‘Sunday Jump’ brings performance art, open mic to Historic Filipinotown LA

Rapper-poet Christian Perfas explains that his costume is not as Ash from the Pokemon anime fame. INQUIRER/Florante Ibanez

LOS ANGELES — The team of “SteEdy” (Stephanie & Eddy) welcomed an audience of about 50 millennials to the monthly pop-up arts open mic event called “Sunday Jump” on, well, Sunday, October 1.

Sunday Jump is a community open mic series in Historic Filipinotown founded by Eddy M. Gana, Jr., Stephanie Sajor and Janice Sapigao. This regularly scheduled 1^st Sunday of the month event provides performers and spoken word artists a venue to appear in front of a small but appreciative live audience.

Made up mostly of millennials, the spectators snapped their fingers and clapped their hands to show their approval of the performance material which tended to be provocative, political and funny.

Open mic poet Phylizia Carrillo, a Mount St. Mary’s graduate. INQUIRER/Florante Ibanez

“We have two community guidelines: (1) express, not impress and (2) free speech, not hate speech. It’s not about the snaps and claps. It’s about sharing the love of your art. It’s not about putting people down. It’s about uplifting our communities,” explained Sajor.

Although the monthly event over five years has moved through a few different venues in Hi-Fi, it is still a welcome oasis to enjoy art and fellowship wherever it’s located. This particular October 1 Jump, and future Sunday Jumps will be held at the Pilipino Workers Center/Larry Itliong Village (PWC), a mixed use low cost housing and social services unit, in Los Angeles’s designated Historic Filipinotown.

The event as promoted in Facebook reads:

Vegan Bomb owner Alex (caters to the Sunday Jump crowd with all vegan mac and cheese, drinks and pumpkin cheese cake. INQUIRER/Florante Ibanez

“As a safe space for marginalized voices, we turn fear into resilience during these scary times. This month with Halloween and Pilipinx American Hxstory Month in the air, we highlight Filipino folklore, from the aswang to colonial ghosts of the past and today’s tensions across the nation. COSTUMES ARE HIGHLY ENCOURAGED! With this frightening lineup, you will not want to miss it.”

Along with the open mic (sign ups required) featured artists include Band Moto (rock band), Angela Penaredondo (poet), Christian Perfas,

Band Moto rocks out and closes the evening. INQUIRER/Florante Ibanez

Owner Alex of Bomb Vegan (www.BombVegan.com), offered delicious vegan mac and cheese, drinks and desserts while musical interludes between acts were provided by guest DJ Pajama Beatniks.

The mic made room for announcements of community events including the upcoming 26^th Festival of Philippine Arts & Culture (FPAC) on October 14 at Echo Park and journalist Raissa Robles’ evening speaking event October 14 also at PWC. More Sunday Jump information can be found on Facebook.