This website celebrates the life of the late and Honorable Thelma Jean Garcia Buchholdt, born on August 1, 1934 in the Garcia family home in Claveria, a beautiful seaside town on the South China Sea, the northernmost community on the Island of Luzon, Republic of the Philippines.

Coming to the United States in 1951, just 15 years of age, she went on to become a teacher, a professional planner, attorney, historian, and a distinguished politician, while raising and managing her family.

In California, Thelma began her teaching career and became actively involved in the civil rights movement as it developed in the late 50s and early 60s.

In Alaska, Thelma became a respected leader in her new home town of Anchorage, Alaska, as well as throughout Alaska as she served the needs of Alaska’s Native people, with whom she closely identified, both professionally as a planner, as an attorney, and as a member of Alaska’s House of Representatives.

When Thelma died on November 5, 2007, she was the National President of the Filipino American National Historical Society, and had written and lectured widely about Alaska’s Filipino communities.   The history of the Filipino diaspora to America was important to Thelma.  She wrote about history.  But more significantly, Thelma Garcia Buchholdt made history. 

This web site is the product of a collaboration of Thelma’s family, friends, and others who knew and admired Thelma Buchholdt, and believe that her story is inspiring and important Filipino American history.