Welga Project files

Title: Welga Project files

Dates: 1964-2017

Collection Number: wa003

Creator/Collector:

Extent: 680 MB (Digitized and Born-Digital)

Repository: UC Davis. Welga Project, Filipino American Archive and Repository

Abstract: The Welga Project was launched at the UC Davis Asian American Studies department in 2014 with purpose of providing digital access to Filipino American history, specifically in regards to immigration, labor, and activism history. The Welga Project files spans from the 1970s to the 2010s. The collection is organized into 4 series: Where’s Philip files, 2014-2015; Delano Files, 2014-2015; Research files, 1964-1971; and Events: 2015-2017.

Language of Material: English

Currently, access is limited to digital collections available at the online repository at http://welgadigitalarchive.omeka.net.

For permission to reproduce or publish, please contact archivist Jason Sarmiento at ajsarmiento@ucdavis.edu. The researcher assumes all responsibility for possible infringement which may arise from reproduction or publication of materials from the Welga Project, Filipino American Archive and Repository collections.

Welga Project files. UC Davis. Welga Project, Filipino American Archive and Repository

The Welga Project (WP) was founded in 2014 by Dr. Robyn Rodriguez of the University of California, Davis. Dr. Rodriguez was inspired to launch the project after the passage of Assemblymen Rob Bonta’s AB 123 (2013-2014). AB 123 requires teachers to include instructions on the contributions of Filipino Americans to the farm labor movement in California. "Welga" is the Tagalog word for strike, similar to the Spanish word "Huelga" that adorned UFW picket signs during the 1965-1970 Delano Grape Strike and Boycott. The project's namesake honors Filipino American strikers of the Delano Grape Strike and their contributions to labor history. The original purpose of the Welga Project is to provide accessible resources for educators to draft curriculum requirements established by AB123 through a digital archive. Since the project’s exception, WP launched the Welga Digital Archive, conducted oral history interviews, and co-hosted the Bold Strikes 50th anniversary event with the Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS) – Delano. In 2018, WP expanded their scope to include Filipino American labor, activism, and immigration history.

The Welga Project files span from original research material from the 1970s to contemporary e-records created in the 2010s. The collection is organized into 4 series: Where’s Philip files, 2014-2015; Delano Files, 2014-2015; Research files, 1964-1971; and Events: 2015-2017. The "Where's Philip" series depicts paintings and murals from the "Where's Philip" campaign, which seeks to document and collect images of Philip Vera Cruz from across California and the nation. The Events series contains photographs and documents related to public outreach events conducted by Welga Project members. Additional accruals are expected.