Mar Velicaria: People do not realize how hard it is to be an artist.

It's a little bit easier now because of social media.

Rio Villa Ezell: Sure.

Mar: Yeah, but it is still--like, it is tough.

♪♪♪ Rio: Today I get to talk to the amazing designer behind Marharlika.

Mar is a designer and jewelry maker, and they also get to style me today in some traditional Filipino attire with some of the crowns they've made.

♪♪♪ Mar: My name is Mariel Lyn Velicaria, and I design modern Philippine accessories.

Rio: So how did you get started as an artist?

Mar: I feel like throughout my life the only thing that has ever really made sense to me is art.

So many people were like, "You can't do this forever.

This is, like, a good hobby.

This is a good side thing.

Like, this is great, but you need to figure out, like, actual skills to, like, make a life for yourself."

I think my family was supportive of me, but they always have-- in, like, the back of their heads were, like, telling me, like, little instances that I should pursue other things like being a nurse, which is, like, my main thing.

My mom is a nurse.

Like, shout out to all the nurses out there.

So I still took art classes, and then at one point I just kind of realized I really want to do art.

And so I told my parents, like, "I love you so much.

I think I want to do this."

And they already knew.

I feel like they--everyone knew.

It was like, "Okay, yeah, Mar is going to go into art.

Like, that makes sense."

And so I transferred from community college to UCSD, and that's when I started, like, actually studying art in like a different way like my major focus on, like, feature design.

In my free time I would try doing, like, graphic design stuff for, like, a lot of my community orgs too, and that's basically what I do.

♪♪♪ Rio: Did social media, like, play a really big part in you growing your business?

Mar: It was so much.

It was, like, one of the core things that got me to be where I am today.

The thing I tell all my interviews, which is like my funniest, like, tidbit.

And I think my parents are like, "Why do you say this?

Is that--" I feel like the internet cyber-bullied me into becoming a small business owner.

Rio: Oh my goodness.

Mar: I know.

Rio: Why, 'cause they were like, "We need this?"

Mar: Yeah, honestly, I--when I made my first product, which-- well, I didn't know it was going to be a product, but, you know, when I first made my first thing, which is the Reyna Headpiece, I showed my mom, and she said, "You should sell this."

And I was thinking like, "I don't want to sell it."

'Cause I feel like when it comes to, like, your hobby--like, arts or hobbies, things like that, a lot of people go straight to capitalizing off of it.

And there's times where I'm just like I just want to enjoy, like, making something.

I just want to make this hat and just call it a day and just for myself.

Rio: So your first crown you had just made for you.

It wasn't with the intention of starting a business.

Mar: Oh, no.

Definitely not.

It was in 2019.

The Miss Universe things were happening during that time.

It was Catriona Gray who won that year.

And also I was also saying, like, the Met Gala 'cause it happened around the time too.

And so I was in my senior, like, project class at UCSD and I was thinking, "You know what it'd be really cool?

It's to have some kind of like headpiece that was like the Philippine sun."

Because I see, like, in the Met Gala they have all these, like, extravagant outfits and stuff like that, especially, like, there was like the Renaissance, like, themed one a few years ago.

And so I drew it out in my notebook, and I was like, "Okay, this is doable."

And I was thinking about the ways to do it, and I was like, "Okay, I need to go to a craft store to buy, like, wire and maybe a head band there."

Rio: And had you created, like, jewelry before that?

Mar: I have, but, again, just for me.

Go to my parents' guest room 'cause I was living with them at the time, and I just made it there.

And then going back to, like, my mom, I showed her.

She said, "Just sell this."

And I said no, but I still took pictures of it and to show my friends online.

I want--I posted it on Twitter, and that was, like, kind of the first wave-ish of, like, it going a little bit viral.

I never really expected all of this obviously, but I think that I'm very, very blessed to be in an area growing up that has so much Philippine-American people here.

A lot of people can't relate to me in that fact here in the United States.

So I feel really blessed to have so many influences like that to make a difference within my, like, communities and for my people.

