Kapwa Konversations

On this episode of the podcast, we have Robespierre Dornagon, one of my best friends for over 15 years! Listen as we reflect on the importance of community and communication, and reminisce on lessons learned witnessing each other grow and evolve over the years. Robes is the Founder of DirectStory an advertising resource group created by advertisers FOR advertisers to connect. Network. And grow their careers. He is also an Associate Director of Paid Social at Hearts & Science (a media agency) where he leads and coaches teammates on how to excel in their advertising careers. If this conversation has piqued your interest to be in conversation with us, I encourage you to check out DirectStory, and join us for their first fireside chat that I'll be a part of on the topic of “The Power of Connections and Networking.”Please join us in this conversation that will be valuable for anyone across any team especially if you are in the Advertising or Non-Profit industries. Priyal and Paul are joining this conversation with years of professional experience to share with us how building a strong network has led them to so many opportunities.When: Tuesday, April 8th @ 5:30pm ETWhere: Online via Google MeetTo join just sign up on there Google Form here: https://lnkd.in/eGXPAqQ8This is a free event to attend, so please join - it is open for anyone to come, listen in, and ask questions to our speakers! We can't wait to be in conversation with you all!

On this episode of the podcast we have Isidora Torres, author of Working with Feelings, to discuss the topic of Dimensions of Care.As a daughter of Filipino immigrants, Isidora greatly emphasizes understanding family dynamics and how they inform generational patterns. She has published work on her exploration as a Filipino-American within American culture and the impact of acculturation on identity. As a People Operations and Culture expert, Isidora has developed a genuine interest in the intersection of emotion and work, expanding on her findings about the cultural and emotional landscape of the workplace in her book, Working With Feelings: Caring For Your Employees Through Cultural Humility and Emotional Fluency. She previously held People Operations roles at various startups and advocates for developing soft skills. She holds a Masters Degree in Counseling from Northwestern University. Listen as we cover a range of topics from:What it's like to show up as Filipinos in the Human Resource/People fieldRemembering our Babaylan history, and what it means to hold the healer/caretaker roleHow do we take care of ourselves as caretakers so we don't burn outIf this episode has piqued your interest to be in conversation, I encourage you to bring your questions to the virtual office hours that we're hosting on Monday, Feb 17th at 7pm ET. The event will be donation-based, and we'll be giving the proceeds to Filipino families impacted by the LA fires.More info on the event to be shared on our IG!

It's about time! On this episode of Kapwa Konversations we welcome Tanvi Mittal, a coach and facilitator who holds reflective spaces, to join us to discuss all things related to time. You'll hear us connect on:Our relationship with time growing up in our cultures Where do you find flow vs. resistance?Time as a concept – is it something you own? Experience? Something else?We think this is the perfect season to reflect on time as we begin to close out this year and make space for what's next If you feel called to be in community with us, please join us for a virtual workshop on December 16th from 7pm to 8:30pm EST. Tanvi and I will guide you through reflective and somatic practices to help you slow down, think spaciously, and share how you move with time in your own life.You can expect to leave with reflective prompts, somatic practices, and insights from your own life that deviate from cultural scripts of "time." Here is the link to register. We'd love to see you all there!

Hi Everyone, I hope you are all well. I'm excited to catch you up on life since we were last on the air in early 2022! In this into to season 2 of the podcast we'll go into:what I've been up to these past 2 yearswhy bring back the podcast now?what am I learning/re-learning?what's next for this season of the podcast?what topics will we cover?I look forward to being in kapwa (to see the self in the other) with you all again!

Hi Everyone. We are hopping on the mic to share a bonus episode of what we've been up to since season 1 ended, what the vision for Kapwa Yoga and the podcast looks like for 2022, and an invite to our first event of the year: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/kapwa-currentsea-healing-our-money-stories-tickets-293578750947?utm_source=eventbrite&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=post_publish&utm_content=shortLinkNewEmail (Kapwa Currentsea: Healing Our Money Stories) March 26th 3-5:30pm EST It will be a virtual space where we offer a combination of journaling, conversation, embodiment, and yoga to release the hiya (shame) around our money stories and remember that our inner worth is priceless. It would be an honor to be in kapwa with you all there! In the meantime, we can be in conversation through https://www.instagram.com/kapwa.yoga/?hl=en (IG) and https://www.tiktok.com/@kapwa.yoga?lang=en (TikTok).

