On a recent afternoon, visitors to the Embassy of the Philippines’s consular building at 1617 Massachusetts Avenue could sample authentic Filipino cuisine from a food truck, get their flu shot, explore a new exhibition on the interconnected communities, ecosystems, and shared challenges of an archipelagic state; learn about the Jeepney through an art exhibit created by one of the embassy’s attachés; attend a citizenship ceremony, and get lost in murals and artwork in the recently renovated property.
It’s all part of a combined celebration of Filipino American History Month in the US and Philippine Maritime and Archipelagic Nation Awareness Month recognized in the Philippines.
Created by the Filipino American National Historical Society in 1992, Congress officially recognized October as Filipino American History Month beginning in 2009. Coming on the heels of September being recognized in the Philippines as Philippine Maritime and Archipelagic Nation Awareness Month, the Embassy of the Philippines threw a multi-faceted celebration that felt deceptively casual given the myriad of activities occurring.
The archipelago exhibition runs until the end of October, and is available during consulate hours. It is also available online. Calling or emailing ahead is recommended.