OUR TEAM

Eddy M. Gana (they/them), LCSW, is a second-generation Pilipinx-American from Union City, CA. They graduated from UC Irvine with dual degrees in Psychology and Criminology, UCLAx with Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counseling, and USC with Master of Social Work. Based in community mental health, they are the Clinical Program Manager at Search to Involve Pilipino Americans and provide psychotherapy through their private practice, Eddy Therapy. They are the Co-Director and Resident Host of Sunday Jump, an arts organization with a longstanding open mic series in Historic Filipinotown. Having performed nationally on stage and radio, they are ½ of Steady. Inspired by people’s stories, they believe in the therapeutic elements of self-expression for personal growth and greater social change.

Stephanie Sajor (she/they) is a writer, graphic designer, and web developer from Los Angeles. As 1/2 of Steady, Co-Director of Sunday Jump, and co-founder of spoken word collective forWord, she has performed at open mics and theaters across the nation. She is also a former Chairperson and Vice Chair of KmB / Pro-People Youth, and continues to serve as a community organizer in Historic Filipinotown. She graduated with honors from UC Irvine with BAs in Film & Media Studies and Political Science, and from UCLAx certified in Design Communication Arts. She believes the arts serve as an important avenue for developing community activists, and allows her to constantly explore, process, confront, and redefine her identity and place in the struggle as a Pilipinx woman.

DJ Won is a sound selector, beat maker and poet from Baldwin Park California. Influenced heavily by underground producers and independent artists who have carved they’re own path to stay true to the music and community. Grateful for the comrades and teachers along the way.

Angelene is a 2nd generation Filipina-American born and raised in the San Gabriel Valley. She graduated from the University of San Francisco with a B.A. in Psychology and minors in Philippine Studies and Advertising. Currently, she is aspiring to work in the fields of marketing, education, and/or ethnic studies.

Joey Quian (she/her) is a Chinese-American video editor and multimedia artist based in Los Angeles. Obsessed with tomatoes, clowns, and cats, she views art like cooking – a diverse family of ingredients that come together to make one cohesive unit. Her dream is to use her creative skills to support and educate others, encouraging them to pursue the arts fearlessly. Much like your favorite bowl of soup, she’s here to offer warmth, comfort, and the confidence to chase your dreams.

Denise Aquino (she/they) is a Filipino-American based in Los Angeles, CA. She is a creative at heart, dedicated to fostering creativity and community engagement in the transformative power of art to challenge perceptions and inspire change. Denise is actively involved in advocating for social justice and works in the nonprofit sector, collaborating with community-based organizations focused on AAPI issues. Their work revolves around cultivating community participation, fostering coalition building, and amplifying the voices of the upcoming generation.

Sou Saechao (he/him) is an Iu-Mien American from Oakland, California. He serves as a Project Coordinator for the Community Archival Resilience and Engagement Project (CARE), a federal grant-funded project collecting and preserving oral history stories of Asian American elders during COVID-19 in the San Francisco Bay Area. Sou is a UC Berkeley alumni and majored in Asian American and Asian Diaspora Studies. He is a storyteller and builder in the social change ecosystem framework. Sou believes that visual and performance art has the power to inspire and move hearts.

Emdash AKA Emily Lu Gao (高璐璐) is a writer, artist, and daughter of Chinese immigrants. She writes to heal, grow, and decolonize. She believes in poetry’s power to buoy humanity and build community. For two years she produced, hosted, and curated The Word Bookstore Open Mic in Jersey City, NJ. (For publications: emdashsays.com.) They’ve received funding from Sundress Publications, Bread Loaf Environmental Writers Conference, Jersey City Arts Council and more. She has an BA in Asian American Studies from Pitzer College and a MFA in Creative Writing from Rutgers University-Newark. They are Missouri-born, California-raised and based in anxiety. She/They

Serena is a SoCal native who writes poetry, makes ube treats, and is prone to random spurts of dancing. She is passionate about community building and the arts and believes that passion is not something to pursue but something to embody. Her work as a poet and a baker envision a world that is not dictated by greed and corruption but compassion and stewardship.

Ashley C. Lanuza is a writer, editor, spoken word poet, and lifelong learner from Los Angeles. Her writing focuses on identity, family, and mental health as a second-generation Filipina American. She performs at open mics around LA—including Palms Up Academy and Tuesday Night Cafe—and has been featured at the 43rd Lotus Festival in Echo Park, the LA Get Down at Greenway Theater, and placed consecutively in Sunday Jump’s Katipunan Poetry Slam. Ashley is a proud UCLA Bruin and is working on her Master’s in Creative Writing at the University of Cambridge. Her debut poetry collection, “My Heart of Rice: a Poetic Filipino American Experience”, can be found at any online retailer. When not writing or reading, she loves to spend time with family, friends, and herself…at the beach…with a good book.  

Courtney Egenes (she/her) is a multi disciplinary artist, dj, yoga instructor, and community organizer based in Los Angeles. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Politics with a minor in Graphic Design from the University of San Francisco, where she explored the intersection of art and activism as a tool for social change. As a program manager for CRCD, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting unhoused youth and families in South Central, she leads community engagement efforts by coordinating community events and building strategic partnerships with local stakeholders. With modes of healing being at the center of her work- through art, connection, or movement – she is passionate about building bridges across communities while uplifting her own.

Born from the fuel-scented streets of Manila, Philippines, Lui Mendoza (he/him) emigrated and planted roots in Los Angeles, CA. Here he learned to bridge his cultural identities through service, such as his position for NAFFAA as an EPYC Ambassador, being a Kapwa Kabataan Youth Intern for the APCTC, and a Student Mentor for Lakas Mentorship Program, just to name a few. He is an aspiring competitive athlete, training in Muay Thai, BJJ, tennis, and recently competed in his first 5K race. In his professional life, he serves as an educator for Elementary school-aged children on the moderate to severe Autism spectrum. When he is feeling creative, he turns to rap. Some of his favorite artists being NAK, Bambu, Ruby Ibarra, and Carl Angelo.

Vy (she/they) is a housing organizer and tattoo artist originally from Houston, Texas. With an ethnic studies degree, a low-income upbringing, and a badass Vietnamese refugee mom inspiring their every move, Vy is deeply invested in building leadership, power, and love in BIPOC and queer communities—and connecting people who are in these circles. Check out their tattoo instagram page @pokedfriedrice!