Cultural Kultivators

Cultural Kultivators x Unsung Heroes: Amelia Naughten

This week we are kicking off the end of the year with a very special guest host: Amelia! She is a local Bay Area highschooler and graduate of our Unsung Heroes youth podcast program. In this student-produced episode, Amelia invites multidisciplinary writer, Zee Lacson, to talk about her journey as a published YA author of The Woolgathering Trilogy and her most recent novel, Twice Removed. 
Amelia relived a dream with Zee, a firm believer in following your heart, the power of love, and all things Star Trek. Before rekindling her love for the arts and transitioning to writing, Zee had pursued careers in mechanical engineering, early childhood education, and photography. With stories inspired by culture shock and her own risk taking, Zee explores what it means to be whole when you’re torn between two worlds as an immigrant in between two generations, and a literal manananggal, or as Zee likes to put it: twice removed. 
From revealing the in’s and out’s of the publishing world, the difference between “Pantsers” and “Plotters,” this is a must listen episode for aspiring writers and readers! Follow Zee’s writing journey on Instagram and books: @zeelacson on Instagram and https://zeelacson.com/
Music Credits: "Nighttime Breeze" by Ann Zhou
We’d love it if you could take just a few minutes to fill out our listener survey. Your feedback is essential—not only does it help us improve, but it also strengthens our efforts to secure the funding needed to keep this platform alive. As a thank you, we’re offering some awesome Kultivate Labs swag for folks that participate and leave their email! https://forms.gle/VeA2qCohUQwAd3Nj8
Thank you for being a part of this journey with us. Your support means everything to Cultural Kultivators and the Filipino American community we celebrate in every episode.
 
WHAT IS BALAY KREATIVE?BALAY KREATIVE is a pop-up Filipino-American arts hub in SOMA Pilipinas, San Francisco, California.
EXPLORE BALAY KREATIVEWebsite: www.balaykreative.com
Instagram: @balaykreative 
Facebook.com/balaykreative
Kumu: @balaykreative

Cultural Kultivators - Sapphire Sandalo

Happy Halloween and upcoming All Souls Day! This Wednesday, we are so excited to host podcaster, animator, and occultist, Sapphire Sandalo! As the host of SpectreVision Radio’s Stories with Sapphire podcast, she is also known for her work on The Ghost Town Terror and Paranormal Caught on Camera.
 
In today’s conversation, Sapphire delved deep into her unique take on the paranormal, approaching it with culturally inclusive curiosity and the mysterious interplay between intention, intuition, and manifestation. She also shares her views on recontextualizing her experiences of her Catholic upbringing in conversation with the cultural and spiritual practices we observe today. 
 
For listeners looking to get more in touch with their spirituality or connect with their ancestors, this episode is for you. We invite you to find what makes your soul sing and follow the alignment with your authentic self across time, past, present, and future. 
Stay tuned to witness the power of vision boarding, how to watch for “Godwinks,” and the unexpected tie between dolphins and roses. You can catch Sapphire on Instagram @sapphire_sandalo and on the web at www.storieswithsapphire.com and youtube.com/sapphiresandalo!
We’d love it if you could take just a few minutes to fill out our listener survey. Your feedback is essential—not only does it help us improve, but it also strengthens our efforts to secure the funding needed to keep this platform alive. As a thank you, we’re offering some awesome Kultivate Labs swag for folks that participate and leave their email!https://forms.gle/TAw7aRupB4DWpBAE9
Thank you for being a part of this journey with us. Your support means everything to Cultural Kultivators and the Filipino American community we celebrate in every episode.
WHAT IS BALAY KREATIVE?BALAY KREATIVE is a pop-up Filipino-American arts hub in SOMA Pilipinas, San Francisco, California.
EXPLORE BALAY KREATIVEWebsite: www.balaykreative.com 
Instagram: @balaykreative  
Facebook.com/balaykreative
Kumu: @balaykreative

