Category: Social Justice

One Year of Zine-Making

Leave a comment

It’s been a year since I started zine-making intentionally and it’s been such a fun year exercising my creativity in this new way!

I started sharing my zines at the genARTS table at First Fridays in downtown San Jose and people would stop by and be interested in *my* zines. I was blown away and humbled that strangers liked my little paper stories. 

Historically, zines started as a way for marginalized voices to get their message across and I take that very personally. 

My zines, like all my writing, are about my experiences as a woman of color, what it’s like to grow up, and how important it is to speak up for justice. 

In addition to my own zines, I also pass out free zines I found online with information on the genocide in Palestine. 

Also, over the last year,  I developed a zine workshop where I could share the history of zines and how art can be shared for social justice and mental health. My first zine workshop was at a conference for college students. And then I took it to First Fridays. 

Thanks to my community shouting me out, I also got the opportunity to do the workshop online as part of a virtual healing conference. And then at a different time, I got to support local San Jose residents in creating zines to tell their stories and advocate at City Council. 

It’s been a fun and fulfilling ride so far, and I plan to make more zines this year. 

P.S. I am also still writing plays and poetry!

(This post is a transcription of a short video on my Instagram)

Our voices matter. Free P al est ine.

It enrages me to think about the genocide happening in P al est ine right now. It enrages me to listen to the skewed mainstream news. I know — as a human and an artist — my voice and my actions contribute to the world around me and I won’t stay silent.

When we share online about what’s truly happening in G a z a, we are resisting.

When we engage with reputable sources who are sharing what’s truly happening, we are resisting.

When we acknowledge what’s truly happening — a genocide and ethnic cleaning and oppression and apartheid and occupation — we are resisting.

If you’re not sure where to start:

⚡️ Take 1 minute to virtually send a letter to Congress to demand a ceasefire.

⚡️ Donate to orgs and groups providing emergency aid in P al est ine. $5 helps.

⚡️ Share, engage, acknowledge

The photo is an excerpt of a poem I wrote in 2017. I’ve been quietly working on some writing projects over the last few months and this is part of one. I feel sad and heavy that this poem continues to be relevant in our world of injustice — year after year, day after day.

SPEAK LOUDER
SPEAK TOGETHER
SPEAK NOW

My first ever ensemble-driven piece!

Leave a comment

👜Reusable bag 👜reusable bag 👜reusable bag?! Don’t you hate it when you forget your reusable bag in the car?! 😫 Or when you go get boba with friends and realize you’ve forgotten your multi-colored metal straw set at home????! 😭

It was so much fun putting together my first ever ensemble-driven piece last month! I wrote this super short play (swipe to read) as part of my playwriting professor’s challenge (@bthorstenson !!!) like five years ago and then it transformed into this piece about the environment and our human impact on the world. 💫 Truthfully, this piece could be about any given topic (ie the 2020 election, affordable housing, fair wage, etc) and it could really be put on by ANYBODY!


🎭Ty to @more.mas.marami for choosing me and my idea for this! We really brought together a small, but tight group of artists from all experience-levels and it goes to show that theatre can be created ANYWHERE and by ANYONE. Can’t wait for the next project! 🤪⚡️ Lmk if you want to get involved as an artist or supporter! 🙏🏽

🌎But really, what are you doing to help the fight against climate change? 🚌 Carpooling? 🥬 Eating less meat? 👜 Reusable bags? Whatever it is, I hope it’s *something* because we can all do a little.

Love Equals: Empowerment through Education

Leave a comment

To be honest, I almost don’t really know how I stumbled into theatre. Someone told me during the first week of 9th grade that I would be good at it, so I signed up for ITS (drama club) – and then BOOM. My life was changed. I learned to express myself, stage manage, design lights, coil wires, dance in an ensemble, talk on stage, and then finally WRITE. As a theatre arts major in college, all of these skills were reinforced and I realized that these skills would take me where I want to go. Theatre education has done so much for me and I know it can do so much for the world.

EMPOWERMENT THROUGH EDUCATION is our theme for Week One of #LoveEquals and I want to highlight the amazing work of ✨ Teatro Catalina ✨, an org based in Nicaragua. Rooted in the small village of Villa Catalina, Teatro Catalina believes that “theatre creates space for dreams and dreams creates hope for the future”.

I wholeheartedly believe that every child NEEDS some form of arts education and Teatro Catalina is that resource for the kids in Villa Catalina. They use theatre to build confidence, creative thinking, and problem- solving skills in the youth, skills they wouldn’t be exposed to without Teatro Catalina. The activities and large-scale productions also unleash SO MUCH creativity, self expression, and FUN! All of the theatrical games and shows teach the kids that they can dream bigger than their village and go on to become successful college graduates, professionals, and artists.

RIGHT NOW, Teatro Catalina is fundraising #10Kfor10K while they also train for a 10K race! The $10,000 will go towards becoming their own non-profit organization – creating more ways for them to spread theatre to the young people. Today, I am donating to Teatro Catalina because I know the power of theatre and I also know the power of people. It takes so much time, energy, and THOUGHT to run arts programming and I know Katie Fitzgerald and the rest of the team are the perfect people to get it all done. 💓

P.S. I’ll be sharing a little bit more from Teatro Catalina, so stay tuned! 🤗

To learn more about Teatro Catalina:
✨ Visit their website – https://www.teatrocatalina.org/
⭐ Donate to their fundraiser – https://www.generosity.com/e…/somos-sonadores-10k-for-10k–2
🌟 Check out their merch – https://shop.spreadshirt.com/TeatroCatalina/?noCache=true

Love Equals (Promo)

Leave a comment

Watch the Love Equals Promo video!

LIFE without a doubt IS HARD. It’s hard when you’re trying to figure out what your next steps are (let alone who YOU are). It’s even harder when every week (every day) there’s another tragedy happening in our world and especially in our own neighborhoods. I don’t know about you, but the constant headlines and constant hashtags and constant breaking news is TIRING. And it makes me lose my breath if I think about it too much – but at least I have clean air to breathe. It makes me want to keep scrolling down the newsfeed – but at least I have my electronics and electricity. It makes me want to write my troubles away – but at least I am able to write and form ideas with confidence. Not everyone has these privileges.

I’ve been thinking a lot about what I can do and what I actually do (I’ve also been thinking a lot about what OTHERS with power can do versus what they actually do…) and I’ve had this itch to do more. Over the last year, I’ve grown as an independent young adult in many ways and I know I’m capable to support others’ growth and regrowth.

As a result, I’ve teamed up with super thoughtful mindfulness master Serena Wong to do more! Starting next week, we will be kicking off our donation initiative #LoveEquals, where we will give to and raise awareness of various causes that are dear to us. #LoveEquals is our way of showing love and sharing the love with our communities. This life IS hard, no doubt – but there ARE lil things we can do to make it a lil bit better. ^_^

Watch out over the next couple of days and weeks ahead as we share more information! And please – join in, ask questions, and spread the love. 🧡