LAS VEGAS – Filipinix American students at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) are campaigning to introduce a Tagalog language course on campus.

According to Jacques Milan, the Cultural & Political Affairs Chair for the Filipinix American Student Association, learning Tagalog is about more than just language, it’s about preserving culture. Milan noted that many immigrants lose their language when assimilating into U.S. culture, especially Tagalog.

UNLV’s website reports that 18% of faculty and staff identify as Asian or Pacific Islander, while over 16% of students identify as Asian or Pacific Islander.

UNLV’s President, Leora Dumanlang, believes that a Tagalog course would be an important step towards inclusivity. Dumanlang explained that UNLV has one of the fastest-growing Filipino communities in the student world, making it surprising that a Tagalog course is not already available.

Over the past few months, the students have been campaigning under “Operation Salita” (Operation Speak) to get the word out by speaking to administrators, committees, and the community.

A petition and Tagalog course survey have been made available for the community to participate in.

Milan believes that having a Tagalog course available is a step towards gaining culture and language, not just for people from the Philippines, but for anyone who wants to learn about their culture.

Credits: 8 News Now

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