Finding Aid - Estella Habal Collection

IH-001
KPFA International Hotel Broadcast
April 1977
1Hour

April 1977 pre-eviction broadcast of the International Hotel struggle (KPFA). Program contains narration, music, interviews and recorded speeches with detailed chronological account of the events leading to the eviction. Discusses the involvement of the Milton Meyer Company, Walter Shorenstein, Sheriff Richard Hongisto, Mayor George Moscone, The Four Seas Investment Corporation, and Judge Ira Brown. Audio documentation of tenants Emil de Guzman, Nita Rader, Wahat Tampao, Felix Ayson, and city officials Moscone and Hongisto. Topics of the affordable housing struggle are explained, such as the “Buy-Back” plan that was proposed to the tenants, the Power of Eminent Domain to prevent eviction, Hongisto’s contempt of court, and the progressive community joining to created a human barricade around the building. Program ends asking listeners to support the struggle of the I-Hotel tenants.





IH-002
International Hotel Actuality
August 3, 1977
2 Minutes, 30 Seconds

On the night of the 1977 International Hotel eviction, a reporter following Sheriff Richard Hongisto made recordings documenting the breaking down of doors. As a sledgehammer is used to break doors down, the reporter comments on the sheriff’s refusal to warn tenants to vacate their rooms. Field recording includes verbal exchanges between the sheriff, the reporter, and Estella Habal.




IH-003
Art Sato Jazz International Hotel Announcement EH Week
August 2, 1997
KPFA 94.1
4 Minutes

A recording of Estella Habal’s radio announcement of events that commemorate the 20th anniversary celebration. As she commemorates the 1977 International Hotel eviction, Estella Habal provides historical background of the International Hotel eviction.




IH-004
Manilatown Heritage: Ben, Fred, Me [Estella Habal] 1930s-[19]40s
June 1, 1997

Panel discussion on issues pertaining to Manilatown and the Filipino Community during the 1977 International Hotel Eviction. As Emil deGuzman moderates the Manilatown Heritage Foundation, Estella Habal, and Manilatown residents Fred Basconcillio & Ben Abarca speak. Ben Abarca explains I Hotel's 10-block Kearny Street area and past lives of the many family oriented Filipinos living in the district (1930s to present). Next, Fred Basconcillio explains his childhood as being the son of the New Luneta Café owner. Living amongst severe discrimination, Fred witnessed the exploitation of runaway farm workers. Abarca adds that he witnessed a Filipino lynching incident in San Francisco that was a result of a Filipino man dating a white woman. In result of discrimination, Filipinos got involved in creating the Agricultural Workers Union of America (Larry Itliong) . Next, Estella Habal explains the I-Hotel Eviction era's youth and compares them to past and present generations. For the first generation Manongs it was a crime to be Filipino, the second generation was extremely conservative, the third generation was radical and today’s fourth generation is still looking for their identity. Fred Basconcillio ends with recalling personal discrimination in the Ironworkers Union. Eventually, he became the first Filipino President of the Ironworkers Union.




IH-005
Who’s Who in Asia America: The I-Hotel Tenants
Sunday, August 13, 1978, 11:30 p.m.
KFRC
5 Minutes

Edited radio retrospective of the 1977 International Hotel Eviction in San Francisco. Three former tenants, Alfredo de la Cruz, Etta Lai, and Mr. Yip reflect on their eviction night experiences and speak of their continuing affordable housing struggle, now in its 10th year. Ends with a male, accompanied by music, reading a poem about the I-Hotel Eviction.




IH-006
Manila Bay & Alfredo
15 Minutes

Unedited recordings of a musical performance and interview, possibly happening at separate times. Musicians perform a song about the first generation Filipino immigration experience. The song may be called, “Profits Enslave the World.” This is followed by an interview with a tenant of the International Hotel “Alfredo”. He discusses how he came to live at the hotel in March 15, 1969 and is now protesting the eviction of the International Hotel residents. Alfredo is being interviewed by Estella Habal (pre-eviction).




