Episode 237 – Filipinos in the San Fernando Valley

Joe wrote a book! Well…kinda.

After a few years of gathering photos and writing, Joe has published FILIPINOS IN THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY, a pictorial history that traces the historical and cultural shifts of this quintessential suburb through the lens of generations of Filipinos who made the San Fernando Valley their home. This book is the newest edition of “Filipinos in…” books from Arcadia Publishing.

In this TFAL episode, Joe talks with the TFAL crew about his book and the process of writing it. Listened as he discusses why he wrote it, his approach to the book (which may differ from previous Filipino Arcadia books), and why the San Fernando Valley is instructive to understand Filipino American history and culture. Also, listen to our bastos, yet hilarious conversation about the Valley’s once booming porn industry. This episode is especially dedicated to the people of the 818, Elaine and Joe’s home.

ABOUT THE BOOK

The majority of Filipino Americans reside in suburban communities, yet this history has been largely absent from both academic and popular narratives. FILIPINOS IN THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY offers a visual and narrative glimpse into the lives of Filipino Americans in the place some have dubbed “America’s Suburb,” from early immigrants to the post-1965 wave that helped redefine the suburban experience in Southern California. Many of the photographs and anecdotes spotlight how this community navigated the transformation of the Valley during the economic and demographic shifts of the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. This book documents how suburbia shaped Filipinos, and how Filipinos, in turn, shaped suburbia in their own unique way, contradictions and all.

Look out for more posts on how to get a copy of FILIPINOS IN THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY and other book events.