The nitty-gritty: I’m a practicing social worker and anthropologist. I hold degrees in Cultural Anthropology and Biology from East Carolina University, and a MSW from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. For the past decade I have partnered alongside non-profit organizations in South America and the Caribbean to better understand global economics, as well as economic and political violence; served as a key developer of middle and high school programs across various student ministries; and led psycho-educational groups in an in-patient psychiatric hospital for children, adolescents, and adults. More recently, I am a part of a research team from UNC School of Social Work leading a new wave of child welfare policy in North Carolina.

A more personal touch: I am a Philippine-born, Hawai’i-raised, adopted immigrant currently residing in the Coastal Southeast. Wowza, what a mouthful! I’m a self-proclaimed pro at switching from Hawaiian Pidgin to Eastern Carolina Twang, and Lord knows I can’t figure out how to operate a TV remote. I am notorious for taking the scenic route (then getting lost!) and am deathly afraid of bicycles with baskets.

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Disclaimer: The ideas expressed here are solely my own and do not necessarily represent the individuals, institutions, and agencies I am affiliated with.

This blog serves to chronicle my personal journey into the “middle ground” of Social Welfare, Culture, and Holistic Living, through my vantage point as a person of color, a Third Culture Kid, a woman, and a person of Faith. Instilling hope and encouraging others to re/think, reconcile, and grow is my specialty.

Photo Credit: Katie Marie Photography