Washington, June 2 -- Representative Jill Tokuda issued the following press release:
U.S. Representative Jill N. Tokuda (HI-02) introduced a congressional resolution marking the 120th anniversary of the arrival of the first Filipino immigrants in Hawai'i. The resolution honors the pioneering plantation workers, known as Sakadas, whose sacrifice, resilience, and labor leadership transformed Hawai'i's economy and culture.
In 1906, 15 young Filipino men arrived in Hawai'i, launching a migration wave that fundamentally shaped the islands and helped build thriving Filipino communities across Hawai'i and the continental United States. Facing grueling labor, low wages, and discrimination, these workers organized historic, multi-ethnic strikes to...