Isabella “Isa” Camille Briones, Actor

Briones is best known as Dr. Trinity Santos in the medical drama, The Pitt, but she has also worked extensively in theater, becoming the youngest performer in the first touring company of Hamilton at age 19 and later making her Broadway debut as Eurydice in Hadestown. Starting on April 1, Briones will assume the role of Connie Francis from Sarah Hyland in Just in Time, the musical about Bobby Darin on Broadway.

Briones was born in London, England to Jon Jon Briones and Megan Briones. Her family members are all musical theater actors. She is Filipino on her father's side and Swedish and Irish on her mother's. Her parents met in Stuttgart while auditioning for Miss Saigon. She was ten months old when her family moved from London to New York City, where she began work as a model at age three. In 2006, when Briones was seven, her family moved to Los Angeles. She learned acting and singing at home from her parents. She majored in theatre and musical theatre at the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts.

For her role in The Pitt, she cited the importance of the series' work in representing Filipino contributions to the American health care system, saying it had "never really been addressed before in this way. We haven't seen a lot of Filipino actors in medical shows before, and now we finally have that chance." As part of the series’ primary cast, Briones received the award for Ensemble in a Drama Series at the 32nd Actor Awards (formerly SAG).

Aaron-Matthew Lariosa, Journalist

Lariosa is a freelance defense journalist based in Washington, D.C. covering the South China Sea, U.S. military efforts in the Indo-Pacific and Armed Forces of the Philippines modernization with USNI News and Naval News. He is a graduate of American University with a Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations and Affairs. In 2025, Lariosa spent three days aboard the Philippine Coast Guard cutter during an escort mission to Thitu Island in the South China Sea.  

Marlena A. DeCelle, Brigadier General

On January 26, 2023, in Sacramento, California, then-Colonel DeCelle received her one-star rank during a promotion ceremony led by Maj. Gen. Matthew P. Beevers, becoming the first Filipino American general officer in the California National Guard. “I am the 5th generation to serve in the U.S. Army, dating back to the Spanish-American War,” DeCelle shared in a National Guard News interview. Her father, Michael, is a Navy veteran, and her brothers, Matthew and Michael, both serve as lieutenant colonels in the Army. Her path includes ROTC at the University of California-Davis and multiple leadership roles in the California Army National Guard. She currently serves as the Director of the Joint Staff for California National Guard. From 2023 to 2025, she held the position of Deputy Commanding General – Support for the 40th Infantry Division and served as the Joint Force Land Component Commander for the California Army National Guard.

Her civilian and military education includes a Master of Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College; a Master of Arts in Public Administration from Murray State University, KY; and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Sociology-Law & Society from the University of California, Davis. She also completed numerous military courses, including the Command and General Staff College, Adjutant General Corps Captain Career Course, Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Course, and the Homeland Response Force Course. DeCelle’s awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit (with Oak Leaf Cluster), the Meritorious Service Medal (with six Oak Leaf Clusters), the Army Commendation Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster), the Army Achievement Medal, the National Guard Basic Recruiting Badge, Air Assault Badge, and the Parachutist Badge.

Jose Ralph Fernandez, Drone Videographer

Born and raised in Butuan, Fernandez initially studied nursing before discovering a deep passion for photography inspired by his father who had pursued it as a hobby in his younger years, he says. “While I was still studying nursing, I often found myself setting aside my anatomy books, completely absorbed in learning the craft of photography day and night.” He later expanded into videography, working on weddings and corporate productions and building his reputation in the Philippines. In 2016, he moved to Dubai after his wife accepted a nursing role there. “The prospect of moving to such an ultra-modern city was exciting, and the new environment provided invaluable experiences and growth,” he says. After completing a trial project, he became the first Filipino drone pilot and camera operator for Choppershoot, the UAE’s largest aerial filming company. In 2022, Ralph moved to the United States. “Moving to the US was inevitable for us; it was our long-term plan,” he says. “My wife has been my greatest supporter; she always motivates me to take the next step. Dubai honed us in every way. If we had gone straight to the US, I would not have made it this far.” He has since worked on productions including The Electric State and Peacemaker. “It was an exhilarating experience fulfilling a lifelong dream of working in Hollywood,” he says. “In reflecting on my life and accomplishments, my family stands as the achievement I cherish most,” he says. “I want them to know that with dedication and belief in themselves, their dreams are within reach and their goals attainable.”

