Meet Brownthought Academy’s Class of 2022: Chloe Samillano
Brownthought Academy is a marketing bootcamp / 5-month internship program from Kultivate Labs. Through their specific roles, interns have the unique opportunity to learn about digital marketing through campaigns for cultural and community-centric projects. The program was inspired by Marco Jastillana (1976 - 2020), our late friend, marketing mastermind, and co-founder of UNDSCVRD Night Market and Plinth Agency. A talented visionary, Brownthought Academy was founded to honor his memory to uplift the next generation of thought leaders and change makers.
In its second year, Brownthought Academy welcomed 4 talented new interns - becoming the first cohort to hold specific roles. As the Content Writing Intern, Chloe Samillano crafted newsletters and wrote original content for Kultivate Labs’ various programs. Using her background in fictional storytelling, Chloe captured readers’ attention with her introspective and empathetic point-of-view. Below she reflects on her creative intentions, writing for a brand’s voice, and gaining confidence as a writer through Brownthought Academy.
“It wasn’t until this internship that I realized how much words matter, and how the way in which you put words together can create an effect. Moving forward, I definitely see myself applying intentionality in my future writing projects, while keeping in mind key marketing tactics.”
— Chloe on what she learned as a Content Writing Intern
Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your role at Brownthought Academy?
My name is Chloe Samillano (she/her), and I am the Content Writing Intern for Brownthought Academy’s Winter/Spring 2022 cohort. As a content writer, I primarily build out newsletters, create blog posts, and write any copy (aka published text) for Kultivate Lab’s various programs (Balay Kreative, Kapwa Gardens, SEED Network).
I’m a Manila-born, Riverside-based queer Filipina. I graduated from San Francisco State University in 2020 with a B.A. in Cinema, and minor in Drama. Since graduating I’ve worked in the education space (teaching is another passion of mine!), and have gotten creative fellowships with BAVC Media and Ava DuVernay’s ARRAY. My dream career goal is to create my own television series and be a Showrunner. Besides watching television, I enjoy puzzles, long walks, sustainable fashion, trying out new plant-based restaurants, and reading books about abolitionist teaching.
What made you decide to apply for the internship?
I decided to apply because I wanted to broaden my skills as a writer and be involved in community-driven work. Before this internship I knew nothing about the marketing/events space, and I come from a fictional storytelling background, so I was nervous to apply. But my desire of growing as a writer helped alleviate that fear.
I was really interested in learning about another industry and for a chance to get my work out there because, since graduating, I’ve mostly only written for myself. Also through the creative fellowships I got in 2021, purpose really became in focus for me. Like, as artists, who are we creating for and why? And so I felt the internship struck a perfect balance of getting an opportunity to expand my writing craft, while also creating for the larger Filipinx community as a whole.
What has been your favorite project/campaign that you worked on?
I loved working on the Balay artists in residence campaigns. I got to witness the amazing work of Filipinx artists/entrepreneurs like Veecaps, Kristian Kabuay, and Mirage Medicinal. I’ve always loved reading artist profiles in major publications, like The New York Times and Vulture, so getting a chance to understand an artist and write a lil intro about them was such an honor. It was also the first time I wrote about someone and had to get their approval, so that was quite daunting, especially because I didn’t get to interview or meet them in person! But getting their blessings felt so huge to me, and ignited a belief in myself and my writing abilities.
As for project though, this one that you’re reading right now is my favorite! Our final project was to house a space for Brownthought Academy across all platforms with the goal of recruiting a new cohort. Essentially, we as the Winter/Spring 2022 interns, are pulling are roles together (#AvengersAssemble) and creating content through web, social, photo/video, and writing so Brownthought Academy can keep growing. This is the first time we’re all truly collaborating with one another and it’s been so special! It’s such an amazing way to end our internship and honor/continue Marco’s legacy.
A few snippets of content Chloe created for Kapwa Gardens and Balay Kreative.
The 2022 cohort with Supervisor, Kaithleen, at Yum Yams. (from left: Jada Montez, Nikki Ramos, Kaithleen Apostol, Gianna Dolor, Chloe Samillano)
What were some challenges that you faced in your role?
