To view the photos of the event, click here, or check out the gallery below.
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We previously mentioned that the second installment of NextDayBetter‘s talks for the New York City Area would commence, and it was a huge success. Held at Projective Space, May 8th on Grand and Allen, the place was packed with all who shared the thought of how he or she can make ‘the next day better.’
Ryan Letada, Chief Builder for Next Day Better opened up the night to a resounding round of applause, and a well-deserved one, indeed. The event gathered some of the most creative and brilliant minds our community has, and the audience was treated to three special guest speakers who have achieved professional successes that Filipinos can be proud of.
First up was Alec Zaballero (TPGA). Zaballero, a pioneer in architecture and design solutions, entitled his speech ’12 Minutes,’ and delivered the first solid punchlines of the night. He talked about the significance of remaining adaptable and creative, where in this modern age, branding has become that much more difficult with a vast number of people competing in the same arena. “It forces us to be incredibly imaginative and to express these brands,” he says. Mr. Zaballero also mentioned how space can have meaning, and that “(it) can convey a sense of culture, and a sense of community.” And, the significance of today’s designers, being so skillful and adaptable to covey said messages.
Coder Dojo’s own Rebecca Garcia followed with perhaps the most adorable photo of the night during her speech. It was of two young girls who are a part of the group she teaches how to code. One of the girls, apparently, “just made her own app,” said Garcia. This, to everyone’s amazement, proven by all the jaws that hit the floor as she told us.
And, last but not least, perhaps the more recognizable figure of the three speakers, Rik Cordero (Three21Media) got up to speak after a most impressive intro:
(To check out his commercial reel, click here.)
Mr. Cordero spoke about being passionate about his work. He shared stories of getting his first break by working on a Jay-Z project – a trailer for Hov’s music that would coincide with the film ‘American Gangster.’
He also mentioned some of the ups and downs of his career as a filmmaker. He tweeted:
Poured my soul out 2nite at @nextdaybetter & met some great folks. S/O 2 @philipchong for being there from my lowest lows & highest highs
— Rik Cordero (@RikCordero) May 9, 2013
It was a great evening for all who participated. Maharlika NYC (Proprietors of the great Maharlika and Jeepney restaurants) was in the building to cater the event, with Chef Miguel Trinidad himself manning the stations, busting out trays of delicious Longganisa sliders. Also in attendance were our buddies Jess Dela Merced (writer director of upcoming short film ‘Hypebeasts’), UniPro representatives Iris Zalun and Steph Chrispin, and Liza De Guia, head honcho and founder of food. curated.
Later this August, Next Day Better will hold the second installment for their 2013 events. To keep in the loop with their future functions and to be a part of it, follow their pages on Twitter and Facebook, and look out for the official launch for their website, NextDayBetter.com.
(Edited Photos Courtesy of NextDayBetter Team – Celsey Musngi and Jae Choi.)