Leah Milne, Associate Professor

Milne is an Associate Professor of English teaching multicultural American and postcolonial literature at the  University of Indianapolis. Her work focuses on contemporary ethnic American literature, especially African American and Asian American, as well as postcolonial literature and theory and women and gender studies. Her book, Novel Subjects: Authorship as Radical Self-Care in Multiethnic American Narratives (University of Iowa Press), won the 2021 Midwest Modern Language Association Book Award. Novel Subjects examines self-care, ethnic identity and acts of authorship in multicultural American novels written by authors such as Toni Morrison, Gina Apostol, Carmen Maria Machado, Percival Everett, and Ruth Ozeki. She argues that they mobilize self-conscious fiction (or metafiction) to provide an alternative foundation for self-care.

Her co-authored second book, The Honeyfish Collective Presents Fieldnotes on Contemporary Black Poetry, is forthcoming from Duke University Press. She has also written op-ed articles for publications such as Newsweek, Ms. Magazine and The Hill. She received her doctorate in American literature from the University of North Carolina in Greensboro. 

Arbaina Kawilan, Speaker

Kawilan is a TEDx-speaker and the host of the Resilience Code. Her talk, “Safety Is an Inside Job,” introduces Emotional Alchemy, a framework built from her lived experience as a Philippine-born immigrant who rebuilt her life after domestic violence and systemic failure. Her talk brings attention to the barriers immigrant women face when leaving abusive relationships–how immigration status, financial risk and cultural pressure shape decisions that many people outside these systems never see. “I learned that safety is not something you wait for. It is something you build from within,” Kawilan says. “Emotional Alchemy came from the moments when I had to choose action in the middle of fear.” She speaks about learning immigration law, seeking protection through the Violence Against Women Act, and rebuilding stability after her case was dismissed. Her message focuses on resilience and the daily steps survivors use to move forward. She invites viewers to practice Emotional Alchemy through three steps: acknowledgement, transmutation and steady commitment to small wins. Born in Cotabato City, Philippines Kawilan now lives in Austin, Texas.

Maybelle Francisco, Immigration Lawyer

Born in the Philippines and educated at the University of the Philippines, Francisco came to the United States with the same hopes and uncertainties that define the Filipino diaspora experience. She went to law school, built a career at the highest levels of corporate immigration — advising Fortune 500 companies and multinational organizations — and then walked away from that world to open a solo practice in New Jersey, serving the community she came from. She remembered what it felt like to not know if you had the right information, the right advocate, or the right support, and decided to be that for others. Her practice is built around personal attention, bilingual service in English and Tagalog, and a genuine belief that immigration is not just a legal process — it's a life chapter. Every petition she files carries someone's family, future, and identity in it.

Francisco obtained her Juris Doctor from Mitchell Hamline School of Law. She served as Vice President for Asian Pacific American Law Students Association.

Jonathan Quan, Judge

Appointed in 2018, Quan is a Magistrate Judge for the Superior Court of Guam. He handles various criminal and civil matters, including pretrial release hearings and, recently, sanctioning a company for litigation misconduct. He has a background in private practice, as an Assistant Attorney General and in the Guam Army National Guard. He earned a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania (1993) and a J.D. from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles (1996). Quan was also a Major in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps, Army National Guard. Born in the Philippines and raised in Guam, he was a valedictorian at Father Duenas Memorial High School. 

Jesse Cruz, Chef and Author

Cruz is an award-winning chef, author, entrepreneur, and philanthropist whose work exemplifies excellence, cultural representation and community leadership. As a proud Filipino American, Cruz has elevated the culinary landscape of Silicon Valley while honoring the values of discipline, hospitality, resilience and family that are deeply rooted in Filipino culture. As chef and co-owner of Kumako Ramen Den, he has helped lead the restaurant to multiple recognitions, including Best Japanese Restaurant, Best Restaurant and Best Ramen in Silicon Valley. Cruz himself has been voted Best Chef in Silicon Valley — a testament to both his craft and leadership.

