In 1974, then Rep. Thelma Buchholdt, from Anchorage, became being the first Filipino to be elected to the Alaska Legislature. Nearly 50 years more later, Rep. Genevieve Mina of Anchorage, a Democrat, is creating history as the second Alaskan legislator.
Mina was elected in January. She is the representative for House District 19 in Anchorage that covers areas such as the Airport Heights, Mountain View and Russian Jack neighborhoods.
Similar to Buchholdt who represented Spenard for eight times, Mina has a strong connection to the Anchorage community. The Anchorage community is the place she was brought up by her mother, who was an Ilonggo nurse, as well as her father, who was an Ilocano grape grower and Alaskero who became enamored of the state.
“There are many people I was raised with, and that I attended school with, who have families in these areas who would visit to spend time with and play with the TV or host sleepovers, or play Dungeons and Dragons, or throw tea gatherings,” she said.
Although she was elected at the age of 26years old, Mina did not think she would be a politician. Mina says she was quiet and shy when she was a child however, she was determined to come out from her cocoon. When she was at East High School, she began to volunteer with schools and discovered that she was passionate about serving her community.
While attending University of Alaska Anchorage University of Alaska Anchorage, she was introduced to the university’s debate team by a close friend. It was a nice break from her biology studies which quickly turned into a passion, which redirected to her goals for the future. Then, the acquaintance who introduced her to the team for debate invited Mina to assist in her very first presidential campaign.
“And I’ve just gotten hooked from that,” Mina said.
Mina has joined Alaska Young Democrats and College Democrats and was selected to serve as a delegate for in the Democratic National Convention. Mina has been involved in numerous campaigns, worked in municipal and state political offices, and worked with policy companies within Alaska in Alaska and Washington D.C. The involvement she has had in community groups led her to pursue her passions in public health, health care, transportation, economic empowerment, and women’s rights.
“span style=”font-weight 400 ;”>”The more I realized that I enjoy this kind of work that involves speaking to people creating relationships, turning decisions and then taking charge of groups as well, the more I believed that it was the perfect fit for me to possibly take on a race one day, when the time was right,” Mina said.
A passion that has been passed down through generations in health
Mina was born into an affluent family of health professionals and watched loved ones take care of others . She then went on to pursue a career.
Her mother was a nurse from Iloilo City in the Visayas region was the first person in her family to attend college.
The span style=”font-weight 400 ;”>”My mom is nurse. The first nurse from her group,” she said. “My brother is nurse, my sister in law is nurse, and my grandmother is also a caregiver. My entire family members are employed in the health care industry. .”
For nearly twenty years her entire family operated assisted living facilities for over 20 years. The business, which is known as”The Genevieve assisted Living Home was named in honor of her.
Its style=”font-weight 400 ;”>”I was raised by older people than those my age.” Mina joked.
When she was a young girl her father died through suicide. After that her mother was denied Medicaid approval for the family business. In attempting to appeal the decision of authorities, Mina said her mother was faced with obstacles and discrimination. Later, her mother bonded with Filipino-American assisted living home administrators who were facing similar difficulties with the government.
When she was an early teen, Mina found herself supporting an emerging group of health professionals trying to bring a lawsuit against the State of Alaska for shutting down Filipino-owned homes for care without the proper procedure.. Mina helped her mother write her notes on experiences with Alaska and she even created the logo of the group.
The plaintiffs lost the case however the experience helped shape Mina’s enthusiasm for health insurance policy.
” style=”font-weight 400 ;”>”It was extremely satisfying and satisfying to assist someone in understanding what’s going on in the midst of dealing with a complex structure,” she said. “Health policy is an opportunity to try to get through the system in order to save lives. I believe it’s an amazing thing. .”
The learning that came before
In 2017 Mina was a student intern with the former Rep. Ivy Spohnholz at the Alaska Legislature.
span style=”font-weight 400 ;”>”I was at the Capitol for the first time as an intern. It was exactly wondering, you know I’m wondering whether there’s been an Filipino appointed to in the Alaska State Legislature?” she said. “And I searched it up and learned the history of Thelma Buchholdt .”
Before entering political life, Buchholdt dedicated tireless hours for the communities of Alaska. She was a part of the Anchorage NAACP chapter, known as the Filipino Community of Anchorage and collaborated with the rural Alaska communities to improve their access to healthcare, education, and social services.
She was employed for a number of several years as a teacher in schools and was first a candidate in on the Anchorage School Board in the early 1960s. Although she lost the first election with a narrow margin but she won a seat in the Alaska House of Representatives in 1974. She was among the very first Filipina-American females elected to the House of Representatives to the U.S.
