Filipino American Gems
Rita Cacas is a retired archivist who has dedicated her life to tracing the histories of Filipinos and Filipino Americans in the greater Washington, D.C. area. In 2015, she helped establish the Rita M. Cacas Filipino American Community Archives at the University of Maryland, which includes materials from as early as 1921 and spans through the present day. In this chapter, Cacas discusses three “gems” from this collection that illustrate the array of Filipino American imprints on D.C.’s history.
Select a story to learn more
Rita Cacas is a native Washingtonian and daughter of one of the early Washington DC Filipino pioneers who arrived in the U.S. in 1929. She holds Master’s degree in Library Sciences/Archives (2002) and a B.A. in Fine Arts/Art History (1978), both from the University of Maryland, College Park. Rita is co-author of Images of America: Filipinos in Washington, DC, Arcadia Publishing, 2009.
In 2014, Rita retired from almost 40 years with the federal government, serving as Archives Specialist at the National Archives & Records Administration (2000-2014); Program Analyst at the U.S. Census Bureau (1999-2000); and Museum Specialist at the National Gallery of Art, Washington (1979-1999). In her retirement, Rita has become a Washington, DC Filipino Community Historian & Archivist.
In January 2015, she established a non-profit foundation that helped acquire, preserve, and provide access to histories, culture, and archives of Filipino Americans in the metropolitan Washington DC area. While the foundation was dissolved in 2019, Rita continues to preserve and share the history of DMV Filipinos. In 2022, Rita became a founding member of the DMV Chapter of the Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS). She facilitated the Chapter’s first event in October celebrating Filipino American History month and Archives Month.
During 2024, Rita cheerfully served on an advisory committee for the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center exhibition “Sightlines: Chinatown and Beyond” and for the accompanying online project, the Sightlines Atlas.
Flyer for cultural activities organized by Asian Benevolent Corps
Asian Americans in Washington, D.C., relied on social organizations and events like those mentioned in this chapter to find community and foster a sense of belonging. This registration form is from a 1976 cultural arts program organized by the Asian Benevolent Corps. It shows a range of activities that brought people of various backgrounds together.