IH-007
Conversation about Liz del Sol’s experiences with I-Hotel and ManilaTown.
30 Minutes
10/30/1996

In Estella Hablal's interview with Liz del Sol, Liz explains her experiences with the movement. Being third generation Filipina, her roots go back to her Grandparents living in Oakland. Liz’s grandpa even worked on building the bay bridge. She explains how she joined as a UC Berkeley student in the late 60s and eventually moved into the hotel. However, her parents were disappointed because her father was once part of the wild crowd of Manila Town, he knew of the seediness and didn’t want her around those men. Due to her being in and around the area as a little girl, Liz had an organic link with the old men. Liz has memories of Tino the barber and a well-known manong named Joaquin Legaspi. Educated and stylish, many looked up to him. Being part of the beatnik generation, Legaspi had published work. The interview ends with the reminiscing about differences of activism and politics.

IH-008
I-Hotel Commemoration [at] CHS-SF [cosponsored by Chinese Historical Society and Manilatown Heritage Foundation]
90 Minutes
07/18/1997

Symposium of speakers Etta Chung, Estella Habal, and Harvey Dong (40 min of speakers; 50 min of open discussion), delving into the basic struggle formed from the I-Hotel: private property over human rights. The struggle was to prove that dignity and decency takes higher precedence. The Vietnam War, Anti-colonial struggle, and the strong movement to search for one’s identity were touched upon as influences for the large community support. The open discussion has several comments from the audience. Comments such as the trueness of the I-Hotel’s legacy changing reality through the merging of generations to fight for one cause. The discussion ends with the need to push this information into schools.


IH-009
Estella one
60 Minutes
08/02/97

KNBR radiobroadcast interview of Estella Habal (former vice president of the Manilatown Heritage foundation) and Linda Wang, then chair of the International Hotel Citizens Advisory Committee and president of the Kearny Street Housing Corporation. Radio host Kimmy Park Lai interviews both Estella and Linda on past and present issues relating to the International Hotel. Issues such as Estella's experience during the night of the eviction, International Hotel's effect on issues such as low income housing for the elderly, community versus private development, and views on urban planning from the 1970s to the late 1990s. Estella and Linda discuss development plans of the I-Hotel site such as the inclusion Manilatown museum and cultural center, the low income housing units for the elderly and an elementary school. Estella also announces the upcoming events for that week as part of the 20th commemoration of the International Hotel eviction.

IH-010
WILD 94.9 Aug.03 1997 EH [Estella Habal] interview IH week
10 Minutes
08/03/97

A WILD 94.9 radiobroadcast of Estella Habal appearing on the station’s Youth Radio program hosted by Alex Savage and Noah Nelson. In the brief interview, Estella Habal gives a brief description of the event or march that took place on August 3, 1997 as part of the 20th commemoration of the International Hotel eviction. She also describes the significance of the International Hotel site and the current development plans for the site such as the inclusion of the Manilatown museum and cultural center. Estella concludes the interview with an announcement of events that are part of the 20th commemoration. Side B has no recordings.


IH-011
KQED 88.5 Keevin Gillory
IH Interview Aug 4, 1997
1 Minute
08/04/97

National Public Radio (NPR) Radio News broadcast by Keevin Gillory (KQED). The brief recording includes sound clips of former San Francisco sheriff, Richard Hongisto and Emil Deguzman. Hongisto states that he spent 5 days in the San Mateo prison for delaying the eviction on January 10th 1977. Emil Deguzman comments on the significance of the commemoration. Aired during the 20th commemoration of the International Hotel. Side B contains no recordings.

IH-012
“Growing Up on Kearny Street” Tape 1
45 minutes
08/04/97

The first part of a symposium titled, “Growing Up on Kearny Street”. Three elderly speakers recount their experiences growing up on Kearny Street. The first speaker talks about how the Filipino American community was like an extended family. He remembers different bars, clubs, and restaurants in the neighborhood, including Tino’s Barbershop and Arabian Nights nightclub. Ocampo, the second male, similarly recounts his childhood experience in the neighborhood, such as witnessing many different dialects of Tagalog being spoken and Kearny being home to Filipino businesses and job-seeking Filipinos. Ocampo is a member of the Manilatown Heritage Foundation board as of 2005. The third speaker Joe San Felipe, explains that Kearny street was a bachelor community, with few women and few families. San Felipe ends with explaining the discrimination against Filipinos and other Asian Americans.

