by John Christian De Vera, Jeepney Hub Communications Director

You may know him as Yo-Yo Santos, the quirky, hilarious Google intern in one of this past summer’s blockbusters, The Internship, but I know Tobit Raphael as one of my first friends in college. In fact, we were dorm roommates during our sophomore year at UCLA. So you can only imagine my reaction when I watched The Internship this past summer with fellow Jeepney Hub dispatcher Jason. Seeing one of my college roommates on the big screen is a BIG deal. Tobit was always a funny guy, and I remember being blown away by his acting skills in the Pilipino Cultural Nights ("PCN") we participated in during college. But seeing him on that silver screen was a whole other story. It’s still a rare sight to see Filipino-Americans in Hollywood films, so seeing Tobit in a significant role alongside big names like Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson compelled me to learn more about how Tobit got to where he is today.

Let’s hear more from Tobit and his journey in this exclusive Jeepney Hub interview. He answers questions about the entertainment industry, what it’s like to be a Filipino-American actor, and his advice in pursuing a career in acting and entertainment.

JC: Tell us your story and what propelled you to do what you do now.

TR: I now professionally work as an actor since graduating from college. Acting was something that I started in middle school just for fun. It was all about me taking an interest in a hobby, and turning that into something that I wanted to dedicate my life to.

The thing about drama is that it’s not something that a lot of other Filipino-Americans do. So acting was an interesting way to define myself, especially outside of my family and my immediate circle of friends. It became something that I got to explore on my own. I didn’t really have that much guidance, so it was very empowering to discover what I liked for myself.

JC: At Jeepney Hub, we’re big about personal visions. What’s the vision that you have for yourself and your career?

TR: My hope is that I can keep working as an actor, be recognized, get into places where I can make really good work, and make a living off of that. I’m not necessarily asking for fame, I think that’s completely different.

Speaking as an actor, you tend to compare yourself. “This person did this commercial, someone got some lines on this show,” and you think you should also be there. But what I’ve realized is that it’s all about your own journey. It’s not so much about the job, but about what you’re directing your life towards and where you’re concentrating your energy.

JC: Tell us more about your educational experiences, and how it helped steer you into this current career path.

TR: One thing that Filipino immigrant parents want their children to have is a career or college major that points towards a model of success in our community, like having a stable job and having a family, so it was really surprising that my parents let me go into theater.  An acting career isn’t one of those stereotypically stable jobs that Filipino immigrant parents usually encourage their children to pursue.

Looking back, they really supported my high school theater days. I decided to pursue theater in college because I applied myself and saw an opportunity. I wanted to dive in and have fun with it, and not care about what anybody thought. A lot of students go through school trying to get those A’s, and when they get those A’s, they’re like “Okay, great I’m a good student,” but in more creative fields, that mentality can be very negative because you expect too much right or wrong from yourself. Not everything in life is in these absolute terms.

Outside of college, I realized that education continues, since I constantly find myself needing to improve and refine my work. No matter what your career is, always try to improve yourself -- that’s you educating yourself in the real world. Be a life-long student.  

JC: Can you recall a particular moment in your life where you knew that being in entertainment and acting was your passion and life’s calling?

TR: It was a comedic play during my junior year of high school. I remember hearing the laughter when we opened the show, and that moment was like nothing else. I felt so proud, happy, and fulfilled. Every once in a while, you feel a moment where you feel so alive. That was such a rewarding and fulfilling experience, and that’s when I decided I wanted to make it my life.

JC: What’s it like to be a Filipino-American in the entertainment industry?

TR: It’s really interesting as a Filipino American. It’s tougher because when roles call for Asians, they’ll try to go for the more archetypical Asian – the Chinese, Japanese, or Korean look. For the Southeast-Asian community, especially for Filipinos, “Where do we fit in?”

What’s amazing for me is that when I booked my first major role in The Internship, the description said Asian, but the last name of the character was Chang, which was assumed to be Chinese. During the audition process, the producers and directors try to get to know you when they meet you. In this case, they found out I was Filipino-American, so they actually changed the last name of the character from Chang to Santos to fit that. I thought that was awesome because it felt like a sense of recognition. However, that’s not something you get to have a lot.

