The Woodman Bridge renamed as the Itliong Veracruz Memorial Bridge

Last week was the week for awesome storm clouds...

This was what we saw as we headed east on the 54 from the 5...

I know I had this photo in a previous post, but I'm putting it in again...

The 54 Freeway holds a bit of significance for Filipino Americans in San Diego.  Not only is this stretch of the 54 (which used to be called the "South Bay Freeway" back in the 80's) called the Filipino American Highway, but it also features a bridge named after two important Filipino American labor leaders, Larry Itliong and Philip Veracruz.  This is the Woodman Bridge which connects Bonita on the south to Paradise Hills on the north.


Above, commemorative artwork by artist Ron Recaida (Thekwentothesis); all proceeds benefit the San Diego chapter of the Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS, SD). I still have to get my poster framed.

Last December, FANHS, SD held a ceremony to celebrate its 20th year of existence (we are founding members) and the naming of the bridge. Sadly, I was sick that evening and couldn't attend.  It was cool because Assemblyman Rob Bonta was there (the first Filipino American assemblyman in the US and in California)

Here is a shot of the  Woodman St. ramp heading east.



We didn't go up the ramp, but there is a small sign on the side as you pass it by. I wish the sign was bigger. There is another sign on the other side as you head west on the 54.

It's historically significant that the bridge was renamed after these labor leaders.  There is a large concentration of Filipino Americans in the South Bay; Filipinos are also the largest Asian American population in San Diego, as well as California. There is a middle school named after them as well in Union City (in the Bay Area). It's about time that these figures are given the recognition that they are due especially with regards to the Farm Labor movement, specifically the 1965 Delano Grape Strike.

Here is more info on Larry Itliong and Philip Veracruz on a previous blog entry when I posted on the premiere San Diego screening of the documentary, "The Delano Manongs" in 2014:
"Donuts and the Delano Manongs documentary screening" (October 2014)

Articles:
"California school to bear names of Filipino American labor leaders Itliong, Veracruz" NBCNews, Emil Guillermo (a Filipino American journalist), Dec. 18, 2015

"Emil Guillermo: America's profound ignorance about the Delano Grape Strike, Filipino Americans and Larry Itliong" AALDEF, September 7, 2015
"Remembering Larry Itliong, the FilAm Labor leader/organizer FilAmStar, April 2016

plus a nice writeup by JennyLouraya on her blog.

I really wish I could have attended the event last December 18th. Bert had gone and said it was a nice ceremony and well attended by the local community.

Ron Recaido's page:
www.thekwentothesis.com

FB for the Itliong-Veracruz Memorial Bridge

There is also a mural at Castle Park Middle School commemorating the Farm Labor Movement which features Larry Itliong and Philip Veracruz in addition to Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerto. That post is forthcoming.

Update as of Dec. 2016 - The mural post is now up. Link here!