FASTER

FASTER Historian Committee – Call for Applications - Podcast Project 🎙️⏺️📜 As mentioned before, we’re launching a podcast focused on the historical contributions of Filipinx Americans in STEAM. We are looking to highlight leaders in a range of roles (founders, investors, scientists, artists, engineers etc.) across various sectors including, but not limited to, AI, biotech, healthtech, fintech, and creative/media/entertainment. We’re showcasing real, raw stories of Filipinx American innovation in our industry, but we can’t do it without the right team. 🎤 Co-Podcast Host / MC – Charismatic, experienced, community-trusted. This individual will co-host the podcast alongside FASTER Founder and National Board President Erin Pangilinan @erinjerri (Author, O’Reilly Media) and FASTER Board Secretary and Historian, Bryan Dosono @bdosono (Principal Researcher, Disney). They should have ample experience emceeing events, a sophisticated understanding of the tech industry, and a unique take on storytelling. Additionally, we are commissioning paid project roles to produce high-quality episodes: 🎧 Sound Engineer – Post-production, mixing, and mastering for distribution across Anchor, Spotify, Apple, etc. We pride ourselves on representing an ethnic community that has historically been deeply engaged in the music industry — both as talent and as sound engineers — and we seek individuals who bring a professional flair to the craft, making our podcast easy on the ears. 🎥 Videographer – Individuals with prior portfolios showcasing YouTube-ready recording, lighting, and editing work. These opportunities are tied to specific deliverables and recording timelines. If you or someone you know has the skills and wants to help document our history, apply by May 31st to be considered. Submit your application here. https://rebrand.ly/FASTERPodAppF26 #FilipinxAmericansinSTEAM #podcast #FilipinxAmerican #FilipinoAmerican #FilipinaAmerican

FASTER Official Organizational Announcement We have formalized the following guidelines for all event collaboration and partnership requests. As an all-volunteer organization, we hold these standards for everyone — college students, working professionals, entrepreneurs, and investors alike — because consistency and mutual respect are the foundation of everything FASTER represents. Event Organizing Etiquette Promotional Partner Requests: We require a minimum of one month’s notice for all external requests to be shared on our social media platforms as an officially sponsored and affiliated FASTER event. We coordinate across 7 active social media channels and cannot accommodate last-minute requests. FASTER is not a posting service — please share events directly on our channels yourself, and direct event-specific questions to the organizer, not FASTER Leadership. Note: Not all posts will be approved, submissions should be directly relevant to our community in STEAM. We do not accept spam and posts (and those posting spamming our group) will be removed accordingly. Event Co-Partnership Requests: We plan on 3, 6, 9, or 12-month timelines. For a full FASTER-supported collaboration, please submit your request at least 3 months in advance. We pride ourselves on executing events with a level of polish and thoughtfulness that allows us to leverage our unique network and resources, making our organizing experience seamless and our events fun and memorable. Last-minute “Filipino time” requests consistently limit FASTER’s ability to contribute meaningfully and predictably result in lower attendance and lower-quality events that do not meet our standards. We encourage you to reach out well in advance and to be intentional when approaching us — this is what allows our joint ventures to truly shine. Refer to our FASTER Partnership Request form below. 🔗 https://rebrand.ly/FASTER-Partner-Request-26 We appreciate your respect for these guidelines and look forward to building with you. #FASTER #announcements #events #sponsorships #externalrequests

Check out the post wrap up on memorial for the late tech pioneer, Diosdado “Dado” Banatao written by one of FASTER’s earliest supporters, Jennifer Redondo @jennred24 (author, In Her Purpose) @inherpurpose : Banatao Family Post: https://rebrand.ly/banatao-fam-dado-26 IHP Post: https://rebrand.ly/IHP-Dado-26 It was truly memorable to hear personal stories from the friends and family at the January tribute to Dado. We also found these “Dado-ism” napkins particularly inspiring. Dado encouraged us to be our best selves, working hard in our respective professions to achieve the kind of excellence we should all aspire to. A few other napkins had quotes like “That’s BS” (lol), and of course this one which is all about contributing back to the community. “Enjoy as much as society gives you, then give back more.” We plan on sharing a more thorough special feature on Dado since his work is so extensive and no single post would be able to do his legacy justice. We also look forward to highlighting the work of many other seasoned Filipinx American tech pioneers in the future. As an organization dedicated to professional excellence and giving back to the Filipinx American community in STEAM, we hope that Dado and our other tech pioneers continue to inspire you in your career. For now we encourage our FASTER Community to make donations to our community partner, PhilDev Foundation @phildev_org #DadoBanatao #Dadoism #PhilDev #RIP #FilipinoAmericanExcellence

