HOUSE OF NURSES

House of Nurses:

An American Journey

A collective memoir of three Filipino sisters who helped mold the fledgling profession of nursing, while at the same time, quietly weaving a new American tapestry. With the history of Filipinos living as U.S. citizens being overlooked in mainstream media, this sprawling memoir stands as a reminder of the depth and breadth of this cultural melting pot, and offers new meaning into the American identity.

FUTURE APPEARANCES:

FILIPINO NURSES EXHIBIT

Filipino Nurses Exhibit Travels to

Trickster Center in Schaumburg, IL

SCHAUMBURG, IL -- The Filipino American Historical Society of Chicago (FAHSC) is proud to announce the “Unheard Voices of Care: Filipino Nurses in America” exhibit will be traveling to the Trickster Cultural Center, 190 S. Roselle Road, Schaumburg, Illinois, opening to the public on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, and closing on Saturday, October 3, 2026.

In addition to the nursing exhibit, organizers will also dedicate a section of the gallery space to FAHSC’s “40 Years of Stories and History,” a look back at the stories, events, archival photos, material and film of FAHSC from its start in 1986 to the present.

To bring the exhibit to life, organizers will host a community gathering to tell the stories of area nurses, as well as a gala and closing reception to honor FAHSC on its 40th anniversary. Here’s more information on the upcoming events:

• Media Day: Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026, from 3-5 p.m. Organizers will host local press members to help publicize the month-long residency at the Trickster Cultural Center.

• “Stories of Nurses” Lecture and Community Gathering: Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, from Noon - 2 p.m. at the Trickster Cultural Center. Admission is free.

• Gala Night & Closing Ceremony: Saturday, Oct. 3 at 5 p.m. at the Trickster Cultural Center. For information and tickets visit: https://fanhschicago.wordpress.com/.

The Trickster Cultural Center is open Tuesdays through Fridays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission is free, however, donations are appreciated.

After its run at the Trickster Cultural Center, a portion of the nurses exhibit will move to the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) Asian American Resource and Cultural Center, 723 W. Maxwell in Chicago, where it will remain until December.

The Filipino nurses exhibit itself expands upon a smaller version on display in the fall of 2025 at the Harold Washington Library in downtown Chicago. The creator of the initial display, Angel Abcede, is the author of “House of Nurses: An American Journey,” which recounts the experiences of his mother and aunts coming to the United States and their lives as nurses from the Philippines.

For more information, email Mr. Abcede at angelchgo@gmail.com.

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FEATURE: Filipino Nurses’ Exhibitors Seek Items Depicting History in U.S.

CHICAGO – For Filipino Americans involved in healthcare, organizers from a local historical group are hunting for artifacts—anything from hospital caps to uniforms to name badges—for a new museum exhibit on Filipino nurses. Members of the Filipino American National Historical Society Greater Chicago Chapter (FANHSC) are launching this collection drive to visually document the lives of nurses with Filipino roots or those just immigrating from the Philippines.

The Filipino Nurses exhibit that will debut on May 15 - August 2, 2026, at the International Museum of Surgical Science at 1524 N. Lake Shore Drive in Chicago. Volunteers will collect and store items at their studio in the Mana Contemporary building, 2233 S. Throop in Chicago.

“The history of Filipinos in health care here in the U.S. dates back over a century,” said Merle Salazar, a board member of FANHSC. “They helped shape the profession with their knowledge and cultural instincts, making nursing what it is today. This is an important exhibit that we hope will engage many within the Filipino-American community.”

The exhibit will expand upon a smaller version about Filipino nurses recently on display at the Harold Washington Library in downtown Chicago. The creator of the initial display, Angel Abcede, is the author of “House of Nurses: An American Journey,” which recounts the experiences of his mother and aunts had when coming to America and their lives as nurses from the Philippines.

“In writing this book, I saw how my family became a part of American history,” Mr. Abcede said. “They were here when Pres. John F. Kennedy got shot. They watched Grace Kelley, Audrey Hepburn, and Julie Andrews on the big screen. They smelled the weed from Haight-Ashbury in San Francisco. Many young Filipinos don’t know how intertwined with U.S. history our roots have become. So, we hope this exhibit will help them be proud of who they are as Americans.”

The initial exhibit displayed one of the last white nursing uniforms worn in the workplace, alongside one of the first versions of a “scrubs dress.” It also featured a conference badge that Mr. Abcede’s mother wore when she represented Guam at a nursing conference in 1969.

FANHSC was started as the 29th chapter of the Filipino American National Historical Society on June 30, 2012, to identify, gather, preserve, and promote the history and culture of Filipino Americans in the Greater Chicago area.

In addition to FANHSC and Mr. Abcede, a third collaborating organization in the Filipino nurses’ effort is Circa Pintig, one of the country’s preeminent Filipino regional theater companies. Its roots trace back to the early 1980s when its founders, newly arrived from the Philippines, received support and inspiration from the immigrant communities of Chicago. Born from the experiences of political refugees and economic migrants, it embodies the resilience, creativity and communal spirit of immigrant communities.

“Part of any effort to tell stories from the past is bringing them to life,” said Ginger Leopoldo, founder of Circa Pintig. “So, in addition to the exhibit itself, we will hold a series of presentations and lectures that will capture these nurses’ lives with storytelling and live action.”

Main contacts for the Filipino nurses’ exhibit include Ms. Salazar, representing the FANHSC; Ms. Leopoldo of Circa Pintig; and Mr. Abcede, who will act as the lead coordinator for the nurses’ exhibit. For more information or to participate, please email Mr. Abcede at angelchgo@gmail.com or visit www.fanhs-chicago.org.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Angel Garcia Abcede Jr. was born in Guam, a North Pacific island territory of the United States on November 25, 1963. His parents were Angel Chato Abcede and Luz Garcia Abcede. Angel Jr. graduated from Roosevelt High School in Honolulu and Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, with a degree in journalism. He has worked as a writer for trade press and in marketing positions for over 30 years. READ MORE

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