DT #594 The Power of Place and Pride: Celebrating Filipino American Heritage Month

Develop This: Economic and Community Development

In this inspiring episode of Develop This!, host Joi Cuartero Austin sits down with her sister, Christine Cuartero, Co-Director of the Filipino School of Chicago, to explore how cultural heritage can shape stronger communities and local economies.

October marks Filipino American History Month, a time to honor the resilience, creativity, and contributions of Filipino Americans across generations. Joi and Christine discuss how celebrating heritage is more than preserving tradition; it's an act of community-building, identity, and empowerment.

From the diverse neighborhood of Albany Park in Chicago, Christine shares the story of how a group of Pinay mothers in education came together to found a school rooted in bayanihan (collective spirit), kapwa (shared humanity), and cultural pride.

Together, they discuss how cultural education fosters belonging, how immigrant stories shape the economic and social fabric of neighborhoods, and how investing in heritage is a powerful strategy for local revitalization.

In this episode:

• The significance of Filipino American History Month and why representation matters.
• The story behind the Filipino School of Chicago, founded by a group of Pinay educators to preserve culture, language, and pride for the next generation.
• How Albany Park's diversity is both a cultural and economic asset.
• How cultural spaces foster belonging and retention, key factors in economic development.
• The role of heritage-based entrepreneurship and cultural businesses in driving local vitality.
• Why bayanihan, the Filipino spirit of collective effort, mirrors the principles of successful community and economic development.
• Practical ways economic developers can partner with immigrant-led and cultural organizations to strengthen inclusivity and representation in local economies.

Daughter of immigrants from Orani, Bataan and Quezon City, Christine C is an educator and community organizer with over a decade of service across public school settings and neighborhoods in Chicago and New York City. Committed to equity and civic engagement, she's worked with organizations like El Puente (NYC) and the National Center for Urban Education of Illinois State University (Chicago) to connect community based organizations with schools, lead service-learning initiatives, and mentor future educators. Christine is a Chicago Public Schools leader and parent, and co-founder of the Filipino School of Chicago. She currently works as a case manager at a CPS elementary school.