Cultural Kultivators

Cultural Kultivators - Astralogik

Happy Pride Month! Queer-Pinay duo, AstraLogik, joins us this week to talk all things sound and healing. As the show’s first live recording session, they curated an inclusive soundbath experience with our in-studio audience.
In this episode, the pair share their trajectory of their creative process and how they discovered their “why” in the simplification of their instrumentals. In order to actualize their mission of ultimately resonating with more people, Chen and Charito strive to meet their listeners where they’re at with themselves. 
They also open up about the realities of pressure coming hand in hand with growth. Their recent collaborations and projects like Pinay Voltron are revealed to be born out of evolving past the competitive conditioning they’ve been led to embody. 
Between the pair’s Aries-Fire energy, Tiger Moms, and chiropractic practice, discover the magic behind Chen and Charito’s transmutation of trauma into life and artistry!
Keep up with their music journey on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2eQwBFXh8c3xcnUpB7SEQ5?si=e347d08c5f1e41b2
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
Kumu: @balaykreative

Cultural Kultivators - Kevin Camia

This week on Cultural Kultivators, we sit down with comedian and writer Kevin Camia, who is currently on tour with Sheng Wang. From his early influences of comedy legends like Andy Kaufman and Martin Lawrence to the serious undertones of historical research and personal resilience, Kevin opens up about the complexity of his craft and his approach to life's challenges.
Kevin shares the profound impact of mentors like Allan Manalo and explores the nitty gritty of creating characters that resonate with real historical figures, such as writing for "Larry" in "Larry the Musical." Discover the San Francisco comedy scene that shaped his early days and listen to Kevin’s invaluable wisdom for those navigating the unpredictable waves of the entertainment industry.
Kevin's reflections on maintaining authenticity while battling industry ups and downs are particularly important for young creatives and entertainers. Join us as we uncover the blend of humor, history, and heart with Kevin Camia—a true cultivator of cultural and comedic landscapes.
 
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 - Adrienne Esguerra

This week, we are thrilled to welcome mama of 5, educator, and founder of Raising Ancestors: Adrienne Esguerra! 
In this crash course on what it can look like to decolonize and re-indigenize the youth of future generations, Adrienne shows us that it does start with the revolutionary act of parenting. Building in solidarity with other BIPOC scholars and educators, Adrienne’s breakdown of the Raising Ancestors’ frameworks proves that it takes a village.  
At the heart of her Raising Ancestors work is raising her blended, systems-impacted, immigrant family in a multigenerational Filipino home, inspiring her to create a space that acknowledges their experiences while empowering parents to heal generational trauma through a decolonized lens. Find out how one mama’s great leap of faith and divestment from the 9 to 5 of clinical work ignited a pathway for collective liberation!
For our expecting parents or current listeners looking for a safe place to explore their roles as culture bearers and raising liberated kids, this episode is for you. 
To learn more about Adrienne and how to apply to the Raising Ancestors Summer Camp, visit: https://www.raisingancestors.com/ and their Instagram @raisingancestors.
 
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 - The Sarap Shop

Happy Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month! This week we are welcoming a triple threat- powerhouse team, Sarap Shop restaurant owners: Kristen and James Brillantes and JP Reyes!
Join us as the trio share their journey from a celebrated Bay Area food truck to their brick and mortar grand opening this past March. They dive deep into what it takes to come together as a dream team, which for Sarap Shop, means trailblazing a more inclusive business culture by incorporating our shared humanity and identities rooted in family systems, community networks, and fun. 
From our titas’ family management roles to healing sibling relationships, tune in to their approach on how Filipino culture and family dynamics take shape in our everyday working environments. In Kristen’s words, discover how business can be a, “vehicle for the lifestyle you want.” 
The Sarap Shop team is also the leading force behind Kultivate Labs’ Business Accelerator program, Seed Network. Through the Anchor Creatives and Entrepreneurs Collective (ACE), their efforts to support small businesses continue to shape the commercial district in SOMA, Pilipinas. Learn more about their work here: https://www.seednetwork.biz
To aspiring food-preneurs, find out how a food truck shaped wedding ring turned into a staple at the Warriors’ stadium! @thesarapshop
 
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 - Jenn Ban

Join us this week as we explore Jenn Ban’s journey as a queer, Filipinx-American multidisciplinary artist whose work lies at the intersection of healing and artistic living. 
Between being born into a military family, growing up in a red state, and leading her Catholic youth group, she shows us that learning and unlearning is an art in itself. 
Learn how Jenn lives and breathes Reiki into her tattoo sessions as a powerful modality of healing and intention. From spiritual hygiene practices and the origins of her Dito Lang exhibit, to working with street based artists in Manila, listen in to find out how Jenn made the shifts from her pre-med path to the artist we see today.
Tune in for a behind the scenes look into Bituin Studio, San Francisco’s newest Filipino-American owned and operated body art studio, a collaborative effort of co-founders Jerome Noveras, Thank You Saint, and Jenn Ban! @bituinstudio
You can keep up with Jenn on her instagram @jenn.ban and book your next tattoo session with her at @sacredskinadornments
 