Cultural Kultivators - Joe Bataan

In this week’s episode, we’re honored to sit down with special co-host, Luna Salaver and the King of Latin Soul, Joe Bataan!  As the first recording artist to create Latin Soul music, Joe has made a lasting impact through his innovative combination of genres, including Boogaloo, Salsa, and Disco, leading to hits like “Gypsy Woman” and “Young Gifted & Brown.”Joe Bataan’s stories beautifully illustrate lessons that tie right into the 2024 Filipino American History Month theme of “Struggle, Resistance, Solidarity, and Resilience.” His origins of growing up in Spanish Harlem, New York amidst crime and incarceration shows that resilience is about continually adapting and finding ways to stay true to your path, no matter the obstacles. In embracing his identity as an Afro-Filipino musician, singer, songwriter, and producer, Joe shares his journey of peddling his music from coast to coast, gaining a grassroots following of not only Filipinos, but people of color from all walks of life.
With the gift of his life experience and wisdom, Joe also built a career counseling at risk youth in correctional facilities. His ability to evolve, whether through genres like Disco and Rap, or through his role as a mentor, is a powerful reminder of the enduring strength that the Filipino American History Month theme celebrates.Stay tuned to find out the secrets behind Joe’s success: spirit, health and knowledge!  You can find Joe Bataan at https://www.joebataanmusic.com/ and preorder his book “Streetology” at mahalpublishing.comWe’d love it if you could take just a few minutes to fill out our listener survey. Your feedback is essential—not only does it help us improve, but it also strengthens our efforts to secure the funding needed to keep this platform alive. As a thank you, we’re offering some awesome Kultivate Labs swag for folks that participate and leave their email!https://forms.gle/TAw7aRupB4DWpBAE9
Thank you for being a part of this journey with us. Your support means everything to Cultural Kultivators and the Filipino American community we celebrate in every episode.
WHAT IS BALAY KREATIVE?BALAY KREATIVE is a pop-up Filipino-American arts hub in SOMA Pilipinas, San Francisco, California.
EXPLORE BALAY KREATIVEWebsite: www.balaykreative.com 
Instagram: @balaykreative  
Facebook.com/balaykreative
Kumu: @balaykreative

Cultural Kultivators - Sondy Lucille

Kicking off Filipino History Month (FAHM), we’re honored to spotlight the storytelling journey of documentary filmmaker and video editor, Sondy Lucille! Sondy’s work captures the power of oral and visual storytelling, as well as cultural preservation. With a keen eye for detail and determination to shift the painful narratives embedded in our history, Sondy’s films delve into mixed heritage, Asian diasporic experiences, and how globalization molds identity in multicultural homes and communities.
Sondy reflects on her dual heritage as Filipino and Mauritian which has fueled her desire to research her family histories and find solidarity in the shared struggles of Filipino Americans. Dear Watsonville – Sondy’s most recent project touring the festival circuit – sheds light on the untold stories and memories of the Manong/Manang generation with a  distinct focus on Watsonville, California—a place often remembered for the violence and racism towards Fil-Ams. By weaving together family photo albums, hand drawn illustrations, and oral histories, her work seeks to preserve the experiences of first-generation Fil-Am immigrants through the memories of their second generation descendants.
She encourages filmmakers to embrace imperfection and to “free yourself from the shackles of filmmaking rules” — in order to approach filming as a form of self-expression. Sondy also emphasizes the importance of film fellowships for Asian-American and BIPOC filmmakers and recommends “creating your own experience” by using unconventional, experimental spaces to gain valuable production and post-production expertise. She also challenges listeners to be curious and to look into their family histories and documents, as a means to recognize the power of storytelling of our shared heritage.
Follow her journey on Instagram @sondy.lu and @dearwatsonville and on the web at sondylu.com. The Watsonville is in the Heart digital archive can be viewed at wiith.ucsc.edu and on Instagram at @wiith.ucsc Catch a screening of Dear Watsonville at the SF Indie Fest coming this October 17th - 27th! 
WHAT IS BALAY KREATIVE?BALAY KREATIVE is a pop-up Filipino-American arts hub in SOMA Pilipinas, San Francisco, California.
EXPLORE BALAY KREATIVEWebsite: www.balaykreative.com 
Instagram: @balaykreative  
Facebook.com/balaykreative
Kumu: @balaykreative

