Our mission is to empower members to move from being passive observers of history to active authors of their own stories. The Carlos Bulosan Book Club (CBBC), established in May 2017, is a project of Friends of Echo Park Branch Library (FOEPL), located at 1410 W. Temple Street, Los Angeles, in the heart of Historic Filipinotown. The Echo Park Branch of the Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL) houses a dedicated Philippine Heritage Collection, consisting of several hundred volumes on Filipino American life and culture. The CBBC’s mission is to provide a forum to explore and learn about Filipino American and other immigrant experiences through literature and art, utilizing various media, including print, audio, and video formats. This project was born from the spirit of Carlos Bulosan’s America Is In the Heart, a story of perseverance and sacrifice in the face of undaunting hardship to build a better life. Our aim is to preserve our collective memory by collecting the individual stories of our contributions in the building of America. Many critics interpret the book’s title “America is in the Heart” as Bulosan’s unrelenting optimism and hope in the American dream that he kept alive in his heart throughout his life. He and others in his community endured the devastating impact of racism and discrimination, and his chronicles sear these images in our minds. However, despite living constantly amid harsh tensions and contradictions, he ultimately goes to the side of hope. More importantly, Bulosan frequently reminds us of our shared experiences and common bonds with other peoples of color here in the U.S. While we spotlight our own Filipino American stories, we learn and celebrate other immigrants’ struggles and successes as we all strive to be part of America and participate in making it a more perfect Union. In this period of COVID19, all in-person meetings have been suspended until further notice. CBBC meetings include assigned readings, program planning, and occasionally presentations by special guests. If you would like to join our meetings, click here to let us know. Jaime Geaga (Chair), Vicky Perez, James Castillo, & Joselyn Geaga-Rosenthal (CBBC Committee)
