MEET THE CHARACTERS

UNCLE JOE ADRIATICO

Uncle Joe and his wife Toni welcome their nephew Bobby into their family in Central Seattle while he is still young, raising him like their own. He comes from a political family in the Philippines and carries on the legacy by being a community organizer, well-read with common sense views. He helps provide for Bobby a safe and loving home while importantly being one of the first to shape Bobby's early political awareness.

AUNTIE TONI ADRIATICO

Antonia "Toni" Adriatico was like a mother to Bob Santos in his childhood, ever since his own passed away in his infancy. She cared deeply for the children (both foster and blood-related) she raised and remained aware of the social and political climate of her times. Her involvement in the community ranged from activities with local religious organizations and providing compassionate aid to neighbors in need. It was her generous spirit and openness to discussing social issues that helped to instill within Bob Santos' a passion for serving his community.

ADELA ADRIATICO

Strong and sassy, Adela brings light to the Adriatico family. Although she's the only girl in her family, Adela keeps up with her brothers through her wit. She also looks up to her cousin, little Bobby.

JOE PAUL ADRIATICO

Joe Paul is the son of Uncle Joe and cousin to Bob Santos. Joe Paul has a curious mind as he is eager to learn more about whatever is brought up to him. Though he is also very energetic and full of life.

PATRICK ADRIATICO

Patrick is the adopted child of Uncle Joe and Auntie Toni. As a child, Uncle Bob would occasionally visit Uncle Joe's house to spend time with his cousins. Uncle Bob remembers his cousin Patrick as playful, energetic and a curious child, just like his siblings Joe Paul and Adela.

ROGER AQUINDE

A cook and restaurant owner, he left the Philippines in search of greater opportunity. He represents many of those frustrated what they found in truth here in the States. Despite this, he perseveres and continues on with his restaurant in order to provide food, and thus a portion of Filipino culture, to the people of the International District. In the end, he's still looking for a place he can really comfortably call home.

TERESA AQUINDE

Teresa is a restaurant owner in the International District. She and her husband dreamt of opening their own restaurant, but their dream is at risk when the International District began to change.

ROSE

Rose is a resilient, hardworking, single mother of three, who immigrated to America from the Philippines at the age of 17. She took up a job at the Panama Hotel as a maid and claimed the International District as her second home. Rose represents the older generation of ID residents whose livelihoods and legacies are at stake when gentrification and white erasure occurs.

MOTHER

Mother, the homemaker. But how do you make a home when you're being forced out of the one place you've called home all along? Umuwi tayo.

DAUGHTER

A high school student during the construction of the interstate and new mother during the commotion of the Kingdome. The daughter cherishes the International District and all of the people within it. She becomes deeply affected by anything that threatens her home and family in which results in her using words to speak against it.

GAMBLER

She's one of Sockin' Sammy's many friends in the International District. She and her two fellow gamblers hang out on the streets, hustling people out of their money. Although her smoking addiction has caused her heart to weaken, she has a lot of love for Sammy and Bobby.

BEN LAIGO

Even though many people look up to Uncle Bob, Ben sees him as a peer. Ben is a very respectful kid and is always looking for some way to have fun with the rest of the kids in the ID. Ben is very observant and empathetic, but still loves joking around a lot when he can.

ED LAIGO

Ed Laigo is one of Bob Santos' childhood best friends. They were classmates from kindergarten to High School and knows Bob really well. He is also the brother of Ben Laigo.

MISSION BOLO

Mission Bolo is a boxer who "Sockin" Sammy Santos trains. Mission has a pretty close relationship with Sammy and is keen on joking around with Sammy, even when Little Bobby is around. He portrays another facet of the International District community that Sammy is a part of.

FRED

A young man that goes to the bar with his friend Ted. As the two get too drunk, he begins to make racist remarks towards the people of color at the bar. His actions are symbolic of the ignorance and social discrepancies that have plagued society over the years.

THEODORE ("TED")

He is simple and likes to have a good time. He is also calm and patient but when he's with Fred, he is really loud.

