Storyteller, Social Entrepreneur, Artist

It's been difficult to articulate exactly what I do because I've unintentionally (or intentionally) carved out my own path. Through a creative process of self-discovery and mishaps, I've arrived here as a storyteller, social entrepreneur, and artist. Storytelling encompasses what I do naturally whether it's through acting, journalism, narrative filmmaking, or media and event production.

I used my storytelling skills to build multiple production businesses, which is the entrepreneur in me. I then realized that at the core of these businesses was this desire to build a community that helps bring more equity into the world. So, I started a 501(c)3 nonprofit called WeXL.org, which connects storytellers, engineers, and artists from underserved communities to resources, opportunities, and mentorship. Our vision is that through creative collaborations and storytelling, we can make the world a better and more prosperous place for all. This part of me makes me a "social" entrepreneur -- a business woman with a cause. Unlike most nonprofits, we don't just rely on grants and donations, but we also have a business model that allows us to bring diversity and inclusion practices to partner corporations that need storytelling services.

As for being an artist, that's a new development. I didn't call myself an artist until recently when I realized that it is who I am. When I'm oil painting, when I'm immersed in a character as an actor, when I'm making films for myself -- I connect to this divine spirit within me. I had to do a lot of work rediscovering my creative being. Now, it's my compass for everything else I do, and it helps me understand why I do what I do because I now know who I am. I am an artist.

So the timeline goes: I was born in Manila, Philippines, and immigrated to the United States at 5-years-old. I then lived in Los Angeles and moved to New Jersey, where I grew up and went to school at Rutgers University. After earning an undergraduate degree in English and political science and working as a journalist at a daily newspaper, I moved back to Southern California. Eventually, I moved up to San Francisco where I met my husband, Michael. Here in the Bay, and sometimes all over the world, we enjoy each others' friendship drinking and learning about wine and adventuring together.