1. Thelma Garcia Buchholdt was a Filipino American community activist, politician, historian, public speaker, cultural worker, and author.
21 Facts About Thelma Buchholdt
1. 2.
Thelma Buchholdt was elected to the Alaska House of Representatives for four consecutive terms, from 1974 through 1982.
3.
Thelma Buchholdt was the first of six children born to Eugenio Manalo Garcia and Dionisia de Leon.
4.
Thelma Buchholdt's father was of mixed tribal heritage including Aeta and Ibanag, whose family came from Calanasan, Apayao.
5.
Thelma Buchholdt's mother was of Ilocano heritage, whose ancestors came from Vigan, Ilocos Sur, and from the towns of Laoag and Bangui in Ilocos Norte province.
6.
When she was 15 years old, Thelma Buchholdt was enrolled at Mount St Mary's College in Brentwood, Los Angeles, California.
7.
Thelma Buchholdt was able to do this through the sponsorship of her maternal uncle Fermin de Leon, who was based in Las Vegas, Nevada.
8.
Thelma Buchholdt earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1956, majoring in Zoology.
9.
Thelma Buchholdt was enrolled in graduate studies at a Las Vegas-based extension of the University of Nevada, which later became the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
10.
In 1988, immediately after her youngest child graduated from college, Thelma Buchholdt enrolled in the District of Columbia School of Law in Washington, DC She and her husband enrolled together, and earned their law degrees in 1991.
11.
Thelma Buchholdt ran for the Anchorage School Board and lost in a surprisingly close race for a first-time candidate.
12.
Thelma Buchholdt was re-elected to the Alaskan legislature in 1976,1978, and 1980.
13.
Thelma Buchholdt was the first female Filipino American legislator in the United States of America.
14.
Thelma Buchholdt met her husband of 50 years, Jon Buchholdt, while studying in Las Vegas.
15.
Thelma Buchholdt was a member of the Alaska Bar Association, and practiced law as a member of the Buchholdt Law Offices, located in Anchorage.
16.
Thelma Buchholdt was the founder of the Filipino Heritage Council of Alaska, Inc.
17.
Thelma Buchholdt coordinated the 1st Statewide Filipino Community Leadership Conference, held April 21 through 26,1980 in Juneau, Alaska.
18.
Thelma Buchholdt was the founder of the Alaska chapter of the Filipino American National Historical Society, and she served as a trustee and officer of National FANHS.
19.
Thelma Buchholdt was the first three-term national president of FANHS.
20.
Thelma Buchholdt died of pancreatic cancer on November 5,2007, at her home in Anchorage.
21.
In 2008, Thelma Buchholdt was awarded the James "Jim" Doogan Lifetime Achievement Award by the Alaska Democratic Party.