11 Filipino Latinx Icons You Should Know About

It’s Filipino American History Month, a month-long celebration held every October to commemorate the first time Filipinos, today the second-largest Asian American group in the country, were recorded in the U.S. in 1587. It was first celebrated in 1992 but it wouldn’t be until 2009 that the U.S. government recognized the month and 2015 when it was celebrated at the White House by former President Obama. The observance aims to bring awareness to the important role Filipinos have played in American history for centuries. Within the Latinx community, Filipinos have made significant contributions and migration from the Philippines to Latin America has been happening since the 14th century. Today, Asian Latinxs are severely underrepresented in the mainstream and within the community and Filipino Latinxs even more so, which is why we wanted to put together a list of famous Filipino Latinxs everyone should know. Read on to learn more about 11 Filipino Latinxs icons and the significant role they have played.

Chanty

Maria Chantal “Chanty” Videla was born in Manila, Philippines to an Argentine father and a Filipina mother, growing up with her younger sister in Mendoza, Argentina. She is fluent in four languages including English, Tagalog, Spanish, and Korean. When she was 19, she moved back to the Philippines to pursue a career in modeling and acting, starring in projects like Familia Blondina, Spirits: Reawaken, Hiwaga ng Kambat, and Starla. In 2021, her career trajectory changed again when her father’s friend offered her the opportunity to become a member of the K-pop girl group Lapillus. After training for eight months, she debuted with the group in 2022 alongside her cast members Shana, Yue, Bessie, Seowon, and Haeun. Though she has taken a brief hiatus from the group to address her health issues, she continues to make important strides for young girls of color in the industry.

Bruno Mars

Peter Gene Hernandez, better known by his stage name Bruno Mars, was born in 1985 in Honolulu, Hawaii to multicultural and multiethnic parents. His father was of Puerto Rican and Jewish heritage, while his mother was of Filipino and Spanish descent. His stage name came from his childhood nickname “Bruno,” while “Mars” was a reference to girls in his childhood saying he was “out of this world.” He also changed his name to avoid stereotypes from record labels, many of which wanted him to sing in Spanish. He rose to prominence in the early 2000s by writing songs for other artists, finally making his artist debut with his song “Just the Way You Are.” Since then, he’s released four albums, sold over 130 million records worldwide, and received multiple awards including 15 Grammys.

Manuel Teodoro

Born in New Orleans in 1960, Manuel Teodoro is of Filipino and Colombian descent. After graduating from the University of Miami with a degree in journalism, he worked for CBS News as an editorial assistant. Since then, he has worked for CNN where he was their correspondent for New York and Colombia, for Univision as a reporter, producer, and Filipino correspondent, and for Séptimo Día as a director and presenter since 2007. His unique heritage has allowed him to work for different networks and reach out to both of his communities, providing inspiration for other multicultural journalists.

Kiara Fontanilla

Kiara Fontanilla was born in 2000 to a Mexican mother and a Filipino father. Born in Fullerton, California, she was raised in the neighboring cities of Jurupa Valley and Eastvale in Riverside County. While in high school, she played for the women’s varsity soccer team and, in her senior year, took them to the California Interscholastic Federation as the team captain. She continued to play while attending Northwestern Oklahoma State University and Cal State Fullerton, which she helped win multiple championships. She turned professional in 2023, playing for the Central Coast Mariners, a club team based in Australia, as well as the Philippines women’s national team for the 2023 FIFA World Club. As of 2024, she has signed with the Manila Digger F.C., a professional soccer club in the Philippines, and continues to offer much-needed representation for other female Asian Latinxs in sports.

Jessica Sanchez

Jessica Sanchez was born in 1995 to a Filpino mother and a Mexican American father who was an officer in the Navy. She always knew that she wanted to be a singer, posting covers on YouTube and kick-started her career when she appeared on the first season of America’s Got Talent. She later rose to prominence when she competed in the 11th season of American Idol, where she was a runner-up in the grand finals. Since 2006, she has performed at established venues including the 2012 Democratic National Convention, the City of Hope Spirit of Life Awards Gala, the 26th Annual Carousel Ball of Hope, Dancing with the Stars, and the 2012 Brittania Awards. She released her debut album Me, You & the Music in 2013, which featured songs with Ne-Yo and Prince Royce. She also appeared as a special guest star in two episodes of Glee! Though she hasn’t released an album since 2013, she continues to post covers of popular songs on Instagram and TikTok.

