The FANHS DMV Chapter–representing the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia–welcomes the nation to the 2026 FANHS National Conference on July 22–25, 2026.

The gathering takes place at the Marriott Crystal Gateway in Arlington, VA, just one metro stop away from National Airport (DCA) and a short ride into Washington, across the Potomac River. The city and its neighboring communities hold a powerful presence shaped by nearly 200,000 Filipino Americans. Their roots and rhythms move through schools, churches, arts spaces, federal buildings, kitchens, care centers, and front porches across the region. Their histories help define the character of the DMV, and their stories invite the conference into a vibrant, living landscape.

The FANHS conference forms a national home for students, scholars, community leaders, artists, and healers. The space opens pathways for shared research, storytelling, and cultural memory. Emerging scholars and students enter this home with new questions, new narratives, and new visions for Filipino American history. 

Conference Theme: PiNoise in the Potomac: Monuments to Change

PiNoise merges “Pinoy” and “noise” and is pronounced “pi-noise.” It was originally used in 1998 as the name of an annual Filipino pop music festival in San Francisco. We are using it now to say that we are gathering to make noise. And Filipino traditions have many examples of what that sounds like–not only in music, but in laughter, story-telling, and ritual. We are making noise as Filipino Americans and FANHS, here–in the nation’s capital for the first time–and  now, recognizing the moment we are in as a nation. 

Monuments to Change is a nod to the landscape around us. But it also recognizes how Filipino Americans have remade American history. Monuments literally cement dominant narratives in place, narratives that extol American heroism at the expense of Filipinos. But through scholarship, organizing and community action, we have successfully changed monuments and added new layers of meaning. Each effort opens space for fuller histories and deeper understanding. 

Schedule

Wednesday, July 22: Pre-Conference Filipino American History Tour
Thursday, July 23: Registration, Welcome Plenary, and Workshop
Friday, July 24: Workshops, FANHS Membership Meeting
Saturday, July 25: Workshops, Market Place, and Gala

To propose a workshop, please complete the Call for Proposals by January 15, 2026.

Hotel

Marriott Crystal Gateway
1700 Richmond Highway
Arlington, VA 22202
Conference Rate: $189
Make your Reservation

Conference registration opens in February 2026.