In this interview, long-time Filipino American community organizer, Rose Ibañez, discusses her life and the legacy of her late husband, Florante Ibañez. She shares their history as part of the 1970s Filipino student activism movement, highlighting their involvement in founding UCLA Samahan and the UC Irvine Kababayan Club. Rose details Florante’s significant career as a librarian and archivist, noting his contributions to preserving Asian American history. She also reflects on their connection to SIPA, and the historical context behind the naming of Historic Filipinotown.

Historic Filipinotown, Los Angeles, CA  – Search to Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA)’s annual Youth Solidarity Conference, themed ‘Roots & Resilience’, returns for a fourth run on April 18th, from 11am to 5pm. This year’s youth-led, youth-centered conference features workshops, speakers, and wellness offerings focused on educating young people about activism, leadership, and community healing.

On March 7th, 2026, SIPA’s Leadership Development interns held the inaugural Stories of HiFi: Media Townhall, attended by 80 community members, in collaboration with Kounkuey Design Initiative (KDI). The two organizations created the Community Media Lab (CML) to allow young creatives to produce projects centered around gentrification and displacement in Historic Filipinotown (HiFi). This event was held to raise awareness of gentrification and displacement by highlighting the impact of rising housing costs on longtime residents, and encouraging community dialogue on preserving Filipino heritage and supporting local businesses. In addition, the event provided an outlet for community members, activists, and local organizations to connect, share experiences, and discuss possible solutions for displacement.