Aaron Tolentino and Noelle Bellow
SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — “What does it mean to you to be Filipino?”
SOMA Pilipinas Executive Director Raquel Redondiez was asked that question while giving KRON4 a tour of the “Makibaka: A Living Legacy” art exhibit inside the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts.
Needing to take a moment, Redondiez was emotional as she pondered her answer. “Wow,” she said in reaction to that simple, yet deep, question.
“For me, to be Filipino is really to carry on this legacy,” Redondiez said. “Resistance, which is in our blood, in our bones, for not just decades, but centuries. The Philippine islands were a colony of Spain, colony of the U.S. So much of that history is us just fighting back, fighting for liberation in our homeland.”
The history of Filipinos includes generations of them fighting to call San Francisco home, Redondiez explains. She says shining a light on Filipinos and their history is paramount.
Wednesday, Oct. 1, marks the first day of Filipino American History Month. Art exhibits like the one at YBCA showcase that history.
A peek inside some of the artwork can be viewed in the slideshows below.
From charcoal rubbings on rice paper, to art on the steps, to oil paintings, photography, and traditional weaving — more than 20 Filipino artists are featured in the Makibaka exhibit.
Filipinos have been in San Francisco for more than 120 years, making a home in SoMa for decades. The Makibaka exhibit at the YBCA is described as a celebration of the rich Filipino history and culture in the city.
“Our community has been culture makers and shifters for a long time… but a lot of time we don’t get the spotlight,” Redondiez said.
The violent eviction of Filipinos from the International Hotel in San Francisco in 1977 is one of many moments highlighted on a timeline at the exhibit.
“Makibaka means to fight to resist and to rise, and it’s a call to action over the generations,” Redondiez said. “Whether it’s fighting for housing rights, immigrant rights, workers’ rights and today it’s deeply resonant.”
The “MAKIBAKA: A Living Legacy” exhibit at the YBCA in the SoMa neighborhood runs until Jan. 4, 2026. Hours and ticket information can be viewed on YBCA’s website.
Watch KRON4’s Noelle Bellow’s full story in the video player above.
