Discovering your Roots

Discover your roots through creative arts

Historical identity

Rizal Center Mural

Chicago, Illinois
Project started: October 6, 2025
Project completed: November 16, 2025

Celebrating Filipino Heritage: A Collaborative Mural at the Rizal Community Center will narrate the rich history of Filipino immigration to Chicago and the United States. This mural will celebrate the cultural heritage and contributions of the Filipino community by involving fourteen artists, each bringing their unique style and voice to a collaborative masterpiece. The artwork will depict the cultural history of the Rizal Center which has been a cornerstone of the Filipino community for nearly 50 years.

Starry Night on My Way to Manila – 1998

Magdalena – 2023

18×24″ Acrylic/colored pencil on cardboard on wood panel

Magdalena “Maggie” Estoista Leones (August 19, 1920 – June 16, 2016) was a Filipino intelligence officer during World War II. She is the first and only Asian to receive a Silver Star Medal for her wartime contributions.

She was the mastermind for the explosion of Japanese planes on an airstrip in Tuguegarao. Leones gathered radio parts and recruited technicians, which allowed consistent communication with General McArthur, and it paved the way for his return to the Philippines and the eventual reclaim of Leyte.

Source: Wikipedia

Cultural Identity

Nature’s Energy (Power of Our Ancestors) – 2024

24×48” Glass on Acrylic/colored pencil on cardboard and illustration board on hard board

Like its Native American counterpart, the Indigenous people of the Philippines emphasize harmony with the natural environment, such as the forests and seas. Filipino culture believes that power resides in the natural environment and that living things and inanimate objects have power.

Yakan Bride

A Yakan bride, known as a pangantin dende, belongs to the indigenous Yakan Muslim community of Basilan Island in the southern Philippines and is recognized by her intricate facial art and ceremonial traditions. Documented by cultural groups like Parangal, Yakan weddings are rich with ancestral symbolism.

Warrior – 2026

Tikbalang

A Tikbalang is a mythical creature from Philippine folklore that famously tricks travelers and leads them astray in the forest.

Family Identity

“Lola” Angelina Sabiniano Parinas – 2025

In the Philippines, the term “Lola” is a term of endearment and respect for a grandmother.

Lola was the matriarch of the family, providing guidance, hospitality, and warmth, and mothering entire households through her care and cooking. She was a storyteller with a fun sense of humor and an infectious laugh.