PROGRAMS
Community Development
Community Development
In-Residence
Little Manila Rising
South Stockton, California
Rooted in History
Introduction
Little Manila Rising (LMR) serves the South Stockton community, developing equitable solutions to the effects of historical marginalization, institutionalized racism, and harmful public policy. LMR offers a wide spectrum of programs that address education, environment, redevelopment, and public health. LMR values all people’s unique and diverse experiences and wishes to see the residents of South Stockton enjoy healthy, prosperous lives.
LMR was originally founded in 2000 to preserve the last remaining buildings of the Little Manila historic site in Stockton, home to the largest population of Filipinos outside of the Philippines. Stockton also once held vibrant communities like Little Tokyo, Chinatown, El Barrio Del Chivo, Little Italy, and Boggs Tract. However, the construction of the crosstown freeway in the 1960s destroyed these neighborhoods and directly contributed to the poor present-day conditions that residents face today.
South Stockton is chronically under-invested, with residents experiencing some of California’s highest poverty, unemployment, air pollution, groundwater contamination, and asthma rates. In 2003, LMR stopped strip mall developers from paving over many more family homes and businesses—and to this day, we continue advocating to preserve and uplift the South Stockton community.
Social Justice & Cultural History
LMR’s Social Justice & Cultural History team delivers programs that focus on cultural dance and music, martial arts training, ethnic studies, photography, and storytelling to cultivate civic engagement, neighborhood pride, and local leadership.
Environmental Justice
Our Environmental Justice team works to reduce environmental hazards like air and water pollution, create sustainable communities by planting trees and vegetative barriers, promote environmental advocacy, and create pathways to green jobs. We raise awareness about issues such as environmental justice, asthma mitigation programs, air monitoring, policy advocacy, and urban greening.
Health Equity
LMR co-founder Dr. Dawn Bohulano Mabalon, born and raised in Stockton, dedicated her academic career to studying Filipino communities in America. In 2018, she unexpectedly passed away from an asthma attack at the age of 45. This underscores the urgent need for community-led intervention and preventative health outcomes in our South Stockton community.
Health equity means understanding the intersection of physical, mental, behavioral, and environmental factors that affect individuals and groups. It means having resources for health and wellness regardless of socioeconomic background. LMR strives to empower everyone, especially marginalized people, to advocate for accessible physical and mental health care, affordable healthy foods, safe neighborhoods, and quality education.
DAWN: The Decreasing Asthma Within Neighborhoods (DAWN) program carries Dr. Mabalon’s name and continues her work toward community advancement. The DAWN team takes steps to provide asthma mitigation services in people’s homes and supports residents with social justice engagement and advocacy.
ECHO: The Equity for COVID and Health Outcomes (ECHO) team serves primarily as a COVID-19 response unit, increasing vaccine and testing sites, providing health education, and fostering partner-building.
Healing PUSO: Through Healing Pilipinx Uplifting Self & Others (Healing PUSO), we work to build a world in which the systemic barriers to mental health for our community are dismantled and people have the knowledge and agency to normalize and prioritize their mental health needs.
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As immigrants and the descendants of immigrants, we recognize the lasting trauma and sacrifices of the past and we rise in power to heal those wounds.