Rosem Morton

Filipino nurses have been on the frontlines of many health crises over the years and it is not by accident. Healthcare in the Philippines was largely modeled after the American system during the U.S. occupation, which lasted 48 years. This prepared Filipinos to become nurses abroad instead of their home country. 

The first large wave of Filipino immigrants began after World War II when the U.S. created the Exchange Visitor Program (EVP), which facilitated the entry of foreign nationals to help ease labor shortages. In 1948, the Philippines and the U.S. entered into an agreement for the financing of bi-national centers to coordinate educational exchange programs in various fields, including healthcare. By the 1960s, the demand for nurses increased dramatically following the passage of Medicare and Medicaid and a spike in illnesses such as the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s. 

It is important to recognize the role of colonialism in shaping the dominant perception of many marginalized groups. The common narrative for migrants has always been, leaving their poor country for better opportunities abroad. While true, this is not the only truth. This project seeks to question this dominant narrative by examining past and present history and pairing this with current and archival images to show the underrepresented stories of these nurses over the years.