Christine is a professional actress onstage and onscreen. Most of her experience has been in the regional theatre and she has worked at Tony Award-winning companies such as the Public Theatre (in NYC), the Alley (in Houston), the Denver Center and Utah Shakespeare Festival. She recently Guest Starred on CBS' Magnum P.I. as a 1986 Imelda Marcos! She was a theatre kid in my teens and started out at the performing arts programs at Douglas MacArthur High School in San Antonio, TX and the School for Creative and Performing Arts at Chula Vista High School in San Diego. She went on to the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts 2-year program and received her BFA in Musical Theatre at the Boston Conservatory before going on to the graduate classical acting program at the University of Delaware Professional Theatre Training Program on a full scholarship. Christine considers herself a “multipotentialite”, having explored careers in non-profit, education and religious environments. She studied at NYU's Steinhardt School of Education and got an MA in Educational Theatre (focusing on colleges and communities). She also did graduate work at Andover Newton Theological School in the Theology and the Arts program.  Christine is also a singer and songwriter. She spent years directing music in various churches, singing in several bands and is often a featured vocalist at special events.   Christine is a certified 200-hour registered yoga teacher through Yoga Alliance. She received her training through the Deep Yoga School of Healing Arts. She has taught yoga at EF International Language School, Ginseng Yoga, Vara Healing Arts, Generation Yoga and privately. Christine's teaching style is alignment-based with a strong meditation/philosophy-orientation. She will often chant during Savasana and her sequences have a playful quality. She always mixes a little sweat with lots of breath. Her classes are great for beginners and those that are seeking less intensity/low impact. She is the founder of a Facebook forum to connect Filipino-heritage yoga devotees called "PYN-Pilipino Yoga Network". Christine also founded a collaborative called Kapwa Yoga Network, inspired by Philippine psychology and Filipino indigenous wisdom, who work throughout the diaspora to discover their roots as they develop as Filipino/a/x yoga instructors.  Christine offers live music for yoga and has been a guest performer at several studios across the country. Her music has also been featured on "Yoga Chat with the Accidental Yogist" and "Sacred Mondays with Mystic Pete". Her 10 1/2 minute song meditation, https://music.apple.com/gh/album/halika-na-she-ep/id891913968 ("Halika Na/She") is available on iTunes. She is also a conscious/new age writer and has been published in LA Yoga Magazine and Namaskar Magazine. You can connect with her through her https://www.christinejugueta.com/ (website), https://www.imdb.com/name/nm12445946/?ref_=pro_nm_visitcons (IMDB), https://www.facebook.com/thechristinejugueta/ (Facebook), or https://www.instagram.com/cjugueta/ (Instagram). If you are interested in coaching or consultation, you can contact her via email at kapwayoganetwork@gmail.com. If you feel called to connect further, you can follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/kapwa.yoga/ (@kapwa.yoga). We also just recently joined Clubhouse and you can connect with us there @kapwakonvos. This podcast is a part of Kapwa Yoga, a movement and mindfulness practice that combines my background in yoga, dance and organizational psychology. You can find out more about our services https://www.kapwa.yoga/ (here). Thank you, Maraming Salamat, and catch you on the next conversation!

