Date of Birth:
1972Date of Death:
2018SECTORS:
BIO:
Dr. Dawn Bohulano Mabalon was a poet, journalist, historian, and activist. She was third generation Pinay, born in Stockton, California on August 17th, 1972. the first Pinay to earn a Ph.D in American History from Stanford University. Her dissertation eventually became the award-winning book, Little Manila is in the Heart, which examines the rich history of the Filipina/o community in Stockton over a period of almost a century. It chronicles how Filipino American immigrants created the vibrant community of Little Manila in downtown Stockton. It was home to many businesses and the largest population of Filipino people outside of The Philippines, until the neighborhood was razed for redevelopment in the 1960s. Her book takes a perspective which is unique for academic writing, she includes her own family’s history as well.
She joined the Department of History at San Francisco State University in 2004, where she was a beloved teacher and mentor, focusing on Filipina/o American history, oral history, immigration, women and gender, cultural preservation, and more. In addition to this, she co-founded the Little Manila Foundation, through which she worked for the preservation of the Little Manila Historic Site in Stockton. With her leadership, they were able to save historic buildings from demolition in 2003. Her leadership, creativity, and passion for social justice won her many awards during her lifetime, which ended prematurely, when she suddenly passed on vacation on August 10th, 2018. Before she passed, she was working on a biography of Larry Itliong, who’s organizing of Filipino farmworkers helped to launch the United Farmworkers Union. Although this work remained unfinished, she completed a children’s book about him, and her legacy continues to inspire people to learn more about the Filipino history of California.
It is my hope that the love, respect, and commitment we feel for our historic community runs deeper than anything that can divide us. Little Manila will always be in our hearts.
– Dawn Bohulano Mabalon, Little Manila is in the Heart, 2013
Womanhood is a public art and digital media project that promotes the historical contributions of women to Santa Clara County. https://womanhoodproject.org/
Womanhood is supported by the County of Santa Clara Office of Women’s Policy.

Augmented Reality Coming Soon!
Project Artist & Trigger Image Source: “Dear Dawn” by Arlene Biala, Jayann Bella, Frances Mendoza
Note: This augmented reality project has sound
Profile Image Source: Courtesy of Gena Roma Photography