Filipino youth and students have been re-learning their history, not from history books in schools but by the oral tradition of storytelling by family and community, who throughout the years have proven to be the best storytellers of our history as Filipinos in this country.

The Student Action for Veterans Equity was formed out of this tradition of listening and learning from our elders. By understanding the lives of Filipino WWII veterans, we better understand ourselves as youth and our roles as a younger generation continuing a fight of over ten years to correct the injustice brought on by the passage of the 1946 Rescission Act. This Act deemed the Filipino veterans’ military service as inactive, stripping them of their entitled benefits and recognition promised at enlistment.

Since the early 1990’s the Filipino community here in America and communities/organizations in the Philippines have been fighting for the passage of a Full Equity Bill for Filipino WWII veterans. Full Equity means the amending Title 38 of the 1946 Rescission Act which will finally allow the Filipino WWII veterans, who are in their late 70’s and mid 80's, the military benefits and public recognition of their active services during world war II.

The Brown Ribbon Campaign was launched in 2003 to spread awareness on this issue and to encourage all communities to lobby Congress to pass the full Equity Bill. Right now we urge everyone to get involved in the fight for Justice for Filipino WWII veterans. HR 4574 and S 146 are the Filipino Veterans Equity Acts of 2005/2006. This is the first time since 1997 that both a Senate and House Bill coexist to implement full equity for the Filipino WWII veterans. The Student Action for Veterans Equity remembers and commemorates the lives of these men and women, for without them, our generations would not have the stories which shape all the opportunities we have today.