Righting a wrong, Monterey County Supervisors approve resolution that apologizes to Filipino community for past actions

SALINAS, Calif. (KION-TV)- May is Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

At Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting county leaders took time to recognize all the contributions that Asian Americans have made to the central coast over the years. 

County supervisors also apologized to the Filipino American community living in Monterey County for past actions taken against them. 

“It's never too late to do what is right. We also remember our history,” said District 1Supervisor Luis Alejo. “As Dr. King would say, ‘we would not only remember the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”

In 1930, anti-Filipino riot in Watsonville exploded, resulting in the death of 22-year old Fermin Tobera at Murphy's Crossing Labor Camp. 

That riot sparking anti-Asian sentiment in Salinas and even the Bay Area. 

“For all the Filipinos that are watching this,” said Manuel Bersamin of the Tobera Project, “I think it’s important to know that the second wave of immigration of Filipinos to this country, what we call the Manong Generation, they really had to be trailblazers  Work being done by other local groups like the Asian Cultural Experience and the Filipino Community of Salinas Valley were also recognized during Tuesday’s meeting