Alamedans celebrated messages of resilience and solidarity during the second Annual Filipino Island Fest, set by Alameda Point Waterfront Park, on Saturday, October 4. Some 20,000 people were estimated to have attended the festival, doubling its attendance numbers from its inaugural event last year.
The festival was organized by Cynthia Bonta, Pia Barton, Joann Guitarte, and Kristoffer Perez to honor Filipino American heritage and history during Filipino American History Month. Filipinos make up 10% of Alameda’s population.
Throughout the opening ceremony, speakers talked about Alameda’s strong ties to the Filipino American community. Many drew parallels between current U.S. politics and important political events throughout Filipino history.
“ I often think about some of those very special, important moments where the Filipino American community and the Filipino community showed courage, stepped up to the front lines to confront injustice, where they stood up for democracy, for freedom, for our rights, for our protections, where they spoke truth to power and pushed back,” California Attorney General Robert Bonta said. A resident of Alameda, Bonta is also the first California Attorney General of Filipino descent.
Bonta pointed to Filipinos fighting against Spanish colonialism and the success of the People Power Revolution that drove out dictator Ferdinand BongBong Marcos in 1986 as examples.
“There’s so many times in Filipino American history that provide inspiration for us today,” Bonta added. “We are facing, unfortunately, a federal administration that is attacking California, attacking rights and freedoms, and attacking our funding.”
In addition, Alameda County Board Supervisor Nikki Fortunato Bas spoke in support of California Proposition 50. Prop 50 would allow for a temporary redistricting in California, based in response to a Texas’ redistricting that gave republicans five additional seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. The statewide special election to vote on Prop 50 will be held on November 4.
“Enjoy today, because joy is a form of resistance,” Bas said.
Other political leaders present during the ceremony included Alameda Councilmembers Greg Boller, Tony Daysog and Tracy Jensen, former Alameda City Councilmember Malia Vella, and California Assemblymember Mia Bonta.
The event included over 150 food, artisan, and wellness vendors. Various performances by Filipino musicians, dancers, theater groups, and a culinary showcase provided entertainment at the festival, headlined by former American Idol contestant Eli-Mac. Attendees could also visit a museum area dedicated to the promotion of Filipino American history.
One vendor, Virgil Apostol, a practitioner of the traditional Filipino healing art Hilot, came all the way from the Los Angeles area to participate in Alameda’s Filipino Island Fest.
Entry to the event was free and open to the public, a decision festival organizer Joann Guitarte says was made to encourage people to come and support the vendors and businesses.
“Especially with what is going on with the economic environment, we wanted to be mindful of what people have to spend, allowing them to take that fee that they would’ve paid to us to support the small businesses, buy the food, rather than have to pay to get in,” Guitarte said.
Guitarte became tearful when she emphasized that the event was not done for financial gain. “We really did it for the community,” she said.
To recoup costs, festival organizers relied on grants from the city, support from volunteers and sponsors, VIP tickets, beverage sales, and vendor fees. Guitarte said she hopes more volunteers can come out for next year’s festival to help support its growth.
“That’s great to see a festival grow, rather than get smaller,” Alamedan Winnie Anderson, who attended the festival, said. Although not associated with the festival, Anderson sent out messages to people at her son’s school when she heard about the festival.
“I think the community—the whole Bay, East Bay—needs it. It’s not just about Alameda, and it really represents respect for everybody, which is what we need today,” Anderson said.
Vicky Nguyen is a contributing writer for the Alameda Post. Contact her via [email protected]. Her writing is collected at AlamedaPost.com/Vicky-Nguyen.
