Mai-Len has known Maggie since freshman year of college at Drew University! She is the reason Mai-Len studied abroad in Spain, which is why Mai-Len can thankfully now speak Spanish! She also introduced to Mai-Len to the best group of people at La Casa Latina who they are still close to today! Since Spain they have traveled all over the country and world together and she is she is Mai-Len's favorite travel buddy,. She is currently a highschool Spanish teacher in New Jersey and her students are so lucky to have her.

MAI-LEN HAS KNOWN GISELLE SINCE 2ND GRADE AT ETHICAL CULTURE. IN HIGHSCHOOL PEOPLE USED TO THINK THEY WERE SISTERS, EVEN TWINS LOL. GISELLE AND MAI-LEN HAVE GONE THROUGH EVERY COMING OF AGE MILESTONE TOGETHER- THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY. GISELLE HAS SEEN MAI-LEN AT HER ABSOLUTE WORST AND HAS LOVED HER ENOUGH THROUGH IT ALL TO CELEBRATE HER BEST MOMENTS WITH HER. MAI-LEN WAS INCREDIBLY PROUD TO STAND WITH HER AS MAID OF HONOR WHEN SHE MARRIED HER HUSBAND, ROB. MAI-LEN CONTINUES TO BE IN AWE OF GISELLE AS SHE BECOMES THE MOST INCREDIBLE MOM TO HER SON, AIDEN.

MAI-LEN HAS KNOWN KEITHARA SINCE PRE-K AT ETHICAL CULTURE! MAI-LEN'S EARLIEST AND FONDEST MEMORIES OF HER CHILDHOOD WERE AT KEITHARA'S FAMILY'S HOUSE IN YONKERS OR AT HER FAMILY'S BUSINESS IN HARLEM. THERE WAS ALWAYS A LOT OF FOOD, A LOT OF PEOPLE, A LOT OF ANIMALS AND ALWAYS A TON OF FUN. THE STORIES MAI-LEN AND GISELLE HAVE ABOUT GROWING UP ABSOLUTELY INCLUDE HER LOL. SHE IS A RECENT GRAD OF DUKE MEDICAL SCHOOL AND IN THE HEIGHT OF THE PANDEMIC DECIDED TO START HER RESIDENCY EARLY AT MOUNT SINAI EAST TO HELP TREAT COVID PATIENTS.

Mai-Len has known Eileen since 7th grade at Fieldston! In highschool people also used to think they were sisters lol. She also has been along for the ride during those coming of age moments with Giselle and Keithara. It was an honor to celebrate her union with her husband, Jeremy and she is such a fierce momma to her daughters Adriana and Sophia!

Mai-Len has known Kristen since freshman year at Drew University and they were roommates sophomore year! Since most of her family lives overseas she came home with Mai-Len for a lot of holiday breaks and we have gone on many adventures together throughout the city over the years. Most of them involve delicious food! Kristen is a creative and a style icon while also a hard working lady with an established career in finance.

Mai-Len has known Jessica since freshman year of college. They lived in La Casa together during their senior year with Maggie and have been in each other's lives ever since. Jessica has shown up for Mai-Len consistently in countless ways over the years and hilariously bickers with Amine like they are siblings. She is a middle school special education teacher in Newark, NJ and her students are smitten with her!

Mai-Len met Alana in their early 20s through Giselle and she was also Eileen's roommate on the Upper East Side for a few years. Mai-Len's favorite moments with her are when they go on really long walks and have deep conversations about their problems, world problems, and dreams for the future. This is why she is going to be an excellent mental health professional once she finishes her master's degree soon!

Mai-Len met Celine while they were in thier 20s through a workshop facilitated by a Filipino grassroots non-profit, Ugnayan. They were two mixed filipina girls committed to social justice and looking to connect deeper to their roots. Within their first conversation together they realized they had a lot of the same shared experiences. She is an elementary school teacher in Louisiana and her kiddos are so lucky to have her!

Goli is married to Amine's brother Adel. When Mai-Len met Amine's family, she was a little overwhelmed! He is one of four brothers, which is very different from the small family dynamic she grew up in. Mai-Len is thankful for her friendship with Goli as she navigated the Nagi family dynamics over the last 4 years. It has been so exciting to see her become an awesome mom to her daughter Laila and her soon to be second daughter due this Fall!