Think of someone you’d like to meet. Anyone at all. I promise you that Marielle Sales (@marielle__ara) somehow knows someone that knows someone that could probably connect you with them. Marielle never ceases to amaze me in how she is able to organize multiple large scale events simultaneously, work full time in brand marketing, run her own creative studio Sari Sari, photograph for publications like Hypebae AND also manage to be the sweetest person in the room. I literally have no idea how she does it but we are so lucky to have her as a friend of MULTI.
Who is Marielle? Tell us about you and your work.
I am Marielle. I am originally from NYC/NJ and currently based in LA. I am a brand marketing creative, photographer, and co-founder of @sarisaristudio, a creative studio highlighting and amplifying the Filipino diaspora.
What’s your sign?
I am a Scoprio sun, Sagittarius rising, and Virgo moon ☻
What does it mean to be an AAPI in your field?
Being AAPI in my field means bringing in my unique cultural experience to the industry, giving visibility to us, and putting forward overlooked talent in my community. As someone who works in the creative, beauty, and fashion space, I want to see more of our stories represented in these spaces. Growing up, I never saw Fiipinos in mainstream western media, and now I'm seeing a whole community of artists celebrating our culture. It's definitely inspiring the next generation to focus on their interests and what brings them joy instead of feeling guilty for not pursuing the traditional career path.
What does wellness look like to you?
Wellness is very personal and looks different for everyone. It's a mindful practice and a balance of what makes you feel good. It's about listening to your body and knowing when to rest or take deep breaths to return to your center. It's about treating yourself to that pastry or burger. It's doing what's good for you so you can show up and be the best version of yourself around others.
What does feeling good mean to you?
To me, feeling good is self-confidence, being surrounded by people who love and support me, and enjoying the present.
What does doing good mean to you?
Doing good is being empathetic and treating others with kindness. We're all just trying our best to find what brings us joy.
What would you like to see for the future of the AAPI community?
I'd love for the AAPI community to continue coming together and supporting each other. I also would love more recognition for South East and South Asians - not going to lie sometimes it feels like we are not celebrated as much/left out of the many AAPI media roundups.
I also hope that we'll be able to get more opportunities that are not typically accessible to our communities - I love how MULTI is doing this with their access round and providing financial knowledge we were never really taught. By doing this, we can then redistribute the wealth, invest in our communities, and be able to pass down generational wealth that many of us don't have.
