San Jose State unveils mural honoring Filipino American history

Filipino students at San Jose State University are finally receiving the recognition they’ve been fighting for. After years of advocating for permanent artwork to commemorate Filipino laborers who contributed to the farmworkers rights movement, SJSU students are celebrating the creation of a Filipino American history mural on campus. The four-sided panorama, painted by artist Francesca “ChiChai” Mateo, graces a pillar in front of the Diaz Compean Student Union. Volunteers also painted part of the artwork during a community paint day last month. School officials unveiled the mural during a ceremony Friday. San Jose State University unveiled a mural celebrating Filipino American history on Oct. 30, 2026. Photo by Lorraine Gabbert. Filipino American leaders of the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee, the union behind the Delano grape strike that kicked off the farmworkers rights movement in the 1960s, are featured in the mural, including Larry Itliong, Philip Vera Cruz and Pete V