A couple weeks ago (yeah, I know this one's a little late), I attended a book signing spotlighting Judy Patacsil, one of the authors of the book
Filipinos in San Diego. I was taken back by the history of Filipinos in and around San Diego. One of the chapters focused on the early Filipino settlers in San Diego. Pictured in this chapter are some of the Filipino owned businesses that were established in what is now downtown San Diego and the Gas Lamp District.
Today, these cafés, night clubs and restaurants are gone.
If these Filipino businesses survived the renovations of the areas, what would Downtown and Gas Lamp look like today?
Such a good question! How would you imagine it would effect the feel of both areas?
ReplyDeleteProf. Rodriguez
I, too, wonder how different San Diego would be if there was a Filipino Cultural/Community Center or some kind of landmark "city hall" for San Diego Pinoys. There are pretty substantial pockets of Pinoys in Mira Mesa and Eastlake areas . . . but a bit too diffuse to really count as a "Manila Town". We don't even have a real China town, you know? We do have a short little stretch of freeway . . . but it's not quite conducive for events!
ReplyDeleteHenry
Is there any "Manila Towns" in Cali? Anywhere in the U.S.?
ReplyDeleteIf there were still an influence in these areas (Down Town and the Gas Lamp), I imagine it wouldn't stretch very far and it would probably be called "China Town".
There is a Filipino area in Los Angeles - near the Wilshire district and Westlake. One of the premiere FIlipino community services agencies is located there - SIPA, Search to Involve Pilipino Americans. There's also an area in South of Market in San Francisco that's historically been where Filipinos settled in times past.
ReplyDelete