Hey! I’m Francis Arevalo.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved making music, writing poetry, telling stories, and supporting other people in their own creativity. Since I was a child, these have been some of my favourite ways to play, spend my days and connect with other humans. These days, I’m grateful to have grown them into a fulfilling career sharing my humanity through my expression and connecting with community.

I am a second-generation Filipino man born and based in Vancouver, raised between Vancouver and Surrey. My ancestry has roots in Marinduque and Cebu, Philippines. Being Filipino, I was raised in a household and communities with concepts like kapwa (shared self), strong family connection, bayanihan (communal unity), collectivism, and intergenerational life. Oh, and amazing food!

An important part of my story includes learning to live with Bipolar Type 1 and Generalized Anxiety Disorder. While these experiences challenge me daily, they regularly give me helpful insights into living a life I love and accept. A few examples include learning how to take care of myself and the people around me deeply, lessons about accessibility needs, lenses to help me challenge the status quo of work imposed by capitalism, and a grit and soft strength to navigate this life with as much grace as possible.

Outside of creating and working, my favourite ways to spend time are hanging out with loved ones, taking long walks, doing the Grouse Grind, playing basketball, playing Smash Ultimate or scheming up my next side project.

Everything above shapes and informs my creativity and the work I do. Whether studios, classrooms, support groups, conferences, or festival stages, the common thread is that I bring all of me, fully, no matter the space or medium.