After my parents finished up grad school at Rutgers University in New Jersey, they were off to Brazil to work; their intent was to stay for two years, but they ended up staying for twelve, because they loved the country and the people so much. During this time, my brother and I were born. I am the youngest of three, as my brother and I have an older sister who was born in New Jersey. Interestingly enough, we are all seven years apart in age.  

My parents knew that our family would someday go back to the US. The United States was where they wanted us to obtain our education, and the Brazilian lifestyle was not conservative enough for them. In the mid 80's my sister was accepted to the University of California at Davis where my parents both accepted employment as well, so we packed up and shipped off to the United States. This was a scary time for all of us, especially for my brother and me because Brazil was all we knew. Like any transition it was rough at first, particularly the language barrier but it was not long before we adopted English as our native tongue and embraced all that America had to offer.

I see many benefits to having been raised in a multi-cultural home, with my parents both being Filipino, us having been raised in Brazil and then growing up in the United Sates. It's hard not to develop an appreciation for different cultures on the whole, being blessed with colorful lifestyles and an amazing array of delicious foods.   

As far back as I can remember I have loved the spotlight.   While other kids would shy away and hide behind their parents, I was a little diva, demanding the cameras be turned onto me at all times. This natural predilection for the camera, spotlight and attention continued as I grew up, leading me to participate in beauty pageants, commercial print shoots and a variety of other "showbiz" endeavors. As much as I loved taking part in all of those activities, none of them felt like the perfect fit for me...that is, until I discovered my love for acting.

Acting brings me not only the joy of being in front of the camera, but also the freedom to connect with amazingly talented people. I have never had a natural talent for typical "art" (painting, drawing, sculpting, etc.) but I found my home in performance art. I have finally found an avenue that allows me to effectively express myself in a creative manner and I consider that a blessing.