POLICEMAN 1

Policeman 1 is your classic, law-abiding citizen, enforcing the law. Still, he does a great job of separating work and home, especially through humor when he sees fit. Always enjoys a laugh, but work is always a priority.

POLICEMAN 2

He is a native of the International District and a friend to its community. He is a man of few words, but he gets the job done. His main priority is maintaining peace throughout the ID.

WALTER HUBBARD

Walter Hubbard was a Seattle-based World War II veteran, labor union leader, civil rights activist, political activist, and lay Catholic leader. Uncle Bob considers him as his first mentor and introduced him to activism. He introduced Uncle Bob to Seattle's chapter of the Catholic Interracial Council, a group he founded and led. He also fought for the Garment Worker's Union. Hubbard envisioned a world without racism and he relentlessly dedicated his life to that vision. He was a man of honor that fought for the rights of all people in the International District and around the world.

JOHN SPELLMAN

John Spellman was King County Executive from 1969 to 1981, and was largely responsible for the successful commissioning and construction of the Seattle Kingdome in 1976. His role in that controversial process put him at odd with activists such as Bob Santos and the Gang of Four, who saw the construction of the Kingdome as a threat to what little community the people of the International District had left. The Kingdome was Spellman's primary goal when he was Executive, and in the end he simply did what he thought he needed to do to complete that goal. Spellman never bore animosity towards the activists that opposed him, and even elected Bob Santos onto the Kingdome Manager Selection Committee, where Santos had a direct say in the way business was conducted in the stadium.

COUNCILWOMAN 1

Councilwoman 1 is hesitant of the Kingdom being built in the International District. Yet she understands the time constraint she, the other councilwoman, the councilman, and John Spellman face.

COUNCILWOMAN 2

The councilwoman helps decide in the important decision on whether to have the Kingdom built in the International District or not. The councilmen and councilwomen are under a time crunch. Councilwoman 2 feels the weight of the time pressure and wants to meet the deadline on time.

COUNCILMAN 3

Just like the other councilwomen, Councilman 3 is also trying to voice out why they shouldn't build the Kingdome. He has a different approach compared to the other two as he is more on the neutral side.

RADIO ANNOUNCER/NEWS REPORTER

He is a hard-hitting, neophyte journalist trying to prove that he’s more than just a handsome face. Watch him as he dodges mud balls, chases leads, and uncovers the stories behind the Kingdome. The construction of the Kingdome might just be the big break he’s been waiting for.

FRANK IRIGON

Frank Irigon describes the origins of radicalization stems from the contradictions he's seen in U.S. constitution, Declaration of Independence and society as a whole. He became passionate in things he believed weren't right such as the Kingdome being built and the policy changes surrounding the educational opportunity program. People looked at him as the only Asian willing to get arrested for the causes he stood for.

PETER BACHO

Peter Bacho, a lighthearted individual, took his work seriously and had a lot of involvement in the fight against the KingDome. He played a key role in organizing the march to the HUD (Housing and Urban Development), working alongside Uncle Bob Santos and Frank Irigon. To him, Uncle Bob was very special; Peter knew him and his family, and Uncle Bob was someone he truly loved and admired.

MAYUMI TSUTAKAWA

Mayumi is a natural leader who is incredibly passionate about civil rights. As President of the Asian Student Coalition, she is a figure that many students look to for guidance. She is confident, yet humble; thoughtful, and caring.

RUTH WOO

Ruth Woo is a highly influential behind-the-scenes figure in Washington state politics. She dislikes being in the public eye, and has been known to skip out on award ceremonies and election victory parties in favor of trips to the movies or the Oregon coast. Although she never runs for office herself, she acts as a "second mom" and an auntie to hundreds of young politicians, always encouraging them to do more and supporting them in every way she can. She tirelessly advocates for communities of color, working to ensure that they see themselves represented in Washington's government.

RUTHANN KUROSE

Ruthann Kurose grew up in the Central District and born into a family that believed in social responsibility and community service, which were the two guiding principles that shaped Kurose’s views on activism from a young age. Kurose credits much of her success to her late mother, Aki Kurose, who was an educator and a well-known activist who fought for the anti-war and peace movements and equal opportunities for kids in the achievement gap. In the story she is a college student and a student activist inspired by Uncle Bob's work in the community.

