“Life is a journey to be experienced, not a problem to be solved.” - Winnie the Pooh

Clarissa Salazar was born and raised in Spain until moving to Anahuac, the “Alligator Capital of Texas,” before starting middle school. She ventured a whole hour away to Houston for college and has never left since. She attended the University of Houston (“Go Coogs!”) and then the Thurgood Marshall School of Law, and now she currently works in Houston as an attorney.

Clarissa originally joined to support a friend who was curious about FYP Houston. Before she knew it, she found herself as a vital member on the Board and even as FYP Houston's president during 2023 and 2024, being embraced by a community of kind and dedicated people. It's now been 11 years since Clarissa joined FYP, which has become a second family to her - one that’s helped her take pride in her heritage and culture and helped instill the true meaning and value of philanthropy in her work.

Clarissa's goal now as our Festival Chairperson is to keep supporting FYP’s mission of sharing Filipino culture, lifting each other up through service and giving back, and staying connected as a community!

In her own words:

“Swing by an FYP event to see what we’re all about—but don’t be surprised if you leave with new besties, inside jokes, and a group chat you didn’t know you needed.

Also, if you love the color purple and think Winnie the Pooh had some pretty solid life advice, we’ll get along just fine. Or show up with snacks and we'll be instant besties!”