Cultural Pavilion

Bien-Elize is a passionate Pinay educator and Bay Area native. She has a Master’s in Urban Education and 15 years of experience in the field. While she grew up understanding Tagalog as a child, she challenged herself as a teen to practice speaking the language as well. Today, with her background in education, ethnic studies, and language, Bien-Elize dedicates herself to cultivating Filipinx culture in her community. She also loves eating cookies and enJOYing adventures with her hella dope family: Momma, Jun, B’jani, and K’layaan.

Stephanie (Tep) grew up in the Bay Area (mostly Fremont and Union City) before moving to San Diego and L.A. to pursue her undergraduate and graduate education. Her first language was Tagalog, but as she’s lost her fluency over the years, she has dedicated herself to relearning. Her goal, of course, is to pass the language on to her children. Tep is a proud second-generation immigrant, wife, mother, friend, educator, and illustrator. She enjoys learning and sharing knowledge with her community, traveling to new places, and trying new foodie spots.

Be sure to check out Bien and Stephanie at the Cultural Pavilion Author’s table at 2:55 PM, to sign the book they made together, Tagalog Activities for Kids.

Kathryn Serrano is a first-generation Filipina American and multi-discipline creative who has made a name for herself as an accomplished writer, producer, and artist. Recently, she added “author” to her list of accomplishments, publishing a book that she wished she had as a child. Drawing on her own experiences and insights, Kathryn’s book offers a unique perspective on growing up as a first-generation immigrant in America, and has already garnered critical acclaim for its honesty, humor, and heartfelt storytelling. With her talent, drive, and commitment to making a positive impact in the world, Kathryn Serrano is a rising star to watch in the creative community.
Casielle-Santos Gaerlan is a Filipina-American multidisciplinary visual artist and designer with a degree in Fine Arts from Parsons the New School for Design. She uses form, concept, and color to create engaging visuals that represent women empowerment, culture and personal style.

Christina Buhain Newhard is a designer, writer, and publisher. Born in Manila to a Tagalog mother and American father, she moved to the U.S. at the age of 10. A love for text, image, and story moved her to pursue graphic design, and then launch Sari-Sari Storybooks in 2012. Her press celebrates the rich diversity of Philippine culture through multilingual picture books. She hopes that all children can see themselves in the brave, quirky, and kind Filipino heroes of these stories. A former New Yorker, Christina lives in Oakland with tiny, vocal cat named Princess Genghis. She is most at home in a city by the water.

Faith Kazmi is an educator and author who loved to daydream as a kid (and continues to as an adult).  Deeply inspired by her Filipino heritage, she writes stories that celebrate family, culture, and love.  She wrote this picture book in honor of her mom who was the first in her family to immigrate to the US as a nurse.  Inspired by many Filipinos and immigrants who moved abroad to pursue their dreams, this book is a testament to the love and connection with family that exists across oceans and lands.

By day, Faith works with college students around issues of equity, liberation, and care at Stanford, where she is the Director of the Women’s Community Center.  Faith enjoys living int he San Francisco Bay Area with her family and their mini Goldendoodle, Coco.  Thi is Faith’s first picture book, which is truly a dream come true.

We are excited to have Faith join us at Vallejo Pista Sa Nayon and can be found at the Cultural Pavilion Author’s Table at 11:45 AM.

Justine Eva Li Villanueva traces her ancestral roots to Bukidnon, home of her paternal grandmother, Felipa Apoong Okit, of the Bukidnon tribe of Kalasungay. She was raised in Malaybalay, Bukidnon until she immigrated to the United States when she was sixteen years old. With her husband and two children, she is learning to belong in Davis, California, homeland of the Wintun-Patwin people. Justine’s creative work focuses on decolonization, indigenization, and social justice.

Born in Manila and raised in the Bay Area, Filipina artist, illustrator, and storyteller, Marielle Navasca Atanacio explores identity through multiple creative avenues. Her work in children’s books allows her to collaborate with parents, caretakers, and young readers to share cultural stories and engage in meaningful conversations about history, folklore, and tradition. Through her personal art, she offers an intimate look into her own journey of self-discovery. In collaborative projects, she finds joy in a shared passion for storytelling—both written and visual.

Nene P. Rivera is a Filipina-Canadian author whose passion for storytelling began when she was a little girl. She draws inspiration from her Filipino heritage and her experiences living in the diaspora. Nene crafts narratives to remind young Filipino readers that their stories matter, and that they should take up space in life and on pages. See You Again Soon is her debut picture book, a bilingual children’s story about living far away from loved ones.

We are thrilled to welcome Nene at this year’s Vallejo Pista Sa Nayon where you can find her at the Cultural Pavilion Author’s Table at 1:20 PM.

Michele Josue is an Emmy Award-winning Filipino filmmaker whose feature debut MATT SHEPARD IS A FRIEND OF MINE won 10 Best Documentary and Audience Awards from film festivals worldwide and boasts a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Michele is also the Executive Producer, Director, and Lead Editor of HAPPY JAIL, the award-winning Netflix Original documentary series about the Cebu jail that is home to the world-famous “Dancing Inmates.”

Womple Studios was founded in 2018 by partners Erin and Alejandro. Erin, having family from the Philippines, and Alejandro, having family from Puerto Rico, share a love of travel, adventure, and exploration… so they set out to build a toy company that would reflect their curiosity and fascination with the world and all its many hidden wonders. Womple Studios designs toys that shine a light on the incredible places, people, and things that make our world extraordinary. Womple Studios is a nationally recognized woman- and minority-owned small business with happy customers around the globe.

Kababayan Kids was founded by three Filipina moms living in Vallejo, CA. Christine, Bien-Elize, and Charlene met while attending UCSD, and coincidentally moved to Vallejo to raise their children. While searching for Filipinx activities for their kids, they found that although Vallejo has a high population of Filipinos, there was a lack of activities for their kids. So, they simply decided to start the movement themselves.

What started as an idea for Tagalog story time has developed into a Tagalog parenting collective that spans from Vallejo all the way Canada! We’re so excited to meet other families who are just as passionate about Filipinx history, culture and language.