AMERICA IS IN THE HEART 80 (#AIITH80)
A Multimedia Series by Wilmer Galindo
Overview
America Is in the Heart 80 (#AIITH80) is a multidisciplinary multimedia series commemorating the 80th anniversary of the first publication of America Is in the Heart (1946), the landmark semi-autobiographical novel by Carlos Bulosan.
Blending film, music, and digital storytelling, the project explores immigrant journeys, labor history, and the enduring question at the center of Bulosan’s work:
What does it truly mean to be American?
Why This Project
For many readers, America Is in the Heart is a foundational work of Asian American literature.
For me, it is also personal history.
My grandfather, Roman Galindo, belonged to the sakada generation — young Ilocano men recruited to work the plantation fields of Hawai‘i in the early 20th century. Their lives echo the pages of Bulosan’s story.
In one passage, Bulosan describes Filipino laborers traveling steerage — barefoot, eating with their hands on the ship’s deck — watched and judged by first-class passengers.
I don’t know if my grandfather was barefoot when he arrived in Kauai 1946, the same year the book was published.
But I know he carried the same journey.
This series begins there.
The Series
Through cinematic shorts and musical chapters released across digital platforms, AIITH80 reinterprets Bulosan’s narrative for contemporary audiences.
Each piece traces a different movement of the immigrant experience:
Migration — Leaving home, crossing oceans, arriving unseen
Labor — The dignity and endurance of workers who built communities
Exclusion — Racism, displacement, and the struggle to belong
Becoming — Identity formed through resilience and collective memory
The project moves between past and present, showing that America is not only a place on a map — but an idea continuously shaped by people.
Dedication
This project is dedicated to my grandfather, Roman Galindo, and to the sakadas — whose labor, sacrifice, and quiet courage helped build the foundations of modern America.
Rufino Ignacio,Tito Rufie was a patron of the arts and shared the richness of Filipino culture. Inspiring in me an appreciation and exploration that led to this project.
About the Creator
Wilmer Galindo is a multidisciplinary designer and storyteller whose work bridges history, culture, and civic life. His practice spans visual design, digital media, and community-centered storytelling, with a focus on immigrant narratives and public memory.
Follow the Series
🎬 Watch: YouTube
📱 Updates: Instagram / Facebook(coming soon
🎵 Shorts & Reels: TikTok (coming soon)
Official Tag: #AIITH80
