Josephine Bayog "Jyoti" Friedland

1954 - 2022

Josephine "Jyoti" Bayog Friedland
November 9, 1954 - May 1, 2022
Charlotte, North Carolina - Jyoti, 67, passed away peacefully Sunday, May 1, 2022 at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte.
Born November 9, 1954 in Manila, Philippines, she was a daughter of the late Eustaquio Bayog and Socorro Malicsi Bayog. Jyoti studied at Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Manila where she earned a BS degree in social work. From 1987-1990 she worked as a chef at Orchard Hill Market in Branford, Connecticut while studying at the New York Restaurant School. In 1991 she became the deli manager at Talley's Green Grocery in Charlotte where she worked until it's closing in 2008. In 2019, along with her husband Marc, she opened Jyoti's World Cuisine Vegan and Vegetarian Restaurant in Charlotte.
Jyoti was actively involved in politics at the local and national level beginning with her work on the presidential campaign of Hilary Clinton in 2008 as well as helping to organize precincts and get out the vote. Throughout her political career, she gained titles such as Precinct Chair, Member of the State Executive Committee of the North Carolina Democratic Party, Founder of the Asian American Pacific Islander Democrats of Mecklenburg County as well as Vice President of the Democratic Women of Mecklenburg County and Vice President of the North Carolina Senior Democrats. In 2018, Jyoti served as President of the Filipino American Community of the Carolinas.
She is survived by her husband, Marc Friedland; two children, Mainjari Friedland and Prabhat Friedland; as well as her sisters, Evangeline Bayog Manzano, Susan Bayog DeVera, Luzviminda Bayog, Maribel Bayog, Flora Malcsi Bayog Adobas and Pelita Malicsi Bayog.
A celebration of life will be held Thursday, May 12th at 2pm at McEwen Funeral Home. More information at www.jyotifriedland.com.