the viewing and stamping of the Ireichō, the sacred book that records—for the first time ever—the names of over 125,000 persons of Japanese ancestry who were unjustly imprisoned in US Army, Department of Justice, and War Relocation Authority camps during World War II, to Friday, December 1, 2024. Reservations are required and can be made online at janm.org/ireicho.

Since its arrival at JANM on September 24, 2022, visitors from across generations, the nation, and the globe have visited the Museum to stamp the names as a way to honor those incarcerated during World War II. Community participation continues to “activate” it and rectify the historical record by correcting misspelled names or revealing names that may have been omitted from the record.

The Ireichō is part of Irei: National Monument for the WWII Japanese American Incarceration, which addresses the erasure of the identities of individuals of Japanese ancestry who experienced wartime incarceration and expands the concept of what a monument is through three distinct, interlinking elements: a sacred book of names as a monument (Ireichō), a website as a monument (Ireizō), and light sculptures as monuments (Ireihi). The project is funded by the Mellon Foundation and led by Duncan Ryuken Williams, co-curator of Sutra and Bible: Faith and the Japanese American World War II Incarceration at JANM, professor of American Studies & Ethnicity and Religion as well as director of the USC Shinso Ito Center for Japanese Religions and Culture.

About the Japanese American National Museum (JANM)

Established in 1985, JANM promotes understanding and appreciation of America’s ethnic and cultural diversity by sharing the Japanese American experience. Located in the historic Little Tokyo district of downtown Los Angeles, JANM is a hybrid institution that straddles traditional museum categories and strives to provide a voice for Japanese Americans as well as a forum that enables all people to explore their own heritage and culture. Since opening to the public in 1992, JANM has presented over 70 exhibitions onsite while traveling 17 exhibits to venues such as the Smithsonian Institution and the Ellis Island Museum in the United States, and to several leading cultural museums in Japan and South America. JANM is open on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday–Sunday from 11 a.m.–5 p.m. and on Thursday from 12 p.m.–8 p.m. JANM is free every third Thursday of the month. On all other Thursdays, JANM is free from 5 p.m.–8 p.m. For more information, visit janm.org or follow us on social media @jamuseum.

PREVAIL holds Eleventh Annual

Christmas in July

Christmas comes once a year, but our community’s needs are year-round.

Contact: Elizabeth Sanchez, Community Engagement Manager esanchez@prevailca.org • (209) 941-2611

STOCKTON, CA – PREVAIL, formerly Women’s Center-Youth & Family Services, is holding their 11th annual Christmas in July to help meet participants’ needs. This year’s Christmas in July encourages the community to make a monetary donation to help an individual, family, or child who comes to PREVAIL looking for healing, advocacy, and empowerment.

“Family Violence does not distinguish time or place. Life itself presents different added stressors and summertime may be hard on some families: kids being out of school and spending more time at home, having to pay for daycare, higher utility bills, etc. Even though this added stress is not the cause of family violence, it increases the likelihood for incidents to arise. With your support, we can ensure services to all through those difficult times, any time of year,” states Krista Fiser, CEO of Women’s Center-Youth & Family Services.

Donations will be accepted during July by visiting WeShallPREVAIL.org or mailing it to 620 N. San Joaquin St., Stockton, CA 95202.

For questions or additional information, please visit WeShallPREVAIL.org or call (209) 941-2611.

About PREVAIL

PREVAIL, formerly Women’s Center-Youth and Family Services is San Joaquin County’s only provider of free, confidential shelter and services specifically designed to meet the needs of victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and homeless and runaway youth. During this last year, PREVAIL provided services to over 5,000 participants through our various programs.

The mission of PREVAIL is to provide safety, compassion, and respect as we educate, empower and advocate for individuals, families, and young people.

GOODWILL INDUSTRIES of San

Joaquin

Valley, Inc. Celebrates 85th Anniversary and Opening of their new Corporate Headquarters, Distribution Center and Outlet Store

Contact: Denise Ost, CEO

Goodwill Industries of San Joaquin Valley, Inc. (209) 466-2311 • deniseo@goodwill-sjv.org

STOCKTON, CA – Wednesday, May 24, from 4:00 to 6:00 Goodwill Industries of San Joaquin Valley is holding their 85th Anniversary Celebration and the opening of their new Corporate Headquarters, Distribution Center and Outlet Store, located at 4533 Alitalia Way (just off Arch Road) in Stockton, California. Denise Ost, CEO of Goodwill Industries of San Joaquin Valley is inviting the media to the celebration and is available for pre and post event interviews. Tours of the 90,000 square foot facility will be led by Goodwill Team leaders, and refreshments will be served.