Rio: Mar goes over all the crowns and jewelry they have designed, but I'm curious how Mar would style wearing a crown in everyday use.

We go to try on some traditional clothes so that they can show me.

Mar: So my favorite type of Philippine attire is the terno or the butterfly sleeves.

So I'm going to put you in one right now.

Rio: Awesome.

Mar: This color is really good.

It goes with everything, so-- Rio: It is beautiful.

I feel like you can wear this with any color.

Mar: Oh, yeah, any color, to something, like, more simple under like a nice, black dress or anything like that or a white dress or any colored dress.

And then I'm going to put you in my most popular headpiece, which is the Five Ray Reyna Headpiece.

How's that look?

Rio: Oh my God, it's beautiful.

Mar: I'm going to put the button.

Rio: Wow, I don't recognize myself.

Mar: It is so cute.

Wow.

Rio: I feel like I should be, like, waving to a crowd or something.

Mar: That would be so cute.

Rio: This one's beautiful.

Mar: Thank you.

You look so good.

Rio: I just--'cause this is very, like, traditional, and I imagine, like, more of, like, elders wearing this.

So with the crown, it just makes it feel like it's meant for, like, people our age.

Mar: Oh, yeah.

Rio: Which I love.

Like, you're just bringing traditional clothing into, like, contemporary styling, and it's just beautiful.

Mar: A lot of Philippine wear is mainly seen as formal wear, but I try to make or try--I try to find, like, pieces that are more for casual daywear.

So the top I'm wearing right now is actually from, like, companies that are like Weaver's in the Philippines.

Rio: Wow.

Mar: And so I would wear this outfit I guess to an interview right now, but also to, like, brunch with my friends or anything like that.

Yeah, this is a Sunpaguita.

Rio: Oh my gosh.

I got chills.

It's just so beautiful.

Mar: It's so cute.

I love it.

Rio: Wow.

Rio: So I actually brought some of my own.

I bought them in the Philippines recently, and I had no idea how to style it.

So I would love your advice.

Mar: Okay.

Yeah, let's look at them.

Rio: Okay, I just loved the color.

I loved how shear it was.

What kind of event should I wear this to?

Mar: You can--well, you can go to a grocery store.

I'm just kidding.

You can go in and wear this to, like, a wedding or if you want to, like, wear this to, like, your cousin's baby shower or something like that.

Like, I think you can wear these things to anywhere because anything formal like a gala or anything like that would be awesome.

Rio: Love it.

Beautiful.

Mar: You're so cute.

I love this.

Rio: This one I actually bought for my grandma.

Mar: Aw, I love that.

When it comes to, like, my own grandma, I call her nanay, she was actually a huge part of, like, inspiration just in my everyday life, you know.

Everything I do I basically do for her.

I miss her so much.

But it's so funny 'cause here in the United States when she used to live here she actually had her own lumpia business where she would make lumpia for, like, parties and stuff like that.

Rio: Oh, wow.

Mar: So in a way I feel like I kind of took on that entrepreneur, small business kind of thing from her.

Rio: You inherited it from your grandma.

Mar: Oh, for sure.

Rio: What do you think?

What crown should we put with this?

Mar: Let's do this one because--my pusa.

It looks very butterfly, like, anyways.

Rio: I just want to say I feel very, like, honored to be able to put these crowns on that you've made and-- Mar: Aw, thank you.

Rio: Just beautiful.

Rio: So the name, how did you come up with the name Marharlika?

Mar: Yes, so a little bit about me, like, in a personal level is I am called Mar around, like, my friends and stuff like that, my family.

And as a joke I put my name into everything.

Like, from October to, like, March, I'd be like Octomar, Novemar, Decemar.

Like, I put my name in everything.

And so it was kind of a joke.

And so at first I was thinking, like, "Okay, when I name this brand, I guess I have a brand now, it's Marharlika because of the word maharlika, which is--means royalty in Tagalog, and I'm Mar because that's me."

And looking back on it, it made perfect sense.

Rio: I think that's very common for Filipinos, is to put, like, our name into things.

I think our name is, like, really--there's a lot of meaning behind our names.