I’ve come across a lot of different roles in my auditions, mostly stereotypical Asians, and you wish those weren’t the only kinds of roles you could go for. As an Asian-American actor, you don’t get many audition opportunities because a lot of roles are not casting people who look like us. That’s just the reality of the industry right now, but that’s not to say there’s no possibility it will change in the future. 

JC: Tell us more about your projects, what you’ve done, and what you’re working on.

TR: I was so fortunate to have been given the opportunity to have a pretty nice-sized role in The Internship. It’s a dream come true. It was one of those moments where I saw the opportunity, thought it wasn’t going to happen, and then all of a sudden, the pieces fell together. With that, I was able to further my career, get an agent, and have a team. Actors, on the business side of things, are a product and have people on their side to help endorse and promote them for different projects. After The Internship, I was able to start working on a couple of TV projects. I was lucky enough to act in a pilot in New York for a show called Assistance. The fate of that show is still undetermined, so that’s something to be aware of in the entertainment industry. So much is outside of your control. Recently, I was able to book a recurring role on a new TV series for FX called Saint George featuring George Lopez, which will be out this January. I’m still new to television, so it’s great getting to expose myself in a new, different space.

JC: How did you find the resources to help you realize a lot of your goals?

TR: I’m very much a 21st century young adult because I utilize the Internet. When I graduated from college, I used online forums to figure out which agents I should connect to, how to get an agent, and how to get work in general.

Another thing that helped me out was my internship with a theater-casting director in Los Angeles. The casting director taught a class for seniors in the theater program at UCLA, which helped me secure the internship. It was awesome getting to see the other side of things, because as an actor you’re always worried about how you’re performing, and don’t think of the other side of the production process. The internship helped me understand the business behind the industry.

Using your network to move forward is important, but make sure that the work you do is good too, so that people actually believe in you. For someone to remember you, do something they’ll remember you for. It’s so helpful to find people in the professional world that believe in you, and it’s important to have them at your side.

JC: What are the most valuable lessons you’ve learned so far as it relates to your career?

TR: Letting go of the notion of right or wrong. Learn to let go of people’s opinions, because that’s all they really are at the end of the day. Take them with a grain of salt.

I learned not to beat myself up. It takes a lot of time to build up your life – practically, personally, and emotionally. I realized folks are always thinking they need a marriage, a top paying position, this kind of residence, this kind of car, but that doesn’t do you any good because you’re just comparing yourself and trying to live someone else’s life. Count your blessings, and know what you have, because one day it’ll all be gone.

I also see regrets and mistakes adding to the person that I am today. If you regret anything, regret something that you didn’t do. Mistakes are just another step to get to where you’re going. I had an acting teacher that would say, “Wherever you’re at is where you need to be.” I took that to heart, and applied that to the concept of regrets.

JC: What’s your advice for folks who are looking to enter the entertainment industry?

TR: If it feels hard, it’s because it is. Understand that it’s a business, and it’s an art too. That’s an important factor to know. You can’t take things personally. As an Asian-American actor, I remembered when I was in school, I constantly thought about what was going to happen to me. “Are there going to be opportunities? Are people just going to laugh at me? Are people going to be openly prejudiced against me?” Recognize there is adversity, and there are glass ceilings to break, but be determined.

JC: What are other additional pieces of advice you would give to Filipino-American youth and young professionals?

TR: I’d say go through life being grateful. Don’t sweat the little things. Accomplish your goals. There’s always a possibility that one day it could just all be gone.

If you can’t identify with your Filipino-American culture, return to that. You grow up with a different perspective if you’re an immigrant in America. The history of our country is filled with immigrants and children of immigrants; it’s all part of the American story. I learned so much from my relatives, and I think about how hard they work, and I think that’s such a great aspect of our Filipino community. Whenever I have physical labor to do, and want to complain, I think about my relatives, and those that came to this country, how much work they had to do, and it teaches me so much about how tough one can be.

by Julie Paholio and Kate Nicole G. Blanco

Julie Paholio, affectionately known as "Jules", is a rare breed. She entered a profession that not many, if any, Filipino Americans or women have dared to pursue. She will soon be a professional cinematographer. She shares the story of her journey and the rewarding, albeit difficult, path she has taken. 

