Little Manila, a four-block section of Stockton, was once home to the largest Filipino population in the world outside of the Philippines. The area is now on a national registry of endangered historic sites — but a local organization is doing what it can to preserve the history of the neighborhood.
Hannah Divino works with Little Manila Rising, a community-based organization focused on preserving the historical footprint of Little Manila in Stockton. The Little Manila Rising Center is set to open its physical location by the end of the year — right in the heart of the historical neighborhood.
The area started as a safe place for Filipino migrants in the early 1900s, who faced racism as they tried to integrate into the city…