Natalie is both a Yoga Teacher and Essential Oil Educator. She has been on an odyssey to find home within herself through her travels around the globe and in her quest for deep connection, radically fun living and healing. Among her most adventurous journeys were in her political science days at St. Petersberg Technical University in Russia on a National Security Education Program Scholarship through the University of Florida and her 8 years in Hong Kong in an Upper Level Management role for a major shoe company. After experiencing a deep shift in her core through her initial studies of yoga, meditation and essential oils, she expanded her sense of adventure by studying meditation through the Asian Classics Institute, leading charity yoga treks in the Nepalese Himalayas, studying doTerra AromaTouch® technique and the healing properties of essential oils, receiving her 500-hr yoga teacher training with Shiva Rea, going on retreat with the Samudra School in India, and discovering the connection between Sanskrit and the languages of her ancestors in the Philippines. Natalie's loving and kind presence, her radiance and infectious laugh are a testament to her personal breakthroughs and are the welcome entrypoint to her yoga experiences. She offers classes suited to all levels and a diverse range of styles. Her classes are marked by her harmonium, nods to the roots of the traditions by referencing postures in Sanskrit, and peppered with yoga philosophy. It blends the intelligent and dynamic sequencing of http://www.shivarea.com/ (Shiva Rea)'s Prana Flow® with heart-based reflections, breath-inspired movement, attention to alignment and an atmosphere of joy, compassion and support. “Great Love” encapsulates Natalie's spirit for yoga, life and the communities she serves. She is a regular contributor to LA Yoga and Namaskar magazines and she has been one of Shiva Rea's senior assistants for 6 years. Students local to Malibu and the Santa Monica Mountain area, and in various private settings. She is an avid camper, rock climber, a holistic wellness practitioner and has led kirtans with several celebrated artists. She is also a classical Indian music devotee studying with http://kaminimusic.com/ (Kamini Natarajan).  Natalie is very excited about sharing her passion and devotion to the festival community and is looking forward to sharing the “Great Love” within and around us all. Maha Mahal! You can connect with Natalie on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/nataliemacam/ (@nataliemacam) and through her website. You can also learn more about her current offerings, https://tri.ps/00ooU (Upper Mustang "Little Tibet" Nepal Yoga Adventure) and https://tri.ps/UuL5s (Yoga Pilgrimage ~ Discover Nepal). If you feel called to connect further, you can follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/kapwa.yoga/ (@kapwa.yoga). We also just recently joined Clubhouse and you can connect with us there @kapwakonvos. This podcast is a part of Kapwa Yoga, a movement and mindfulness practice that combines my background in yoga, dance and organizational psychology. You can find out more about our services https://www.kapwa.yoga/ (here). Thank you, Maraming Salamat, and catch you on the next conversation!

Chloe Alcid is a professional dance artist and movement teacher based in Manila, Philippines. After graduating from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts with a BFA in Dance in 2014, she underwent her 200-hr Vinyasa Yoga Teacher Training and decided to take a break from dancing. During this break, which ended up lasting for 4 years, Chloe accumulated over 700 hours of yoga training, focused on developing her voice as a teacher and, most importantly, worked on healing her relationship with her body, food, and movement. She started dancing again in 2018 with the non-professional competition team REDph and eventually started her professional career with Daloy Dance Company. Currently, Chloe dances with Galaw.Co Dance Theatre. As both an artist and a teacher, her work focuses on moving from a place of love for oneself and for the world. You can connect with Chloe on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/movewithchloe/ (@movewithchloe) and https://www.instagram.com/chloemcalcid/ (@chloemcalcid). If you feel called to connect further, we're hosting an IG Live Aftershow with Chloe this coming Tuesday 7pm EST on https://www.instagram.com/kapwa.yoga/ (@kapwa.yoga). We also just recently joined Clubhouse and you can connect with us there @kapwakonvos. This podcast is a part of Kapwa Yoga, a movement and mindfulness practice that combines my background in yoga, dance and organizational psychology. You can find out more about our services https://www.kapwa.yoga/ (here). Thank you, Maraming Salamat, and catch you on the next conversation!

Stef is all about intensity. Off the bike, she's accustomed to high intensity interval training and circuit training. Workouts that she believes only yield results as great as the effort that is put into them. Stef leads each class with the utmost level of intensity and resistance while having equally as much fun. Always hoping to push and inspire her riders to approach each class to the best of their abilities, Stef pairs her workouts with a classic “no pain, no gain” mentality. You can connect with Stef on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/stefaniefit.uk/ (@stefaniefit.uk), and learn more about her classes at https://www.instagram.com/perigon.co/ (@perigon.co). If you feel called to connect further, we're hosting an IG Live Aftershow with Ea this coming Monday 8pm EST on https://www.instagram.com/kapwa.yoga/ (@kapwa.yoga). We also just recently joined Clubhouse and you can connect with us there @kapwakonvos. This podcast is a part of Kapwa Yoga, a movement and mindfulness practice that combines my background in yoga, dance and organizational psychology. You can find out more about our services https://www.kapwa.yoga/ (here). Thank you, Maraming Salamat, and catch you on the next conversation!

Ea Torrado is a multidimensional healing artist whose medicine blends the use of body, voice, ritual and storytelling. She is also the founder of Daloy Movement, a guided and durational free-form healing dance practice originated and developed in the Philippines, that many people find liberating, transformative and healing. With 17 years of professional dance and teaching experience, coupled with a lion's heart for social justice, Ea created original contemporary performance rituals that engage both lyrically and viscerally with the politics of identity, society, sexuality, collective rage, grief, spirituality, and healing. She practices reiki and other intuitive healing modalities, and is deeply engaged with the spiritual legacies and practices of the filipina shaman-priestess, or babaylan. You can connect with Ea on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/eatorrado/ (@eatorrado), and learn more about https://www.instagram.com/daloymovement/ (Daloy Movement) and https://goddesscominghome.wixsite.com/here (When She Comes). If you feel called to connect further, we're hosting an IG Live Aftershow with Ea this coming Monday 8pm EST on https://www.instagram.com/kapwa.yoga/ (@kapwa.yoga). We also just recently joined Clubhouse and you can connect with us there @kapwakonvos. This podcast is a part of Kapwa Yoga, a movement and mindfulness practice that combines my background in yoga, dance and organizational psychology. You can find out more about our services https://www.kapwa.yoga/ (here). Thank you, Maraming Salamat, and catch you on the next conversation!

