In the middle of the pandemic, friends John Erick Pabalan and Jason Lustina set out to create a Facebook community group called So Cal Filipinos. Their goal was simple: to connect Filipinos/Filipino Americans in (or have connections to) Southern California through shared experiences. From June 2020 to present, this online community now consists of 25,000 members and is still growing. They’ve collaborated with various groups such as MYX Global as well as conducted panels and workshops with notable personalities such as Rex Navarette, Chef Vallerie Castillo-Archer, and Patrick Ballesteros.

Tune in to today’s Meet The (818) interview as Jason and John Erick talk about their inspiration for starting the group, featuring Filipino/Filipino American culture through memes, and highlighting the community through panels and interviews. They also chat about future events, favorite moments, and the direction of the organization in the future.

Join the community on Facebook and follow them on Instagram @socalfilipinos for the latest information on the community.