Fighting to Belong! graphic novel series ends with a volume featuring Filipino American nurses in the pandemic

The Asian American Foundation and Third State Books have released the third and final volume of Fighting to Belong!, a graphic novel series on AAPI history that runs from the 'Manilamen' of New Orleans to Filipino American nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Asian American Foundation (TAAF) and Third State Books have released Fighting to Belong! Volume III, the final instalment of a three-part graphic novel series on Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) history, The FilAm reported. The series aims to bring to life history that is largely absent from textbooks and classrooms.

Filipino American history runs through the series. Volume I begins with the arrival of the 'Manilamen' in New Orleans, Volume II covers 20th-century events including the Philippine-American War, and Volume III features the courage of Filipino American nurses risking their lives during the pandemic, alongside the stories of Vincent Chin, Balbir Singh Sodhi, Joseph Ileto and Vietnamese refugee families.

Volume III was written by comics writer Amy Chu and Alexander Chang and illustrated by Louie Chin. It follows middle school protagonists through moments from 1970 to today, and is available in hardcover, paperback and digital formats. The series comes with a curriculum guide from The Asian American Education Project.

"American history cannot be told fully without AAPI history," said TAAF CEO Norman Chen, who said TAAF's 2026 STAATUS Index found more than half of U.S. adults cannot name a single significant moment in Asian American history.

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