Beyond the kitchen, Cruz is a two-time published author. His cookbook Washoku became an Amazon bestseller in the international cookbook category, bringing refined Japanese culinary traditions into homes around the world. His second cookbook, Kumako Den, further reflects his culinary philosophy, creativity, and dedication to excellence. Through his books, Jesse not only shares recipes, but also preserves culture, technique and discipline, inspiring aspiring chefs and entrepreneurs, especially within the Filipino American community.

Cruz’s impact extends beyond business success. As Founder and Vice President of the Jesse Cruz & Samuel Moran Foundation, he is committed to supporting students and expanding educational opportunities. He understands that true success is measured by how many lives one uplifts along the way. In an industry where leadership diversity matters, he stands as a visible example of Filipino excellence — breaking barriers, mentoring the next generation, and proving that cultural pride and global achievement can coexist.

Pamela Price, Runner and Media Executive

A former competitive dancer and instructor for over 20 years, Price’s athletic path led her to trail running, obstacles and ultra-endurance challenges. She is a first-place finisher and OCR Champion, and has competed on NBC’s American Ninja Warrior and TBS’ Wipeout. Living with Behçet’s Disease, a rare autoimmune condition, Price runs and reports while actively advocating for the rare disease community. She is a board member and ambassador for the American Behçet’s Disease Association and the founder of @WeCareWhen, a global care-package and resource initiative supporting rare disease warriors worldwide. In addition to her work in running, she is a media executive serving as Vice President of LATF USA News and Executive Producer of the Hollywood Beauty Awards and Daytime Beauty Awards.

What began as an unconventional idea has now become a marathon tradition. While racing from Dodger Stadium to Century City, Price captures real, unscripted stories from everyday runners—first-timers, veterans, charity runners and comeback athletes—sharing the moments that matter most when miles get tough. Her ability to manage pacing, breath control, and live storytelling has redefined what on-course coverage can look like. A proud Filipina athlete, Price’s presence on one of the nation’s largest marathon stages reflects the evolving diversity of the Los Angeles running scene and the leadership roles runners now hold beyond the finish line. Beyond marathon day, Pamela is a familiar face across Southern California’s running landscape. She serves as host and MC for SoCalTrail seasonal trail races and Students Run LA (SRLA) races, where she mentors and inspires young runners.

A man was walking down the road without a stitch on, marching like he was off to work on a Monday morning. Some clad men walked with him, and still others bared it all too. A man holding a flag led their way. There was no commotion on the street; no one even stopped to look.

“They’re Jain monks,” our tour guide said from the front of the bus. “They belong to one of the oldest Indian religions.”

Jain (pronounced “jayn”)?
I’d never heard of Jain, so I Googled.

How ignorant I was. Already, at least five million people in India are Jains, and their practice is called Jainism. They adhere strictly to nonviolence and do not kill any living being—not a fly nor a gnat. They believe that by following some basic life principles like right belief, knowledge, and conduct, they can eliminate karma and break the cycle of rebirth.

But not all Jains are nudists. Most are regular people like you and me who prefer to wear clothes. As far as I know, only monks do that walk-down-the-road-naked bit. They own nothing, move away from family ties, and eat only food offered to them. They are called “ascetics”—folks who renounce all worldly pleasures such as food, wealth, and sex.

Fine, but why are they naked?

Male monks practice nudity to symbolize total rejection of worldly possessions. Female monks wear clothes because—this is what I read—they are believed to be incapable of being as austere as their male counterparts. Hmm. Austere means to be strictly without frills or luxury. Interesting.

I didn’t go to India to search for my soul or learn religion, but maybe if I think deeply, I could say I went there to experience humanity.

On this trip, I realized that most Indian people, because of the religions they practice, have very different beliefs and attitudes from what I live by as a Catholic.

Down the Ganges

Take the Ganges River, for example. It is seen as a living goddess who descended from heaven to purify souls and cleanse sin. It is considered holy.

I returned to Varanasi, a city on the left bank of the Ganges, which is a 2,525 km-long river running from the Himalayas to the Bay of Bengal. Varanasi holds great significance as the “spiritual heart of India.” It is an old city deeply rooted in religion, particularly Hinduism. Much as Catholics visit the Vatican and Muslims go to Mecca, Hindus make their way to Varanasi to wash away sins in the Ganges, perform rituals, and visit temples. But perhaps, most importantly, they are brought there to die or to be cremated.