Although she's just starting out, Jules is already proving that she's a force to be reckoned with. Her first foray into filmmaking started in 2009 when she spent a few weeks filming a short informational video under the Department of Justice for the UFW (United Farm Workers union) highlighting and recognizing racial discrimination in the workplace and workers’ rights.  After completing her first semester in film school, she was chosen to participate in a film program abroad, and traveled with a group of 12 students to Burkina Faso, Ouagadougo, Africa, to film a number of short narrative films and a documentary. There, she was immersed in the African culture and had the opportunity to collaborate on a number of short films with students from the L'isis film school located in the capitol. The film Le Fetisher (The Prophetess), in which she was the head Gaffer, has made it to several film festivals within the year it was completed (Pan African Film Festival, Newport Beach Film Festival). In the Spring of 2013, she was awarded a prestigious Kodak Film scholarship in recognition for her achievement in Cinematography at Dodge’s annual "Women in Focus" event. In attendance were a few prominent women in the film industry including: Diablo Cody (Juno), Anne Fletcher (The Proposal, 27 Dresses, Step Up), Donna Langley (Identity Thief, Ted, Pitch Perfect, This is 40, Bridesmaids), Nancy Meyers (It’s Complicated, The Holiday, Something’s Gotta Give, What Women Want, The Parent Trap), Maya Rudolph (The Way, Way Back, Up All Night, Bridesmaids, Saturday Night Live), and Penelope Spheeris (Black Sheep, The Little Rascals, The Beverly Hillbillies, Wayne’s World). The latest film where she was the Director of Photography made it to several film festivals in the last few months, including the Saint Louis Film Festival and the 17th Los Angeles International Short Film Festival. She recently completed her first thesis film and was selected among her Cinematography class of 14 students to shoot a second thesis in Spring of 2014. She currently works for Chapman University’s Panther Productions, and is in the preproduction phase for her second thesis, scheduled to go into principal photography in February of 2014.

Here is Jules' story and her advice to her fellow FilAms. The links to some of her recent work are listed at the end of this piece. Read on for the rare perspective of a future Pinay cinematographer. We hope that Jules' story inspires you to pursue your own dreams. Don't forget to leave us your feedback about this Jeepney Hub exclusive here or by posting a comment below.

Breaking into the film industry is a risky business and entering it as a young Filipino woman doesn’t make it any easier. There are a lot of notions of glamour, money, fame, and fun attached to the industry, but the reality is, there is more to it than just that. Past the glow of bright lights, silver screens, and manic celebrity followings, is a world that surpasses Hollywood. It is a world that provides thousands of jobs for people in the filmmaking industry. There are numerous opportunities to join huge production companies, work for charitable organizations, or even start your own business. With the growth of social media and technology, there are also opportunities in short films, marketing firms, and more recently, YouTube channels (which has been growing its own media celebrity uprising). Growing up in a Filipino household where the traditional notions of a successful career (particularly for a Filipino woman) consisted of (and was almost limited to) being a nurse, doctor, and/or a lawyer, I was led to believe that an occupation in the film industry was unrealistic. But I’ve learned that when you put your mind to it, you can make yourself into whatever you want, so long as you’re willing to work hard.

I’ve heard time and again about people having the passion to pursue a career in film but fail to meet their goals because of the notion of “practicality”. There is this theory that a profession in the film industry is unstable and highly risky, and I can understand where that idea can come from. But at the end of the day, if you’re doing what you love and you wake up with the drive to be better than you were the day before…isn’t that worth it? I know that may sound cliché, but I believe that the best way to have success in any career is to maintain a positive attitude, build a strong mentality, and to always remember that today, you are not as good as you will be tomorrow.

I didn’t always want to become a filmmaker. In fact, the traditional notions of femininity within the Filipino culture pushed me to believe that when I grow up, I will eventually become a nurse. Fortunately for me, my inability to sustain consciousness when it came to anything bloody or medical-related, helped me realize at an early age that the medical field was not for me. So I explored. “The sky is the limit,” my mother would always ingrain in my mind, and as a result, I luckily spent most of my adolescent years believing that there were no limitations to where I could take myself in life, and especially no restrictions on who I could become. Though my father disapproved of my resistance towards the medical field, I continued to explore other career options.

