In a chance encounter thousands of feet above the ground, senior Dylan Reyes’ vision for Filipino American History Month took flight.

“I was flying back from Orange County after a California Association of Student Councils [CASC] conference, and I just looked to my right, and it was [California Attorney General] Rob Bonta,” Reyes said. “After the flight, I kind of channeled [my] confidence and decided to go up to him.”

Reyes asked Bonta, who is also Filipino American, to sponsor his proclamation recognizing Filipino American History Month in Contra Costa County. His bold decision paid off—Bonta agreed, even offering to attend the ceremony in October.

But the sponsorship was only the final step in a five-month-long process.

From Vision to Reality

“I’ve had this vision for a really, really long time of creating something that could recognize not only my Filipino American heritage but also the sacrifices of my grandparents,” Reyes said.

Initially, he planned to focus on bringing this recognition to just the town of Danville. However, with encouragement from local leaders like former Danville mayor Newell Arnerich, Reyes expanded the scope of his vision. He reached out to Contra Costa County Supervisor Candace Andersen, with whom he had interned the previous summer.

With her guidance, Reyes spent the next few months interviewing prominent Filipino American leaders across the county—Richmond’s vice mayor, Pinole’s mayor, Lafayette’s mayor.

These interviews, combined with historical research, formed the backbone of the proclamation, which was presented to the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors in October 2024, just before Filipino American History Month.

Honoring his Heritage

At the October 1st meeting, Reyes delivered a speech in front of a packed audience, including his parents, grandparents, and Bonta.

For Reyes, seeing his grandparents’ reaction at the meeting was what truly cemented the significance of his work.

“[My grandparents’] whole lives were about selflessness, doing things for others,” he said. “I feel like this was kind of my way to return the favor and do something for them for a change.”

As Reyes gave his speech after the proclamation passed, he remembers seeing his grandmother in tears. 

“I described all the sacrifices she made, and it helped her reflect on how far she’d come. I think that was the most rewarding part—seeing how proud she was.”

Reyes’ drive to advocate for Filipino American history is deeply tied to his grandparents’ stories. His paternal grandparents, Gloria and Edward, were among the earliest Filipino immigrants, with Gloria working as a nurse to support her family and Edward taking on three jobs to finance his education in Alabama during the Civil Rights Movement.

On his mother’s side, his grandmother Julie cared for her family after losing her father at a young age, while his grandfather Eddie grew up selling goods on the streets of the Philippines. Eddie immigrated to the U.S. after World War II and later became an accountant.

Through the proclamation, Reyes sought to honor these sacrifices and uplift the often-forgotten stories of Filipino Americans—from the early Filipino immigrants who arrived in the U.S. as far back as the 1500s to the brave contributions of labor leaders like Larry Itliong during the grape strike of the 1960s.

“There are definitely some generational gaps in ways of thinking, but one thing that we all have in common is the fact that we value family,” Reyes said. “That’s something that all sides of my family have always emphasized—family comes first. They were always giving money back to the Philippines, even when they didn’t have much for themselves.”

Looking Ahead

“I just think about the life that I live right now,” Reyes said. “I’ve had so many privileges, even just living in an area like Danville. There are so many opportunities that they never got, and I feel like one of my main missions in life is to take advantage of my opportunities because that’s what they would have wanted. I know that’s what they would have done if they were in my position as well.”

While Reyes’ immediate focus is on finishing high school, his passion for public service has already earned him admission to Stanford University, where he will matriculate in the fall. He is unsure whether his future lies in local or state politics, but wherever he goes, his cultural pride and commitment to advocacy will remain at the forefront of his journey. He hopes to follow in the footsteps of mentors like Attorney General Bonta and Supervisor Andersen. 

“[Writing the proclamation] was a long process, for sure, but it was worth it in the end,” he said. “I’ll continue to use my passion and the inspiration I get from my grandparents to guide me in whatever I do.”