Celebrating Our Bayani with Bayani Art's Robin Aquilizan, Aaron Sarmiento, & Tata Alfonso

Authors Aaron Jurell Sarmiento (left) and Robin Kitana Aquilizan (right)

The goal of Bayani Art is to strengthen the unity within our community by telling the rich history of our Motherland. They are independently owned, born in Tondo Manila, Philippines and raised in Oakland, California. Humbled by the strong values that were taught by their elders, they remain conscious to their responsibility to carry on our culture.

The concept of Bayani started as their way to promote our creative skills and talents, and to bring their artwork and crafts to you. In supporting Bayani Art and its artists, you are a part of honoring our history and continuing the representation of Filipinos throughout the world.

Illustrator Tata Ponsi Alfonso

Balay Kreative Grantees and authors Robin Kitana Aquilizan & Aaron Jurell Sarmiento and illustrator Tata Ponsi Alfonso are creating a four part book series that will celebrate the story of each Bayani: LAPU LAPU, GABRIELA SILANG, ANDRES BONIFACIO, and JOSE RIZAL.

From the grantees:
Bayani Art has always been storytellers through the art and apparel we create. We wanted to expand beyond apparel and create something that will have a lasting impact on Filipinx youth and the generations after. We hope our book series will find its way to Filipino households all around the globe to encourage dialogue about our history within Filipino families. We want our books to be in classrooms and developed into Ethnic Studies Curriculum so brown kids can grow up learning about themselves and their people’s history. It’s crucial for us to keep these stories alive to ensure our ancestors’ legacy.