An artist who has worked with Black Eyed Peas ...
"Family guy. Artist guy. Food guy. Former Tower Records guy. Loves to geek out kinda guy." LeRoid David of San Francisco is our June 2011's The Filipino-American Story!
1) Born and raised in San Francisco, CA, were both your parents Filipino?
Yes both of my parents are Filipino. I was actually born in Mountain View, CA. My parents divorced when I was very young and my Mom raised me in San Francisco.
2) Where are they from in the Philippines?
My Mom is from Baguio, Benguet and my Dad is from Angeles City, Pampanga.
3) Do you still speak Filipino/Tagalog?
Kunti lang po. I was raised in the English language throughout childhood, but was well aware of my family's culture. I was sometimes teased by my peers because I couldn't understand Filipino/Tagalog. So in high school I was compelled to more learn about Filipino language through movies and books
4) You finished Cum Laude, BA in Industrial Arts with Graphic Communications emphasis at SFSU, really impressive. What made you choose this course?
I began drawing at an early age- mostly cartoons and comic books. As my skills developed, I was introduced to graphic design in high school where I learned the concept of visual communication. Despite having interest in other fields, I was really more passionate about learning graphic design over other art subjects.
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| Tower Records moment: hosting an outdoor concert with legendary Filipino American metal band, Death Angel, in San Francisco |
5) Was this always what you wanted?
Great question. Yes, I wanted to earn a degree in a subject I love. Career-wise, I haven't settled in one industry yet. As I mentioned earlier, I had interest in other fields- this included film, music, business, computer technology, culinary, and even Asian American studies.
Having worked in a variety of jobs, I consider myself a "jack of all trades" and a "geek" for all things. One of my favorite jobs was working for Tower Records as the Bay Area Event Coordinator. For years I hosted events promoting major/independent label music artists and film. I gained a passion for music, media, and marketing. Unfortunately, Tower Records went out of business in 2006.
I was also active in the Asian American community, working for local events such as Pistahan, Fiesta Filipina, and the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival. I'm currently working two jobs in the food/restaurant industry- one of them as an Assistant Manager for Attic Restaurant in San Mateo, CA. Luckily, I've been able to contribute some of my design skills in all of my jobs.
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| With Black Eyed Peas' Apl.de.ap on the set of "The Apl Song" music video (2004) |
6) You now have 10 years of experience in logo designs, illustrations and storyboards. Do you prefer one over the other?
I was very fortunate to work on some fun and amazing projects over the years. However, I lean more towards logo design and illustration because I'm still learning how to storyboard. LOGO DESIGNS: One of my all-time favorite projects was creating a logo for longtime SF Bay Area radio deejay, Chuy Gomez. In 2006, my logo design was chosen by the Smithsonian APA Committee to represent The Filipino American Centennial Celebration. ILLUSTRATIONS: My comic art was featured in the cult-fave independent film, "Lumpia" directed by Patricio Ginelsa.
I also contributed artwork for the Black Eyed Peas' "The Apl Song" music video, another project directed by Ginelsa. STORYBOARD: In 2009, I entered my first-ever storyboard commercial contest for Skinit.com where I was tied for 1st Place!
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| Lumpia Movie Logo |
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| Greatest Phil Boxers |
7) I have noticed that you've branched out to fashion/ apparel. One of your projects is "Bastard & Friends", can you tell us about it?
Bastard & Friends is a character-based apparel company that started on the basis of addressing reality with a comical and twisted sense of humor. The idea began in 2007 by a SF Bay Area couple (Filipino American by the way). I was hired to design their logo and some of their apparel. The company grew a strong fanbase thanks to support from YouTube celebrities such as Timothy DelaGhetto, Erika David (my half-sister), Joey Diamond, PeeDeeFlo, and much more. To date, Bastard & Friends is on hiatus with a brand relaunch scheduled for later this year.
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| Bastard & Friends "Nosey Trucker" Hat modeled by Joey Diamond |
8) What are your current projects?
My latest project is a t-shirt design for the upcoming "Rizal150: Celebrating the Birth of a Philippine Polymath" event in Oakland, CA- June 18th. I've also just completed some logos for a couple of non-profit organizations, martial art schools, and independent recording artists. I'm hoping to get back into storyboarding sometime. Besides that, I still have yet to complete a documentary film project on Filipino comic book artists in America, which I started in 2007. My current portfolio can be found online.
9) To date, please share with us your best accomplishment just yet.
My best accomplishment to date is being a family man! Hello to my wife Fatima and children Yasmin and Diorel!
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| It's a family affair: Fatima (wife), Yasmin (daughter), Diorel (son) |
10) Being a Fil Am, do you have a favorite Filipino dish?My all-time favorite Filipino dish is Adobong Manok (Chicken Adobo). I also love that Lumpia!
11) Do you also know how to cook a Filipino dish?Absolutely. The one Filipino dish I personally enjoy cooking is Adobong Manok Sa Gata (Coconut Milk Chicken Adobo). Now that I'm working in the food/restaurant industry, I have much greater interest in learning to cook more! Some say it comes from my Kapampangan side! Although I do miss my Lola's cooking (she passed away in 2007) and I wish I learned her recipes.
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| Singin' sisters: Erika (left) and Krystle (right) |
12) Have you been to the Philippines?
Wala pa. I haven't been to the Philippines yet. I'm really hoping to visit in the near future!
13) What do you like about being a Fil Am the most?
I'm grateful of our Philippine legacy. We come from a culture and history truly rich and diverse. I'm definitely still learning. The Filipino American story continues to fascinate. One current example is the entertainment industry. Back at Tower Records, I've proudly hosted and promoted dozens of Filipino American music artists beginning with Jocelyn Enriquez, KAI, Pinay and One Vo1ce to Apl.de.ap (Black Eyed Peas), DJ Q-Bert, Jasmine Trias, and more. Since then, a new generation of artists have emerged- some of whom are on television, movies, theater, and online. I have to plug that my own family is in the industry as well. My wife, Fatima, is a longtime recording artist who has made it twice as a Hollywood Finalist for "American Idol"! There are also my younger half-sisters, Krystle Jong and Erika David. Krystle is a Theater major and spoken word artist in Sacramento whose performances have won critical acclaim! Erika is an up and coming recording artist with over 190,000 YouTube subscribers!
It's really great to see Filipino Americans getting more mainstream recognition in all industries- arts, music, fashion, sports, culinary, technology, and politics! So many to name and the list keeps growing!
14) Do you have any words of wisdom for our brothers and sisters that are trying to be successful here in America?
Find balance and passion in what you do in life. Juggling two jobs with family life is a challenge I embrace. Yet, I still try to make time for design gigs, community, recreation, and even random hobbies. Most of all, I enjoy sharing these passions with my friends and family.
More of Leroid David:
Website
LeRoid.com
Twitter
Email us to nominate the next THE FILIPINO-AMERICAN STORY
http://www.thefilipinoamerican.com/