Cultural Kultivators - Desi Danganan

In this week’s episode, we’re honored to sit down with Kultivate Labs’ very own Desi Danganan, Founder/Executive Director of Kultivate Labs, a trailblazing cultural strategist, and human catalyst who is helping revitalize San Francisco’s Filipino Cultural District. With a nearly two-decade career spanning tech, hospitality, branding / marketing, and community organizing– he has dedicated his career to uplifting our local Filipino-American community and empowering the next generation of artists, entrepreneurs, thought leaders, and culture bearers.
From the days of Poleng Lounge and Summit SF, to Plinth Agency and Kultivate Labs, Desi discusses the obstacles of balancing cultural preservation with economic development, addressing income inequality, and building a more livable, enriching community without displacing its members. Desi’s vision for “developing community through abundance, not sacrifice” is transforming SOMA Pilipinas into a corridor of creativity and cultural pride that is inspiring folks as far as Winnipeg, Canada to develop their on Filipino communities
Desi also challenges us to realize our role as the bridge between the younger and older generations of creatives and entrepreneurs by creating an ethic of self-forgiveness and learning from one’s mistakes. He also encourages us to envision collective liberation and economic alternatives to revitalize our community, ultimately embodying his advice to “enlarge the table.”
Follow his journey on Instagram @kultivatelabs and on the web: kultivatelabs.org/team and linkedin.com/in/desi-danganan/
WHAT IS BALAY KREATIVE?BALAY KREATIVE is a pop-up Filipino-American arts hub in SOMA Pilipinas, San Francisco, California.
EXPLORE BALAY KREATIVEWebsite: www.balaykreative.com 
Instagram: @balaykreative  
Facebook.com/balaykreative
Kumu: @balaykreative

Cultural Kultivators - Dr. Robyn Rodriguez

In this week’s episode, we are excited to welcome former UC Davis professor turned farmer, Dr. Robyn Rodriguez! As a widely published researcher, highly-sought after speaker, and long-time community organizer, she founded the Remagination Farm and Lab, a research and educational consultancy service encompassing the School for Liberating Education and the Amado Khaya Initiative.
In this conversation, Dr. Rodriguez shares with us how the origins of the Reimagination Farm located in Lake County, California were inspired by her late son, Amado Khaya, her transition away from academia, and realizations brought on by the pandemic. For many, the pandemic posed a time of great loss as well as a reckoning of the old systems designed for social inequalities and ecological destruction. In a radical approach to a more authentic way of living, Dr. Rodriguez talks about embracing the end of these systems, not with fear, but with excitement as an “invitation to get back to the land.” 
In weaving and braiding her background as an educator and sociological researcher into her life as a farmer, she welcomes visitors and guests on the farm to come and learn regenerative agricultural practices as well as surrendering to the forces of nature and what it has to teach us.
Join Dr. Rodriguez at the Reimagination Farm on Saturday, September 7th to celebrate her first fall harvest/Anihan in commemoration of when Filipino agricultural workers, led by labor leader Larry Itliong, walked off the job on September 8, 1965, to protest years of poor wages and working conditions in the Central Valley’s grape fields.
Follow her journey on Instagram @madprofessora @liberating.education @remaginationfarm @amadokhaya and on the web: drrobynrodriguez.com, liberatingeducation.thinkific.com, remaginationfarm.org, and amadokhaya.org. 
WHAT IS BALAY KREATIVE?BALAY KREATIVE is a pop-up Filipino-American arts hub in SOMA Pilipinas, San Francisco, California.
EXPLORE BALAY KREATIVEWebsite: www.balaykreative.com
Instagram: @balaykreative 
Facebook.com/balaykreative
Kumu: @balaykreative

Cultural Kultivators - Gelaine Santiago

Join us this week as we sit down with Cambio & Co. co-founder and CEO, Gelaine Santiago! Award-winning social entrepreneur and storyteller, Gelaine shares the inspiration and the journey behind the Toronto and Manila based Filipino jewelry company.    
 
In this conversation, Gelaine navigates the nuances of entrepreneurship under our capitalist systems and its potential for activism and social change. Embracing the ethos of her work and leadership, Gelaine is on a mission to build more ecosystems and not empires in a radical shift towards more collective wealth and joy. 
 
Listen for a behind the scenes look at Cambio & Co.’s partnerships with local, Filipino artisans whose work centers modern design and traditional craftsmanship made with locally sourced materials. In uplifting these collaborators, Gelaine urges us to get curious about long held beliefs we might hold that have a more sinister, colonial mindset at play. 
 
Tune in to learn about the haters who inadvertently inspired the Cambio & Co. team to lean into community led conversations and the power of education. In Gelaine’s words, dare to “Reimagine what it means to be proudly Filipino.”
 
You can connect with Gelaine at www.gelainesantiago.com and on Instagram @gelainesantiago.  To shop Cambio & Co.’s latest products, visit @cambio_co on instagram or https://www.shopcambio.co/.
 
WHAT IS BALAY KREATIVE?
 
BALAY KREATIVE is a pop-up Filipino-American arts hub in SOMA Pilipinas, San Francisco, California.
 