IH-013
“Growing Up on Kearny Street” Tape 2
35 minutes
08/04/97

Second part of a symposium named “Growing Up on Kearny Street”. Contains an unidentified man recollecting his experiences on Kearney Street and his history in the army (WWII). He briefly reflects on the racial climate in the armed forces. Tony Robles, the nephew of Al Robles, recites poetry and reminisces about his experience growing up in San Francisco. To conclude the symposium, a unidentified woman tells of her family history and their journey to America throughout the 1920s and 1940s. Also sheds light on the social ills such as conditions of Kearny Street and surrounding areas during her years as a child and teenager. The biggest social ill was women not being allowed to live on Kearny street and the dangers women and children face.

IH-014
“Eastwind Books”
14 minutes
08/05/97

At a poetry reading in Eastwind Books, Al Robles reads a piece that begins, “Coming Home to this Place Called Manilatown”.

IH-015
“KPFA talk with Emil Deguzman, Norman Jayo, and Shiree Tang”
22 minutes
08/07/97

Two radio hosts talk with Emil Deguzman, Norman Jayo and Shiree Tang (on the phone) about the I-Hotel. Issues relate to housing struggles, and gentrification in San Francisco. Emil explains about the hotel previously being a community for bachelor Filipinos unable to marry. Due to immigration laws disallowing Filipina women from entering the country, anti-miscegenation laws disallowed interracial couples. Shiree Tang talks about how the I-hotel was also a home to Asian American leftist organizations such as Kearny Street Workshop and Chinese Progressive Association. The struggle over the I-Hotel was a fight for the community’s entitlement to that land. “Paving new roads", the energy of that moment remains through the people, old and young. Norman and Emil explain how gentrification destroyed communities such as Yerba Buena, Tenderloin, and the Filmore. With no city plan, tenants had no choice but to stay in the hotel and resist all they could. For everyone involved in the struggle, the mission eventually was not to save the hotel, but to show the world that the city was evicting the elderly from their homes.

IH-016
“Luisa Castro”
8 minutes
10/08/97

Short, informal interview of writer/journalist/activist Luisa Castro conducted by Estella Habal. Luisa explains her background as a mixed Black and Filipina woman who grew up in Portland, Oregon with her mother. Growing up, she never belonged in the white community and knew from an early age that she had no place in the white race. She identifies Lloyd Wake and Ron Takaki as two professors who actively supported the third world strike.

IH-017
“Frank Celada” [Part 1]
60 minutes
12/1/97

Estella Habal and Harvey Dong have an informal discussion with Frank Celada over a meal in a restaurant. Celada’s family came to United States from the Philippines in 1953. Growing up in the projects of Alameda, his father supported the family as a cook. With the Filipino American community being divided by class, Kearny Street was often looked at as a “rowdy area” that was not for respectable people. Celada got involved in the I-Hotel through his involvement in student activism at Berkeley. The student activist energy at Berkeley was strong and a lot of people wanted to fight for the I-Hotel. Celada reminisces about his activism at Berkeley, and how it led him to become a part of UFA in 1969-70. Celada was the community liaison for UFA. Talks a lot about group dynamics within the UFA, identifying key players (Mark Batista, Ness Aquino, Tony Ubaldi), and the groups relationship to I-Hotel tenants.

IH-018
“Frank Celada” [Part 2]
50 minutes
12/21/97

Discussion between Estella Habal, Frank Celada, and Harvey Dong about various student groups that were involved with the I-Hotel. One of which eventually created the Asian studies department at Berkeley. They explain the AAPA organization. This student organization had connections with the anti-war movement, SNCC and the farm worker movement. All three participants concluded that they got involved with activism due to the third world strike and the I-hotel.