Ever wanted to play Mahjong with the titas and titos at family parties but didn’t know the rules? 👀😂 This one’s for you! Join us on Sunday, May 17th from 1–5 PM for a Filipino Mahjong afternoon full of laughs, culture, and community vibes! 🀄️💛 YFPA is collaborating with Mr. Mahjong @mrmahjongs DyannaLuna, Malaya Botanicals @malayabotanicals and AsiapacforceSF/Filipinoforce (Salesforce) to bring you a FREE, family-friendly experience, complete with instructors teaching our Filipino version of Mahjong—so yes, beginners are MORE than welcome. No side-eye from the titas, we promise 😌 It’s the perfect place for family, friends, and even networking—plus enjoy karaoke, performances, and delicious food, drinks, & snacks throughout the afternoon! 🎶✨ ALL ARE WELCOME! This is a free event, but donations are welcome to support our FASTER Community Partner, Your Filipino Professional Association (YFPA) Scholarship Fund @yfpa_sf 📍 Mr. Mahjong’s 260 Kearny St, San Francisco RSVP: /e/RQUmn9USGOX9Wiah3ZAh?c=VK7NVvJV Come learn the game, talk story, and finally sit at the table like you’ve been playing for years. Bring the fam, bring a friend, and bring that good Filipino energy! #FilipinoMahjong #Mahjong #SF

Check out this upcoming event at Asian Art Museum: Rock and Rolls with Ruby Ibarra, JP Breganza, and DJ Umami. @rubyibarra @jpbreganza @djumami Performances and bites you can literally dig your teeth into at the museum’s first annual music and food festival. Enjoy a selection of tasty tunes while sampling some the best rolls pan-Asian cuisine has to offer. Schedule 12 PM | Ruby Ibarra (20 min set) 1:30 PM | JP Breganza 3 PM | Special Guest DJ Tickets /event/rock-and-rolls-may-31/ #AANHPIHeritageMonth #AANHPI #FilipinaAmerican #FilipinoAmerican #music

We celebrated Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month with our community partners, Asian Leaders Alliance (ALA) @asianleadersalliance , Asian Inc. @asianinc_  YFPA @yfpa_sf  @gfinuliar , Emari @this.is.emari and so many more at @insead SF campus. Proud we had 3 Filipinx Americans representing on the entrepreneurship including Gina Mariko Rosales @ginamariko  (founder of @makeitmariko , @pinayista , leader of @undiscoveredsf ), FASTER adviser, author, investor, podcast host, founder, Earl Martin Valencia @earlmartinvalencia  and @zeuskajita . We concluded that we can use AI to help build your next company (even if you get laid off), that our families no matter what will probably be unhappy with whatever career path it is you choose, so choose what you want to do that is most authentic to you, and to have enough runway to make the move to starting your own business. Shout-out to the ALA team organizing this including our “honorary Filipino” Jimmy Hua @rurouniedge  panel moderator, emcee, @kyutiekimbers . Also pictured: @erinjerri @ccnic48 @piabarton @malayabotanicals @energeticawellness #AANHPIHeritageMonth #AANHPI #AsianAmerican #entrepreneurship

