WASHINGTON, D.C. - Los Angeles’s Historic Filipinotown was honored on October 31, 2011 when First Lady Michelle Obama, Honorary Chair of the Preserve America Initiative, designated it as one of the nation’s newest Preserve America Communities.

“Preserve America Communities demonstrate that they are committed to preserving America’s heritage while ensuring a future filled with opportunities for learning and enjoyment,” Mrs. Obama said. “This community designation program, combined with the Preserve America Grant Program, Preserve America Presidential Awards, and other federal support, provides strong incentives for continued preservation of our cultural and natural heritage resources. I commend you for your commitment to preserving an important part of our nation’s historic past for visitors, neighbors, and, most importantly, for children.” said the First Lady.

The National Preserve America Community application process for Historic Filipinotown (HiFi) was facilitated by Pilipino American Network and Advocacy (PANA), co-chaired by Dr. Ben Marte and Dr. Leo Pandac. As a Preserve America Community, HiFi will be featured in the National Register Travel Itineraries and in “Teaching with Historic Places” curricular materials created by the National Park Service. “PANA is grateful to First Lady Michelle Obama for bestowing HiFi with this honor.” said Marte, “We are also very proud to have facilitated the involvement of the many partners that made this designation possible, including Search To Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA), My HiFi, the Pilipino Workers Center (PWC), the HiFi Neighborhood Council, Inc., Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, City Council President Eric Garcetti, the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA), and numerous other organizations and individuals.” 

Historic Filipinotown was designated by the City of Los Angeles in 2002, culminating almost 30 years of advocacy by community leaders and activists seeking recognition of the area’s significance to the Filipino American Community. Downtown redevelopment after WWII displaced Los Angeles’ original Filipino enclave, causing many families to move west and settle along the Temple Street and Beverly Boulevard corridors. Today, the neighborhood is very diverse, with Filipinos living alongside numerous other ethnic and immigrant groups. However, it continues to serve as a historic and cultural center for the community, as evidenced by the numerous Filipino churches, community-based organizations, small businesses and other institutions still in existence. Additionally, the neighborhood is home to the Filipino WWII Veterans’ Memorial and Gintong Kasaysayan, Gintong Pamana (A Glorious History, A Glorious Legacy), the largest Filipino American-themed mural in the country.

Historic Filipinotown is part of the Asian and Pacific Islander Preserve American Neighborhoods (API PAN) project, which includes Los Angeles’ Chinatown, Koreatown, Little Tokyo, and Thai Town. API PAN was initiated by the City’s Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) with the support of the Asian and Pacific Islander Small Business Program (API SBP). This project aims to build collaboration and strengthen the respective neighborhoods by providing training and resources in historic preservation, cultural tourism, hospitality services, marketing and promotion. Leading HiFi’s involvement in the API PAN is Search To Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA).

In addition to PANA and SIPA, another group working to promote Historic Filipinotown is My HiFi, which focuses on historic and cultural preservation. My HiFi is currently identifying the neighborhood’s heritage assets and promoting cultural tourism and community revitalization. This includes a digital archive project of historic photographs and oral histories that will contribute to the City’s Office of Historic Resources “Survey LA” program. My HiFi is also developing an interactive, web-based map of the neighborhood’s cultural and historic places.

“Preserve America Communities are committed to preserving their past by using their heritage to build a better future,” said Wayne Donaldson, chairman of the Federal Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP).

"Historic Filipinotown's designation as a Preserve America community is the result of the hard work of many community leaders who have brought the neighborhood's rich and diverse history into the spotlight. I'm proud to represent Historic Filipinotown on the Los Angeles City Council and even prouder to have been able to work with the community to raise its profile in the rest of the city and in our nation," said Los Angeles City Council President Eric Garcetti.

Congressman Xavier Becerra (CA-31), who also represents Historic Filipinotown, expressed his support: “Historic Filipinotown is a cultural hub for the Filipino American community and for many of us not of Filipino descent in Los Angeles. Its diversity in culture, thriving small businesses and engaged citizenry make it a landmark in the 31st congressional district. I congratulate all those who worked to make this designation possible and I applaud the Preserve America Initiative and First Lady Michelle Obama for honoring the Historic Filipinotown community with this great distinction.”

A public designation ceremony and celebration is being planned for January 2012. For information about this event, please contact:
Michelle Magalong, My HiFi: MyHiFi90026@gmail.com
Dr. Ben Marte, PANA: bmarte80@gmail.com  
Dennis Arguelles, SIPA: darguelles@esipa.org

For additional information about Historic Filipinotown, you may also contact:
HiFi Chamber of Commerce jprado58@aol.com
HiFi Neighborhood Council, Inc. (213) 413-3323
Pilipino Workers’ Center (213) 250-4353

FIRST LADY MICHELLE OBAMA DESIGNATES LOS ANGELES’ HISTORIC FILIPINOTOWN A PRESERVE AMERICA COMMUNITY