Mar: Yes, my mom is literally named Muriel, and so I'm Mariel.

So the influence is definitely there in that regard.

Rio: My name is Rio, and my dad's name is Dario.

So they took Rio from Dario.

And then also it's just--I don't know if it's just our family.

We have a tradition of naming the child with the same letter as the parents.

So the R in Rio comes from my mom's name, which is Rebecca.

It's kind of like both of my parents names put together, which I've met so many people and their name is very unique because they have, like, half of their dad's name and half of their mom's name.

Mar: Sometimes I think of it as, like, almost a game 'cause I--when I see a name like that, I'm like, "Okay."

Rio: "What were your dad--what's your dad's name?

What's your mom's name?"

And you can kind of figure it out.

Mar: Sometimes I get really close.

I'm like, "Dang.

Yes, yes, of course."

It's definitely a trend out there.

Rio: Mm-hmm, but I think it's just such a fun thing that we do.

Rio: I ask Mar about their thoughts on the original word maharlika being a contender as a new name for the Philippines.

The Philippines was named by Spanish colonial settlers after King Philip II of Spain, obscuring our indigenous diversity, languages, and pre-colonial identity.

Mar: It's so tough because me as a Philippine-American person grew up away from, like, in diaspora because I grew up here in the United States and not in the Philippines.

Our viewpoints is so completely different from someone who grew up in the Philippines.

I think what's important for me is my experience as a Philippine-American person is still valid, not great, but I do definitely respect people who grew up--who born and raised in the Philippines and what they think.

It makes a lot of sense because, you know, we were under Spanish colonization.

We lose a lot of our actual history, what groups we were a part of originally in the Philippines, and that can be really tough because when you look back, it's like, "Well, I have my last name that's very Spanish-influenced.

What could have it been, you know?"

And a lot of people wonder that.

Rio: Yeah, I've actually heard that we didn't have last names before the Spanish came, but I often find myself asking my dad, like, "What are some Filipino last names?"

And he's like, "We didn't have any."

Mar: Yeah, I think that when it comes to Filipinos in general, Filipinos, Philippine-American, like however you identify, a big part of our culture and our history is trying to figure out who we are, like, our identity as a Philippine person because historically it has been almost taken away from us or changed so differently or drastically than now.

We as a people are trying to figure out, like, who we are, what do we think for ourselves in that regard.

And it's always been the hot topic throughout generations, but in this common struggle that we have, I think that it definitely unites us even stronger.

And that's why whenever you see any Filipino out there making it big or make, like, on being a celebrity or being on stage, we are like their biggest fans.

Rio: Yes, we are.

Mar: Even if you're, like, half Filipino or, like, you're just, like, a quarter.

Rio: Even if you're a quarter or less, like, any, if you're Filipino at all.

Mar: We got you.

Yeah.

We totally got you because to see that is so incredibly inspiring.

It's like--it really is like, "That's my ate, that's my kuya.

That's--that is--like, they're a part of my family.

So I'm going to cheer for them."

Rio: I love that.

Mar: Yeah.

Rio: And so do you think that being a part of our culture of supporting each other has played a part in growing Marharlika?

Mar: Oh, 1,000%.

I almost--I don't want to say I underestimated it, but, man, I just--the amount of people who absolutely do not know me, and it's like they're talking to me as if I'm-- like, I've known them forever is wild.

Like, I am--I feel so blessed constantly by the people who support me.

♪♪♪ Jay Jay Maniquis: But now I'm going to bring up the main event, the main act of the evening.

Let's introduce Kristel Dela Rosa.

Kristel Dela Rosa: Give it up for Jay Jay, everybody.

Wow.

Kristel: I really need to keep doing what I love to do, and moving my body and dancing and doing entertainment was where I wanted to be.

So why wouldn't I be in a place where I didn't feel like it was work?

Like, this is, like, my--one of my favorite places to be.

Like, call me crazy, but I'm here every morning at 4 a.m. ready to coach people through movements.

Jay Jay: Today we're here at F45 in Little Italy, and we're going to talk to one of the fitness trainers here Kristel Dela Rosa.

