Veronica Antipolo – A storyteller committed to amplifying diverse stories

Veronica Antipolo, also known by her stage name Sassy La V, is a professional storyteller, writer, producer, and occasional stand-up comedian who is dedicated to amplifying diverse voices. Say it out loud out loud: “Sassy La V” sounds like “ca, c’est la vie” in French, which loosely means “this – it’s life”. And the life of Antipolo – as a passionate advocate for the power of storytelling in creating empathy, understanding, connection and meaningful relationships.– is a rich and busy one. She has been featured on the soldout RICE: New Asian Comedians Showcase at the historic CBC Glenn Gould Studio, and she was a featured storyteller on CBC Radio. She has published stories and jokes, and is a sought-after speaker on topics such as diverse voices, empowerment through storytelling, and ethical storytelling. And she mentors women and creative entrepreneurs on branding, public speaking, and networking.

Antipolo’s love for storytelling was sparked early in life. She grew up in a Filipino household where storytelling was a big part of the culture. She recalls how her grandmother would share stories about their family and their heritage: “It was how we connected, how we understood our place in the world.” Her own foray into storytelling and stand-up began as a “me-time hobby” that was part midlife crisis and part leap of faith, after she lost “a good job”: “I didn’t foresee it being a part of my future, let alone to become a professional storyteller. It makes sense now because I always loved hearing people’s stories. I’m that person who’ll examine your family photos and ask too many questions about the people in them!”

The biggest surprise to come from being a professional storyteller was re-learning who she was:   “Somewhere along my life path, instead of being able to move forward with my identity and voice, I’d adjust ‘my gait’ to people and places along the way. I guess I eventually forgot how to fully walk as myself.” But when she told her first stories from her own perspective – made up of all her intersecting identities as a first-generation Filipina-Canadian woman over forty and single mom – “People connected with them regardless of their background.” She felt a deep sense of empowerment and saw that her natural gait was not valid but that it could also have an impact.

After meeting Georgette Stubbs at a storytelling workshop, Antipolo co-founded Mosaic Untold Lives with her. At the workshop, Stubbs shared a story about her relationship with a family member that resonated deeply with Antipolo: “I immediately understood the cultural nuances that were a part of or that impacted that relationship, because I experienced them, too. We did not need to over-explain to each other. We just got it.” The experience of being seen and understood in this way sparked the idea to jointly create a safe space where BIPOC women could share their stories and connect through storytelling: “The vulnerability in sharing stories for BIPOC women can feel scary – or we’re just not heard. However, this felt supportive and empowering.” 

Antipolo’s mission with Mosaic Untold Lives is to bring that same sense of connection and understanding to a wider audience. “We all have a story to tell, and every story is valuable.My goal is to provide a platform for those stories to be heard, and to create a community of people who are willing to listen and learn from each other.” 

Her once-tentative me-time hobby has become the driving force in Antipolo’s life, catalyzing a mission to connect humans through their diverse stories. In March 2023, Antipolo produced and hosted a storytelling event called Synchronicity for World Storytelling Day in her home city of London, Ontario. The event featured personal true stories from people who were new to storytelling, and Antipolo was nervous about how the audience would respond. She was thrilled to witness audience members approaching speakers who had just told their stories to hug them – often with tears in their eyes but always smiling broadly: “Everyone spoke of the energy in the room that night. That’s what they called it: ‘the energy’. But it was humans connecting, and it’s a fantastic feeling. To be part of it and witness it moved me. So, maybe it is an energy . . .”

Antipolo’s passion for  storytelling will be on full display at this year’s Toronto International Storytelling Festival. On Saturday May 13 from 12pm to 2pm at CSI Spadina, she will facilitate a workshop called Storytelling for Self-Empowerment – a Workshop for BIPOC Women. The workshop’s focus is “finding power in allowing yourself to tell YOUR story unapologetically from YOUR perspective – no code-switching, no conforming or self-diminishing for others’ comfort.” Antipolo “excited for participants to think about the impact of their voices, and to leave feeling empowered!”’ Then on Sunday, May 14, which is Mother’s Day, Antipolo will tell a story about her sassy Filipina grandmother as part of the Everyone and their Mother show: “More than a story, it’s my offer of appreciation to her every time I share it. Honestly, she would’ve loved all this attention!” 

At the Festival and going forward, she hopes to inspire others to share their own stories and to listen to the stories of those around them: “I’m excited for audiences – especially new audiences – to experience storytelling and hear different people’s stories and life experiences. We all have something to learn from each other.” She styles herself not as a simple transmitter or receiver of stories, but as a transformative “cheerleader of humans”: “When I started storytelling, I fell into EDI (Equity, Diversity and Inclusion) work, as well. The act of telling your story in your voice, your perspective, in your way can essentially be self-advocacy. The stories we tell about ourselves can connect others to our life experiences and foster understanding and empathy. This, in turn, can spark social change.”

Through her platform, workshops and performances, Antipolo is creating a space where people can come together to share their experiences, learn from each other, and create a more inclusive and connected world – one story at a time: “Everyone has a story, and every story is valuable. Through our stories, we can find common ground and create a more empathetic and understanding world.”

Visit Antipolo on SassyLaV.com. Reserve tickets to the 2023 Toronto International Storytelling Festival on storytellingtoronto.org.

© Arpita Ghosal, SesayArts Magazine, 2023