10 – Kevyn Lorenzana / Emcee, Poet, Barber, Ethnic Studies, UCLA

The Filipino Garage - KuyaChris & Friends - A Filipino American Perspective

Kevyn Lorenzana is a 22-year-old Filipino American emcee, poet, musician, organizer, barber, and community organizer. He’s headed to the Philippines this summer on a community exposure trip to visit rural schools. Once he comes back in the fall, he will be pursuing a degree in Asian American Studies at UCLA. In this return episode, he shares an original song written for Roderick Daus-Magbual’s Filipina/o American Community Issues class and drops a few freestyle bars. We talk about his history of being an SF-born FilAm and his journey through realizing his identity—thanks to the help of Skyline College and ethnic studies. Kevyn is dedicated to serving his community and shares his long-term vision to be a teacher, especially for incarcerated youth. He shares experiences of being mugged at gunpoint as an 8th grader and the effects of the prison system within his own family, but also shares an understanding perspective in regards to larger systems of influence such as poverty and colonial mentality. Take a listen, be inspired, and join us on this journey.