October 14, 2022

Little Manila Rising from the Ashes of Historic Marginalization with Irene Calimlim and Manang Elena Mangahas of Little Manila Rising Stockton, CA

41 minutes

To get a deeper understanding of Stockton’s distinct place in Philippine-American history, I reached out to Little Manila Rising, an organization whose mission is to remember and reclaim Stockton’s proud Filipino history. When I arrived, the organization’s Community Development Director Irene Calimlim and Board Member Manang Elena Mangahas welcomed me with a tour and intensive history lesson of Stockton’s Little Manila. After our tour of Little Manila, I sat down with them to talk in-depth about their personal connection with South Stockton and the Little Manila organization.

Little Manila Rising (LMR) serves the South Stockton community, developing equitable solutions to the effects of historical marginalization, institutionalized racism, and harmful public policy. LMR offers a wide spectrum of programs that address education, environment, redevelopment, and public health. LMR values all people’s unique and diverse experiences and wishes to see the residents of South Stockton enjoy healthy, prosperous lives.

In this episode we’ll cover…

· Stockton's distinct history of Filipino Manong and what's left of Little Manila

· Little Manila Rising's efforts in historic preservation, cultural revitalization and environmental protection

· How Stockton's youth, aka "Boomerangs," are returning home to create positive community change

· The importance of Filipina leaders to decolonize their minds to rise up for their communities

· Stockton's grassroots efforts to create partnerships on the local and national level

Importance of Episode:
The amount of passion and dedication Irene and Elena exude to preserve Filipino history as well as advance initiatives to protect the community is nothing short of awe-inspiring. When I hear them talk, I can’t help but feel that their determination to uplift and do what is right for both history and for the future comes from the same unending source of strength and integrity that generations of Filipinos have felt who came in search of a better way of life. Because in the end, the Story of Little Manila Stockton is not just their story, it is our story to share, to discover and to create together.

Watch Exclusive Footage of this interview with Little Manila Rising:
https://youtu.be/rsubrQwuE5g

Watch Exclusive Footage from my tour of Little Manila in South Stockton, CA: https://youtu.be/nnhXoDlL-UI

Connect with Little Manila Rising:

· Website: https://littlemanila.org/

· Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/littlemanilastockton/

If you would like to help support Little Manila Rising in their efforts to preserve Stockton's Filipino History, visit https://littlemanila.org/future

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