In less than 24 hours, attendance for a screening of the 2019 film “Yellow Rose” more than doubled, growing from 13 to 32 registered participants. Surpassing expectations for the Otter Cross Cultural Center (OC3), the event wrapped up Filipinx Heritage Month.
As a Filipina born and raised in Monterey County, Valerie Madriaga Elder, a fourth-year sociology major and OC3 affinity group communications student coordinator, organized the screening as a gathering space for Filipinx students to connect over shared experiences.
“I wanted to meet the community that’s here because I know that we’re present; we just need more representation and to be together in solidarity,” said Elder.
Attendees arrived at noon on Wednesday and filed into the OC3 where they were greeted by familiar Filipino cuisine. Trays of lumpia, sinangag, puto and homemade cassava cake – courtesy of Elder– quickly emptied as attendees enjoyed the snacks.
“Yellow Rose” stars Filipino actress and two-time Tony Award winner Eva Noblezada as Rose, an undocumented Filipino-American teenager living in Texas. The film follows Rose’s journey as she struggles between staying with her family or pursuing her dream of becoming a country singer.
Along with discussion prompts scattered across the chairs, lumpia coloring sheets and crayons added to the atmosphere. Elder delivered welcoming remarks that received applause from the audience, especially when she highlighted the significance of Filipinx Heritage Month. Later, she shared that this enthusiastic response was her favorite part of the event.
Third-year collaborative health and human services major Gillianne Lisa Balladad Corpuz, a first-generation Filipinx student, explained why the event resonated with her. “This is our month,” said Corpuz. “It’s not every day that I get to connect with my culture, living in America.”
Both Elder and Corpuz identified a lack of Filipinx-centered events at Cal State Monterey Bay, making the screening a bittersweet end to Filipinx Heritage Month.
“The month is almost over, and the only thing I’ve seen, that I’ve noticed, is a story post [from the school], and that felt extremely underwhelming,” stated Corpuz.
This was Elders’ first campus event she planned and is already aspiring to create bigger, and more frequent events that highlight Filipinx culture and experiences.
“I think there’s so much going on that it gets overlooked. It would be nice to build a community so that doesn’t happen in the future,” said Elder. “We need to make our presence known. We’re here, we’ve always been here and we will continue to be here.”