Bill Text: MI HR0170 | 2021-2022 | 101st Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: A resolution to declare October 2021 as Filipino American History Month in the state of Michigan.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 19-0)
Status: (Passed) 2021-09-30 - Adopted [HR0170 Detail]
Download: Michigan-2021-HR0170-Enrolled.html
house resolution no.170
Reps. Shannon, Aiyash, Brabec, Tyrone Carter, Cavanagh, Haadsma, Hope, Kuppa, Lasinski, Rabhi, Rogers, Sabo, Sneller, Sowerby, Steenland, Thanedar, Weiss, Witwer and Young offered the following resolution:
A resolution to declare October 2021 as Filipino American History Month in the state of Michigan.
Whereas, Michigan is home to more than 40,000 individuals claiming Filipino heritage who have had a profound and positive impact on this state; and
Whereas, October was the month selected by the Filipino American Historical Society (FANHS) because it was October 1587 in Morro Bay, California, that the first known Filipinos arrived in America; and
Whereas, Since immigrants from the Philippines first established their roots in Michigan, they have become leaders in every aspect of our communities, enriching our schools, businesses, civic life, and social organizations across the state; and
Whereas, Dr. Felicisima “Ping” Serafica was the first Filipina American professor of psychology to receive tenure in the United States. She helped establish one of the Philippines’ first hospitals for children with mental disabilities and the country’s first interdisciplinary mental health clinic. By extension, Filipino Americans continue to play an integral role in Michigan’s health care system as nurses, doctors, and other medical professionals; and
Whereas, Filipino Americans have contributed greatly to music, dance, literature, journalism, sports, fashion, politics, government, science, technology, the fine arts, and other fields in the U.S. that enrich the landscape of the this country. Dr. Dawn Bohulano Mabalon became the first Filipina to receive a Ph.D. in History from Stanford University. She was a professor, a historic preservationist, and the author of Little Manila is in the Heart and Journey for Justice: The Life of Larry Itliong; and
Whereas, These contributions reflect a culture which values and prioritizes family and community, which takes pride in hard work and diligence, and which celebrates its collective identity; and
Whereas, It is imperative for Filipino-American youth to have positive role models to instill in them the significance of education, complemented with the richness of their ethnicity and the value of their legacy; and
Whereas, Filipino Americans have also improved our state through their commitment to fostering institutions that have helped to eliminate prejudices and stereotypes and establish the kind of cross-cultural dialogue and understanding that makes our state a diverse and welcoming place for all; and
Whereas, Thanks in no small part to the efforts of Michigan’s Filipino Americans, the United States continues to strengthen its relationship with the Filipino American community and to continue to promote the culture, values, history, and traditions of the Philippines; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives, That the members of this legislative body declare October 2021 as Filipino American History Month in the state of Michigan; and be it further
Resolved, That with the declaration of Filipino American History Month, we acknowledge and celebrate the contributions of Filipino Americans, who have greatly enriched Michigan’s economy, civic life, and state culture.
