BOOK LAUNCH OF LOS ANGELES’S HISTORIC FILIPINOTOWN

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 6, 2009


CONTACT:
Jonathan Lorenzo
Filipino American Library (FAL)
Tel: 213-382-0488
Email: filamlibrary@sbcglobal.net

BOOK LAUNCH OF LOS ANGELES’S HISTORIC FILIPINOTOWN

LOS ANGELES (March 2009) – Carina Monica Montoya commemorates one of the most distinctive Asian/Pacific cultural legacies in the city through her new book Los Angeles’s Historic Filipinotown. The Filipino American Library (FAL), in partnership with the Historic Filipinotown Neighborhood Council, will present its Book Launch on Saturday, April 4 at 2:00pm at Lake Street Park (227 N. Lake St., Los Angeles 90026). Please RSVP for this free event by contacting filamlibrary@sbcglobal.net or 213-382-0488. FAL is also accepting advance orders for the book ($20/each plus shipping & handling).

The City Council of Los Angeles officially designated Historic Filipinotown on August 2, 2002 . It is the first Filipino community in the United States to merit a named area with distinct geographic boundaries. Historic Filipinotown was once home to one of the largest Filipino enclaves in California , a place where many Filipinos purchased their first homes, raised families, and established businesses. The cultural continuity of the area’s Filipino families and businesses inspired the collective efforts of Filipino organizations, Los Angeles community leaders, and individuals to establish Historic Filipinotown and maintain its vibrant culture.

In FAL Book Launches, authors introduce their Filipino works of literature with residents of Greater Los Angeles. Ms. Montoya will sign copies of Los Angeles’s Historic Filipinotown, which will be on sale that day. Snacks and drinks will be provided. Admission is free and donations are accepted online at www.filipinoamericanlibrary.org. Recent FAL Book Launches include Pareng Barack: Filipinos in Obama’s America by Benjamin Pimentel and Belong to Me by Marisa de los Santos .

Carina Monica Montoya, a native of Los Angeles and the author of Filipinos in Hollywood, collected the vintage images for this volume from Los Angeles historical organizations and families who settled in and around the area in the early years. Eric Garcetti, the President of the Los Angeles City Council, provides the foreword of Los Angeles’s Historic Filipinotown. It is part of Arcadia Publishing’s Images of America series that celebrates the history of neighborhoods, towns, and cities across the country.

Founded on October 13, 1985 by “Auntie Helen” Agcaoili Summers Brown, FAL is the earliest and largest Filipino library in the country with a collection of more than 6,000 titles. Its mission is to actively promote the history, culture, and professional achievements of Filipinos and Filipino Americans through the book collection, leadership development, and cultural programming, thereby contributing to the achievement of a culturally dynamic, multiethnic America .

Given that FAL primarily survives on individual donations and one major annual fundraiser, it relies on its many supporters to continue its programs and services throughout the year. If anyone would like to give a donation online, please feel free to visit www.filipinoamericanlibrary.org. Checks may also be mailed to 135 N. Park View St. , Los Angeles , CA 90026 and made payable to “Filipino American Library”. All donations are 100% tax-deductible.

FAL is a division of the Filipino American Heritage Institute (Nonprofit Tax ID Number 95-4282571). It is open Mondays-Fridays 1:00-5:00pm and by appointment. For more information, please contact filamlibrary@sbcglobal.net or 213-382-0488.

(For pictures to include for publication, please contact Jonathan Lorenzo as indicated above.)