Marissa is a compassion-focused therapist and certified yoga instructor at the 200-hour level. She runs a virtual private practice where she works with women and the LGBTQIA+ community to build awareness, skills, and a compassionate self. As a queer woman herself, she has a personal and professional understanding of what it means to hold these identities and uses this knowledge to care and support her clients. Marissa brings together a personalized yoga practice, talk therapy, and a guided meditation into every session she provides. She leads with compassion and her heart and works endlessly to create a virtual space of safety and ease. Marissa is originally from Berkeley, California and recently relocated from the New York City area to Southern New Jersey. She'll be taking her practice on the road with her partner and their dog very soon. She also loves to write, read, and travel. You can find her on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/marissatheyogitherapist/ (@marissatheyogitherapist) and find her services at her https://www.marissatolero.com/ (website). If you feel called to connect further, we're hosting an IG Live Aftershow with Marissa this coming Monday 8pm EST on https://www.instagram.com/kapwa.yoga/ (@kapwa.yoga). We also just recently joined Clubhouse and you can connect with us there @kapwakonvos. This podcast is a part of Kapwa Yoga, a movement and mindfulness that combines my background in yoga, dance and organizational psychology. You can find out more about our services at https://www.kapwa.yoga/ (Kapwa.yoga). Thank you, Maraming salamat, and catch you on the next conversation!

Tim Landicho is a personal trainer and online coach based in NYC. He got his start in the fitness industry because of his fascination with movement (since he is a dancer), but his driving force gradually evolved as he realized that training, nutrition, and mindset are all simply vehicles for living a more fulfilled life -- one that constantly nourishes us and allows us to give back to others. He is a coach at Mark Fisher Fitness and has been coaching in the online space for about a year and a half now. He enjoys working with all kinds of people, but has a special soft spot for folks who are absolute beginners. His love languages are: words of affirmation, new music recommendations, and copious amounts of Ben & Jerry's. You can find him on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/timlandicho/ (@timlandicho), where he's often offering tips on exercise technique, mindset, and how to incorporate fitness into a busy life. If you feel called to connect further, we're hosting an IG Live Aftershow with Tim this coming Monday 8pm EST on https://www.instagram.com/kapwa.yoga/ (@kapwa.yoga). We also just recently joined Clubhouse and you can connect with us there @kapwakonvos. This podcast is a part of Kapwa Yoga, a movement and mindfulness that combines my background in yoga, dance and organizational psychology. You can find out more about our services at https://www.kapwa.yoga/ (Kapwa.yoga). Thank you, Maraming salamat, and catch you on the next conversation!

Jeffrey's yoga journey started in 2007, after graduating from Berklee College of Music. At the time he couldn't afford to attend daily yoga classes, but the practice was such an emotional healing bomb for him that he learned on his own from DVDs, YouTube and attending one community class each week at his local yoga studio. Jeffrey moved to New York in 2009 and began practicing at Jivamukti Yoga School. In 2011 he completed the 300hr Jivamukti Yoga Certification, respectfully thanking Sharon Gannon and David Life for making that possible and continued on to complete the 500hr Jivamukti apprenticeship that same year. He began practicing Ashtanga Yoga on his own in 2012 and in 2014 I found his teacher, Guy Donahaye (director of the Ashtanga Yoga Shala NYC). In 2015, he began apprenticing under Guy's tutelage, acquiring all the techniques, concepts and philosophies that were imparted to him from his teacher. Jeffrey continues to immerse himself daily in sadhana so that he can share his love and passion for yoga to inspire others as he has been. You can connect with Jeffrey at https://www.instagram.com/jeffreyvillanuevayoga/ (@jeffreyvillanuevayoga) and on his https://www.jeffreyvillanueva.com/ (website). He is offering an Inversions workshop through https://www.instagram.com/yogavidanyc/ (@yogavidanyc) at the end of Jan and you can find out more about it https://www.yogavida.com/teacher-training/300-hour-teacher-training/inversions/ (here). We've also just joined the Clubhouse app at @kapwakonvos. Connect with us there as we plan to host some future interactive conversations there!