FASTER is proud to be a Promotional Partner for Rooted & Rising, a celebration of #AAPI identity, entrepreneurship, and mental health 🙌 🗓️ Thursday, May 7 at 5:30pm | 📍 INSEAD SF Hub @ 224 Townsend St, SF 🎟️ Grab your tickets here: /26RootedandRising Presented by @asianinc_ @asianleadersalliance @insead @asianhustlenetwork @anisehealth Curated by @kyutiekimbers @overdarainbow123 @tiffany.ty.c @rurouniedge @bpanger33 Promotional Partners include @fastersteam @naaapsf @tapsf @asianmentalhealthproject @kaps_org @kindred.curiosity @yfpa_sf @rams_sf @pbpsf @this.is.emari @apa_family_support_services @spicekingofzanzibar 🎤 SPEAKER/PERFORMER/VENDOR FOCUSED 🌱 Rooted & Rising: AAPI Heritage, Entrepreneurship & Mental Health 🗓️ Thurs, May 7 | 5:30–8:30 PM at the INSEAD SF Hub @ 224 Townsend St 🎟️ Get your tickets now: /26RootedandRising 🎤 KEYNOTE – Jason Ma, Founder & CEO of ThreeEQ and an award-winning mentor to next-gen leaders and a trusted advisor across generations 💼 PANEL 1 – THRIVING, NOT JUST SURVIVING: MENTAL HEALTH & LEADERSHIP Moderator: Cherry Aslarona, LMFT @ Reignited Counseling 👥 Christal Wang – Shimmer Bernie Wong – Mind Share Partners Naomi Yu – Anise Health 🧘‍♀️ PANEL 2 – AAPI LEADERS REDEFINING CAREER PATHS Moderator: 𝗝𝗶𝗺𝗺𝘆 𝗛𝘂𝗮 (Asian Leaders Alliance, Salesforce) @asianleadersalliance @rurouniedge 👥 Gina Mariko Rosales – CEO, Make it Mariko @ginamariko Earl Valencia – Co-Author of Startup Mindsets @earlmartinvalencia Zeus Kajita – Ki Electrolytes 🎭 PERFORMANCES Karina Hsieh – Poet & Entrepreneur Katherine Ho – Singer 🛍️ VENDORS – Don’t miss a single booth! @elevatedgemstones – Filipino handmade jewelry @jingcandleco – modern Asian scented candles @oasiis.store – SF-based wellness brand @olivias_tanghulu – traditional Chinese candied fruit with a twist @toranajaipur – rooted in Indian textile traditions #Entrepreneurship #wellness #AAPI

Upcoming SF event on Wednesday, May 20: Roots Under Pressure: A Conversation of Founders and Investors & Community hosted by @this.is.emari We are happy to support Kris Mercado @krismrcdo , one of newest FASTER members and founder of Emari, @this.is.emari on his upcoming event focused on entrepreneurship and mental health. Happy to have our usual suspects represented on this panel including past FASTER adviser, startup founder, investor, and author, Earl Martin Valencia @earlmartinvalencia biotech founder and scientist, Lieza Danan (Founder and CEO, LiVeritas) @lieza_danan and investor, Eric Valle @ecvalle RSVP: rebrand.ly/emari526 #tech #startups #mentalhealth #entrepreneurship #FilipinxAmericaninSTEAM

Yay for more Filipinx Americans in tech investing and supporting more Filipinx American high tech startup founders! Pictured: FASTER Founder and National Board President, Erin Pangilinan @erinjerri with Heather Rebuelta (Angel Investor), @digitalheather and Alberto Villaluna (Founder, Tala Ventures) at Venture Forward Alumni event in SF this past month. FASTER FRESH is our innovation component serving our network of Filipinx American high tech startup founders and investors. VC University presented by Venture Forward, National Venture Capital Association (NVCA, and UC Berkeley and Stanford Law Executive Education. Cohort 22 of VC University begins on June 1. Register by May 1 to access the early bird discounted price of $1,500 (after that, the price will increase to $1,850). Discounts: UC Berkeley/Stanford alumni, NVCA members, and nonprofit/government employees are eligible for a 20% discount. Group discounts are also available. For NVCA members, email Jason Vita ([email protected]). All others, email [email protected]. If you qualify, please contact us before registering. Discounts cannot be applied retroactively. YCombinator - quarterly Tech Stars - Deadline: June 10, 2026 500 Startups EVENT: Save-the-Date - All Raise Summit - November 12-13 - Half Moon Bay, CA. All Raise is a nonprofit on a mission to accelerate the success of women and nonbinary investors, reshaping culture, capital flows, and decision-making power within venture capital. Subscribe to our substack to see all the full links and announcements this month: fastersteam.substack.com #FilipinxAmericanFounders #FilipinxAmericanInvestors #startups #investing #tech

