A significant number of nurses in the U.S. are Filipino—around 4%. However, people might not know that Filipino nurses have transformed labor conditions in healthcare through activism and collective action.
For Zenei Triunfo-Cortez, activism started with a personal experience. In 1990, she requested a transfer at her hospital, but her manager rejected it, claiming there were already “too many Filipinos” in the unit. Triunfo-Cortez filed a discrimination complaint. She secured the transfer with her union’s support and the manager was fired.
This personal victory inspired Triunfo-Cortez to engage more deeply in union work for broader change. Since then, she has stood on picket lines and sat at negotiating tables, advocating for equal wages, the return of pensions, preventing hospital closures, and fighting discrimination against Filipino healthcare workers. Her leadership was recognized when she became the first Filipino president of National Nurses United (NNU) in 2018, the largest registered nurses’ organization in the U.S., with over 225,000 members.
The nurses who’ve fought for labor rights show that some of the traits of great caregivers —compassion, resilience, and patience— make for great leaders and activists. Just as they fight for the well-being of those under their care, they bring the same level of dedication and empathy to advocating for the rights of their peers and pushing for systemic change in healthcare.
Luisa Blue is another Filipino-American who turned her caregiving experience into leadership. Her activism began in 1977 as a registered nurse at San Francisco General Hospital, where she led campaigns to improve patient care, nurse-to-patient ratios, and working conditions. In the 1980s, Blue campaigned for compassionate care for AIDS patients and for AIDS/HIV education for healthcare workers, countering stigma and discrimination.
Like Triunfo-Cortez, Blue’s work propelled her to leadership roles. From 2016 to 2020, she served as executive vice president of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), representing nearly 1.9 million workers in the U.S. and Canada.
Triunfo-Cortez and Blue are not isolated examples. Filipino-Americans started the Delano Grape Strike, a five-year struggle that led to national improvements in collective bargaining and labor conditions for farmworkers.
Filipino-Americans also played a significant role in helping their compatriots in the Philippines resist Ferdinand Marcos’ martial law in the 1970s and 1980s. They organized rallies, educational campaigns, and fundraisers, helping to build international support for democracy and justice in the Philippines, culminating in the ousting of Marcos in 1986 through the People Power Revolution.
As Filipino-American History Month draws to a close, we celebrate the thousands of Filipinos who have dedicated their lives to caring for the sick and also recognize their powerful role as union leaders and activists. Their collective achievements have become an integral part of the rich legacy of Filipino-American social justice movements in the United States, reflecting a deep commitment to fighting for labor rights, equality, and systemic change.