“This move is a huge milestone in Goodwill Industries of San Joaquin Valley’s history,” said Denise Ost, CEO of Goodwill Industries of San Joaquin. “For 85 years, Goodwill was headquartered in downtown Stockton, at 129 South Grant Street. We moved to the new facility in early 2023. As we move forward, we will not forget our history at Grant Street and its many iterations as a sheltered workshop, a retail thrift store, a post-secondary education center, a Worknet partner and a place where so many have started and advanced their careers. We are excited about the new and expanded job services that will be provided because of our new location.”

In addition to the Anniversary Celebration and Grand Opening of their new facility, Goodwill Industries of San Joaquin Valley was recently named 2023 Non-Profit of the Year by the Greater Stockton Chamber of Commerce. They received their award on June 1, at a ceremony at The Stockton Hilton.

Throughout the Central Valley, Goodwill Industries has fifteen stores from Lodi to the north; and Visalia to the south. Since 1942, Goodwill San Joaquin Valley has helped more than 58,000 individuals with barriers to employment, become self-sufficient through The Power of Work. Goodwill’s new location will support additional mission impact for decades to come. They will serve more people, divert more materials from local landfills and support more retail thrift stores and community donation sites.

For further information visit: goodwill-sjv.org.

New corporate headquarters, distribution center and outlet store.

Martial Arts and its Eastern Journey

By Jessie Bowen, President of Elite Publications ElitePublications.org

The Western fascination with East Asian Martial Arts can be traced back to the late 19th century when trade between the West and China and Japan increased. During this time, reports on various Chinese and Japanese martial arts were published in academic journals and the popular press.

Martial arts have been studied for over 4,000 years and have served as the foundation for combat, philosophy, and life. Even today, martial arts with their Oriental roots continue to impact millions of people through the teaching of martial arts and the principles that come with it. China has been at the forefront of martial arts for centuries, with Emperor Huang Di being a master of wrestling and polefighting over 4,000 years ago. He made it mandatory for his troops to learn martial arts, and eventually, Mongolian tribesmen introduced skull-bashing wrestling to China. This form of wrestling eventually evolved into sumo. Over time, wrestling was combined with kemari during the Qin and Han dynasties to form shakaku. The importance of martial arts was emphasized in The Art of War by Sun Tsu, and Chinese martial arts spread to Asia Minor, Europe, and India in 500 B.C. through the Silk Road. Despite the rich history of martial arts in China, modern-day martial arts originated in 527 A.D. in India. Indian monk Ta Mo taught the monks of the Shaolin Temple the 18 Buddhist Fists, which later evolved into the Five Animal Styles of Shaolin. The influence of Tao Mo has had a significant impact on both Chinese and non-Chinese martial arts. Martial arts are taught in various places, including schools, universities, churches, and even to executives. These teachings focus not only on self-defense but also on breaking through life’s barriers using the principles taught in martial arts.

Elite Publications

Contact: (916)747-9366

Jessie Bowen

Publisher, author, and martial arts expert Jessie Bowen

Filipino American Sports Heroes with Local Roots

By Linda Claramo

The collage of Filipino American Sports Heroes with Local Roots was created by FANHS Stockton Chapter member and artist, Laurena Rojas Cabanero. The Filipino American sports heroes represent past and present athletes, coaches and administrators who have connections to Stockton, CA and San Joaquin County. Their talents and achievements instill energy and pride to the local community.

1. Fedencio Dentoy Revillar - Escrima Master and creator of the Serrada, Largo Mano, De Cuerdas (SLD) Escrima System. He assisted Angel Cabales, Max Sarimiento and Leo Giron in opening the first Filipino martial arts school in the U.S. and became one of the instructors.

2. Angel Cabales - Escrima Grandmaster, the “father of Escrima in America.” In 1966, he became one of the pioneers of Filipino Martial Arts in the United States when, along with Max Sarimiento and Leo Giron. He opened the first public Filipino martial arts school in Stockton, CA; the first such school in the U.S.

3. Joane Orbon - After being a student of Sensei Gene Tibon, Joane went on to become a national and international Karate champion; 14-time National Champion and 6 time Pan American champion.