After graduating with a B.A. in Sociology from UCLA, I didn’t feel quite accomplished. I knew there was something more for me, but before I would make any rash decisions for my future, I took the time to figure out my possible career paths. I spent two years as a substitute teacher back home in Delano, CA. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I almost entered an “accidental career” where I found myself at the beginning of an unintended career path. I highly respect educators and strongly believe they can hold the key to success for our youth, but I couldn’t see myself engaged in that career for the rest of my life.

I needed to open my eyes to other possibilities and realized I had to start over. If there is one piece of advice I could give you: never be afraid to start all over. It's the only way to realize one way didn’t work out as you had planned. I like to believe that we learn the most valuable lessons through trial and error, and maybe even perhaps experience the most life-changing circumstances. So I began to look back at my previous experiences and started to recognize them less as a ‘failure’ and more as learning processes that were necessary for my growth. Taking that time to explore allowed me to clearly understand the direction ahead of me.

Research and networking played the biggest roles in moving my career planning forward. In my search for possible routes into the film industry, I was able to interview individuals who shared my common goal. I searched the web and found forums geared specifically towards people looking to apply to film school and found a few spaces online (though limited) where I asked questions, shared my concerns, and discussed techniques in building my portfolio. Being proactive about your own life and taking progressive steps isn’t the easiest thing to do on your own. In fact, I can confidently tell you that it can be a bit heartbreaking sometimes. So if you ever find yourself in a similar situation, reaching out to others who can relate to you could be one of the healthiest decisions you can make.

I’ve always been aware that the majority of the film industry is predominantly ran by men. In fact in 2012, women comprised 18% of all directors, executive producers, producers, writers, cinematographers, and editors working on the top 250 domestic grossing films (2% of which were cinematographers). This represents no change from 2011 and an increase of 1 percentage point from 1998. (Martha M. Lauzen, Ph.D., The Celluloid Ceiling: Behind-the-Scenes Employment of Women on the Top 250 Films of 2012, Center for the Study of Women in Film and Television, 2013.)

The notion that I was about to enter a profession with statistics like these never really affected my drive to follow through with my plans until I started meeting people in online forums. As I began to connect with strangers, it became more evident that I stood out. I was a woman, and more specifically, a Filipino woman. Can you name one Filipina who’s ever received an Oscar or Academy Award, or simply has “succeeded” in filmmaking? Neither can I. I knew full well what might lie ahead of me, but I couldn’t allow my fears or insecurities to disable me. “The sky is the limit”, my mom said, so I continued to push on, aware that I will potentially (and most likely) face a variety of bumps ahead with regards to my gender and ethnicity. I pushed myself to view any possible problems ahead of me as temporary challenges and tried to keep in mind that with God and the strong support of close friends and family, I’d be alright regardless of what happens.

Entering film school exposed me to a whole new world and a whole new environment. I was surrounded by a sea of new faces. This particular world didn’t have a strong Filipino community like I had back at home throughout high school and throughout undergrad at UCLA. It was different, and it was clear that I stood out. I was the ONLY Filipino student in my whole incoming Cinematography class, and later became the only female student in my Cinematography emphasis after the only other female left.

It wasn’t easy entering this new space. In an environment that consisted of 13 other students who were all male, I couldn’t help but initially feel like I didn’t belong there. For almost a full semester, I didn’t feel comfortable speaking up, I didn’t feel comfortable asking questions, and most especially, I didn’t know how to feel about my goals anymore or whether this was all worth it. As a Filipino woman, I felt distant from everyone who I was supposed to call my “peers”. For the first time in my life, I felt isolated in a strange land. No one here knew anything about my culture, my roots, or my community. Since I’m deeply rooted in those things, how could any of them understand who I am as a person?

I expressed my concerns to my parents, and they said something that completely changed my mentality—“Kaya mo yan!” (“You can handle it!”). Maybe it was because those words came from my father specifically, out of all people, but it somehow motivated me more than I expected. With those words, I stood up straight, raised my head, and told myself that from that day on, I wouldn’t allow gender or cultural differences discourage me. After all, we should always be proud of who we are, where we come from, and where we want to take ourselves. We all have a story to tell. I promised myself that I would thrive in this school and be recognized not only for my gender or the color of my skin, but also for my talent, my skills, and my ability to tell a story well. I didn’t want to JUST be “that female cinematographer,” I wanted to be the baddest one out there. So I worked hard, I studied hard, I experimented with projects, I networked, and I tried to soak in that school for everything it offered…and I grew.

Though I may stand out in my program, my goal is to continue to shine a light on my gender and ethnicity, and be recognized for my hard work and talents. I am a Filipino-American woman pursuing a career in Cinematography and there is nothing that makes me more proud. There is no point wasting time being ashamed of our differences and allowing it to discourage us, we just have to continue to fight on. No one ever said pursuing something you’re passionate about was easy—but I can tell you there’s a good chance it would all be worth it. My mom once told me the sky is the limit, and so I never stopped reaching. You shouldn’t either.

Designing a career path can be overwhelming, so I’d like to share these helpful tips. Keep in mind that this is my personal journey and I am not where I want to be just yet—but regardless, I hope any little bit of this can help you. Everyone has their own path towards a bright successful future, and I wish you nothing but the best.

1. Research. Research. Research. Understand and know what programs and steps are most suitable for you, your capabilities, and current lifestyle.
   
2. Network. Meet everyone and anyone (especially in your particular industry). You’ll be surprised how far down a network line you can get from just making small talk with the person serving coffee at an industry event.
   
3. Share ideas. Build a solid foundation of people you can share ideas with, and find people you can inspire and who can inspire you back.
   
4. Take your time to figure it out. We are all on different timelines and your future will always be ahead of you. 
   
5. Avoid comparing your life and your current career path to others. Your success is not a result of someone else’s hard work.
   
6. Understand that you might have to start over, but that starting over doesn’t mean you’ve failed. It is after all, the only way to find out that one way didn’t work out as you had planned.
   
7. Stay confident and steadfast in your abilities and skills and never be afraid to shine a light on it. You’re a lot more capable than you think.
   

A few Resources that helped me along the way:

• www.studentfilms.com
  
• www.allaboutfilmschool.com
  
• http://womenintvfilm.sdsu.edu/research.html

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Copyright © 2015 Jeepney Hub.  All Rights Reserved.

Vanessa just turned 21. While most young adults her age were planning their huge "coming-of-drinking-age" bash, Vanessa was busy preparing to launch her second online-based business. At the age of 19, Vanessa founded "aSociete" while attending college in Colorado. She recognized a challenge for college students that propelled her to start her own business: shopping with a student budget and student resources. aSociete is a web-based company. It is a flash sales site that offers discounts on designer fashion to college students. Vanessa and her team make it possible for millenials with limited budget and limited forms of transportation to maintain an uncompromising sense of style. By building relationships with clothing brands, attending trade shows, and doing research to remain in tune with current trends, Vanessa and her team were able to gain the notoriety that made their online business a big hit. With a keen knowledge of how Generation Y shops and how it gathers information, Vanessa and her team commissioned the help of fashion bloggers to curate pieces sold on aSociete, as well as to advertise the business. Vanessa will be launching her new business WNDR-LUST on September 2013.

Vanessa strongly believes that we must "influence by living." She seeks to inspire other Filipino-American youth and young professionals by showing them that they can pursue their passions at any age, and even with limited experience. To her Filipino-American peers, Vanessa says, "we have to be bold...stand up for ourselves, for our dreams and for our passions because settling for a [stereotypically Filipino job] sometimes does not make us the happiest." Through her perseverance and by unabashedly seeking the help of those who have knowledge in starting an eCommerce business, she was able to launch aSociete and soon, WNDR-LUST, with great success.

Let's hear more from Vanessa and her journey in this exclusive interview provided for Jeepney Hub. In this interview, she gives us her vision for her career, and tells us what propelled her to launch two eCommerce businesses, how she found her resources to help her realize her dream, the lessons she has learned in her journey so far, and her advice to her fellow Filipino-American youth.

We hope that Vanessa's story inspires you to pursue your own dreams.  Learn more about Vanessa and connect with her through the various ways listed below. Don't forget to leave us your feedback about this Jeepney Hub exclusive here or by posting a comment below.

Copyright © 2015 Jeepney Hub.  All Rights Reserved.

by Jason Benjamin A. Tengco, Jeepney Hub Community Affairs Director

At 27 years old, Gregory Cendana is the youngest-ever and first openly gay Executive Director of the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA).  Born in Guam, and raised in Sacramento, CA, Gregory has been named one of Washington, DC’s most influential 40-and-under young leaders, one of the 30 Most Influential Asian Americans Under 30, and the “Future of DC Politics.”  Previously, he worked for the United States Student Association (USSA), where he was the first openly gay Asian American President.  In his spare time, Gregory enjoys dancing, going to concerts, singing karaoke, and trying to cook.  His favorite Filipino dish used to be chicken adobo, but now it is vegetable lumpia (after he became a pescatarian).  He also founded a progressive social justice dance team called “SOULcial Justice.”  

In addition to his many esteemed titles, there is one that I consider most important: “kuya” (or “older brother” in Tagalog).  Greg and I first met as students at UCLA, where he helped me get my start in the world of community organizing and politics.  Not only was Greg an incredible mentor and older brother to me in college where we both served on the executive board of Samahang Pilipino (a Filipino student advocacy organization), he also continues to be an inspiration and role model for me and countless other young leaders.  I can safely say that I wouldn’t be where I am today if it weren’t for him, which is one of the reasons why I was so excited to interview him for Jeepney Hub:

Jason Tengco (JT): One of the goals of Jeepney Hub is to encourage Filipino-American youth and young professionals to define their vision.  What’s your vision for the world?

Gregory Cendana (GC): My vision, and this is a vision that I’ve had for some time now, is a society and a world where all communities, including those that have been historically disenfranchised and underrepresented, have equal access to resources and services and full equality in the world.

JT: Was there a moment or period in your life where you developed this vision?

GC: I don’t know if there was a moment in particular.  For me, the vision has been an ongoing process from my own life experiences, interactions with people, and my work.  One important and pivotal moment for me was coming out to my parents.  It was a pivotal moment because I finally made the connection and the understanding of embracing the full me, the full Greg.  Once I was able to make that realization and feel fully empowered, it allowed me to reach higher potential than I actually thought possible.

JT: Can you share when and why you came out?

GC: I came out to my parents in December 2008.  I came out because I went through a Rockwood Leadership Institute and I realized there, through a lot of my reflections, that part of my motivation for doing what I did was to make sure that other young people, other young Filipinos, other young immigrants, other young LGBT people…that there were other people that looked like them, that shared their experiences, that came from their communities who understood the struggles they were experiencing, and found ways to overcome those struggles and uplift our communities.

I had done different things, especially as it related to being LGBT.  I couldn’t be proud of the accomplishments that I had, I couldn’t share with my parents a variety of things that had happened in my life that were meaningful.  At that point I was the first openly gay Asian American officer of USSA, and I couldn’t share that with them.  I wanted to not only be my full self, but also have my parents be proud of all that they’ve done to be able to get to that place.

JT: You mentioned the Rockwood Institute, were there other fellowships or organizations that helped with your leadership and helped you realize your vision and dreams?

GC: I’ve done a variety of trainings and programs, and I would say my experience with the United States Student Association was integral.  My work and fellowship with the UCLA Labor Center was important, I did the Executive Fellowship with the Center for Progressive Leadership, and also did a variety of trainings and “train the trainers” with Campus Camp Wellstone and the Midwest Academy.  Through that too, in addition to going through the training myself, I had to train students, workers, and young people from across the country.  This further validated and reminded me about my motivation and vision.

JT: Were there other Filipino-American leaders involved in these fellowships?  

GC: To be honest, not particularly in the ones that I mentioned.  There has been more informal and less structured mentorship from folks from the Filipino community, but not necessarily in the fellowships that I mentioned.

JT: Is there a way that we can do a better job in ensuring that Filipino Americans are included in these spaces?

GC: One thing that I’ve done is I’ve always recruited and identified people that should apply to those programs so that other folks, especially in the Filipino-American community, are connected.  Personally, it’s always been important for me, even if informal, to be able to identify other young Filipino leaders in my similar line of work to be able to offer mentorship and support.

JT: Speaking of mentorship, did you have any Filipino-American mentors, and what role did they play?

GC: One is John Delloro, someone who pushed me to take a lot more ownership of my Filipino-American identity, to take ownership of the history and culture of being Filipino, and to use that to be a better organizer and leader.  He would always say that we could make people laugh, that we are a people of food and fun, and people like to be around us, so how do we use that to advance issues that impact our communities?  He was always very positive, even in the most challenging of times, and always felt like every opportunity was a learning moment.

