PinoyBuilt — Stories of Filipino America

40th Reunion Milestone Hogan Sr. High Class of 1985: Dinner at Union Hotel October 18 • Benicia, California Forty years after graduating from Hogan Senior High School , members of the Class of 1985 gathered for a pre-reunion dinner at the historic Union Hotel. Before heading to the main event at Rellik Tavern, our core group of the Filipino-American community came together to reconnect. Front: Arnel Pacanza, Ben Carbonell, Glenn Victa, Gloria Arzaga-Vega, Nolan Highbaugh, Missy Cabrera, J.F. Perseveranda, Jim Abad, Julie Chong-Sinai, Martin Nunez. Back: Tony Magbitang, Rudy Jandoc, Tony Palisoc & Melana Paris. A Generation Coming of Age In the mid-1980s, Hogan Sr. High was more than a school; it was a cultural intersection. For many of us, it’s where our identities were shaped through community and shared resilience. Alternate angle: Union Hotel, Benicia. Sp...

By J.F.R. Perseveranda 🚘 Driving Down Michigan Ave – A Nostalgic Ride Past Chicago’s Historic Landmarks | Chesca in Chicago (2022) A 30-second drive down The Magnificent Mile with my daughter in July 2022 — passing by Water Tower Place and the Chicago Water Tower , both powerful symbols of the city’s strength and my own Filipino-American memories. 🏙️ This short video carries deep nostalgia: In the 1970s , my family drove down this same street when we lived in Chicago — bundled up in winter coats to shop for Christmas at Marshall Field’s and Water Tower Place. In the 1980s , I drove these same blocks again with my girlfriend — now part of my past, but forever part of the city in my memory. And now in 2022 , I bring my youngest daughter here after her high school graduation — linking generations on this iconic stretch of Chicago. 📍 Chicago Water Tower (built 1869) survived the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, one of the few public buildings left standing, and became a symbol of ...