Stella Araneta

María Stella Márquez de Araneta, better known by her stage name Madame Stella de Araneta, was born in Colombia to a Filipino father and a Colombian mother as the oldest of three sisters. When she was in her teens, she moved to the U.S. and studied at Marymount College for a degree in psychology and French. Around this time, she began competing in local pageants. She also represented Colombia and won the titles of Miss Tumaco, Miss Nariño, and Miss Queen of Spain. In 1959, she won Miss Colombia and was notable for wearing the traditional Colombia garb including a gold headband and a Ruana shawl. The following year, she was in the Top 15 of Miss Universe and soon after, the Winner of Miss International when she was only 23. This win made her the first-ever Latin American titleholder. Since her wins, she has served as the national director of Miss Universe and the chairman of Binibining Pilipinas Charities Incorporated. Today, she serves as the director for Miss International in the Philippines.

Jessie Lichauco

Born Jessie Coe, Jessie Lichauco was a Cuban-Filipino philanthropist and activist who was born Isla de los Pinos in 1912. After her parents died, she was raised in a convent in Florida and later met her husband, a Filipino lawyer, while working in Washington D.C. She traveled to the Philippines to marry him when she was 18 and lived on the island for the rest of her life. There, she and her husband opened a shelter for war refugees, which they then turned into a hospital in WWII. Besides serving as the shelter’s president, she also co-founded the Red Feather Agency to raise funds for charities, opened her Massachusetts home to Filipino students needing somewhere to stay, and paid for 100 children to go to school out of her own money. After her husband became an ambassador for the Philippines to the U.K., Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, she represented the Philippines on the international stage and often held events at the Ambassador’s official residence. In celebration of her life, she was the subject of Curiosity, Adventure, & Love, a documentary about her life and partnership with her husband, which won five international awards and prizes. She attained Filipino citizenship in 2013 and died in 2021 when she was 109.

Reina Bonta

Reina Gabriela Villafañe Bonta was born in 1999 to a Filipino American father and a Puerto Rican mother. From an early age, she knew she wanted to pursue a career as a professional soccer player because her dad has also played in his youth. While attending Yale University, she played on the school’s soccer team. Since 2023, she has played for the professional club Santos as a center-back. Due to her multicultural heritage, she was eligible to represent the U.S., the Philippines, or Puerto Rico at the international level but has chosen to represent the Philippines. She made her international debut in a match against Costa Rica and represented her father’s home country at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. She has also pursued aspirations as a filmmaker, premiering her short film Lahi at the 2022 Hawai’i International Film Festival.

Ramón Manulat

Ramón Manulat was a basketball player born in 1930 of Cuban, Spanish, and Filipino descent. He grew up in the Philippine state of Cebu and attended the University of Santo Tomas in Manila. While pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering, he played for the Glowing Goldies basketball team. Later, he turned professional, playing for the Philippine National Team, which he helped win a gold medal at the 1954 Asian Games and a bronze medal at the 1954 FIBA World Championship. He also played for the team at the Olympics in 1956, winning seventh place. He passed away in 2019 but continues to have an undeniable impact on men’s sports.

Demitrius Omphroy

Demitrius Omphroy was born in 1989 to a Panamanian-German father and a Filipino mother. Raised in the U.S., he started pursuing soccer seriously when he was 17-years-old, playing for a club team in Portugal. When he returned home, he played for UC Berkeley’s soccer team, as well as the San Francisco Seals and Bay Area Ambassadors. He turned professional in 2011, playing for Toronto FC as a forward. He also played for Global FC for the Filipino side, helping the team continue on to the semi-finals. He’s also played on the international stage, playing for Panama in qualifiers for the Central American Games and for the Philippines at the 2012 Philippine Peace Cup. He has also pursued painting, becoming known for his contemporary expressionistic style.

Gary Valenciano

Edgardo Jose Santiago Valenciano, known by his stage name Gary Valenciano, is a singer who was born in Manila in 1964 to a Filipino father and a Puerto Rican mother. He started singing when he was young, performing with his choir before appearing on The Pilita and Jackie Show, Germspesyal, and Penthouse Live. He has released 23 albums since 1983 and starred in 14 films since the ’90s. In the Philippines, he’s been compared to Michael Jackson and has played sold-out shows all over the world. He has also won multiple awards including 12 Awit Awards, which are given by the Philippine Association of the Record Industry. He is also a passionate philanthropist and has served as a UNICEF National Ambassador for 25 years, the first person to ever achieve this feat.