Larry Itliong was born in the Philippines on Oct. 25, 1913. On Sunday, what would have been his 113th birthday, people in Austin are gathering at a wall bearing his face to honor the labor leader whose courage changed farm work in America.

In 1965 Itliong led Filipino grape pickers out of the fields in Delano, California, to demand fair pay. About a week into the strike he reached out to Cesar Chavez and Mexican American farmworkers and asked them to join. The two groups went on to form the United Farm Workers.

A mural with a new face

Austin's tribute to Itliong was painted by local artists Efren Rebugio Jr. and Carmen Rangel as part of a public art campaign honoring Asian American and Pacific Islander heroes. It covers a wall at a brewery in northeast Austin on land that was once farmland. The city helped fund the original work.

This year the artists returned to repaint it. At the wish of the Itliong family the portrait next to Larry now shows Al Rojas, a UFW co-founder and lifelong friend of the family. Itliong's son Johnny chose him.

Johnny Itliong is traveling to Austin to speak at the ceremony along with Rojas's daughters Desirée and Debra. Guests can meet them after group photos at the mural.

How to attend

The free event takes place at Austin Beerworks Sprinkle Valley at 10300 Springdale Road. A live performance starts at 12:15 p.m. followed by the rededication. Group photos begin at 1:30 p.m. and a meet-and-greet with refreshments follows at 1:45 p.m.

The ceremony also kicks off the fifth annual Filipino Day Market, which runs from noon to 5 p.m. It features more than 45 local vendors along with Filipino food and cultural performances.

Why it matters

October is Filipino American History Month. For years Itliong's role in the farmworker movement was overlooked in textbooks even as Chavez became a household name. Organizers say the mural is a reminder that Filipino and Mexican American workers built that movement side by side.

The local nonprofit behind the event runs a program that brings public art to life with dedication ceremonies, lessons and tours. Everyone is welcome to come stand with the families.