ICYMI: We encourage many of you all who are gainfully employed at various large tech companies and startups to consider joining the Asian Leaders Alliance (ALA) @asianleadersalliance (Job) Referral Network, help your kababayan in securing employment especially during these trying times of layoffs. Sign-up here: https://ala.fyi/afn-refer More Details about the ALA Job Referral Network Program We’re looking for members like YOU to sign up as referrers. It’s a fantastic way to pay it forward, expand your network, and potentially earn a referral bonus!

Why be a referrer?

* Help someone amazing!
* Find top talent for your company!
* Control your involvement, always.

Ready to get involved? Fill out our quick form to let us know you’re open to referring! 

Don’t miss out on helping our community grow! FASTER is a proud member of Asian Leaders Alliance (ALA), a coalition of 1000+ Business/Affinity/Employee Resource Groups in North America. To join, visit and sign up for the Slack channel and join our subchannel #fasterpros. FASTER National Board of Directors members, Erin Pangilinan @erinjerri and Charity Nicolas @ccnic48 previously served on ALA Leadership Team. #AsianAmerican #techjobs #FilipinoAmerican FilipinxAmericansinSTEAM #FilipinoAmericansinSTEAM

Happy Early Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month! We are proud that two of our very own leaders in the Filipinx American community are highlighted speaking at this year’s event panel, Asian American Pacific islander Leaders Redefining Career Paths. ☀️🇵🇭🇺🇸 Hear from these Filipinx American leaders, Earl Martin Valencia @earlmartinvalencia , past FASTER Adviser, Startups at AWS, Co-Author and Podcast Host of Startup Mindsets @startupmindsetspod and Gina Mariko Rosales @ginamariko past FASTERCON speaker, formerly of Google, CEO and Founder, Make It Mariko @makeitmariko also founder of Pinayista @pinayista and leader of UNDSCVRD SF @undiscoveredsf Shout-outs to Jimmy Hua @rurouniedge founder of @asianleadersalliance (ALA) who will be moderating this event. 🗓️ Thurs, May 7 | 5:30–8:30 PM 📍 INSEAD SF Hub @ 224 Townsend St, SF 🎟️ Get your tickets now: /26RootedandRising #AsianAmerican #founders #investors #AANHPIHeritageMonth

Repost (resized images). In case you missed my IG story shortly after hearing the news on Christmas — I am still heartbroken over the very sad news that the late, great legend Diosdado “Dado” Banatao has passed. 💔 Read below/Substack original post 12-25-25: /@fastersteam /note/p-182613834?r=1osgs&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-action Personally, it was a privilege to have met Dado and come to know members of his family, Maria Banatao and Rey Banatao especially, over the years. @reybanatao It was truly an honor to have Dado speak with students, alumni, tech professionals, entrepreneurs, and investors at my alma mater, UC Berkeley, over the years, supporting the organization I founded, FASTER- Filipinx Americans in Science Technology Engineering Arts and Mathematics - STEAM, which was greatly inspired by Dado. @ucberkeleyofficial @fastersteam We have always looked to the leadership of Dado and Maria through the labor of Philippine Development Foundation (PhilDev Foundation) for their pioneering work cultivating innovation in the Philippines and building bridges to the United States (U.S.). @phildev_org Dado has been an inspiration to so many of us, representing excellence at its finest and our profession at its very best, shaping the technology industry of today while also guiding the young innovators of tomorrow. His innovative thinking, philanthropy, and generosity are the standard we strive for our entire community to emulate. We send our deepest condolences, thoughts, and prayers to the Banatao family at this time. On behalf of FASTER National Board of Directors, Erin Jerri Malonzo Pañgilinan @erinjerri FASTER Founder and National Board of Directors, President @fastersteam Pictured: @erinjerri @ccnic48 @thedecisiongeek @rajivayyangar @corrinasthename @rawritskendrick @manangjones @ucb.pasae #RIP #RestInPeace #tech #innovation #DadoBanatao #Filipino #FilipinoAmerican