Like countless others, I was born in the vibrant San Francisco Bay Area to two Filipino immigrants. My upbringing unfolded in Union City, a town that resonated with the essence of the Philippines. A mere few blocks away from my home stood Jollibee, the Filipino fast-food haven, while my neighbors and classmates shared the rich cultural tapestry of my heritage, echoing with Tagalog conversations wherever I went. 

When the time came to go to college, the choice of Berkeley felt natural. My longstanding admiration for the university, coupled with the comfort I found in the city, drew me in. It was during my undergraduate years at Berkeley that I embarked on a profound exploration of my family, community, and the Filipino diaspora. In my final year, I delved into the narratives of my family members and friends, conducting interviews that centered around their experiences working abroad in the Middle East, Asia, and North America.

As I immersed myself in their stories of migration, heartbreak, grief, separation, loss, struggle, assimilation, love, acceptance, happiness, and the fulfillment of dreams, I traversed the entire spectrum of human emotion. The process of deeply listening to these narratives became a passion, and I felt privileged to create a space where individuals could reflect on their life experiences. Those interviews were transformative, leaving an unforgettable mark on my heart and forever altering the trajectory of my understanding.

In 2023, I founded the OFW History Project with the mission of humanizing history, safeguarding the rich voices and narratives of the Filipino people, and fostering a deeper understanding of the overseas Filipino worker experience. My project embraces oral history as a vital tool, capturing the nuances of voice, conversation, and emotion that conventional written records often overlook. This approach not only enhances the relatability of history but also instills a sense of empathy and understanding. People are not mere facts, but a collection of stories, emotions, and lived experiences that are worthy of being heard, acknowledged, shared, and preserved.

Thank you to the men and women who were willing to share their detailed, personal, and sometimes very difficult stories with me and the world. Your legacies will remain recognized and protected. The more narratives we collect and hear, the more apparent the importance of this project becomes.

Mia Albano
December 2023

Mia Albano is Director of the OFW History Project, Inc. Born and raised in the East Bay, Mia is a first generation college student and Filipino-American. Her father was a migrant worker for seven years in the Northern Marianas Islands before making his way to California where Mia was later born. Mia grew up hearing the migration stories of her father, relatives, and friends, which inspired her to uplift and preserve their voices and histories to better understand the experiences of migrant workers in her community. Mia graduated from UC Berkeley in May 2023 with a degree in Geography. She has focused on global poverty and development and the cultural, historical, and economic dynamics contributing to uneven international development. During her time at UC Berkeley, she studied global development at The London School of Economics, played bass in the university orchestra and jazz band, and presented her research at a Renaissance Weekend. Mia intends to continue helping marginalized communities by working in international development.