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Do you remember how old you were when you first read a book that had a character who looked and lived like you in it?

-Carlos Bulosan

OUR TEAM

Co-Director

Eddy M. Gana

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. With clinical experience across home, school, and medical settings, they are the clinical program manager of mental health at Search to Involve Pilipino Americans. They are a Co-Director and Resident Host of Sunday Jump, the longest-running Filipino-founded open mic series in Historic Filipinotown. Having performed nationally on stage, radio, and television, they are ½ of spoken word duo Steady. Inspired by people’s stories, they believe in the therapeutic elements of self-expression for personal growth and greater social change.

Eddy M. Gana

they/them

Co-Director

Stephanie Sajor

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 serves as a community organizer. 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/a/o person.

Stephanie Sajor

she/they

Sound Engineer

DJ Won

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.

DJ Won

he/they

Production Crew

Angelica Nicolas

Angelica Nicolas is an emerging arts leader who has over 12 years of experience in the nonprofit arts sector. She currently serves as the Marketing and Patron Services Associate for the Philharmonic Society of Orange County. Prior to joining the Philharmonic Society, she worked as the Marketing Coordinator for The Community Foundation in Riverside, California. A proud first-generation college graduate, she earned a Bachelors of Arts in Media Studies from the University of California, Berkeley, in December 2016. She is a passionate arts advocate, plant enthusiast, and home baker. An adventurous spirit, Angelica has traveled to 13 countries, but hopes to reach 30 countries by the time she turns 30!

Angelica Nicolas

she/her

Production Crew

Arianna Dela Rosa

Arianna Dela Rosa (she/her) is a Holistic Career & Empowerment Coach helping first-generation BIPOC communities navigate their careers and lives with inner healing and alignment. Being a first-gen changemaker and woman of color, Arianna is passionate about coaching her community to overcome barriers, such as self-limiting beliefs, imposter syndrome, and lack of confidence. Her lens of coaching is rooted in social justice and decolonization. In her free time, Arianna enjoys being involved in the arts, attending open mic spaces, watching concerts and musicals, writing, and singing.

Arianna Dela Rosa

she/her

Production Crew

Lui Mendoza

he/him

Digital Marketing Asst

Monica L

Monica L (she/her) was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA, She is a first-generation Mexican-American who earned her Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design from Cal Poly Pomona University. She works at an office, but in her free time, she collaborates with fellow artists, creating illustrations for poetry books and designing GIFs and flyers for social events. Monica is also a Social Media Assistant for Sunday Jump, an organization based in Historic Filipinotown, where she edits videos of past events and designs promotional materials for upcoming ones. Monica finds inspiration from the stories shared through music and poetry at Sunday Jump, which fuels her own creative passions.

Monica L

she/her

Outreach Asst

Vy Tran

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.

Vy Tran

she/they

Photo Editor

Nessé Aquino

Nessé is a filipina poet, singer/songwriter and visual artist living and working in Los Angeles, CA. She’s passionate about connecting with creatives, supporting BIPOC artists, events and projects that uplift our communities, and inspiring others to realize their full potential. With an upcoming poetry book and EP in tow, Nessé aims to boldly express her experience growing up as a filipina american, sharing her appreciation for her culture with the world.

Nessé Aquino

she/her

Social Media Coordinator

Angelene Carranceja

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.

Angelene Carranceja

she/her

Development Coordinator

Sou Saechao

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.

Sou Saechao

he/him

Content Creator

Hannah Tan

Hannah Tan (they/she) is Filipino-American agroecology worker, community organizer, and artist based in Bicol, Philippines. Originally from Los Angeles, they studied Communication at the University of Southern California. After working in PR and advertising for several years, they transitioned to freelancing to focus on community organizing for ecological impact in the Philippines. They also perform as drag artist and DJ "Tiffany Brittany." They're also part of the Balikbayan Collective, aiding Filipinos in the diaspora to reconnect with their roots.

Hannah Tan

they/she

Newsletter Editor

Rissa Lavilla

A New York based Producer and Creative for stage and screen, Rissa started out as a post production editor at NBC Universal. She found a passion being part of casting and producing and you can find her working with Production and Marketing teams for Broadway, Off-Broadway, and developing new musicals. Rissa is proud to represent her different cultures in the entertainment industry being Hawaiian, Filipina, and Spanish, and is passionate about being a voice for diversity and social change within the industry. She is a member of the NYCLU Artist Ambassadors; An organization that engages, educates, and empowers art community members who are passionate about the intersection of art and social justice, and is a member of Ring Of Keys; An organization that fosters community and visibility for musical theatre artists onstage and off who self identify as Queer Women, transgender, and gender non-conforming artists. Rissa is also proud to have joined the Recording Academy’s GRAMMY U cohort and is always excited to connect with emerging industry professionals. IG: @Rissavisuals

Rissa Lavilla

she/her

Content Creator

Denise Aquino

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.

Denise Aquino

she/they

Stage Technician

Serena Militante

Serena Militante

they/she

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