Our Board of Directors
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MICHELLE LETRONDO WING (she/hers/they/them)
Michelle is a parent and Queer cis woman from mixed Asian ancestry, including Cebuano, Chinese and Vietnamese. They were born in Toronto, the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat peoples. Through private practice Pamati Counselling, they offer trauma therapy prioritizing working with Indigenous, Black, and People of Colour, including folks of mixed ancestry, and wanting to work with them on anti-violence, intimate partner violence issues, interpersonal relationships, identity, PTSD, and trauma. The approaches used are grounded in Anti-Oppressive, Trauma, and Somatic practices.
In 2004 they worked directly with Indigenous urban youth in a non-profit agency, led by a fearless Nisga'a warrior and leader who exposed them to decolonization practices. Since that time and along the way their practice has focused on anti-oppressive approaches, which align with their lived experience, and values.
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President
Sobey Wing (he/siya) sits on the Board with Kathara Indigenous Arts Society. He has previously served as Secretary. His involvement in Kathara began during the first visit by Kathara Philippines where he trained and performed under the direction of Elenita Boots Dumlao and has taken part in several performances with Kathara in its earlier years.
Over the years Sobey has been a facilitator with youth during Kathara’s Awakening the Identity Program for new immigrant youth and has done facilitation work with various groups and organisations including Eco Education BC and Momentum Project. Sobey has served on several boards including Pivot Legal Society, Burn BC & EcoCafe Society and is an active board member additionally with Youth Passageways. He also chairs the Cross-Cultural Protocol think tank of Youth Passageways which has informed their organising of their gathering in traditional Chumash, Gabrieleño/Tongva people and their gathering in 2018 at Pine Ridge Reservation at The All Nations Gathering.
As a Board member with Kathara Sobey has assisted in organising the annual Lapu Lapu Day commemoration, Kapwa gatherings, the 3rdInternational Babaylan Conference in 2016 and he represented Kathara at the Pamati gathering on Luzon in 2017. Sobey’s passions include Visayan culture and he moderates an online group on the subject. Sobey ‘s goals include reconstructing pre-colonial culturally rooted rites of passage for youth with settler accountability to the Coast Salish people whose lands he resides and benefits from as a settler.
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(she/siya)
The first Pilipino in her family born on Turtle Island, Emerald Asuncion has experienced a variety of cultures from coast to coast that continues to inspire her own daily exploration of what it means to be a diasporic, decolonizing, indigenizing Pilipino. Having last visited her mother's home in Bicol in 1995, Emerald is constantly excited and interested in the diverse roots of our Pilipino culture. Her love and appreciation for the groundedness of dance & movement in her body stem from her experiences dancing with the Karilagan Dance Society in the late 1980s. She is re-energized by having connected with Kathara to share our vision and build with our community.
For the past 5 years, Emerald has worked as a champion & advocate for patients of medical cannabis with the continent's longest-running non-profit Wellness Centre & Dispensary, The BC Compassion Club Society - building relations, breaking stigmas, and providing education, support and outreach to patients, healthcare professionals and various levels of government.
Prior to this, she dedicated her time to ocean & environmental conservation projects in various capacities through the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre for almost a decade.
Honoured to join Kathara Pilipino Indigenous Arts Society as Board Secretary in December 2018, Emerald looks forward to sharing her experiences gained in non-profit and collective spaces to navigate new paths for Kathara.
In her spare time, Emerald is constantly self-educating on topics ranging from self-care to stand-up comedy. She is currently a Level 2 scholar of Hisakupin - Filipinos in Diaspora, Tagalog lessons with guro, Micajieu Velasco, and always looking for pals to converse with!
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(He/him)
JR Guerrero first felt the call of the indigenous when he met Kathara Philippines in 2002. “It was a faint knock in my bone that left a heavy mark.” JR has ever since listened to it grow. Through music and dance as a Kathara performer, JR explored the idea of re-indigenization and what that meant for him as a settler on Coast Salish.
Currently serving as the Society finance officer, JR was instrumental in establishing the Society in its infant stage (2012). JR remembers, “I was president, performer, visionary, publicist. treasurer, outreach, event planner, graphics designer, social media, etc” owing to the hard work that he and his colleagues put into Kathara in its early years.
By way of a self-directed immersion program in 2013, JR was adopted by the Bagobo Tagabawa tribe whose territories are located at the foot of Mt. Apo in Mindanao. A ritual facilitated by tribal elders led by Datu Rodolfo and Datu Gummpun welcomed JR to the tribe. As a result, a sense of deep commitment was instilled, and a promise was made to the tribe.
JR continues to volunteer with the performance group by playing drums, gongs (8-piece metal brass bells), and other Philippine indigenous percussion instruments.
With over 15 years of work in social services, JR has helped youth, newcomers, and families settle into their new lives, education, and careers. Currently a Career Advisor in the Downtown Eastside, JR help support clients with multiple barriers in achieving independence through employment.
JR’s dream is to one day see all Filipinos in the diaspora embrace de-colonization as they navigate their new lives on Turtle Island.
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MICAJIEU VELASCO (FORMER BOD)
Micajieu Joey Velasco is a settler of unceded Coast Salish, Musqueam and Tsleil-waututh Territories. Siya is a seasoned barista, aspiring writer, filmmaker and musician. Siya is also a storyteller, educator, spiritual healer who identifies as a both masculine and feminine energy queer person of colour. Micajieu is also the drummer for Kathara Indigenous Performance Group and currently the Vice President of Kathara Society.
In siya’s time with Kathara, siya started to reconnect with siya’s Filipino roots. Wanting to explore and grow, siya started a decolonizing grassroot group called Hisakupin which serves as a channel for Filipinos living in the diaspora. It's purpose is to connect them with their spirituality, language, history, culture and identity.
Siya work is mainly focused in collaborating with different Filipinos using different mediums as a form of expression, resistance to oppression and a movement for decolonization.
Siya also works with people on a personal level - energy reading, automatic writing, past life exploration, dream analysis, Rites of Passage consultant and spiritual motivator
Growing up as a child of Filipino and Chinese descent but dominantly raised in a traditional Chinese household, Micajieu feels that siya is part of a growing generation of people strangers to their own culture. Siya feels a considerable need and longing for a deeper connection with her ancestral roots. Siya often can be heard saying, "when it comes to figuring out who we are, it is not a matter of learning but remembering. So it is important that we listen from within."
Siya’s primary intention is hopefully through siya’s work, siya will be able to help people resolve that spiritual need while also helping them achieve an understanding of their own personal identity, language, history and culture. Siya believes that everyone is responsible when it comes to serving the mind, the body the spirit and their community.
HAYDEE DE PEDRO (FORMER BOD)
A retiree, Haydee De Pedro is very interested in the arts and culture of Indigenous People of the Philippines. Haydee is dedicated to assisting indigenous people so that they can have their voices and concerns heard.
LILIAN HOWARD (FORMER BOD, RIP)
Lillian Howard was Mowachaht and of Nuu-chah-nulth, Kwakwaka'wakw and Tlingit ancestry. Ms. Howard is an Indigenous, Social and Environmental Justice Advocate.
Lillian is very involved in the with the reconciliation process and promoting the Cultural Safety Framework in the health and justice systems. She is very involved in working with women and groups in the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.
RODEL DE LIMA (FORMER BOD)
SKY (FORMER BOD)