Conversations with Rachel Mireles

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachel Mireles.

Rachel, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I recently took a trip to the Philippines in February of 2026. The trip sparked a cultural awakening and I had a strong desire to connect more with my cultural roots. I realized that my parents were getting older and once they pass, i will be a lot less connected. My kids were also getting older, but they were not getting the same Filipino-American experiences I had growing up. I saw a video by Michael Wong of Asian Verified about the Emerald City Tile Club. I had looked into local mahjong clubs previously, but there wasn’t one that fit what I was looking for. I decided to start my club on a whim, one sleepless night from jetlag. I launched an IG and very basic website in a couple of hours. Once it started, I had a vision of creating a big family party where we eat and play mahjong all night, just like my parents did when I was a kid. I was quickly enveloped in the So Cal mahjong community and it was great. I learned a lot about hosting events, setting up rules, and finding a location. However, over the next couple of weeks, my focus was much more on Filipino culture, coming off some intense, palpable energy from Baryo HiFi. Mahjong is a tiny aspect of Filipino culture that I had access to, simply bc I knew how to play. I dont speak Tagalog; i cant cook Filipino food, i dont even know a lot of Filipino or Filipino-American history, but that’s ok. We’ve learned that that is the case for so many other Filipino-Ams. The journey of connection can start anywhere at anytime. From there, we’ve been popping up all over so cal, meeting tons of people, vendors, and other organizers who all very quickly became family. The club is still new and we’re learning and discovering a lot, but as we move forward i’d like to continue building an organization where community becomes family!

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has been generally smooth and both the mahjong and Filipino community are so warm and generous! I sometimes struggle internally thinking about where I want to go and where I want to take this. Also, my sisters have been a huge, invaluable part of the club and its growth. But we need to find a balance with our own individual priorities and the movement, direction, and growth of the club. How can we make this sustainable, since it is currently only run on donations? How can we get additional support, such as a graphics designer, photographer/videographer, editor, content creator, etc.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am currently the Environmental Programs Manager for UC, Riverside. It’s not related to my mahjong club or cultural connection as of yet, but a lot of the initiatives I am pushing for at work utilize skills I need to learn for the club, such as marketing, canva, IG, etc. I was in Environmental Consulting just before joining UCR and loved that time.
I’m most proud of my ability to build connections with others, but I have also been so lucky to have met the most awesome people right where I am. Since I started this club several months ago, I have asked dozens of people hundreds of questions because it’s all new to me. And EVERY TIME, i’ve been met with love and support, and not just encouragement but actually showing up, giving time, energy, money, and miles to help move this club forward! It’s incredible!!

Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
Congratulations on starting!! That’s already tremendous. Keep going and ask for help and support! It’s ok to slow down too, for clarity and alignment, but keep going because we love to see each other succeed!! That’s how family works, at least this famiy!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ocmahjongsocialclub?igsi=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr