Filipino immigrants came to Ventura County in the 1920s, beginning American lives mostly as farm laborers in work camps, notably the Arneill Ranch and Springville Ranch in Camarillo. They organized early societies like the Filipino Brotherhood Association of Ventura County, the Jordan Lodge 604 Legionarios del Trabajo, the Caballeros de Dimas Alang, the Filipino Optimist Club, and the Filipino Community of Ventura County. During World War II, Filipinos served in the 1st and 2nd Filipino Infantry Regiments of the U.S. Army. The omnipresence of the U.S. Navy in coastal Ventura prodded many second- and third-generation Filipinos to serve their country in Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, and the Persian Gulf. Today the same spirit of community engagement is illustrated in the 26 local Filipino organizations all under the umbrella of the Filipino American Council, which celebrates history, community, and culture.
Elnora Kelly Tayag is a librarian and outreach coordinator at the John Spoor Broome Library at California State University, Channel Islands, in Camarillo. She is a board member of the Filipino American Library. Many families contributed photographs to this unique celebration as did dozens of organizations, including the U.S. Navy Seabee Archive, the Filipino Community of Ventura County, Inc., and the Filipino American Military Retired Club.