DOROTHY CORDOVA

Dorothy has been involved in Filipino American activism since the 1950s. Dorothy and Fred Cordova organized the Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS) of Seattle, which now houses the largest collection of Filipino American history, referred to as the National Pinoy Archives (NPA). They also founded the Filipino Youth Activities (FYA). This group has attracted hundreds of people to join the award winning FYA drill team.

MARI HAYASHI

Mari Hayashi is a student at the University of Washington and a member of the Asian Student Coalition. Growing up on Capitol Hill, Mari was unaware of the struggles of the International District. At the University of Washington, she encountered Filipino activists who were passionate about the needs of the elderly and became involved in the Kingdome protests and the HUD March.

MARY JEAN BUZA

Growing up on the islands of Hawaii, Mary had always dreamed of becoming a teacher and opening a bakery. Conscious of her family and the Filipino community's history in Hawaii, she worked hard to support her siblings and to succeed in school as the eldest child. She was sent to the best schools and was supported by her church to pursue a higher education in Seattle University. It was in Seattle where she finally achieved a Bachelor's in Education, became one of the first teachers and principals of a school, and began to fight for Filipino rights through education.

RILEY

The lights flare up, the smell of garlic fries wafts in the air, blue and green waves around the stadium as the Seahawks just hit a TOUCHDOWN! Riley goes wild in her Seahawks Christmas sweater as her hair, painted blue and green, melts onto her face from the heat of the crowd's excitement. Her blue veins bleed green throughout her personality, keeping the energy from the stadium within her. As a Filipino American growing up in the Seattle area, her curiosity emerges from Uncle Bob's story, especially around the construction of the Kingdome 1-5. Riley struggles with colonial mentality, unable to grasp Uncle Bob's and the Gang of 4's activism from underlying issues within the International District of gentrification. With blue and green running through her veins, Riley's determination to commemorate Uncle Bob's legacy empowers her to spread awareness to those within the community.

REY

Rey is an old, outgoing and friendly waiter at Bush Gardens. His encounter with Jaden and Riley enabled him to excitedly educate them on the history of his idol Uncle Bob and the Gang of Four. Through his enthusiasm to teach them about the important civil rights activism that occurred in the International District, he was able to make a connection with Jaden and Riley, bridging the generation gap between them and Uncle Bob and the Gang of Four. As a result, he was able to politically empower the youth of today.

ANITA AGBALOG

Anita Agbalog is the beautiful and self determined love interest of Bob Santos, who later becomes his wife and the loving mother of their six children. Throughout Bob's strong involvement in the International District, Anita's patience and faith are tested as she struggles with understanding the significance of his commitment and work. However, despite her frustrations with her husband's constant absence, her independent nature allows her to persevere and continue to care for her family.

MACARIO "SOCKIN' SAMMY" SANTOS

Sammy is Uncle Bob's father. He is an ex-NAVY that went AWOL due to a fight. He used the name Sammy as a way to hide from the military police. He became a boxer and local sports hero, the first person to instill the pride Uncle Bob has in the International District. He lost his sight due to boxing and after an unsuccessful operation. He lives by the fighting spirit and is a natural warrior.

"LITTLE BOBBY" SANTOS

When he was young, Bob Santos idolized his father's fighting spirit. Reading about his father's boxing career, Bob became set on becoming a fighter himself. Always energetic and curious, Bob also had a close connection with his uncle and aunt. They all helped him understand political standings, which instilled a strong core for Bob, setting him up for a further political movements.

JADEN

An out-of-state student from San Francisco (and yes, a Niners "girl"), Jaden is the rock to Riley's free spirit. Headstrong and impatient, she sticks to what she knows and isn't too keen on trying new things. However, Uncle Bob's story and the struggles within the ID helps her discover the unspoken side of Seattle. Though stubborn with her own views at first, the unity between the Gang of Four inspires compassion between her and Riley as they set out to make their mark as the new generation of Filipinx.