OCA Greater Seattle mourns passing of activist, community leader Francisco “Uncle Frankie” Irigon

OCA Asian Pacific American Advocates of Greater Seattle (OCA-GS) are deeply saddened and mourn the loss of our dear friend, Francisco “Uncle Frankie” Irigon. On the afternoon of September 12, 2024, Frank passed away after a long battle with heart disease.

“Uncle Frankie” had served on the OCA-GS board member since 2012.  He was a dedicated advocate for the AANHPI community and throughout his life; he offered sanguine advice and unfiltered words of wisdom to the marvel/shock of those around him. 

Over 30 years ago, during a particularly troubled time in my career, friends had encouraged me to meet Frank, a man I admired but did not know. Frank listened to my story, then shared his experience and mused about the friends and non-friends he made over the years. Then he told me, in a Godfather-like voice, “It’s not personal. Just business.” In other words, I should do what is best for the students and community and forget those I may offend when I must oppose their “deeds.” 

Aptly, after the internet was created, Frank’s signature line had a quote from the late U.S. Attorney General, Robert F. Kennedy, “Too often we honor swagger and bluster and wielders of force; too often we excuse those who are willing to build their own lives on the shattered dreams of others.”  

Frank was born in Fort McKinley in the Philippines in 1947. His family immigrated to the U.S. in 1950 to join his father, stationed at Fort Riley in Kansas. After a stint in Germany, Frank’s father returned to Fort Lewis, WA to finish his active duty.  

After high school, Frank joined the U.S. Army where he served from 1965 to 1968. With aid from the G.I. Bill, Frank enrolled in community colleges in Tacoma and Seattle, then earned a bachelor’s degree and a master’s in social work at the University of Washington.  

The ’70s were a period of unrest in our nation. The Vietnam War, along with the Civil, Women’s and Environmental Rights Movements were national issues that impacted Asian American communities. Frank’s experiences during those tumultuous times shaped his political views and inspired him to be of service to all people, especially the underserved Asian American and Pacific Islander American communities. 

Longtime friend and former OCA-GS president, Doug Chin, recalled, “One thing really good about Frankie is that he was for all Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. He was not ‘nationalistic’ and only about Filipinos. If nobody else provided the voice for Asians, Frankie did. Back then, we were passive ‘Orientals.’ Not Frank.  He was assertive and Asian.” 

At the UW, Frank participated in the anti-war and social justice movements. He joined the Asian Student Coalition and later became the first Filipino American on the Associated Students of the University of Washington (ASUW) board of control. Running on a “minority/feminist” slate, Frank successfully ran as the ASUW second vice president so that he could designate more funding for student programs. 

Frank’s activism went beyond the ASUW campus. Along with six other Asian American students, Frank co-founded, became the editor and developed the content for the Asian Family Affair (AFA), an Asian American newspaper dedicated to news about the community. Since important news about the Asian community was not covered by mainstream media, the AFA provided aspiring writers, artists, and young activists an opportunity to share their voices and experiences. The AFA voices united in 1972 to protest the Kingdome’s groundbreaking ceremony. Frank initiated and helped lead the protest where, as he explained it, using his “military experience, Al [Sugiyama] went to the front and I was at the back to make sure we didn’t lose anyone.” AFA created awareness and inspired pushback for the community resulting in County government bringing resources to the CID to mitigate the detrimental impact of the Kingdome.  

The mitigation funds secured helped create most of the social service agencies in the Chinatown International District (CID) including the International District Community Health Center (ICHS) where he once served as its executive director. Since then, Frank had been frequently and deservedly honored for his lifetime of service.  Until he passed away, he served on the boards of the Puget Sound Advocates for Retirement Action, the OCA Asian Pacific American Advocates—Greater Seattle Chapter, and the Asian and Pacific Islander Americans for Civic Engagement. Most recently, despite his health issues, he became a founding member of AAPI Against Hate and fought against anti-Asian and Pacific Islander hate crimes.  As a member of Transit Equity for All, he fought against the proposed light rail on 5th Avenue and the proposed mega-shelter at the borders of the CID. 

Another quote that Frank was fond of came from Roger Nash Baldwin, one of the founders of the American Civil Liberties Union, “So long as we have enough people in this country willing to fight for their rights, we’ll be called a democracy.” Frank is that admirable fighter. 

Frank is survived by his wife, Felicita, whom he met at the UW and who had served as the AFA’s Public Relations Representative, and their three children and five grandchildren. The University of Washington’s American Ethnic Studies department and OCA-GS are planning an event with the Irigon Family to celebrate and honor Frank’s life.