Maya is a batok apprentice under the guidance of Lane Wilcken, dedicated to learning and honoring this sacred ancestral tradition while closely connecting with knowledgeable community members who help preserve and share pieces of our collective history through study, storytelling, and lived experience. Drawn to batok through a desire to understand Indigenous traditions and bridging them mindfully to the diaspora, Maya approaches the practice as a way to honor her ancestors and build community through cultural reconnection and decolonization. Identifying as Filipino & African-American, her work is shaped by questions of identity and creating safe  spaces for meaningful connection within the Filipino diaspora. Outside of batok, Maya enjoys reading, jewelry making, pottery, spending time with her family—especially her sisters—and being part of her local jazz community in Las Vegas, Nevada, all of which continue to inspire her creative and cultural practice.