We are celebrating International Women's Day by sharing 3 stories of inspiring Filipinas who used their platforms to inspire positive change in our communities. These are excerpts from our Sabado Stories initiative in 2020.
1. Jo Bautista, Artist and Founder of Send To Give, Berlin
“I started #SendtoGive right inside my apartment in Germany, during the peak of the quarantine in
May this year (2020). I kept seeing news about how the Philippines was struggling from the pandemic and I felt compelled to do something about it. Filipinos are known to have an innate nature to help others, especially those that are in need. We know this value as bayanihan. Through #SendtoGive I wanted to foster the value of bayanihan at a global level, allowing people of all cultures to reach out and support one another through the simple, personal gesture of sending postcards. