Al Robles (1977)
1977: Al Robles and other young activists and members of the Filipino-American community create a human chain in front of the International Hotel, to prevent San Francisco police from evicting the elderly tenants of this single-room occupancy hotel. They are unsuccessful and the I-Hotel is emptied in one night in August 1977, slated to be torn down for a parking garage to serve the TransAmerica Pyramid. Al Robles continued to fight this development, ultimately driving the creation of the Manilatown Heritage Center in the new International Hotel.
Al Robles, 1930-2009, was a Filipino-American activist, worked for seniors rights, and fair housing.