IH-019
“Mrs. de la Cruz (1)” [Part 1]
90 minutes
03/08/93

Informal oral history interview of Mrs. de la Cruz conducted by Estella Habal. During the interview, Mrs. de la Cruz recalls her family history and her experience living in the I-Hotel. Part 1 of the interview contains Mrs. de la Cruz recollecting her family history, which includes their experience during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines in World War II. Mrs. de la Cruz also recalls how she became involved with the I-Hotel and the relations amongst the tenants and the volunteers or activists of the I-Hotel. One highlight of the interview is her recollection of the fire that broke out at the I-Hotel.

IH-020
“Mrs. de la Cruz (2)” [Part 2]
80 minutes
03/08/93

Estella Habal's interview of Mrs. de la Cruz covers the tenants and volunteers of the International Hotel. Issues such as their past and current status of the tenants and activists are raised.

IH-021
“Emil de Guzman”
40 minutes
05-02-89

Estella Habal and Emil de Guzman discuss politics and social dynamics of activism around the I-Hotel. [D]e Guzman explains how he first got involved through a sociology community fieldwork class (SF State ’69). In order to assist the struggle, his class would go to work at the I-Hotel every day of the semester. Bringing the Asian American community together, it fostering a deep sense of political identity. With few Filipino Americans involved in the struggle, de Guzman makes a connection to class background. Unlike the Chinese, Filipinos didn’t have as much community resources to fund community events. There were also generational gaps within the Filipino community between first, second, and third “waves”. Emil explains the working relationship between the young students and elder manongs. In result, the media falsely assumed that the young activists were manipulating the old. Finally he and Estella explore various political aspects that divided the movement and the support alliances that were formed from it.


IH-022
“Jeanette Lazam” [part 1]
80 minutes
05-02-89

Estella Habal interviewes Jeanette Lazam on her background, development as an activist, and involvement with the I-Hotel. Once living in Manhattan, she experienced living in a predominantly Black and Puerto Rican neighborhood. Growing up as a product of the civil rights movement, she developed her social consciousness as a person of color and gained a anti-racist framework. It wasn’t until she moved to California she began to identify proudly as Filipino. She learned in college that there was more to being Asian than just food and dance. They discussed the generation gap of political awareness. While the third generation was more working class, greater economic hardships surpassed the second. Consequently, the third generation tended to have a greater class-consciousness, which tended to aspire towards assimilation and economic mobility. In result of the I-hotel’s history and struggle, generations were brought together, even though there were language barriers. As Jeanette worked with the UFA, she provided social services and companionship to the tenants.

IH-023
“Jeanette Lazam” [part 2]
90 minutes
11/13/90

Interview between Estella Habal and Jeanette Lazam begins with the internal dynamics of the I-Hotel struggle. Lazam started with the UFA, which got her involved with the IH. Still a student at SF state, Lazan participated in a program that connected students with social service agencies. At that time, the UFA represented the tenants of IH as well as all housing issues in Manilatown. After spending a year Philippines, Lazan returned to San Francisco with a greater sense of cultural sensitivity. With motivation to continue activist work, she joined the KDP in ’74. As her work became more politicized, Lazam moved into the hotel and befriended many of the tenants. With age and gender differences between her and the tenants, Lazan and the tenents still shared a working class identity that provided unity. Lazam describes the Roosevelt Hotel plan to pressure Moscone’s declaration for eminent domain, and the plan for a buyback. Lazam ends with saying Cultural nationalism and its role in the movement creates tension between seeing the goal of saving the ethnic community of Manilatown and protecting all people’s right to obtain housing.

IH-024
“Jeanette Lazam” [part 3]
30 minutes
11/13/90

Interview between Estella Habal and Jeanette Lazam on external social-political forces. As a self-examination of the struggle is made, identification of different group involvement are examined. An example is groups such as whites with weak political ties (Anarchists, Maoists). However, whites joined the movement with prevalent ideologies, which were politically tumultuous of the time. There were also artists, the white working class and farm workers who wanted affordable housing as well. Within the left sphere, Lazam analyzes the political spectrum from the range of “radical/ultra-extreme left” to liberal. These groups often clashed and made it difficult to work together. Finally, she looks into the city forces, specifically Hongisto. She believes that a lot of the activists’ weaknesses had to do with lack of experience and lack of coalition work with others. The struggle came from all sides.

