I am extremely excited to take part in Parade of Hearts! The mission of Parade of Hearts is to unite our region through an incredible public art experience. The title of my piece is “fil-am” and it is an homage to the Filipino-American healthcare workers that call KC home. There were about 700 submissions and mine was one of the 154 designs chosen to execute.

All the winners chosen receive a $2000 stipend. However, I want to raise funds to purchase the supplies I will need to execute my project. Additional costs I will need to take on would be truck rental and support to transport the structure to my home and back to Parade of Hearts before the exhibition begins. With the stipend I’m given and any additional unused funds, I would love to fund a scholarship program for an aspiring nursing student with Filipino connections.

Artist Statement for fil-am

Following WWI, there was a critical shortage of nurses and U.S. hospitals started advertising for Filipino nurses. In the late 70s, my mother was one of the nurses who answered that call and found herself in Kansas City. She stayed in the dormitories (now KCUMB) and worked at several hospitals in her 40+ years of service before retiring at Truman Medical Center-Hospital Hill. Being away from family, these nurses created their own community, fostering the Filipino culture and bringing it to Kansas City. From Filipino markets, The Filipino Cultural Center (Overland Park), KC Pinoy’s food truck – our culture is alive and well in the heart of KC. However, as the coronavirus pandemic took a devastating toll on health care workers, “FilAms” (Filipino-American) found themselves on the front lines of care for Covid-19 patients.

As I witness the outpouring support of and for these nurses throughout this difficult time, I was moved to create a Parade of Hearts sculpture. In our own city, I am proud to support The Philippine Nurses Association of Greater Kansas City (PNAGKC). They provide volunteer opportunities for several organizations like Rachel House and Hope House as well as being involved with another wonderful organization, Filipino-Americans of Greater Kansas City. Though nursing began as a way to spread American culture to the Philippines, it has also brought Filipino culture to our own home in KC.

My Parade of Hearts sculpture is a graphic representation of the Filipino-American culture, using hints of both flags, their colors and cultural symbols. I plan to use a projector and acrylic paints to create my piece. This is my physical and structural love letter to my Titas and Titos who paved the way for those following in their footsteps and call Kansas City home.