Photo credit: Justin Katigbak for Disabled and Here

Luann (Lulu) is a queer and disabled pinay cultural worker with over a decade of experience in digital strategy, creative production, and grassroots community building. Her art practice is an embodiment and collaboration with the Babaylan spirit, connecting the Self with the Collective to manifest new realities, bring balance to the Earth, and align with our Higher Selves. She is in service to using her practice in movement-building spaces, utilizing creative strategies and tactics to center the voices of communities directly impacted by systemic injustice and oppression. Luann’s previous experiences include working with AAPI communities, caregivers, and survivors of sexual violence.

In 2015, she received her Master of Arts degree in Conflict Resolution at Portland State University with the project titled, “Comedy as a Platform for Marginalized Voices: Asian American Women and the Disoriented Comedy Showcase”. She is a 2017 recipient of the Golden Spot Award Residency, a curated artist-in-residency program with Caldera Arts, and has received funding from the Regional Arts and Culture Council. 

In 2018 she released the pilot for “Gabby Antonio Smashes the Imperialist, White Supremacist, Capitalist Patriarchy!” or “Gabby Smashes” for short, which received praise from Willamette Week as “One of the Most Realistic Representations of Portland Yet.” Season one of Gabby Smashes, 4 episodes total, is set to release in 2022.

In her free time, she spends time with family and friends, people watching at cafes, and playing with her corgi, Bao. She currently lives in Anaheim, CA (the OC). Follow her on Instagram at @bgdecolonized.