
L.A.’s Historic Filipinotown Eastern Gateway has finally been installed and will be unveiled this May, just in time for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.
“After many years, countless meetings and a lot of blood, sweat and tears, I’m proud to share that the Historic Filipinotown Eastern Gateway will be installed and unveiled this spring,” said Los Angeles City Councilman Mitch O’Farrell in an announcement.
The Historic Filipinotown Eastern Gateway has been installed!
This brings to fruition a 20-year community vision, and I’m proud to have helped lead the way in making this happen. pic.twitter.com/KOc800Bm44
— Mitch O’Farrell (@MitchOFarrell) April 5, 2022
“This project has been a labor of love by so many people in Historic Filipinotown. This beautiful, historic landmark will be a source of pride for the Filipino community and will rightfully celebrate this vibrant neighborhood and the incredible contributions Filipino Americans make to the city of Los Angeles.”
The 82 feet across and 30 feet high structure over Beverly Boulevard is called “Talang Gabay – Our Guiding Star,” and will stand as a welcome to the neighborhood over the Historic Filipinotown’s eastern entrance.
This 20-year community concept has finally come to fruition in the form of a stunning archway which was designed by Filipino American artists Eliseo Art Silva and Celestino Geronimo, Jr. It incorporates Filipino cultural symbols such as the Filipino ornamental lantern, which pays tribute to frontline workers and the Sarimanok which is a legendary bird originating on the Filipino island Mindanao.
“The gateway not only signals that Filipino Americans have finally arrived, but it also symbolizes the valor of the frontliners in our city,” Silva said when presenting his design in June 2020.
A community ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, May 7 to present this landmark labor of love to Angelenos.