She's also a standup comedian really excited to show you her story.

Jay Jay: Before diving into some comedy, Kristel helps me warm up with exercises usually saved for paying clients.

♪♪♪ Kristel: All right, so we got the medicine ball here.

Just like how you have--perfect.

You're going to relax the tension.

Just relax a little bit.

There you go.

Good.

Lean back.

You're going to grab on to that medicine ball, get the nice grip on it.

You're going to go from pocket to pocket, so hip, and then tap the other side, tap it over.

Nice.

Then we're going to add a little challenge, all right?

Jay Jay: Challenge?

Kristel: Yeah, we're going to add a challenge.

Jay Jay: Is how do you mix in your comedy and humor with training and fitness?

Kristel: Yeah, so I like to make it funny for them.

Sometimes the members here call me the funny fitness personality because even when I'm showing them instructions or the demo I try to give them, like, songs or riddles or something to remember the movement that they'll think about.

Whether they have 10 seconds left, you know, I'll come over there.

Life is--can get so serious.

The workout can get so challenging that I just want to make it fun for them and understand that, you know, me coaching them through that, "I know what you're going through, and I got your back through it all."

Kristel: Keep that tension release from your shoulders, and then from here, lightly lift those feet up, were teaching you.

Oh, there it is.

Okay, there you go.

Jay Jay: Why am I shaking?

Kristel: You need to breath.

You want to make sure you're breathing.

Jay Jay: Oh, I'm not breathing.

Kristel: Take some exhales.

Good.

So four more.

Four, three, two, one.

There you go.

Jay Jay: Oh, thank God.

Kristel: You feel a little warmer?

Jay Jay: I do feel warm.

Jay Jay: Growing up Filipino-American in San Diego.

Kristel: Yes, sir, exactly.

Jay Jay: So where are you from?

And talk about your journey.

Kristel: So I am from south side San Diego, so closer to the border of San Ysidro, but I went to high school in Chula Vista, was born and raised in a house full of nine Filipinos, one household, multiple families.

Jay Jay: Different generations.

Kristel: Different generations.

I'm a first generation.

You know, my families, they migrated here from the Philippines, like, back in the '80s.

I'm living in the same house right now that I was born and raised in and raised by my grandparents, my titas, my titos, everybody.

Jay Jay: Buong familia.

Kristel: Buong familia.

[speaking foreign language].

Jay Jay: [speaking foreign language].

Kristel: [speaking foreign language].

And my grandma, which I call her, nanay, which I know is mom, so she did not allow me to speak English in the household.

It was always Tagalog.

Jay Jay: Uh-huh.

Nice.

Kristel: That was the one rule.

TFC was always playing.

So that was my first language, even though I was born and raised here in the States.

Jay Jay: Another thing that was--is huge within a Filipino household is there's a lot of comedy going on around and-- Kristel: So much comedy.

I mean, you think about where we come from.

Talking about showmanship, right?

We always grew up watching our parents, our grandparents tell stories.

And that's pretty much what it is.

I think I grew up watching my titas tell a story.

And if you're Filipino, you know everything's exaggerated, you know.

It's not a fun moment at a party unless the story is exaggerated.

So I think that's kind of where I got my storytelling from, and it would be in Tagalog most of the time.

I never even knew what, you know, I was being bred to be or what I wanted to be until, you know, last couple years.

It was like, "Oh, I think this is what I like to do.

I like telling stories."

And didn't know I was doing standup already in the house.

Jay Jay: And that's what standup is, right?

It's storytelling.

And you're right.

Like, our titas and titos, our uncles with the uncle jokes, they like to over exaggerate sometimes with their jokes, you know.

Kristel: Yes.

Jay Jay: So I got a few.

I got a few.

I'll tell you later, maybe a little later.

Kristel: Okay, we'll get into it later, okay.

Jay Jay: Force me on the mic, I might have to.

Kristel: You'll open.

Jay Jay: I might have to.

Kristel: You'll be like a 5-minute set.

Jay Jay: Yeah, I might have to open for you real quick.

