San José State unveils Filipino American history mural honouring Larry Itliong and Filipino farmworker leaders
A four-sided mural by artist Francesca “ChiChai” Mateo outside SJSU’s Diaz Compean Student Union, funded by a $100,000 alumni campaign, honours Filipino farmworker leaders including Larry Itliong, Philip Vera Cruz and Pete Velasco.
San José State University unveiled a Filipino American history mural on its campus on 30 October 2026, the result of years of advocacy by Filipino students and alumni for permanent artwork honouring Filipino laborers who contributed to the farmworkers rights movement.
The four-sided panorama, painted by artist Francesca “ChiChai” Mateo, graces a pillar in front of the Diaz Compean Student Union. Volunteers and community members also painted part of the artwork during a community paint day on 4 September.
Who is on the mural
The panels feature Filipino American leaders of the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee, the union behind the Delano grape strike that kicked off the farmworkers rights movement in the 1960s. Among those depicted:
- Larry Itliong
- Philip Vera Cruz
- Pete Velasco
- Lorraine Agtag, an advocate for Filipinx farmworkers
Another panel depicts the “Valley of Heart’s Delight” and recreates iconic photographs of historic Pinoytown. A third features alumni and community figures including retired aerospace engineer Robert Ragsac Sr., LEAD Filipino Executive Director Angelica Cortez, SJSU Professor Emerita Estella Habal, journalist Lloyd LaCuesta and Erwin Mina of the Filipino American National Historical Society Museum.
Filling a gap near the Arch
Student groups and SJSU’s Filipino Alumni Network had noted that the campus’s Arch of Dignity, Equality and Justice, which honours United Farm Worker leaders like Dolores Huerta, overlooked the contributions of Filipino labor leaders. Mateo said she wanted the design to highlight not only that Filipino Americans were missing, but that solidarity was missing.
“It reflects the strength of a community, the persistence of student and alumni advocates and the importance of preserving the stories that shape our collective identity,” SJSU President Cynthia Teniente-Matson said at the ceremony.
Funding and what comes next
A community fundraising campaign spearheaded by the Filipino Alumni Network raised $100,000 for the mural. Founder and president Alan Gouig said about $50,000 will go toward its long-term preservation, and the group is seeking an additional $30,000 to produce a documentary about the advocacy behind it. The unveiling also falls in the 50th anniversary year of SJSU’s Akbayan student club.
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- San José State University unveiled its Filipino American history mural on 30 October 2026.
- The mural was painted by artist Francesca “ChiChai” Mateo on a four-sided pillar in front of the Diaz Compean Student Union.
- It features farmworker labor leaders Larry Itliong, Philip Vera Cruz and Pete Velasco.
- A campaign led by SJSU’s Filipino Alumni Network raised $100,000 for the mural, with about $50,000 set aside for long-term preservation.
- Supporters are seeking another $30,000 for a documentary on the advocacy behind the mural.
Official sources
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