Tell us about where you grew up and what grammar school you attended. 

I went to Good Shepherd School in Pacifica from K-8 grade, which is where I grew up in the back of the valley, Sunnyside Pacifica. 

Where did you attend college? What degree did you receive? How has that degree helped you in creating your events agency?

After SHC, I went to UC Berkeley and studied Philosophy with an Education Minor. Oddly enough, my Philosophy degree greatly assists in my job as an Event Producer. I learned how to think logically, how to write succinct and effective arguments, and to assess all logical possibilities thoughtfully, which helps me when it comes to Operations. I can come up with all possible scenarios really quickly, which helps me plan for my clients. 

Take me back to a time at Sacred Heart Cathedral. What are some memories that stand out?

My time at SHC was such a joy and was greatly defined by some amazing friendships, relationships and my time in Choir and Step Team. I'll never forget how cool it was to go to school in the heart of the City and have so many fond memories of walking around downtown, going to AMC Van Ness for boba tea, $1 sandwiches at the corner store, frequent trips to Japantown and even getting hall passes to move my car during lunch—all the necessary things that come with city life! 

Did you participate in sports, clubs or any other activities?

I was in the Choir and Step Team at SHC and I can honestly say those activities really helped define me and my creativity as a young person. Step Team introduced me to dance, which I ended up continuing on a professional level where I went on to be the Executive Director of a 501c3 nonprofit dance company, Funkanometry SF Dance Company, that won many awards, traveled internationally to perform and create many dance programs for youth and young adults. Choir helped me find my confidence and hone my performance skills, and some of those folks are my good friends to this day. 

Who were some teachers/coaches that had an impact on your development as a student?

Brian Murphy was my Calculus teacher, and I will never forget how fun his class was. I never thought math could be fun, but he encouraged me to always be my weird, kooky self in class. Chikara Abe was my Japanese teacher was one of the kindest, funniest people who made me love Japanese, which I then went to study for two additional years at UC Berkeley. Christian Bohm and Sean Kana were my choir teachers, and they were the ultimate support systems, providing joy and music at times when I felt down. It was in one of my English classes at SHC that I was introduced to Sophie's World, a book that completely changed how I saw the world and ignited my passion for philosophy—a passion that led me to major in it at UC Berkeley. Each of my English teachers helped me think more deeply about life and my place in it. 

What is the most important lesson you learned at SHC that you use in your life today?

SHC helped me learn how to be a leader. The first event I ever planned was actually the first Hip Hop Nite at SHC, which the faculty allowed me to plan in the newly opened Student Life Center as a way to show the staff and Brothers and Daughters that hip hop culture was actually positive and good for the community. I invited many youth dance performers, spoken word artists, graffiti artist to do art and 'bboys' to perform and show the community why we love hip hop so much. I'll never forget that night, and I invited a woman named Irene Duller to perform, and she ended up becoming my mentor and good friend!

What would you say to current SHC students who are embarking on the next step of their lives and their profession?

Enjoy every minute of high school and your friends! This time will never come again, and you should really treasure it. Learn as much as you can, explore things that interest you, and just be curious! Also, don't let anyone make you feel bad about who you are, how you look and how you dress. Be confident in your own skin and be courageous enough to be you. Later in life, this will be a treasured gift that people will admire. 

What inspired you to start a creative events agency? Did SHC play a part in your decision to become an entrepreneur?

SHC started me on my journey of dance (through Step Team), which led me to leading my first nonprofit organization. I got a taste for being a leader at such a young age, and worked in nonprofits and youth programs, giving back to the community for many years. From then on, I just kept trusting the path and it led me to working at Google/Google X for seven years, leading to Marketing Events for self-driving cars, then to starting my own business, Make It Mariko & Weddings In Color. All of it began with that first Hip Hope Night event in the Student Life Center!

Can you share an example of your most successful event and what made it successful?

One of the biggest festivals I've been producing for nine years now is UNDISCOVERED SF Filipino Creative Market, which I started as one of the first cultural Night Markets of its kind in San Francisco and helped bring awareness to the Pilipinas Cultural Heritage District in the SoMa neighborhood. Nowadays, there are a bunch of night markets, but our first one in 2017 was truly inspired by the markets in Asia, boasting delicious street food, vendors and music. It launched to over 8,000 people in downtown San Francisco, and helped create a sense of pride in being a Filipino entrepreneur/creative that didn't exist before. Today, there is a proliferation of Filipino festivals, and Filipino food is very popular, so I'm just so proud to be a small part of that movement and growth. 

How do you stay current with creative trends and technologies?

I go to events! Other people's events. I also read articles a lot and network on Instagram and LinkedIn to see what folks are up to and what's trending. But honestly, I don't like to follow trends and instead focus on where culture and people are at - how they are feeling, what they need, and what is the tone of the world? Once you understand where people are at, you can figure out what they might need from your event to serve them. This industry is so people-centric—it's really about understanding people deeply. 

Tell us a little about Make It Mariko. Any information you'd like to include would be great!

Make It Mariko is an award-winning creative agency based in San Francisco, specializing in experience design for community building. We produce corporate events, nonprofit galas, social impact events, and food-music-cultural festivals. We also have a wedding company called Weddings In Color that focuses on values-aligned wedding planning for nontraditional couples. We are all about curating experiences that break the mold, thinking out of the box, and creating new experiences that never existed. We are celebrating our 10-year anniversary this December!