We are back and want to share this bonus grounding guided meditation for the new year. Inspired by a recent trip to Hawaii, we use the visualization of the mountain as a reminder that strength and stability lies within. We'll be back with our next Konversation later this week. In the meantime, you can stay connected with us on IG at https://www.instagram.com/kapwa.yoga/ (@kapwa.yoga). Thank you, Maraming Salamat, and catch you on the next Konversation!

Kimberly is the chef and co-founder of Kora, an apartment-based bakery born during the COVID-19 pandemic that explores the richness of Filipino culture & flavors through cuisine and her late grandmother's recipes. She is an alumna of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York with pastry & savory NYC restaurant experience for teams like Make it Nice and USHG. Kimberly is a proud Filipino-American and Queens-native. Connect with Kimberly on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/kimberlymcamara/ (@kimberlymcamara), follow Kora https://www.instagram.com/fromkora/ (@fromkora) to find out how to place an order, and check out the Eater https://ny.eater.com/2020/9/8/21427633/kora-filipino-desserts-doughnuts-instagram (article) that started it all. Join us Monday evening (12/21) for an IG Live aftershow over at https://www.instagram.com/kapwa.yoga/ (@kapwa.yoga). Note: we will be taking a break for the holidays and will be back with our next konversation mid-Jan. In the meantime, stay safe and happy holidays!

Paolo Española is a wandering diner in search of a good meal and an ever-elusive identity. He started this blog during his soul-crushing stint as an accountant and later co-founded http://hiddenapron.com/ (Hidden Apron), his side project that dabbles in everything from catering, hosting pop-up dinners, podcasting, and everywhere in between. He is also a contributing author to the best-selling cookbook, “The New Filipino Kitchen”. ⁣ ⁣ He believes that food is a universal language that can solve the world's most challenging problems, help people believe in their own potential, create communities with shared stories, and realize that in breaking bread, we break boundaries. ⁣ ⁣ Connect with him on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/errant_diner/ (@errant_diner), over e-mail (theerrantdiner@gmail.com), or through https://www.instagram.com/hidden_apron/ (@hidden_apron). He has over five years of experience in strategic and operational roles in the tech industry and is always open to opportunities at the intersection of food, agriculture, and technology.

An LA native dedicated to staying in the Lenape Territory for awhile. Melani De Guzman is a Filipinx-American multidisciplinary dance artist, actor, educator, community facilitator, and healer. The heart of her work is rooted in healing, sensual embodiment, and reclaiming ancestral lineages. She has integrated her diverse practices and collaborative partnerships into site-specific solo works, dance films, and movement offerings. Melani reclaims her power and truth studying somatic movement practices, mysticism through astrology, community activism, and forever being a student. Her evolving purpose is to create potent and inspiring medicine- projects, initiatives, works, spaces, movements- to help elevate the way all bodies exist. Melani's offerings include a Bahala Na breathwork and meditation pop up through https://www.wuwu828.com/practice (wuwu), free weekly 30 min somatic meditation exploration at https://www.askrose.com/ (Rose), an in-person sound bath Fridays at https://www.fotografiska.com/nyc/event/mindfulness-fridays-soundbath/ (Fotografiska NYC), and a collaboration with visual artist https://www.florencemontmare.com/ (Florence Montmare) starting Dec 11 onwards. You can connect with Melani on IG https://www.instagram.com/breathemelani/ (@breathemelani) and through her https://www.melanideguzman.com/ (website).