Kristel: Warm up the audience, and then we'll get into, like, my set.

Jay Jay: I just have one of my uncle's jokes just pop into my head just now, so I'll work on that later.

Kristel: Okay, save that in the pocket for later.

Jay Jay: And as for Filipino- American, like, inspirations in comedy or even Asian-Americans, who have you looked up to?

Kristel: Honestly, when I started getting to standup it was during the pandemic, and during that time the famous Jo Koy, you know, a Filipino-American comedian, it was so relatable, you know, talking about his mother and also, you know, the talks of it's very hard to support an entertainment career in Filipino culture because, you know, we come here to survive, and comedy is not really a thing you think about as security, right, especially for Filipino immigrants.

So he was a huge inspiration, seeing how he sold out so many--like, his whole tour.

Jay Jay: Oh, yeah.

Kristel: Also Ali Wong is a huge comedy inspiration just because on the terms on like being a female doing a whole standup series pregnant.

It inspired me to say that, "Hey, you know, there's longevity to comedy.

No matter what you're going in through life, there's always going to be material because you're always going through in a chapter."

And Ali Wong was my inspiration for comedy never dies.

You could do it pregnant, you know, pre and postpartum.

You can always have something to talk about in whatever changes in life.

Like, it doesn't matter.

Like, comedy will always be there, you know.

Jay Jay: There's time to laugh for everything, right?

Kristel: Exactly.

And with all the--you know, with laughter, you know, it actually for me comes from pain, like going through trauma, even being a first generation here in America.

There's so much to talk about, but if I would just stay serious, I don't think that would help me elevate in life.

So comedy really came into my life during the pandemic as a therapy.

And during that time, it brought me joy.

It brought other people joy during that time where we really kind of needed it.

And I just have stuck with it that whole time.

Jay Jay: And you know how I can tell that you're younger than me and I'm your kuya is because my favorite Filipino comedian is Rex Navarrete.

Kristel: Right.

Jay Jay: And I used to watch him back in the day before like Pacquiao fights at events, and-- Kristel: Oh my gosh, yes, yes.

Jay Jay: Guess who used to open for him?

Kristel: Jo Koy.

Jay Jay: Jo Koy, yeah.

Kristel: That's so funny.

Comedians like Jo Koy and Ali Wong and, you know, comedians of color give me, like, new comedians, an opportunity to say, "I could talk about it and there's other people that are going to relate.

And, you know, we might not be for everyone, but there is an audience out there that will think your comedy is funny and be there to hear what you have to say, so--" Jay Jay: Yeah.

Well, it's time to flex.

I'm going to do it.

Kristel: Let's flex.

Let's go.

Kristel: So this is the space where I produce the comedy shows.

And I'm so glad that you're here because you can actually give me a little help, if you don't mind.

Jay Jay: Yeah, of course.

Of course.

Kristel: Just to get things nice and tidy for tonight.

Jay Jay: From the gym to the comedy club.

Kristel: Exactly.

Gym to comedy club, that is exactly my life.

Jay Jay: So why the red curtain?

Kristel: So the red curtain actually signifies the beginning of my comedy start, the comedy career.

I--during the pandemic, I--prior to that, I've never stepped foot in a comedy club.

And being on Zoom, I really wanted to feel like I had a space at home that was stepping into an open mic or a comedy scene.

So I actually purchased this curtain so that I could feel like I was really performing, yeah.

Jay Jay: Professional.

So professional, like a-- Kristel: Thank you.

It's actually really heavy.

It's like a fitter curtain.

Jay Jay: It's nice.

This was in your Zoom room, huh?

Kristel: In my Zoom room.

Jay Jay: That's your silver lining for the pandemic, right?

You got to practice your standup, and now look at where you're at.

Kristel: Exactly.

That's exactly the situation.

I'm honestly really grateful for that opportunity to have that time to practice all that comedy.

And that's pretty much what standup is, at least for me.

It's the stories that I know the best and nobody else can tell them but me.

So that's sort of where I get inspired to write and perform my material.

