Meet The Brownthought Academy: Jolo Merilleno
UNDSCVRD was inspired by our late friend and marketing master mind Marco Jastillana.
To honor his memory and to uplift the next generation of creative thought leaders, the Jastillana family and Kultivate Labs is unveiling the Brownthought Academy (BA): Marketing Bootcamp.
The Bootcamp is a 4 month paid internship where 3 interns learn all aspects of marketing from email campaigns, social media, website maintenance, paid social media, and the fundamentals of socially conscious economic development. Interns will learn on the job by working on the marketing campaign for UNDSCVRD. At the end of the program, the interns will pitch a campaign idea or product to launch that they will manage. The best idea will be funded by the Jastillana family.
What is your name?
Jolo Merilleno
How do you identify yourself?
He/him. I’m in love with all things music. Extroverted people person, I’m always down to talk! Marketer by day, OPM artist by night, science geek and video gamer in the times between!
Where are you from?
I moved to Sunnyvale, CA mid-2016, but spent most of my formative years in Muntinlupa / Metro Manila, Philippines!
Why did you apply for BA Academy?
At face value, an internship at Undiscovered is already such a cool opportunity that would attract anyone. But after reading about the vision, mission, and history of SoMa Pilipinas, Kultivate Labs, and Undiscovered, I realized that BA Academy was a chance for me to contribute to something truly impactful.
What was your most memorable experience at Undiscovered?
Being able to finally see BP Valenzuela, CRWN, and Rxhanders live back in Season 2!
Also, just being in a space that was so fun and filled with my culture, and being able to share that with my S.O. was unforgettable!
What do you like to do for fun?
I probably play too many video games... but other than that, I’m always looking for that next new artist to listen to! I also de-stress with writing and working on my own music and other passion projects!
Pick a Filipino food or dish that represents you + explain why
Halo halo, because sometimes you just gotta live life with parts of it that aren’t as tasty, you gotta go with the flow since that’s just how the halo halo mixes mixes.
What's one thing you've learned about yourself during this global pandemic.
With Covid shifting any and all plans I had for 2020, I’ve learned that it’s incredibly important to actively practice empathy — whether it's towards myself or to others. The pandemic has actively encouraged me to step backwards and connect deeper to the human experience and how I should move forward through life being mindful of the interconnectedness of society and its individuals.
What's your jam right now? (This can be a song, funny video, piece of content, netflix show, livestream, etc.)
I’ve had Snoh Aalegra on repeat for the past two weeks, but my go-tos are for sure artists like Clara Benin, Lizzy Mcalpine, Ben&Ben, Eloise, etc. Too many options to be honest, music is always on in my room!!
What does being Filipino mean to you?
Being a Filipino is a beautiful existence that’s hard to sum up into a few words. I won’t glorify the Philippines’ tragic history, but events have led us to develop and foster qualities that any individual would be proud of. We are an extremely zealous and well intentioned people with a strong sense of community. Despite complicated socio-political and environmental issues that have plagued generations of Filipinos, it is the unwavering spirit of the Filipino people that constantly strives to educate, uplift, and work towards a socially just and equitable nation. To be Filipino is to hold the strongest foundations of love: patience and empathy tempered with a fervor for justice and the hope for better tomorrows.