When you see Mic Diaz, you are instantly attracted to her bright personality and infectious smile. As one of the most trusted Filipino-American voices in Southern California, Mic is known for her programs that educate, inform, and entertain through virtual or in-person events.

For Mic, the goal is to support local businesses while elevating Filipino-American talent. During the pandemic, she was able to produce virtual classes, interviews, podcasts, and concerts. 'The pandemic and lockdown has definitely brought more opportunities for me to be creative, productive, and assertive, and encouraged me to connect with so many people beyond my expectations,' she said.

It wasn't always easy. Mic added that her life today isn't what she expected as a child. 'Growing up, I was always ridiculed and bullied. I was always made fun of and while people took advantage of me, I never fought back.'

However, Mic did not let her history define her, she focused instead on her passions and what made her heart sing. 'I have always been artistic and creative. I have always done things outside of my comfort zone even if I had all these insecurities within me brought about by years of bullying. I am just one person who followed what my heart desires and what I've dreamed of since I was a child. I am an artist, a presenter of performing arts.'

It is this passion that connected Mic to other Filipino-American artists. 'My heart overflows with so much pride when I see or hear about artists, and musicians who are thriving and I try to share this with as many people as I can.'

This is one of the driving forces behind her initiative, Mic Diaz Presents Jam: Live at the Noypitz. The concert, the first post-pandemic, features notable Fil-Am artists Garth Garcia, Marlon D., Xella, and Juls King. T

The concert, which will also be streaming live across Mic's different platforms is meant to not just elevate their talent, but to also support these artists in partnership with the Filipino-American Chamber of Commerce Hollywood.

'The past year has truly been a challenging one, but the Filipino-American community really supported each other, and this night is a culmination and celebration of all that we've been through together. It is also a night where we toast Filipino-American talent in the hopes of encouraging others to do the same.'

When asked how important it was to support Filipino-American artists, Mic expressed 'Uplifting our community through performing and visual arts matters most to me. Oftentimes, the arts are overlooked in underrepresented communities, and in the same token there is a lack of representation of minorities in both performing and visual arts.

'The arts, whether we know of it consciously or not, are what keeps us alive. After a long day of work and dealing with the challenges of our daily lives, we listen to music, watch movies, sing, dance and find ways to unleash our creativity. We bond over watching our favorite shows and our favorite music with our family and friends. The arts connect us to our friends, family and other people and they help us sustain our lives.'

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To know more or see how you can help, you can find Mic Diaz Presents on Facebook.