Delighted to welcome JENIKA MAY GONZALES, a multi-talented Filipino-American graphic designer and always inspiring Cleveland foodie to the pod! Jenika works with diverse clients including Cleveland’s most beloved brands — Mitchell’s Ice Cream, Market Garden Brewery, Church and State, Fount, and Océanne to name just a few. Designing for independent artists, small boutiques, businesses, and editorial clients, all with a playful, clean, and elegant approach.
JENIKA enjoys being outdoors, traveling, exploring new food adventures, and pretending like she’s a wannabe iron chef! Celebrating Filipino family faves like “pancit” (rice noodles served on birthdays promising long life) and “Kamayan” (traditional Filipino feasts eaten by hand on a tropical bed of banana leaves), we dive deep into her family’s remarkable resilience. From early morning trips to the Filipino open markets for her family’s catering gigs to Jenika’s own courageous journey emigrating to Parma as an #OtherBrownGirl teen coming-of-age after being raised by her grandparents in the Philippines, listen in to hear her inspiring advice to her 14-year-old younger self and younger nieces.
“As a child, I was always in the kitchen, whether it was with my grandma or mom. I learned that there are many bridges that are built when it comes to food. Now, I also get to create those bridges and relationships through food.”
In 2017, JENIKA GONZALES organized a Lumpia Po pop-up raising $6,000 to help her siblings immigrate to America. Delivering homemade Filipino eggrolls - a.k.a “Lumpia” - made with love along with delightful Bento of Joy boxes for the holidays, Jenika’s passion for food, family, and friends inspires us all. Featured as one of Crain’s Cleveland Business' “Notable Immigrant Leaders” and one of Cleveland Magazine’s “Most Interesting People,” JENIKA is an advocate and immigrant storyteller for OPAWL (Ohio Progressive Asian Women’s Leadership), a grassroots organization empowering women and non-binary people in the Asian American and Pacific Islanders community in the CLE and beyond.
“I think home for me now is finding a genuine connection, whether it’s to your job or food or person. I am one with you. I see you, I feel your hurt, your anger, your frustrations. Our stories are complex, but they are beautiful. There’s something to be proud of…”
Tune in as we dish on design, identity, generational storytelling, and Filipino-American AAPI culture. Follow along on Jenika’s swoon and spoon-worthy IG accounts @Jenikaeatsmeats and @lumpiapo for more.
https://www.jenikagonzales.com/
https://www.opawl.org/advocacy/love-has-no-borders/
