Please join Watsonville is in the Heart on Sunday August 4, 2024 from 2:30- 4:00 pm for a Filipino American literature reading in celebration of the final day of the Sowing Seeds: Filipino American Stories from the Pajaro Valley exhibition. The event at The 418 Project will feature award-winning poets and authors, Karen Tei Yamashita, Randy Ribay, Shirley Ancheta, Robert Gomez, and Oscar Peñaranda. The writers will read new and published works about Filipino American and local farmworker history.

The reading will coincide with the Asian American Pacific Islander Cultural Festival hosted by the Asian American Pacific Coalition with generous sponsorship provided by The 418 Project, the Coastal Watershed Council, and the Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History. The festival will run from 12:00-4:00pm and feature performances, music, artwork, food vendors, and community organization tables.

At 4:00pm, we welcome all guests to take part in a joyful procession across the street to the Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History (705 Front Street) to view Sowing Seeds and learn about local community-engaged research projects. Museum entrance will be free from 4:00- 7:00 pm.

The event is made possible with support from the UCSC Social Sciences Division, the Institute for Social Transformation, Center for Labor and Community, and California Humanities. We thank The 418 Project, The Tobera Project, and the Asian American Pacific Islander Coalition for this meaningful collaboration.

Event Seating: Seating at this event will be limited. Reserved seats will be available for guests with health conditions or impairments.

Event Parking: There are two paid parking garages with available disability parking spaces near The 418 Project. Other parking can be found at the Soquel/Front Garage (601 Front St. Santa Cruz, CA, 95060)