Larry Itliong was a Filipino-American civil rights activist who played a significant role in the American labor movement. He led the Delano Grape Strike in 1965, which resulted in better working conditions and wages for farmworkers. Despite his contributions to society, Larry Itliong's legacy has been largely forgotten and overlooked.

It’s important to acknowledge this remarkable Filipino American whom many across the country still do not know. One effective way to do this is to rename a street in downtown San José after him. I propose that we rename a portion of Park Avenue—from Barack Obama Boulevard leading to Plaza de Cesar Chavez—“Larry Itliong Way”.

San José boasts an Asian population of 38% with 6% being Filipino. We see our reflection at school, work, in shops and companies throughout the Silicon Valley, also impacting community life with Pinoy restaurants and Asian grocery stores. Organizations like FAHNS-SCV, LEAD Filipino, and PAWIS exist to help support and educate our communities in the South Bay. There is even the little known Pinoytown located on 6th Street where Filipino immigrants settled in the 1930s-1950s.

Despite these reflections, our Filipino diaspora is still sometimes disconnected as a result of colonial mentality and intergenerational trauma from centuries of Spanish and American colonialism. There are generations of Fil-Ams that do not know our history in the Philippines or our history here in the states.

The learning and unlearning can begin with us. Representation matters. San José is a multi-racial, progressive-minded city that can cast light on the history and struggles of working-class people of color, connect our past with our present, and affirm those who are here and those yet to come.

If Larry Itliong had never immigrated to the US and rallied the Filipino and Mexican farmworkers, Cesar Chavez may not be widely known today. Their lives were destined to intersect, setting the stage for one of the most important labor movements of the 20th century. That is why I believe in the symbolism of renaming the Park Avenue intersection with Plaza de Cesar Chavez “Larry Itliong Way”. Itliong’s way was to call out injustice, band together, and fight for each other’s rights—he epitomizes what it means to be a civil rights activist.

I have begun a petition to gather support for this street renaming. Join me in signing it so we can honor Itliong’s legacy, rectify the erasure of Filipinos in California, and help future generations know their history. Making this initiative a reality could be the very thing that connects and unites us, not just as Filipino Americans, but as a diverse community committed to uplifting all.