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If this is your first visit, welcome! This site is devoted to my life experiences as a Filipino-American who immigrated from the Philippines to the United States in 1960. I came to the US as a graduate student when I was 26 years old. I am now in my mid-80's and thanks God for his blessings, I have four successful and professional children and six grandchildren here in the US. My wife and I had been enjoying the snow bird lifestyle between US and Philippines after my retirement from USFDA in 2002. Macrine(RIP),Me and my oldest son are the Intellectual migrants. Were were born in the Philippines, came to the US in 1960 and later became US citizens in 1972. Some of the photos and videos in this site, I do not own. However, I have no intention on infringing on your copyrights. Cheers!

Thursday, January 22, 2026

The Watsonville Riots, 1930


📰 January 19, 1930 marks the start of the Watsonville Riots, a wave of white supremacist violence in California that targeted Filipino farmworkers through beatings, raids, expulsions, and mob terror.
🔥 For days, Filipinos were hunted through the streets, attacked at labor camps, and thrown from bridges. On January 23, 22-year-old Fermin Tobera was murdered in his sleep when white rioters fired into a labor camp. His killer was never held accountable.
💥 The violence spread across California and throughout the West Coast and triggered protests in the Philippines, where Tobera was mourned as a martyr. These attacks helped justify racist laws banning interracial marriage, restricting Filipino immigration, and dividing workers to protect white power and profit.
⚖️ What happened in Watsonville did not end with the mobs. It was absorbed into the legal and political order that followed. Many of those structures remain intact today.

Ninety-six years ago, around January 1930, the 
Watsonville Race Riotserupted in Watsonville, California, where white mobs violently attacked Filipino farmworkers, fueled by anti-immigrant sentiment, racial prejudice, and fear over Filipino men associating with white women, leading to violence, destruction of property, and highlighting severe racial discrimination against Filipinos in early 20th-century America. These riots were part of broader anti-Filipino violence across California, culminating in stricter anti-miscegenation laws. 
Key Details:
  • When: January 1930 (approximately 96 years ago from 2026).
  • Where: Watsonville, California, a major agricultural area.
  • Who: White mobs targeting Filipino farm laborers (Manongs).
  • Why: Deep-seated racism, economic competition, and opposition to relationships between Filipino men and white women, which challenged racial norms and laws.
  • What Happened: White residents assaulted Filipinos, vandalized Filipino-owned businesses, and attacked labor camps, causing significant harm and fear.
  • Impact: The riots and similar incidents led California to amend its anti-miscegenation law to specifically bar marriages between white people and "members of the Malay race" (Filipinos), further restricting Filipino rights. 
These events underscore the intense racial discrimination faced by Filipino immigrants in the U.S. during this period, a critical part of Filipino-American history. 
Finally the top Five News of the Day 

1. Global markets rise as U.S. eases Greenland tensions at Davos
Stock markets rebounded sharply after President Trump’s reversal on threatened tariffs on European allies tied to Greenland negotiations at the World Economic Forum, following a framework deal with NATO on Arctic cooperation. Investor sentiment improved and volatility measures eased. 

2. European leaders highlight unity after U.S.–Greenland dispute
At an emergency EU summit, leaders including France’s Emmanuel Macron stressed European unity in response to recent U.S. diplomatic pressure over Greenland. Debate continues on Arctic security and sovereignty. 

3. Trump prosecutor tells Congress former president willfully broke laws
Former Special Counsel Jack Smith criticized Trump’s actions and narratives before a House panel, asserting that Trump “willfully” violated laws during his prosecutions. 

4. Homicide rates in U.S. cities decline sharply
A new report shows a significant 21% drop in homicide rates across dozens of major U.S. cities, marking one of the most notable decreases in recent crime statistics. 

5. U.S. Vice President heads to Minnesota amid immigration tensions
Vice President J.D. Vance traveled to Minnesota to address high tensions over controversial immigration operations and enforcement actions, reflecting ongoing domestic policy disputes. 

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