EXPLORE BALAY KREATIVE
Website: www.balaykreative.com
Instagram: @balaykreative
TikTok: @balaykreative
Facebook.com/balaykreative
Kumu: @balaykreative

Cultural Kultivators - Niki Saludez

Joining us this week is multi-passionate teaching artist and dancer-choreographer, Niki Saludez! As part of the original cast of the newest Broadway musical by Alicia Keys, "Hell's Kitchen,” Niki shares his journey from internet kid studying Lady Gaga music videos to achieving what it takes to dance on a Broadway stage.
In this episode, Niki takes us back to the catalyst of his transformative journey in New York City: a fateful dinner party that led to his meteoric rise. Listen for the magic that happens “when preparation meets opportunity,” in spaces which demand nothing less than your best self. 
In opening up about the levels of physical and mental wellness of a Broadway dancer, Niki stresses the importance of community and the power of staying true to one's artistic path. His story inspires us all to listen to that inner voice, even when the path ahead is uncertain, because it's often in those daring moments that we find our true potential. 
For the aspiring creatives, Niki's advice is clear: embrace discomfort, listen to your inner excitement and let it guide you. 
Catch Niki on stage and get your tickets to “Hell’s Kitchen” at https://www.broadway.com/shows/hells-kitchen/ ! Follow Niki’s journey on Instagram: @TitoNiki.
WHAT IS BALAY KREATIVE?BALAY KREATIVE is a pop-up Filipino-American arts hub in SOMA Pilipinas, San Francisco, California.
EXPLORE BALAY KREATIVEWebsite: www.balaykreative.com
Instagram: @balaykreative
Facebook.com/balaykreative
Kumu: @balaykreative

Cultural Kultivators - Abi Balingit

In this week’s episode we are honored to welcome Abi Balingit! As the 2024 James Beard Emerging Voice Award Winner, Abi opens up about the success of her first book, Mayumu: Filipino American Desserts Remixed. 
From her “Hotline Bling It” blogger days to experimenting with recipes in her low-lit New York apartment, Abi shines brightest as a Do-It-Yourself champion. As a self taught baker, she shares the origins behind The Dusky Kitchen blog and the impact her upbringing in a multigenerational Filipino-American household had on her culinary palate. 
For creatives struggling with self-sabotaging perfectionism, Abi encourages us to build habit based strategies and to courageously “own your work.” She also gets candid on the transition from hobbyist to winning career-defining awards and the industry’s commodification of art. 
Stay tuned for a sneak peek at Abi’s upcoming project, Trinket Dish! To keep up with Abi, you can follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and Tiktok (@theduskykitchen) where you can explore new recipes like her Calamansi-Fish Sauce Shortbread Cookies!
WHAT IS BALAY KREATIVE?BALAY KREATIVE is a pop-up Filipino-American arts hub in SOMA Pilipinas, San Francisco, California.
EXPLORE BALAY KREATIVEWebsite: www.balaykreative.com
Instagram: @balaykreative 
Facebook.com/balaykreative
Kumu: @balaykreative

Cultural Kultivators - ChiChai

Join us this week as we sit down with Bay Area multidisciplinary artist, ChiChai! As a past Balay Kreative resident artist, she catches us up on her most recent projects, large scale murals in Yerba Buena Gardens and the gateway to the SOMA Pilipinas District, Pagsasama Sama.
Muralist, fashion designer, mixed media maker and more, ChiChai honors indigenous craftsmanship and her connections to Mama Earth in her work as a youth educator. Whether teaching or creating, her work is intersectional in its roots to nature, feminism, and the dismantling of colonial mindsets,  inspiring youth to see themselves reflected around them in our collective landscape.
For young Pinay creatives, ChiChai shares her impact in uplifting greater visibility for Pinays and the Filipino American Community at large and urges us to follow our guts. Her work echoes ancestral patterns and purposefulness throughout the realms of both public art and fashion, works of both function and heritage.
Tune in for a behind the scenes look into ChiChai’s creative process, mural easter eggs and Icelandic tide pools! You can keep up with ChiChai at her website Chi-chai.co and her newsletter by providing your info in her contact form.
WHAT IS BALAY KREATIVE?
BALAY KREATIVE is a pop-up Filipino-American arts hub in SOMA Pilipinas, San Francisco, California.
 
EXPLORE BALAY KREATIVE
Website: www.balaykreative.com
Instagram: @balaykreative
TikTok: @balaykreativeFacebook.com/balaykreative
Kumu: @balaykreative