Whew, the turnaround time with the content and the work life/balance was quite tough. Mostly because in the past I tend to write very slowly or at least have a couple weeks until the deadline (like with academic essays and such). So this internship definitely lit a fire under me. It was challenging, but it pushed me to get past my perfectionism in the work. I do feel like a lot of it was just me being in my head and being anxious of putting content out that I hadn’t spent a lot time proofreading. But the support I got from Kaithleen, our Brownthought Supervisor, was so key throughout this experience. She was my biggest cheerleader and her feedback definitely helped take my work to the next level, especially with angling it from a marketing perspective.
How was it like being in a cohort and working with your fellow interns?
It was so great to be in a cohort! That was one of the things I looked forward to with the internship - like how we would all connect and what we would be able to do together. And in these last couple months, we have done so much together. From the Powerful Pinays to the Balay grants to the Yum Yams promo, I loved getting on different projects and finding out that one, if not all, of them would be working on it too. Because seeing Gianna, Jada, and Nikki’s work has been nothing but inspiring to me. They’re so talented, and I’m grateful I got to meet them in person at Yum Yams!
How was it like to be part of the Kultivate Labs family?
I would like to start off by saying that, entering the workforce amid this pandemic and “The Great Resignation,” stating you’re a part of any company’s family would be a red flag, BUT Kultivate Labs and the wonderful team behind it are very much, indeed, a family that’s welcomed us. It’s changed the game in terms of perceiving what a supportive team dynamic and innovative environment could be because it’s demonstrated before you. Everyone wears many hats, yes, and the hustle is real, but they’re also armed with their vision of the future and grace for the present. It’s the norm to adapt as changes arise and accommodate the needs of the team. As interns, we were also encouraged to voice our ideas and take part in discussions, which is always nice.
Overall, we established such a supportive and chill environment, I felt at ease with asking them for anything. We all had each other’s backs and being a team with them has been a major highlight of this experience for me. It was truly #PinayExcellence out here.
How was it like to be part of the Kultivate Labs family?
Being part of the Kultivate family has been very special. Going into it, I was already in awe of the work they’ve been doing so getting to actually meet and work with the team behind it all was amazing. Although we were working remotely, every time we did meet, I could feel the passion from every one of them. Kultivate Labs is a team that puts their mission into action every single day, and that energy is just so infectious. Getting to work with a predominantly Filipinx team and uplifting the Filipinx community in SOMA Pilipinas was so surreal and incredibly liberating. I’ll never forget it!
Overall, what would you say you learned from the internship? How do you see yourself applying these skills moving forward?
Writing from a brand’s voice and towards a brand’s audience was one of the major things I learned. Each Kultivate program, whether it was Balay or Kapwa or SEED, had a specific voice and audience so I learned a lot on how to construct a message/story with those in mind. I had to switch different parts of my brain to get the tone right for every thing I created for each program (and even each event!), so it was nice to exercise that and get feedback to make the content more streamlined. It wasn’t until this internship that I realized how much words matter, and how the way in which you put words together can create an effect. So I became very conscious of what I wrote and more intentional with what I wanted to say.
Moving forward, I definitely see myself applying intentionality in my future writing projects, while keeping in mind key marketing tactics, such as SEO. I now also understand the process of writing for clients/brands, so I feel confident in taking on future content writing projects.
Any advice for future Brownthought interns? Or for those thinking of applying?
The first thing that comes to mind is it’s okay to not know everything! I came into the internship with hardly any marketing experience, so instead I used my application to highlight what I could bring to the table and that I was eager to learn. So, throughout the internship, being open to feedback and not being afraid to ask for guidance became really key. In short, just remember that part of the experience is for you to learn new skills, and your cohort, your manager, and the Kultivate team are there to support you and help you grow!
Also, throughout the internship, take breaks!! It’s a marathon not a sprint, so taking care of yourself will be so important during this process, especially since you’re working remotely. Find a pace, routine, and environment that will allow you to perform mindfully/efficiently in your role!
Lastly, this is for when you’re applying and once you become an intern, keep your intentions in mind. Why are you doing this and who are you doing this for? I say this because it can be so easy to focus on the outcome that you lose sight of the process. The process really is where all the learning and growing happens, so remember your intentions and it will guide you throughout all the twists and turns.
Enjoyed reading about Chloe’s experience? Connect with her through her social platforms below!
