TOFA honoree Dr. Rozita V. Lee, a longtime Filipino American community leader, is helping usher in a historic milestone with the opening of the Filipino American Museum of Las Vegas, the first Filipino American museum in the city and one of only two brick-and-mortar institutions in the United States dedicated specifically to Filipino American history and culture.
Located at the Boulevard Mall within Las Vegas’ Filipinotown cultural district, the museum highlights immigration stories, civic leadership, arts and the everyday lives of Filipino Americans in Southern Nevada. Former TOFA awardee and fashion designer David Tupaz serves as curator, shaping exhibitions that connect Philippine heritage with the experiences of Filipino Americans in Las Vegas.
The museum joins the Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS) Museum in Stockton, Calif., as one of two permanent Filipino American museums in the country; a separate Filipino American Museum initiative in New York operates as a roving, pop-up institution focused on contemporary arts.
For Lee, widely known as “Auntie Rozita,” the museum is a natural extension of work she has led for decades. As founder and president of the Filipino American Museum of Las Vegas, she authored and submitted the proposal that led to Clark County’s 2025 designation of the Filipinotown cultural district along South Maryland Parkway, creating a visible hub for Filipino businesses, organizations and community life.
Her advocacy has extended to the national level. In 2010, President Barack Obama appointed Lee to the White House Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, where she worked on issues including minority business development, civil rights and representation.
Born in Lahaina, Hawaii, in 1934 to Filipino immigrant sugar plantation workers, Lee moved to Las Vegas in 1979 and quickly became a key figure in civic organizing. Over the years, she has supported Filipino World War II veterans’ recognition efforts, partnered on healthcare outreach and advised multiple Filipino American organizations, while also serving as an executive pastor.
In 2024, Lee received a lifetime achievement award at The Outstanding Filipino Awards in Honolulu, recognizing her decades of service to the Filipino American community.
With the opening of the Filipino American Museum of Las Vegas, Lee helps ensure that Filipino American stories in Nevada have a permanent home — and that future generations can see their history reflected on the walls of a museum in the community they helped build.
