Ah, fall. A time for spooky season, pumpkin spice lattes, and now Filipino American History Month. As October has just been officially named Filipino American History Month by California legislation, it is time to dive into what makes this such a historic moment for the Filipino community and the efforts they are making to do the month right.

The way we, as members of the Filipino diaspora, engage with our Filipino Christmas traditions is key to understanding our history of surviving colonial and imperial oppression as well as the current structural issues we continue to face. These customs can act as vehicles for meaningful conversations and tools for our cultural autonomy and self-determination.