By: Naiia Lajoie As a member of the Filipino American community, one would be remiss if they had not at least heard the name Larry Itliong. A farmworker turned labor organizer, having immigrated from the Philippines at the age of 15, he is most famed for leading the predominantly Filipino Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee to strike against the grape growers of Delano, California. Joined by Cesar Chavez and his National Farm Workers Association, they successfully merged to become the United Farm Workers during what would go down in history as the Delano Grape Strike. There are countless sources that herald many aspects of Larry’s life; from founding unions whose demands were met with success, to serving as a steward aboard a U.S. Army merchant ship during WWII, to losing 3 fingers in an Alaskan cannery accident, to having a proclivity for Cuban cigars. Since his untimely passing in 1977, at the age of 63 from Lou Gehrig’s disease, several honors have been bestowed upon him posthumously: books chronicling his life, award shows bearing his namesake, musicals bringing his story to the stage, and most recently – the opening of the Larry Itliong Unity Park in Delano. What is not celebrated – or often mentioned, for that matter – is the toll that his public service took on his personal life. This notion was shared by his son, Johnny Itliong. Larry married 6 times and had 7 children. Johnny was 10 at the time of Larry’s passing, but he recalls that even in his early years he was wellaware of his father’s greatness and influence. By the time Johnny was born, Larry had been active in the community for 30 years. He had earned their respect, and they would often come to him during times of...... Read more on Full Issue!