One other more recent Filipino mentor of mine has been Jose Antonio Vargas.  That’s been an interesting relationship for me personally because he’s not necessarily familiar with my sector of work, so it’s been more about how he’s been challenging me and pushing me to think about our community in all aspects of my work and all aspects of what I do, to understand and recognize the importance of connecting with other Filipinos, and uplifting each other for our collective empowerment and goals.

JT: Tell us about your experience with the Filipino-American community at UCLA. How did it shape you as the leader that you are today?

GC: I actually appreciated when I saw this question in the sense that I felt like I had a unique experience within the Filipino-American community at UCLA.  I started off feeling very alienated when I tried to get involved with some of the Filipino-American organizations on campus.  I felt like I wasn’t accepted or didn’t feel welcome so it turned me off.  I didn’t get involved in Samahang [Pilipino] or any of the Filipino organizations right away, but got involved with the broader API [Asian Pacific Islander] and social justice organizations.

I pushed myself, despite not necessarily feeling welcome, to get more engaged.  I became a STEP [Samahang Teaching Through Experience] intern...and I eventually joined the board as Kabalikat [gender and sexuality] Coordinator.  And it was a full circle in the sense that Samahang ended up being the place that I was able to go to after not being elected as USAC [Undergraduate Student Association Council] President.  I could carry on the work that I wanted to do, and had the support and the community to back me up.  It really reminded me that there’s a lot of work that we can do despite the title we have, that everyone has a role in this broader movement for change and the uplifting and empowerment of our communities.  So the question now is how do we create a space where we can value each of those roles, and to have the support necessary to be successful?

JT: Was there ever a mistake that you made or would advise others to avoid?

GC: Sometimes I undersell myself, or I don’t give myself enough credit for what I know I’m able to do or what I’m capable of doing, especially as a young person and as someone who comes from an immigrant family.  I think that there is something that happens as we start advancing in our careers where we get shy, or we get embarrassed about what we’ve accomplished or what we’ve been able to do.  We don’t necessarily communicate or articulate all of these things to people, whether in a job interview, or to potential partners or people.  

My advice to others as it relates to that is everything we’ve been able to do, no matter how big or small, is a part of our collective experience as a people.  It’s important for us to not only continue to remind folks of the struggles of those experiences, but use it as a way to inspire other people to either take risks or try new things that they’ve never tried before.  You'll make more mistakes, or fall along the way, but through these mistakes or from falling, you learn a lot more about yourself and you become a better leader and organizer.  I think people believe making a mistake is a bad thing, but for me, making mistakes will only allow me to be smarter, and allow me to learn and grow.  It’s when you deny the mistakes and when you don’t learn from the mistakes, that making the mistake is a bad thing.

JT: Is there a quote that you use in your professional life?

GC: One quote I’ve been saying a lot more is, “If not now, when?  If not us, who?”  I say that because everyone who talks about engaging young people and engaging the next generation speaks about our leadership in the future, “You all are the leaders of tomorrow” or “In 10-20 years you all will be the leaders.”  I disagree with that sentiment because I believe that many leaders are young, and many young people are leaders.  I encourage people who have ideas, who want to make change in their communities, who want to dream big, to do that.

For me, I never thought I’d ever be appointed or asked to be an ED [executive director] of an organization when I was 24 years old.  And I think everyone was thinking, “Why do you feel like that’s an important thing to share,” and sometimes it sounds like I’m bragging.  But part of why I share that is because I want other people to realize that it’s also possible for them too.  It should be used as a motivation and a way to imagine what’s possible in our lives and other people’s lives.  I hope that someone else is able to become the ED of another organization at an even younger age so there’s even another story to share.

JT: Do you have any other advice for Filipino-American youth and young professionals?

GC: I would just say, while our careers are important and thinking about our futures is important, that it’s equally important for us to have fun, for us to enjoy the moment that we’re in now, and to remind ourselves that we’re people.  I find that fun and taking that time will look different to everyone.  For me, it’s dancing, it’s going to concerts, it’s singing karaoke, it’s trying to cook.  I wholeheartedly believe that fun is an important part of our balance and part of being holistic people, and will help keep us grounded.

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