Ten years ago I witnessed for the first time bodies being cremated on the riverbanks of the Ganges, called “ghats.” Black smoke rose from piles of burning wood and flesh. I watched men mill around, and dogs and cows sniff at remnants on the ground. I didn’t get a real understanding of what was going on.

I had to re-see that scene, but I wasn’t sure I could muster the courage to go on my own. I persuaded my best friend Cion to join me on Gate 1 Travel’s 12-day Golden Triangle and Varanasi tour that started and ended in New Delhi. It would include a visit to the Taj Mahal and the Amber Fort, and although I had been impressed with those structures before, Varanasi was what I’d come for.

On my first visit in 2016, my girlfriends and I rode an overnight train to the city. We had been promised first-class seats, but someone botched the job, and we ended up in second or maybe third class. Not good. We were seated shoulder to shoulder on a narrow bunk in a compartment that was more crowded than Quiapo on Black Nazarene Day. If you’ve ever been in a place where everyone brushing up against you looked and dressed radically different from you and spoke words you couldn’t understand, you’d feel butterflies in your stomach and your heart in your mouth. For ten hours, we prayed we wouldn’t need to go to the train’s restroom.

I understand today’s trains offer better experiences, but I was grateful nonetheless that our Gate 1 tour booked us on a 1.5-hour flight to Varanasi instead.

Dust and Disrepair

My first impressions of the city were unimpressive. Roads, as were most of those we had traveled in the country, were in disrepair. Dust flew everywhere, leaving tree leaves and plants a spectrum of dull green to dark brown. Cows, goats, dogs, and other animals roamed among people on the streets, selling, buying, walking, talking. Immediately, you think of the poverty of the people. Not a few Filipinos would wonder if the Philippines is better off than India.

India is the world’s fourth-largest economy today. However, it is the most populous country, with 1.47 billion people, and it’s a tough job for anyone to have all the nation’s money trickle down fairly to all its people and cities.

The Philippines, on the other hand, ranks 31st in the world economy but has a much smaller population at 112 million.

Just 10 km from Varanasi is the city of Sarnath. This place holds great importance to another religious group: Buddhists. Sarnath is where Siddhartha Gautama Buddha, after attaining enlightenment, delivered his first sermon. Here one can visit the stupa where he first taught dharma, or Buddhist principles.

It is interesting to note that while Buddha spent most of his life in India and Buddhism is now practiced by seven percent of the world’s population, less than one percent of Indians today are Buddhists. They are far outnumbered by Hindus (80 percent and Muslims (15 percent) and slightly outnumber Christians and Sikhs.

On our first day in Varanasi, we walked down a steep flight of steps lined with an eclectic mix of old temples, palaces, ashrams, and rest houses for pilgrims. Nearer the bottom of the steps were vendors selling garlands, prayer beads, food, and souvenirs. There was a vibrant crowd of people in colorful garb. To say the scene was intense would be an understatement.

The downward steps led us to the sacred Ganges.

It was wide. It was slow-moving. It had a funky smell. And it was murky.

Our tour group of about 20 got on a motorized rowboat run by a local boatman. We glided slowly along the riverbank and gawked at the centuries-old stone buildings that would soon fade in the dark. From newer ghats, we proceeded to much older sections that held more charm and character. We were engrossed in history and architecture when, from a distance, we saw a telltale column of dark smoke billowing into the sky.

Cremation. It was taking place openly along the river. A body was being burned in a pile of wood. It was someone’s mom, dad, child, spouse, or loved one slowly turning from flesh and blood to mere ashes.

Meanwhile, on nearby stairs, another body on a stretcher, wrapped in white cloth, was being brought down by some men. They made their way to the river’s edge, where the stretcher was lowered to the water. The garlands, clothes, and shroud used in the dead’s final journey were removed. A small cloth was left to cover the body.

The river rite was the dead’s final bath, a symbol of purification that would wash away sins. After the bath, the body was brought to the funeral pyre, lit, and left to burn for about four hours, which is how long it takes for a body to burn completely.