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 - Anthem Salgado

This week we are honored to welcome leadership coach, business consultant, and Art of Hustle founder, Anthem Salgado! 
In a metaphorically painted world of tree pruning and sports tournaments, Anthem takes us on a deep dive into his approach to professional development and artistic living. In this info-packed dialogue, he explores the starving artist narrative that many of us are all too familiar with. He advocates for a radical shift in our approach to money as a resource and reclaiming a sense of community in the arts field. 
Anthem provides valuable lessons on the mindset behind "losing properly" while also responding to the asks of the universe when pursuing your creative endeavors. For budding Fil-Am entrepreneurs, this episode offers essential insights on optimism, effective leadership, and advice rooted in action. 
Discover the gems behind the Paloma Concordia success story, Anthem’s PIES wellbeing check, and the humble origin story of Art of Hustle!
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 - Mikey Vee

This week we are proud to welcome Bay Area rapper and Kreative Growth 2023 alumni: Mikey Vee! Get the scoop on his highly anticipated debut album, R.E.M. (Realest Expression of Myself) inspired by 17th century painter Rembrandt and his unlikely source of inspiration.
A virtuoso at translating challenge into ingenuity and imagination, Mikey opens up about his creative process of self imposed artistic limitations as a practice of experimentation and introspection. Dig deep on the anatomy of some of Mikey’s favorite songs on the album like “Danaё”’s disco violin track and greek mythology lore.  
Mikey stands as a testament to the breadth over depth argument, demonstrating that being well rounded can be the key to your success. Unpack the J Cole vs Kanye strategy and how he’s taking his impact to the next level as the founder of Golden Oras, an outreach and creative collective. 
Find out what the video game Horizon Zero Dawn, the Tesla Bot, and a Baroque painter have in common and Mikey’s laundry list of book recommendations!  
You can follow Mikey’s music journey on Instagram @mikeyveemusic and the Golden Oras Collective at @goldenoras.official
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 - Kathryn Serrano

As our first Season 2 guest, we’re bringing in a fellow story teller from across the country, Future Ancestors Podcast co-host and Kalayaan “Filipina Heroines of World War II” author: Kathryn Serrano! 
In this Tri-State area x Bay Area crossover, Kathryn gets candid about using our privilege decisively and effectively as Filipino-Americans in a way that embraces the intentions of our family and ancestors who wanted better for us in the diaspora.
She also lets us in on her journey of aligning closely with our ancestors and using their her-stories to fuel her own potential through historical immersion. In her words, sometimes this means, “being okay with the pain” of unlearning and re-remembering as a process of becoming. In a reframe of the Fil-Am Identity Crisis, Kathryn reminds us that the forces of exclusion and hunger for self understanding reflects a powerful appetite and capacity to know history, know self. 
Open up Women’s Herstory Month with two powerful Pinays and stay tuned to find out who put Salvador Dali in second place. Stay for unpopular opinions on religion and surrendering control!
Bahala na!
For the latest updates on Kat and her work, you can follow the Future Ancestors Podcast, Mahal Publishing, and her instagram (@thekatosphere).
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 - Nicole Salaver

This week we are proud to end Season 1 with our very own Nicole Salaver! In this special insider episode, Nicole shares the origin story of Cultural Kultivators, her artistry, and the deeply rooted inspiration behind her creative force: the love and mourning of her late father.
From her early, humble beginnings slinging Uncle Pat’s VHS camcorder in the L.A. summer heat to an Asia World Tour and making the big move to New York City in her 30s, Nicole continues to combat the stigma of the “starving artist” and follows the footsteps of her family heritage as a creative disruptor.
Whether the feat is memorizing 30 pages of script every night or challenging pervasive racism and sexual harassment in the film industry, Nicole is a personified act of defining success for one’s self, in which we choose to fight for a seat at the table, or build a whole new table within a creative balay (house)!
Stay tuned for what it’s like on set with Lucy Liu and why every young person should become a waiter!
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 - Ella Jay Basco

This week, we are thrilled to welcome singer-songwriter and Birds of Prey actress, Ella Jay Basco!
Niece of Dion and Dante Basco, Ella Jay and her family are no strangers to Hollywood. In 2020 she hit the big screen with her debut film role and gives us a behind the scenes look inside of the set of Birds of Prey and becoming Cassandra Cain. 
Ella Jay also takes us back through her childhood of a highly artistic and creative family, from as early as 6 months old starring in numerous commercials to Grey’s Anatomy and narrowing down her talents and passion for acting. Her story illustrates the world of a difference it can make when our parents and families are on board with us, full steam ahead. 
For young creatives, her biggest piece of advice is to work hard at finding out who you are by giving as much as you can to the things you love. Whether she’s crunching on Fruit Loops with Margot Robbie and making waves in the entertainment industry or leading her siblings in their band “The Sibs,” we look forward to seeing what's next in her artistic journey!
 
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