South Bay-based Maraya Performing Arts is gearing up for its holiday programming in mid-December, and at the top of the list for founder, CEO and artistic director Anjanette Maraya-Ramey is getting people to donate blood.

Maraya-Ramey, a first-generation Filipino American who has battled leukemia, said that the San Diego Blood Bank cited in its 2021 report that “the best blood type matches are often found between people who share blood type and ethnic origins.”

Her goal is to “help spread awareness about this public health crisis and the importance of blood donations, our national blood supply shortage and the lack of diversity in our region’s blood supply,” said Maraya-Ramey, the creative force behind Chula Vista-based Maraya Performing Arts.

“As a leukemia survivor, I am only alive today because of generous blood donors, and I am on a mission to utilize my arts experience to share my personal story and encourage the diverse people of our region to give the lifesaving gift of blood this holiday season and beyond,” she added.

That’s why Maraya Performing Arts has partnered with the San Diego Blood Bank for its Winter Arts Festival at Wilson Middle School Theatre in City Heights. The event starts at 11 a.m. with a blood drive and continues through the afternoon, including a performance of its Filipino-themed production, “Bayanihan,” which explores the Filipino concept of communal spirit and unity.

“Bayanihan” — first presented in September at the Maraya studio in Chula Vista — features a diverse cast that includes performers aged 7 to 77, youth with special needs and seniors from the Filipino American Women’s Club Dancers of South Bay Terraces.

“Bayanihan,” Maraya-Ramey said, “tells a story of the multi-generational Filipino American community of South Bay — a compelling narrative of the triumphs and enduring spirit of the immigrant journey through a dynamic fusion of ballet, hip hop, contemporary dance, spoken-word poetry and DJing.”

The choreography team is composed of Xavier Hicks, Sean Asuncion, Calei Gilliam and Maraya-Ramey. Candice Custodio-Tan (DJ Kuttin Kandi), the executive director of Asian Solidarity Collective, uses spoken word poetry to weave the story.

Maraya Performing Arts Winter Arts Festival

When: Sunday, Dec. 17

Schedule: 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.: Blood drive, pre-show activities, DJ and Filipino food; 1-1:45 p.m.: Performance of “Bayanihan;” 2-3:30 p.m.: Student winter showcase; 3:30-5 p.m.: Post-show reception.

Where: Wilson Middle School Performing Arts Theatre, 3838 Orange Ave., San Diego. Parking is available at the parking structure on El Cajon Boulevard just east of 37th Street at 3733 El Cajon Blvd.

Tickets: $30-$50 per person. Pre-sale discount available.

Phone: (619) 934-2999

Online: https://marayaarts.com/showcase