IH-025
"Bruce Occena" [Tape 1]
11/16/90
90 min.

Estella Habal interviews Bruce Occena, a former U.C. Berkeley student activist and volunteer of the International Hotel (60s-70s). Bruce Occena comments on three prominent figures in the International Hotel movement, Legaspi, Ness Aquino, and Joe. Occena describes differences, role, significance, and the character attacks that came from activists later. Occena also describes the issues facing the Filipino American student activists of UC Berkeley and San Francisco State University. Issues such as the inter-ethnic tension between activists groups such as Filipino Americans, Chinese Americans, and Japanese American activists. Occena also comments on the affects and issues of Filipino student activists coming from the Philippines and joining the International Hotel movement. Occena also describes the lease between the Shorenstein corporation and United Filipino Association (UFA) appointing a UFA as property manager. This boosted much needed student support.

IH-026
“Bruce Occena” [part 2]
12 minutes
11/17/91

Continuation of an informal discussion between Estella Habal and Bruce Occena. They talk about the political climate and its influence on the I-Hotel struggle. At first, the students helping the I-Hotel were not “more left” than other members in the community. When the KDP joined the struggle, the organization began being looked at as anti-capitalist. Attracting the attention of other progressive young people, the political meaning rose to a revolutionary level. The political climate at that time was described as “urban populism”. With a mixture of urban decay, white flight, civil rights movements, and 3rd world movements created a revolutionary consciousness for people of color in urban areas.

IH-027
“IH News Fox Ch. 2, KTVU Ch.5”
5 minutes
08/03/97

Video recordings of two separate news broadcasts covering the 20th year anniversary of the International Hotel eviction. The first recording is a 3 minute Fox channel 2 broadcast. Field correspondent, John Sasaki covers the story. He names former sheriff Richard Hongisto as one of the prominent protestors. Footage includes appearance and comments by I-Hotel activists Gunvant Shah, Al Robles and Bill Soro. Footage includes old colored film clips of police breaking through barricades and dragging protestors.
The second recording is a 2 minute KTVU channel 5 broadcast anchored by Babara Rodgers. Field correspondent, Roz Plater covers the 20th anniversary march of the International Hotel protest. Footage includes an interview with Estella Habal. In her interview, Estella describes some of the tenants who lived in the I-Hotel. Recording includes black and white film clips of the eviction night. Video is recorded on VHS.

IH-028
“I-Hotel ABC Ch. 7”
1 minute
08/03/97

An ABC channel 7 news broadcast of the 20th anniversary of the International Hotel protest. Video captures Emil Deguzman, chairperson of the Manilatown Heritage Foundation, and Lloyd Wake, a United Methodist Minister, speaking at the event. Footage includes film clips of the human barricade formed by protestors. Video is recorded on VHS.

IH-029
“ES 41 I-Hotel Panel; Estella Habal, Bill Lee, Harvey Dong”
2 hours
10/31/95

A video recording of a film viewing and panel discussion of Curtis Choy’s documentary, Fall of the I-Hotel. The event takes place in a UC Berkeley classroom. Carlos Munoz hosts the event. Speakers on the panel are Harvey Dong, Estella Habal and Bill Lee. The panelists cover various issues and topics related to the International Hotel protest. Topics such as tenants, experiences, and the involvement of various organizations are explained in detail. Video is recorded on VHS.

IH-030
“Pearl Ubungan Dancers 1997 on Kearny street, Jackson 20 year anniversary I Hotel eviction”
1 hour and 4 minutes
[August 4], 1997

A video recording of a street performance by the Pearl Ubungan Dancers at the 20th year commemoration of the International Hotel Eviction. The performance includes live dancing accompanied by live music, and poetry. Event takes place on Kearny and Jackson street by the vacant lot where the International Hotel once stood. The video is recorded on VHS.