More than their Labor: Sites of Manong Leisure in the Pajaro Valley expands scholarship on the manong generation of Filipino migrants. In particular, this exhibition visualizes moments of rest and leisure to build an understanding of how manongs found a sense of belonging and home despite exclusionary policies and in-humane working conditions. By focusing on their everyday experiences, More than their Labor shows how manongs did not just work, but also created families, nourished friendships, practiced hobbies, and found joy. This exhibition asks: What did they do on their off time? Where did they go for pleasure? Who were their chosen families? Where did they hang out? By asking these questions, the exhibition offers a more nuanced and comprehensive picture of the manong experience. This exhibition features photographs and objects from the Watsonville is the Heart research initiative. More than their Labor features the objects of five families who participated in the WIITH project: the Alminianas, Ibao-de los Reyes, Recios, DeOcampos, and Sulays.
This exhibition was created as a part of the Center for Archival Research and Training fellowship and was curated by UCSC PhD student, Christina Ayson Plank.