Day 98: Sowing Seeds Exhibit, Santa Cruz, California
đź“ŚAPIA Every Day (98) - The "Sowing Seeds" exhibition at the Museum of Art and History (MAH) sheds light on Filipino American life, focusing on migration and labor experiences in Watsonville and the greater Pajaro Valley from the 1930s to the present day. Featuring oral histories, family heirlooms, and contemporary artworks, it offers insights into the lives of the manong and manang generation - Filipino migrants who came to the U.S. for low-wage agricultural jobs. Showcasing 52 family objects and 13 oral histories from 18 collections, the exhibition provides a look into the past while addressing present-day narratives of belonging, community formation, and memory preservation. This exhibition, running from April 12 to August 4, 2024, is the culmination of a four-year research initiative called "Watsonville is in the Heart" (WIITH), involving community members, the grassroots organization, the Tobera Project, UC Santa Cruz students, scholars, and curators.
In January 1930 in Watsonville, California, hundreds of armed white men took to the streets, targeting and beating Filipino American workers, accusing them of stealing jobs and women. The riots culminated in the death of 22-year-old Fermin Tobera, sparking further unrest across the state. Ninety years later, the city of Watsonville issued an official apology to the local Filipino community for the riots, acknowledging the violence and discrimination faced by Filipino-Americans during that time. Roy Recio, leading the Tobera Project, emphasized the importance of recognizing not only the riots but also the contributions of the Filipino community to the area's development. Community members called for further actions beyond the apology, including incorporating the history of the riots into the education system, erecting physical memorials like statues or murals, and supporting initiatives benefiting the Filipino community, such as scholarship programs - which exacerbated the need for the “Sowing Seeds” exhibition.
Additionally, eight California-based contemporary artists, including Minerva Amistoso, Binh Danh, Ant Lorenzo, Sandra Lucille, Johanna Poethig, Ruth Tabancay, Jenifer Wofford, and Connie Zheng, were invited to interpret these memories and experiences through various artistic mediums such as installation, photography, illustration, and film.
"Sowing Seeds" is the continuation and preservation of Filipino histories. By commemorating the hardships and realities of Filipino communities in the 1930s, the exhibition illustrates this overlooked history of Filipino Americans in the Pajaro Valley.
LEARN MORE:
Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History: Sowing Seeds: Filipino American Stories from the Pajaro Valley
Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History: Sowing Seeds Press Release
Positively Filipino: Storytellers Of The Pajaro Valley
Good Times: Watsonville Apologizes to Filipino Community for 1930 Race Riots
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