About Us
The mission of Manilatown Heritage Foundation is to promote social and economic justice for Filipinos in the United States by preserving our history, advocating for equal access, and advancing our arts and culture.
In solidarity with Filipino and other community service organizations, we envision an inspired and self-sustaining Manilatown Heritage Foundation that effectively and creatively enhances the Filipino community’s capacity to shape social, political and economic policies. Our community will be one that has equitable access to resources and opportunities, as well as pride in our culture, history, and traditions.
Statement from Executive Director
Dear Friends,
Since its inception 26 years ago, the Manilatown Heritage Foundation has dedicated itself to promoting social and economic justice for Filipinos in the United States by preserving our history, advocating for equal access, and advancing our arts and culture.
We offer programs that are locally and culturally relevant to the Filipino-American, Historic Manilatown, San Francisco Chinatown, Asian-American and Affordable Housing & Tenants’ Rights communities.
Our organization is rooted in and strengthened by these communities.
In 2020 we are happy to continue our Annual I-Hotel Eviction Commemoration, our Club Mandalay PopUp Jazz Club, our Kommunity Kultura traditional Philippine cultural education program and our Manilatown Movie Time film screenings. We are also especially thrilled to be premiering our Remember, Recover, Reclaim series of Community Talk Stories on Filipino-American History and launching our Manilatown Media project.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic most of our programs were offered to the community out of our International Hotel Manilatown Center in San Francisco, California. Manilatown programmed the Center as a community gathering space honoring its historic legacies and welcoming expressions relevant to today’s community. At this time we are gathering with you via Zoom and Livestreaming but we look forward to soon being in community with all of you again out of our beloved International Hotel Manilatown Center home.
In 2020 we are also pleased to announce our new Board of Directors President Eleanore Fernandez who brings with her nearly twenty years of marketing, public relations, event planning, and community outreach experience to the organization. She has held various executive board positions, most notably as the Vice President of YFPA/Your Filipino Professionals Association for nearly ten years.
As Eleanore says: “My wish is to tie my ideals and convictions together into Manilatown Heritage Foundation’s mission of bringing cultural roots to the forefront while still firmly grounded in our shared history.”
Please join us to enthusiastically welcome our new Board President!
Caroline Cabading,
Executive Director
