New Sacramento exhibit honors Filipino identity and history [Video]

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — In honor of Filipino American History Month, celebrated each year in October, 20 Filipina/x artists across the greater Sacramento region and the Bay Area brought their stories to center stage at the James Kaneko Gallery at American River College.

Through powerful visual storytelling in the forms of sculpture, paintings, an interactive altar and more, the artists explored their own identity and how they are protecting their heritage.

“Historically, a lot of the work that you see in galleries or studios or museums represent a lot of Caucasian people and I think we need spaces where all people can go and see someone that reminds them of themselves,” said Niki Toney (she/her), an interdisciplinary artist and co-curator for the exhibit.

The exhibit is titled Agimat, a Tagalog word for “amulet” or “charm,” which is …