WHO AM I?
I am a member of the vibrant rainbow community who has struggled fitting in the confines of what it means to be different.
A first generation Filipino/American artist who has lived in the United States by consistently asserting myself through my core values rather than my race and gender.
Let me share with you my core values I hold close to my heart.
Empathy
Through this value the first two occupations I held in Los Angeles, CA are running cis and trans wellness programs helping them cope with addictions, mental health challenges, and domestic violence . After serving as a guide to this vulnerable demographic for many years, I’ve discovered that I am an empath. I had absorbed unhealthy habits, substandard life patterns, and destructive dysfunctions. This was complicated by anxiety and recurring bouts of depression throughout the years.
Creativity
In overcoming this, I healed through prioritizing wellness, love for chosen family, and most importantly creativity. By following this trait, I was able to meet with like-minded individuals who shared similar artistic sensibilities. By this time, I was a successful Celebrity Make up Artist and Photographer in the music and fashion scenes. In continuing to learn more about my human existence in being outside the box, I continued on by boldly being an artist. I continuously studied improvisation, acting, and screenplay writing. Through this, my consciousness of humanity expanded further, my value of empathy enhanced, and creativity flourished. I have understood that my exposure to multiculturalism; Filipino, American, Trans , Cisgender communities are what made me a unique individual, enhanced by their complexities and diverse interconnectedness. That my human expression needs integration, embodiment, compassion, and empowerment. Through this, I was able to turn my limiting beliefs and behavior into opportunities to create a life of Freedom, which leads me to my next core value.
Freedom
The value of Freedom has always been an encompassing theme in my life. I chose to keep on leading this road less travelled. Through out the years, I was a jack of all trades master of none kind of person. And then it took its toll, I had viewed my life journey through the filter of ingratitude and had thought of this journey directionless . But still, my passion for creating art supersedes its struggles of being an artist. I learned that there is no freedom without courage to face adversities and tests that came with it. In my most defining moment, during the pandemic, these values were tested like a warrior in a battle. Their mettle tested, meaning profoundly redefined, and purpose actuated in one of the most trying times in our modern day history. I held on to love and faith of these traits like an armor to battle constant familial deaths, broken relationships, and mental adversity. Creativity was my knight and shining armor that braved through all of this to free myself from emotional stagnation, grief, guilt, and shame. I had chosen to free myself of these emotional baggages, expressed gratitude to unkind people and situations, forgave people for my own peace of mind, and creatively revived myself by way of expressing gratitude every moment I could.
Resilience
The human spirit is explorative, open, and resilient. Its ability to bounce back from a difficult situation is enhanced by smiles, laughter, faith, and hope. This is a very evident scenario in many phases of my life. From clients I’ve helped, models and public personalities I’ve witnessed, and countless faces of diverse women I’ve touched. The detours of their life direction were made easy through practicing conscious resilience and redefining ones life based on their chosen core values. No matter what curveball or obstacle life throws at us, we’ll overcome it with revived smiles on our faces, and the tenacity to face life head on with heart filled with bliss.