Bonifacio Valera, Jr. (1965–2025) was many things: a teacher, a mentor, a choreographer, a dancer, a musician, a cultural bearer, a traveler, a son, a brother, an uncle, and a friend. But above all, he was a man of great kindness, someone who moved through the world with grace, curiosity, and an open heart.

 

Born in the Philippines on April 6, 1965, Bonifacio (kuya Bon) Valera, Jr. immigrated to the United States in 1976 at the age of 11. He grew up in San Francisco’s Outer Mission district, where his childhood home on Baltimore Street pulsed with music, dancing, and community. It was a happy home filled with laughter, parties, and the vibrant rhythms of Filipino life. It was a home filled with beauty and heart, shaping the artist, teacher, and cultural bearer he would one day become.

 

From an early age, Bon took lessons in classical piano. He often played duets with his sister Nerinna. His parents also loved music and dancing so dancing at home was as natural as breathing.

 

Growing up he attended Denman Middle School and later Lowell High School. It was at Lowell High School where he started taking formal lessons in voice and became part of the choir. He was a tenor and loved singing. At home, he would often sing "Ave Maria" or during Christmas season, "Hark How The Bells." One of his first vocal performances was in Lowell High School's play called Brigadoon. After high school, he attended college as a pre-med student at UC Berkeley but, his true calling could not be ignored, and he eventually followed his heart to San Francisco State University, where he majored in music and dance.

 

Bon’s passion for traditional Filipino folk dance blossomed over time. In his early years, he was largely self-taught, learning choreography from VHS tapes, studying books, and attending workshops whenever the opportunity arose. He eventually founded Barangay Dance Company in August of 1987.

 

Bon’s impact lives on in the countless lives he touched, in the students he mentored, the performances he brought to life, and the community he helped build. His spirit continues to inspire through the Bonifacio Valera, Jr. Foundation, which carries forward his legacy by nurturing cultural pride, creative expression, and connection. His legacy lives on in the community he built and the culture he loved so deeply.