Jay Jay: Well, you're going to give us a little set here, huh?

Kristel: Yes, I am.

So I was hoping you had those uncle jokes in store so that you can warm up the audience.

Jay Jay: Kuya jokes.

Kuya jokes.

Kristel: The kuya jokes.

Exactly, excuse me.

The kuya jokes so that you can warm up the crowd.

Jay Jay: All right, ate.

I'll try to be funny, we'll see.

Kristel: Yes, I'm so excited.

Jay Jay: All right.

I'm excited to hear your stuff too.

Kristel: Yeah, let's go.

Let's get it ready.

Jay Jay: Welcome, everybody.

Welcome to the "Out of the Boondocks" comedy hour.

First ever.

And I'm obviously not the funny one.

The person right after me is going to be the one doing all the comedy.

Sorry to the 18% of non-Filipinos here, but yeah, I'm going to be doing some sort of Tagalog mixed with-- you know, those types of jokes, so-- My uncle Jing, may he rest in peace.

I know we all have, like, a Jing in the family, right?

Like Buoy and Bong and all that.

So my uncle Jing, he used to tell me jokes at all the family parties over lumpia and pancit, and he'd say, he's like, "Hey, Jay."

Like, "Yeah.

What's up, Uncle Jing?"

He goes, "You know I know how to speak French?"

I'm like, "French?"

He's like, "Yeah."

And he goes, "[speaking foreign language]."

And I'm like, "[speaking foreign language]?

What does that mean?"

And he goes, "There's holes in your socks."

And then I'm like, "What?"

In Tagalog, [speaking foreign language], there's holes in your socks.

[speaking foreign language].

So there you go.

But now I'm going to bring up the main event, the main act of the evening.

Let's introduce Kristel Dela Rosa.

Kristel: Give it up for Jay Jay, everybody.

Wow.

He's out for my job.

That was actually not bad first time.

Yeah, yeah.

Welcome, you guys.

Anybody from South Side San Diego?

South side?

That's my family.

Thank you very much, family.

You won't see Filipino moms as soccer moms because they're too busy working as your nurses.

You're welcome, America.

You're welcome 18%.

You're very welcome.

Yeah, you know, I--you know, during last year I lost my mom.

And during that time, people are so nice to you and they want to do everything for you.

And so people come up to me and they were like, "Is there anything I can do for you at this time?"

And I'm like, "You know what would be really nice?

Like, I just inherited my mom's Lexus, and it requires premium gas.

And I really need to get back to work.

So if you could just Venmo me some gas money, that'd be really nice, guys."

Seriously, guys, my Venmo is Kristel Dela Rosa.

Any couples in the house?

Any couples in the house?

You guys a couple?

female: Yes.

Kristel: Yes.

She's saying it, are you?

She's saying, "Yes."

He was thinking about it.

Right, so here it is.

So this--I got a problem-solving situation now.

So anytime you need him, you don't even need to talk to her.

You don't even talk to her.

You just say, "Babe, what do you think about my cooking?"

You just go...

Problem solved.

You're going to be married forever--you're welcome.

You bring her to the runway, bring her to the runway, run, run, run, runway.

My auntie got scared right now.

If you're in the back, my legs are wide open, and you're welcome.

So then I'm in front of Target, and the lady is like, "So you guys coming in or what?"

That's my time, you guys.

My name is Kristel.

Thank you so much, you guys.

Really appreciate it.

Rio: So you have some clothes also for men.

I was wondering if we could style our sound guy James.

Mar: That would be awesome.

Rio: Let's do it.

Come on up, James.

Mar: Yes.

James Punay: Break wall.

Mar: Come on, James.

Rio: Yay, James.

Mar: I hope it fits you.

I don't know if they'll fit you.

James: Oh, yeah, yeah.

Rio: Let's.

Mar: Yeah.

This is a medium.

I hope that--you think it will be fine?

Okay, awesome.

Kristel: Is that a cut?

male: Cut.

♪♪♪ female announcer: Support for this program comes from the KPBS Explore Local Content Fund, supporting new ideas and programs for San Diego.