4. Sensei Gene Tibon – An 8th Degree Black belt certified by Goju Ryu Uchiage Kai, a member of the Japan Karate Federation and member of the World Karate Federation with the International Olympic Committee. He is owner and chief instructor of Tibon’s Goju-Ryu Fighting Arts Karate Dojo in Stockton, CA. He has been inducted into the International Martial Arts Competitors Federation Black Belt Hall of Fame, the World of Martial Arts Hall of Fame, the Pioneer and Legends Martial Arts Hall of Fame, and the USA National Karate-do Federation Hall of Fame.

5. Nic Belasco - A professional basketball player and coach for over 20 years. During his time in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) as a small and power forward, he acquired many

awards; including 8-time PBA Champion, fourtime PBA All-Star and being named to the PBA All-Defensive Team.

6. Jimmy Florita - Stockton professional boxer in the 1940’s

7. Dan Inosanto - Noted Filipino-American martial arts instructor and authority on Jeet Kune Do, Filipino Martial Arts, and Pencak Silat. He is credited for training martial arts to several Hollywood actors including Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris. Holds numerous belts in various martial arts and an accomplished weapons practitioner, showcasing his skill in Game of Death (1978) fighting Bruce Lee, Sharky’s Machine (1981) with Burt Reynolds, with Steven Seagal in Out for Justice (1991) and appeared in the film Big Trouble in Little China (1986).

8. Burl Tamayo Toler III - University of California alum and former Golden Bear leading receiver with 61 receptions for 795 yards as a senior. Following stints with the NFL, Canada and NFL Europe (Germany), the Arena Football League and the Italian Football League from 2006-2012, retiring from professional football in 2013. After several years of coaching, which included a wide receivers coach with UC Davis and Fresno State, Toler is back at his Alma Mater as the wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator for the UC Berkeley Cal Bears.

9. Raymond Townsend - First Filipino American in the NBA and considered one of the greatest athletes in the Bay Area. Raymond went on to play college basketball with the UCLA Bruins and developed his exceptional skills under the leadership of

legendary coach John Wooden. History was made when Raymond was selected by the Golden State Warriors as the 22nd overall pick in the first round of the 1978 NBA draft. He became the first Filipino American ever drafted in the NBA.

10. Ray Paular - As a teenager, Ray was the starting pitcher for Stockton’s Filipino Youth Association. Ray was also an accomplished amateur boxer, competing in Golden Gloves bouts throughout California. In 1948, he became the California Golden Gloves Silver Medalist representing Stockton at the statewide competition in San Francisco, CA.

11. Eric Mina - 2010 Winner of the Pac-10 Golfing Championship, second CAL Berkeley men’s golfer to win the individual medalist honor at the Pac-10 Championship Conference in in the university’s 51-year history.

12. Karen Bryant - Chief Administrative Officer and General Manager of the Women’s National Basketball Association’s (WNBA) Los Angeles Sparks, who are three-time WNBA champions.

13. Sleepy Caballero - Stockton professional boxer with over 300 amateur and professional fights. In his honor, the City of Stockton hung a boxing banner with his picture in Little Manila.

14. Benny Casing - Benny “The Champ” Casing fought out of Stockton in the late 1950’s to the early 1970’s. He had 30 professional bouts in the featherweight division for which he had a winning record. He became the trainer of Stockton’s Alvaro “Yaqui” Lopez, one of the greatest light heavyweight champions.

15. Felicia Quilangtang Frowley - Successful CrossCountry Coach at the university and high school levels. She was named California Interscholastic Federation San Joaquin Model Coach of the Year, inducted into the St. Mary’s Hall of Fame and the Stockton Athletic Hall of Fame.

16. Leo Giron - Leo was a WWII veteran and was awarded Bronze Star. The founder of Bahala, a Martial Arts Association and is known as the Father of Largo Mano Escrima system in America.

17. Jimmy Alapag - Jimmy played professional basketball in the Philippines for 13 years as a point guard. Known as “The Mighty Mouse” and “The Captain” in the Philippine Basketball League (PBA), he acquired many honors, including: 6-time PBA champion, 2-time PBA Finals MVP, PBA Most Valuable Player, PBA Best Player of the Conference, 11-time PBA All -Star, PBA All-Star Game MVP, PBA’s 40 Greatest Players. He is currently an assistant coach of the Stockton Kings G League team.