Buchholdt has spent the eight years she was in office devotedly advocating for the interests of the working-class district in Anchorage. She was vice-chair of the Finance Committee and chair of the Health & Social Services Committee among other accomplishments. Her achievements include the establishment of the Alaska Commission on the Status of Women as well as the Asian Alaskan Cultural Center in Anchorage.
Even after leaving office, Buchholdt continued her mission for civil rights. She established her own Alaska section of the Filipino American National Historical Society and compiled a history book on Filipinos living in Alaska and was a member for thirty years as a member of the Alaska State Advisory Committee for the Commission on Civil Rights.
The span style=”font-weight 400 ;”>”I believe that my mom was conscious of the low coverage that was being offered to Filipinos within the United States,” Buchholdt’s daughter, Titania Buchholdt, said. “And the fact that she was aware of it serious as she saw the magnitude of change she was able to create. capability to bring about within her job .”
It’s a great idea to use a style=”font-weight 400 ;”>”I could picture myself working on this project since I watched Thelma performing it.” Mina said. “Learning about her background as well as understanding the work she carried out, and other connections that I enjoy such as the fact the fact that she was an ad-hoc youthful Democrat .”
Reclaiming her Filipino identity
Buchholdt was born in Luzon located in the Philippines. Her arrival in American in the U.S. until the 1950s for her college education.
Mina is, on her own came from America. U.S. in Alaska. However, as a child with family members who were all from the Philippines Mina says that as a child she did not feel like that she was truly Filipino.
“span style=”font-weight 400 ;”>”Between those who have moved to the United States in adulthood with those who are born here, it’s an immense cultural distinction,” she said. “A one of the biggest issues I’ve personally faced is having my family speak in a language I’m not able to fully understand. This is a really jarring sensation to be experiencing every day that you don’t understand what’s happening in the family’s home .”
Mina can now be happy with she is proud of her Filipino identity. It was a deliberate effort to find ways to be closer to her family through food, studying the language spoken by her family, attending Filipino community events and groups and also educating herself that the differences in her life didn’t make her or make her less Filipino.
But she also stresses the fact that feelings of loneliness aren’t uncommon in Filipino households, or any other home. Being a government employee she would like to see fellow Filipinos feel valued and feel proud of their identity. She believes that discussing feelings of isolation, loneliness and depression is vital in not only finding satisfaction in our individuality, but to ensuring our mental health.
The span style=”font-weight 400 ;”>”Mental health is a big issue for this Filipino community. I’ve been quite open about how my father passed away by suicide while I was old,” she said. “There are many ways to be proud of your identity. I’m my identity as someone who is aware of Tagalog but not actually and who was not active with that Filipino community, was not raised Catholic But I’m as Filipino as others in my neighborhood .”
Mina is famous for her fashion sense and ability to put together outfits that reflect the various aspects of her persona. When she was inaugurated as a lawmaker Mina dressed in an ethnic barong Filipino blouse that was gifted by her mom , and jewelry created by artisans from T’boli from the Philippines.
In her office at the Capitol there is an image of Thelma Buchholdt addressing an audience of male lawmakers who are taller. The picture was given to her by Christine Marasigan, a former legislative staffer . She is one of the accomplished Filipinos she attributes to her political career.
Mentors such as Marasigan are the reason Mina proposed her first bill, HB23, which would create the month of October in the Philippines as Filipino American History Month in the state’s statute. The bill is scheduled to have its first hearing in committee this week.
The bill is expected to assist the public in understanding the complexity of the Filipino community, while also challenging Alaskans to understand the history of the Filipino community.
span style=”font-weight 400 ;”>”We are of the belief that Filipino Americans work in canneries and the hospitality industry, and in health healthcare. When you consider the various Filipino groupings, Ilocanos, Ilonggos, Tagalogs, Kapampangan, there’s a significant amount of diversity within our different cultures,” she said. “And therefore, I’d like to get deeper into this conversation and engage the public. For more information about what we’re about, why we are here and the reason we take great pride in who we are. .”
She would like to have more Filipinos or any other members of an underrepresented group that doesn’t feel that they are heard by the government or feel they have the right to participate in civic life.
“I only hope to perform to the efforts that was done by (Buchholdt) and the many other people who came before me, in order to encourage others to get involved and to do the same following the example of me,”” she added.
Rep. Mina will speak in the Philippines Community Inc.’s appointment of board members celebration and meal on the Saturday of February. 25th at 5 p.m. at the Filipino Community Hall. The event is open to members of the public.
