Kultivating konnections

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This article was published 23/08/2022 (1156 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

For Tayler Francisco, the last weekend of August is a chance to share her non-traditional career path.

For Abbey Frany, it’s a time to inspire burgeoning Filipino business owners.

Edelma Miranda has used it as a springboard to launch her culture-inspired pizza — an homage to a meal she had in the Philippines decades ago.

Filipino-Canadian entrepreneurs are banding together to connect and share their culture through Kultivation Festival, a volunteer-run event at several locations this Friday through Sunday.

“It’s almost like a movement,” said Allan Pineda, the festival’s executive director. “We’re putting it all under one weekend so we can all share our reach and influence in the community.”

Non-Filipino Manitobans might learn about businesses they wouldn’t have heard of otherwise, Pineda added.

Kultivation Festival first launched at Garden City Shopping Centre in 2020. When COVID-19 invaded, the Filipino-led programming was cut short.

“We had so much momentum,” Pineda said. “If we didn’t do something this year, all the hard work from the committee and volunteers… it’s just fading away.”

During August’s final weekend, organizers will host a drag tiki bar, a spring roll eating competition and a noodle battle, among other events. There will be music nights and dance sessions. Locations across Manitoba will host.

“It uplifts the community,” Pineda said.

The Saturday will include a business panel and networking block at TableSpace. Francisco, who leads a digital marketing agency, is one of the speakers.

“As Filipino-Canadians, we’re often taught, ‘OK, you need to be a nurse or a doctor or at least, for sure, go to post-secondary,’” Francisco said. “(These) are all great things, but there’s so many different ways to reach success.”

Francisco, 26, will talk about her trajectory from teacher to gym staff to company founder.

“(It’s) just showing young Filipino-Canadians that they can do anything they want, and they don’t have to pick a certain career just because their parents think it’s the safest option,” Francisco said.

Frany, 17, has assumed a similar role on a youth panel. She and three peers will speak about their businesses on Saturday.

“I heard it was to inspire other young… entrepreneurs to start their own business, and I think that they should,” the Wpgnecklaces creator said.

She found the courage to begin her own venture after watching TikTok videos, she said. Now, she wants to be a role model.

“When I started off, literally nobody was helping me,” Pineda said. “With things like this, there’s people that can help you, or you see them doing something and (think) ‘I can do that.’”

Pineda, a chef by trade, said he’s made many connections through Kultivation Festival. It’s bridging divisions between young and old, first and second generations, he said.

Some, like Wall Street Slice’s Miranda, hope non-Filipinos will consume some Filipino culture.

She and her team have created a sisig pizza for the month of August, in conjunction with Kultivation Festival.

“It’s nice to share a little bit of who I am with the people who come in,” Miranda said.

She ate sisig — traditionally a hot dish made with pork cheeks and ears — while visiting the Philippines as a child. Her Winnipeg pies use pork belly instead.

“It gives us a chance to share and celebrate my culture, and our passion for food,” Miranda said.

One Great City Brewing Co. is among the businesses to collaborate with Kultivation Festival.

The microbrewery has created a halo halo beer, based on a Filipino dessert with ube, mango and coconut notes.

Alexander Diamandas, assistant brew master, said he fell in love with halo halo when a Filipino friend introduced him.

“I think celebrating cultures is super important and just builds a lot of understanding and respect,” Diamandas said. “Doing that for what is obviously a pretty long standing and vibrant community here is something I’m absolutely on board with.”

Some events — like the business panels — will be free, while others are ticket-entry only. A full itinerary is available on Kultivation Festival’s website.

gabrielle.piche@winnipegfreepress.co