Meet Eliza Leigh | Community Organizer & Event Curator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Eliza Leigh and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Eliza Leigh, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Sama Ka Na was born in the heart of the pandemic—during a time of uncertainty, when my then-husband, a professional chef, lost his job as restaurants began to shut down. I knew I had to do something. I started posting photos of his food online, and soon, family and friends began placing orders. To make it easier, I organized meetups in different cities where customers could pick up their meals directly from me.

Through that effort and the power of social media, other home cooks started reaching out—asking if they could join these meetups, too. What began as a personal pivot turned into a community lifeline.

What started as a simple way to support my family and a few local Filipino home cooks has now grown into a mobile pop-up—and something much more meaningful: a growing movement rooted in culture, community, and collective uplift.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My career has been anything but linear—and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’ve built it on purpose, grit, and a deep commitment to serving others in every space I step into.

By profession, I’m the Operations Director of a personal injury law firm. In this role, I advocate for individuals during some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives. From building efficient protocols and procedures to supporting our team’s growth, my work is grounded in creating structure, trust, and impact. It’s fast-paced and demanding, but it’s also deeply fulfilling. It’s taught me how to lead with clarity and compassion—and to never forget the human behind the file.

In 2020, life took an unexpected turn when my then-husband, lost his job due to the pandemic. I began posting his dishes online, and soon we were taking orders and coordinating pickups. What started as a personal objective evolved into a bigger vision: a mobile Filipino pop-up collective called Sama Ka Na, where home-based cooks and small entrepreneurs could thrive. What began as selling from my car trunks and in parking lots grew into a powerful platform for Filipino culture, resilience, and entrepreneurship.

From that work came something even deeper: the Sama Ka Na Foundation—a nonprofit focused on feeding programs, disaster relief, and uplifting women and children in underserved communities in the Philippines. The foundation is my heart work. It allows me to give back in ways that transcend borders and bring people hope, dignity, and support when they need it most.

None of this was easy. I’ve balanced operation deadlines with event planning, and managed documents and teams in the day and sponsorship decks and vendors at night. But every challenge came with a lesson: that you can be both strategic and soulful, both driven and heart-led. I’ve learned that your purpose isn’t always one thing—it’s a blend of your gifts, your story, and who you choose to show up for.

And what I want the world to know is this: You can redefine what success looks like. You can honor where you came from while creating something new. And you can lead—in law, in business, and in service—without losing who you are.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
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🏖️ Day 1 – Welcome with a View
• Start at Griffith Observatory or a sunrise hike at Runyon Canyon to see the sunrise.
• Brunch at République because their pastries are art in food form.
• Hollywood tour in a double deck bus to see the tourist spots.
• Dinner and Drinks at Perch LA rooftop to kick off the week with a view of the LA skyline.
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🍱 Day 2 – Culture & Comfort Food
• Breakfast at Porto’s for cheese rolls because you cannot be in LA without trying their pastries.
• Little Tokyo for shopping, art galleries, and mochi snacking.
• Lunch at Sari Sari Store in Grand Central Market for Filipino rice bowls with a modern twist.
• Afternoon visit to The Broad Museum.
• Dinner at Kasama for a little elevated Filipino cuisine.
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🎤 Day 3 – Pinoy Pride + Karaoke Vibes
• Drive down to Carson for a taste of Filipino coffee and breakfast at Teofilo Coffee.
• Lunch at Jollibee for some childhood nostalgic experience.
• Grocery run at Seafood City since my Bestie is from NJ and she needs to bring home Filipino snacks.
• Karaoke night at Max Karaoke Studio or Cafe Brass Monkey with San Mig Light and lumpia snacks.
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🌊 Day 4 – Coastal Daydreaming
• Day trip to Malibu or Laguna Beach to get her toes in the sand and much needed vitamin D.
• Lunch at Malibu Seafood because Filipinos love their fish and shellfish.
• Explore The Getty Villa or Pacific Coast Highway drive.
• Dinner at Nobu Malibu so we can have some fancy ambiance and ocean views.
• Bonfire and stories at Dockweiler Beach so we can catch up on all the chismis hahaha.
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🎨 Day 5 – Artsy & Soulful
• Brunch in Silver Lake at Millie’s Cafe.
• Spend the day walking and at ROW DTLA and The Arts District.
• Coffee + Filipino pastries at Cafe 86 where everything has ube in it.
• Dinner at Yang Chow in Chinatown for some authentic Chinese food.
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🎉 Day 6 – Sama Ka Na Style Pop-Up or Market Day
• If there’s a Sama Ka Na event—this is the day! I am bringing my Bestie to experience the food, the vendors, the vibe. Otherwise, we will hit a weekend Filipino market or festival—support local, dance to OPM, and shop small.
• Lunch from my favorite vendors at the pop up.
• Dinner and drinks while watching a local artist with a live band at Noypitz Long Beach or NoyPitz LA.
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💆‍♀️ Day 7 – Rest, Reflect, Reset
• Slow morning with home made breakfast – spam, red hotdogs, tocino, fried rice, sunny side up eggs, and coffee or Milo.
• Last minute shopping at Island Pacific – West Covina and maybe Montclair Plaza for her souvenir items and more Filipino food to bring home.
• Wrap-up dinner at Pomona Valley Mining Co for some nice city views to end the trip right.
• Chill night back home with wine, Spotify karaoke, and deep convos.
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Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
To my cousin Sarah, who supported Sama Ka Na in its early conception—thank you for believing in the vision before it was fully formed. Your help meant more than you know.

To Stephen — thank you for being part of the beginning. Your talent in the kitchen sparked the idea that grew into a movement.

To Maui Borci, our vibrant and full-of-life Vendor Coordinator—your energy, passion, and ability to light up a room bring every event to life.

To my powerhouse Team Leads, Angge Balignasa and Veronica Buhain —your dedication, creativity, and heart make every event feel like family.

And to the rest of my OG vendors—Liezl, Trina, Ana, and Day—thank you for believing in this vision from the very start. Your trust and support helped build the foundation we stand on today.

This journey wouldn’t be what it is without each of you. Sama tayo palagi.

Website: https://samakanaevents.com/upcomingevents

Instagram: https://instagram.com/elizaleighjd

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizaleigh/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SMKNCaravanAndEvents

Image Credits
Adrian Lecaros
Alvin Rumbaoa