By Jason Cruz
NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
Cynthia Mejia Giudici sat at a stop light in her car on 12th Avenue South and Jackson Street in 2023, and saw something that needed to be fixed.
“A Seattle streetcar passed by me and what did I see: Japantown, Chinatown, Little Saigon,” she said, describing the wrap around the streetcar. “What was missing? And why? I thought of the Manongs (first generation Filipinos that came to the U.S.), had Seattle forgotten about them or did they never know about us?” There was no mention of the rich history of Filipinos that inhabited the Chinatown-International District (CID).
Members of the Filipino community celebrate the unveiling of the Filipinotown streetcar on May 21, 2025. (Photo by Jason Cruz)
On Wednesday, the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) unveiled its latest Seattle Streetcar for the First Hill Line—the wrap includes the name, Filipinotown, as part of the neighborhood it will cover. Many people from the CID community were in attendance, including several Manongs and Manangs (elder Filipino women).
“The Filipinotown addition signifies much more than aesthetic enhancement,” wrote the SDOT in a blog post commemorating Wednesday’s event. “It symbolizes the deep roots of Filipino Americans in Seattle and their longstanding contributions to the city, from early labor movements to thriving businesses and vibrant cultural traditions.”
Giudici worked with the Wing Luke Museum to do research on a project on Filipino presence in the CID. The research included small businesses and places where Manongs worked and socialized. Many were contracted to fill the void of other immigrant laborers.
Devin Cabanilla speaks at the ceremony celebrating the Filipino streetcar (Photo by Jason Cruz)
“Our American experience is memorable, our time here and diversity here should be recognized,” said Devin Cabanilla, at the ceremony unveiling the Filipinotown streetcar. “Why does the city and the county celebrate diversity? Because of the struggle our elders made before us.” Cabanilla and Giudici were two of the community advocates that led the efforts for the Filipinotown Streetcar.
In 2017, the Seattle City Council officially recognized Filipinotown as part of the CID. This paved the way for the streetcar ensuring inclusion of the Filipino community in Seattle’s rich, diverse history.
“Filipino Americans must be recognized for their contributions, their existence, their sacrifices,” explained Giudici.
“The update honors a long history and corrects a long-standing oversight. It symbolizes decades of resilience, advocacy, and unwavering love for place and people—our kababayan. It affirms our past, empowers our present, and ensures that future generations of Filipinos know they belong and always have.”
The push for recognition of Filipinotown was due in part to multiple organizations including the Filipino American National Historical Society and the Seattle FilipinoTown Coalition, as well as Filipino community leaders.
“As the city’s steward of the streetcar and in close partnership with King County Metro, SDOT is proud to help celebrate the rich Filipino American history with the ‘Filipinotown’ update,” stated Adiam Emery, SDOT’s interim director. “It’s a meaningful reminder of the diverse communities that make Seattle so special.”
Chera Amlag, co-owner of Hood Famous Bakeshop, Cafe & Bar, spoke at the ceremony, and said she got emotional.
“As I saw this Streetcar and Filipinotown come down, I could not help but start to tear up.” She spoke about how customers have come up to her thanking her for the feeling of belonging in representing Filipinos with her business. “In a time when there are so many people being ‘othered,’ it’s important to be inclusive.”
Hood Famous, opened in the CID in 2019, is the first Filipino food establishment to open in the CID in 35 years. “We weren’t the first and we won’t be the last,” Amlag said, as she encouraged others to come to the CID and open up businesses.
Some of those in attendance took the inaugural ride on the Filipinotown Streetcar to Hood Famous and continued the celebration.
Jason can be reached at newstips@nwasianweekly.com.