Rizal Center’s Pamana Library will celebrate its two year anniversary on December 9! Let’s take a look back at some of the ways Pamana has shared the love of Filipino culture with kids since then:
- We hosted our Spring Fun day
- We launched monthly storytime events for kids
- We began our featured author series in the Bayanihan newsletter
- The Tara, Kain Tayo event at the Consulate general of the Philippines was a grand success!
We look back with gratitude on the many people who made our December 9, 2023 ribbon-cutting festival possible. Consul Ella Mitra of the Consulate General of the Philippines Chicago, Christine Murphy, and Dr. Almira Astudillo Gilles honored us as ribbon cutters. We are deeply thankful to authors such as Dr. Gilles, Dr. Karen Su, Dr. Rey de la Cruz, and Ms. Bambi Rodriguez, who generously donated their own works and, in Ms. Rodriguez’s case, also shared copies of books by her author friends, reflecting a deep commitment to Filipino literature and community.
The May 2024 Spring Fun Day was brought to life by the efforts of many. Ms. Ginger Leopoldo offered fun and meaningful storytelling, Abby Mendoza led the Arts Workshop, and Little Miss Ann Torralba delighted children and adults alike with her musical talent.
Later in 2024, the Tara, Kain Tayo event at the Consulate General of the Philippines, Chicago was a grand success. Ms. Ginger Leopoldo again contributed her storytelling talents, Cultural Officer Mary Joy Duran-Mortel led the Philippine Consulate General team during the collaboration, and Ms. Nina Lahaliyed of Brou’ne Desserts concluded the program with a delightful culinary experience, allowing children to create cake jars infused with traditional Philippine flavors such as ube, mango, and pandan.
We are especially grateful to Carla Navoa, Christine Cuartero, and Christine Peralta of the Filipino School of Chicago, who helped organize the Monthly Storytime series at Pamana Library when it was running.
We are also grateful to the many volunteers who helped prepare the Pamana Library from the very beginning, including those who cleaned the room assigned to us, painted the walls, decorated the space, and arranged the books and materials that make up our collection. We thank the volunteers who assisted during opening day and at every activity we have held since then. We also extend our heartfelt appreciation to the parents and families who participated in our past events and graced them with their presence, encouragement, and love.
It takes more than one person to turn something like Pamana from an idea to the living cultural archive and educational resource it is today. So, it’s appropriate that our children’s library is named for the Filipino word for “heritage.”
A people’s heritage is not decided by one person, but passed down from generation to generation by those who love to tell stories about themselves and those who came before. At a time when people in power want to erase the things that make us different from each other and ignore history when it is inconvenient for them, this becomes even more important.
If you are reading this, you almost certainly played a role in Pamana’s creation and continued growth. Whether you gave a monetary donation without knowing for certain what it would lead to, gave of your time at one of your events, parted ways with a book you love so that the next generation could be blessed by it, or brought your child to one of our storytime events because you wanted them to know more about their cultural heritage, we thank you with all of our hearts. You have done more for Pamana than you will ever know.
And more than that, you have planted a seed that might bear fruit you could have never imagined. Our vision is that every child who walks through the doors of Pamana will walk out with a love for the history, languages, and people of the Philippines, and that they will be inspired to use their gifts to inspire the next generation of Filipino cultural storytellers in turn.
We are excited to find out what the next two years hold for Pamana. We warmly invite parents, families, teachers, and their students, including young children, teens, young adults, and adults, to visit Pamana Library at 1332 W Irving Park Rd, Chicago, IL 60613, United States. Come explore and immerse yourselves in the stories, history, and culture of the Philippines and spark a lifelong love of reading and connection to heritage. We hope to see you when you come by. Our Rizal Center family is excited to share the gift of reading with you through our very own Pamana Children’s Library.
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We’re on Instagram! Follow us at @pamanalibrary_chicago for updates on our collection, events, and activities as we celebrate Filipino culture and heritage. Join us in a nurturing love for Filipino literature and exploring the beautiful stories that connect us all!
Support the Pamana Children’s Library
At Pamana, we believe in the transformative power of storytelling and the joy of books to connect generations and celebrate cultural identity. Our mission is to inspire young minds by sharing the rich traditions, values, and stories of the Philippines, fostering a sense of community. Since our opening in December 2023, our dedicated volunteers have engaged Filipino families in the greater Chicago area through enriching story times and cultural events.
To sustain these vital programs, we kindly ask for your support through one-time or monthly donations. Your contributions directly benefit the children and families we serve.
As the program of the Rizal Center, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, your donations may be tax-deductible.
Thank you for considering a gift to help us continue our mission!
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