Lost is not only my favorite show, but it’s what I’ve become. It’s not like I’m sitting on a street corner wondering how I got here, but now that I have reached the magical mark of 30, I realized how disconnected I have grown to be from my culture. I was born back East in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on February 26th 1979. Being the first American born child from a Filipino mother and an Indian father wasn’t as simple as I thought it would be. My dad’s constant struggle for work left my family and I to move a lot. After Pittsburgh we moved to Miami, Florida and then to Richton Park, Illinois; where things got twisted. Household fights became a constant, which lead to my parents divorce in 1990. My mom realized that she needed to make a fresh start so she moved us out West to Sacramento, California.
Life in Cali was a different world. Everyone was so open-minded and liberating. When I wasn’t taking care of my little sister, I took part in the typical teen lifestyle. Sneaking out to house parties in my cross color fits and drinking Zima’s was the life. In June 1997, I graduated from Rio Americano high school. I then did the junior college gig and knew it was time for me to get out of Sac. So I got my first taste of independence when I studied abroad in Madrid, Spain. Life in Spain was a blast, but it was only for a limited time. When I got back to the states I transferred to the University of California San Diego. In 2003 I graduated with a bachelors degree in Visual Arts Media. The art world was a place that I loved venturing through. If I wasn’t managing a hip-hop group, I would be curating at the Voice 1156 or at the Rubber Rose. In order to make ends meet I became a retail fanatic. From buying to selling and even merchandising I did it all. It became very common for me to help others with their business ventures, but I never took much time to vest into my own. In 2006 I moved to L.A. Life in L.A. was definitely different but I was up for the challenge. I have always enjoyed the beauty and essence of one’s history. So now it’s time for me to strap up my boots and head back to my roots.