Marie Lloyd Paspe originally from Singapore, Toronto, and Boston, is a Filipina-American multidisciplinary dancer, singer, choreographer, and concept creator in Queens, NYC. Marie currently performs and tours with https://www.instagram.com/billtjonesarniezaneco/ (@billtjonesarniezaneco) based in Chelsea, NYC, choreographs her own works for stage and film, and teaches pilates. She has danced for Carolyn Dorfman, Renee Jaworski, Jae Mann Joo, and performed with https://www.instagram.com/alvinailey/ (@alvinailey) Dance Theater. Marie graduated summa cum laude in Dance and Business from https://www.instagram.com/fordhamuniversity/ (@fordhamuniversity) /Ailey 2016.⁣ ⁣ Using deconstructive designs, vocals, projections, textures, and abstraction; Marie creates with a matriarchal world in mind and a reclamative story that unfolds. Eastern heritage versus Western dance technique pose dissonant synchronicities that show up as painfully pleasurable ironies, reflecting both her Filipinx identity and its colonization. Her interests in dancemaking are deeply tied to making sense of Philipine identity within foreign spaces, and how juxtapositions of contemporary and traditional worlds can meet to learn from each other. ⁣ ⁣ Marie's work has been presented in Israel at Zichri Theater; various theaters such as https://www.instagram.com/dixonplace/ (@dixonplace), https://www.instagram.com/queenstheatre/ (@queenstheatre), Ailey Citigroup Theater, Reeds Arboretum, and Smush Gallery in NYC and New Jersey; and commercial work online for most recently EBY and https://www.instagram.com/titovlabel/ (@titovlabel). Marie is offering a weekly movement class called https://wuwupractice.as.me/structureandintegration (Structure + Integration) that explores the different myofascial meridians of our bodies and how they integrate, relate, and respond to each other. You can connect with Marie on IG https://www.instagram.com/mmmlloyd/ (@mmmlloyd) and through her https://www.marielloydpaspe.com/ (website).

Jewel Sales is a queer Filipinx artist, feminist, personality, and activist. Originally from New York, grew up in Old Bridge, NJ, and now residing in Los Angeles. Jewel's work embodies body positivity, feminism, and queer representation. As a queer artist, she felt a sense of urgency to create safe spaces and has been inspired by making people feel a sense of connectedness. Jewel noticed the LGBTQ+ community didn't have enough nightlife options  other than drinking and clubbing. That's when “Paint and Sip with Jewel” was born. She started to host her own BIPOC + queer paint workshops, as an alternative safe space, colliding art and community.  Jewel's art is available in-person Sundays at https://www.instagram.com/silverlakeflea/ (Silver Lake Flea) and online through her https://www.jewel-sales.com/ (website). Her art will be featured at https://www.instagram.com/project_barkada/ (Barkada Night Market) Oct 24th and she is offering a https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pumpkin-paint-sip-tickets-125745892349 (Pumpkin Paint & Sip) event on Oct 30th. You can connect with Jewel on IG through her https://www.instagram.com/jewelsales/ (personal) and https://www.instagram.com/jewelsalesart/ (art) accounts, and come join us for an IG Live aftershow with Jewel Oct 26th on https://www.instagram.com/kapwa.yoga/ (@kapwa.yoga)!

Matthew "Matty" Espino is an 800-hour+ certified yoga and movement instructor/teacher trainer with specialties in trauma-informed vinyasa yoga, yin, and restorative yoga. Additionally, he has completed training and speciality certifications with Kids & Teens Yoga, Mindfulness Meditation, Yoga Tune Up®, Accessible Yoga, and https://calendly.com/mattyespino/305-fitness?month=2020-10 (305 Fitness Dance Cardio).  Originally from California, Matty moved to New York City in 2013 to pursue his MA in TESOL at Columbia University. During a rather difficult time in his life, he was brought to his first NYC yoga class that opened his curiosities to the potential benefits of yoga and wellness. Ultimately, the practice changed his life. He became yoga certified in the summer of 2015 and began teaching that same year. As part of the few Filipino teachers in the yoga/wellness scene, Matty is committed to representing and fighting for an equitable voice in an industry that is often fraught with invisibilizing and marginalizing those who do not fit a popularized mold. In his commitment to teaching, he aims to cultivate an enriching experience that offers students the ability to feel empowered, seen, and in charge of their own unique experience. You can connect with Matty on IG https://www.instagram.com/supermatt1123/ (@supermatt1123) and through his http://matthew-espino.com/ (website). He is offering a https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScSAdUuhLmkRCU1sZPSVyF7rJ4sIHTGC19jksdk9NY3wDyzZQ/viewform (Resilience & Rest) training starting Oct 14th and has classes on demand through his https://www.patreon.com/mattyespino (patreon).

Join Paul Jochico as he amplifies the voices of Filipino/x folks in the health and wellness space, and builds community across the diaspora. We will use the indigenous Filipino wisdom of kapwa, or shared inner self, to inspire and remember that we are all connected. By sharing our stories we can better see ourselves in each other and be inspired to live life in kapwa. Subscribe now for updates and learn more about us at https://www.instagram.com/kapwa.yoga/ (@kapwa.yoga) and our website.