Hi there!

I'm John (he / him). I grew up in Hamilton (1992 - 2010), spent 10-years off and on in Toronto (2010 - 2021), backpacking and working in North-West Europe (2014 - 2015), and now live in Queens, NYC (2023 -).

I've been blessed to live many lives. I've been a cook for 5 years, a carpenter for 5 and now a city planner in New York City. 7 years ago I began my journey as an organizer, moving from cultural / community / labor / tenant organizing spaces in this time. This journey began in earnest while I was part of a Filipino-youth arts collective in Toronto (2016) where we co-founded community arts space 187 Augusta (2017 - 2020) in Kensington Market and operated a community radio show on Radio Regent, producing 120 episodes from 2017 - 2019. Shortly thereafter I cofounded another community arts & activist space, Tea Base (2018 - 2021), in Toronto's Chinatown.

On my down time I enjoy hanging out with friends, dancing, cooking, roller skating, biking and rock climbing. I also very much enjoy arts and culture of all sorts.

我为什么加入 Couchsurfing

Looking for affordable accommodations. Depending on how my experience goes, would be happy to host travelers in Queens from time to time

兴趣

I'm pretty much beginner level in all my interests, minus organizing. It's important to me to be in my body, be in movement, find joy.

• dancing
• rock climbing
• swimming
• biking
• roller skating
• organizing

音乐、电影和书籍

Music - afrobeat / afropop, lovers rock, cumbia / bolero, arabic folk sounds, soul (new era, 60s & 70s), R&B, blues, lo-fi hiphop beats, jazz, and classic rock.

Books - right now I'm reading about Palestine, socialism as applied to various contexts where it has been pursued. abolition. In terms of fiction, the last book I read was Pachinko - I couldn't put it down!

Movies - I'm very poor at remembering movies. My partner holds this knowledge for me.

我做过的一件不可思议的事情

I'm blessed to have done many amazing things, many of which I referenced in my about me. Currently I'm very proud of the life I'm building here in NYC.

我可以与沙发主分享些什么

I can cook! and also am a very tidy person.

我游览过的国家

Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Philippines, Scotland, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States

我居住过的国家

Canada, Netherlands, Scotland, United States