But sometimes they don’t burn completely. I cringed seeing a man walk to the water and toss out a slab of charred meat. Maybe it was an offering. I don’t know.

A dead dog floated nearby.

At the riverbank, cows and dogs scavenged among strewn clothes, marigolds, and pieces of wood. Men—maybe relatives of the dead—hung around and watched. It was not their duty to shovel the wood, corpse, and ashes to the funeral pyre. That was a job for “outcasts,” formerly called “untouchables.”

It is important that the deceased’s ashes be brought to the sacred river to allow the soul to end the cycle of reincarnation and find eternal peace in heaven.

Bodies, one after another, were brought down to this cremation site called the Manikarnika Ghat. Hundreds of bodies are cremated 24/7, making this the busiest Hindu burning ghat on the Ganges.

We returned to the river early the next morning. This time, we were less overwhelmed by the continued purifying and burning process. At another ghat, we took pictures of men and women bathing near shore. They had changed from their streetwear to something simpler and stood in the river happily splashing water on themselves. Further down, launderers washed sheets and laid them to dry on stone walls.

There was a man on the edge of a boat. He reached over to the water and washed his face. But then he cupped his hands and took a sip from the river. No! Don’t! The Ganges, though deemed holy, is one of the most polluted rivers in the world. Daily, it receives massive amounts of human waste, toxic waste, and trash. Lots of people get sick from the pollution, and in some cases, they die.

But belief is a very powerful word, and Hindus believe that bathing in the Ganges washes away sins and purifies the soul. Drinking the water probably has a more profound effect. To have your ashes immersed in the River Ganges would put you on a direct path to heaven. I guess that’s a great payoff.

Mind-Bending

After Varanasi, we returned to New Delhi and headed straight to another mind-bending experience.

You see those Indian guys with turbans on their heads? As a young girl in Manila, I thought all Indians wore turbans. They rode motorcycles and lent people money. And because they were dark and hairy, I couldn’t help but be a little wary. Growing up, I realized how naïve and wrong I was.

In India, only Sikhs wear turbans, and Sikhs comprise less than two percent of the population. Sikhism is the world’s fifth-largest religion, with 30 to 50 million followers. They believe in one God and in equality, honest living, and selfless service.

As stalwarts of equality, they do not recognize the caste system. You cannot believe in equality and accept social hierarchy based on birth. Nor do they burn widows with their husbands’ dead bodies, deeming the practice inhumane. Instead, they encourage widows to remarry.

Sikhs do not cut their hair anywhere. Ever. Beneath that turban we see is a lot of long, long hair.

The one thing that impressed me deeply about Sikhism is their resolve that no one should go hungry. When we visited the large Sikh temple in New Delhi, our tour included a trip to the kitchen. It was huge! It had lots of stations and people at work, and that’s a necessity because we learned they continually feed everyone who comes to the temple 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It doesn’t matter what your caste, religion, or background is. If you are hungry, you are fed.

Up to 100,000 people are fed in the temple daily. All food is donated, and all workers are volunteers. The feeding concept is fundamental, but the delivery, in this case, is phenomenal.

I arrived back in Manila two weeks later, happy to again step foot in our parish church. I looked at the crucifix at the altar, bowed my head, and made the sign of the cross.

I believe in one God who is a Holy Trinity, meaning He exists as three persons—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. I believe Jesus, the Son, was borne by Mary, a virgin, and that He was conceived not by man but by the Holy Spirit. I believe that when Jesus died, He rose again on the third day and spent 40 days on earth and then ascended to heaven.

I didn’t go to India to search for my soul or learn religion, but maybe if I think deeply, I could say I went there to experience humanity.

These beliefs are probably deemed radical or even preposterous by those of other faiths, and that is fine.

Let’s not judge or impose our beliefs on others. For as long as no one hurts anyone or commits crimes in the process, we should be free to practice our faith.

But if I decide to walk down the street buck naked one day, I promise you it’s not because I’m practicing my religion. It’s probably a very warm day in Manila.

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Bella Bonner is a journalism graduate of the UP Institute of Mass Communications. Among others, she worked as a grant writer and hotelier in Texas where she lived for 30 years. She has retired, returned to Manila and spends her days in sports, traveling and writing a personal blog, "Chicharon Diaries."

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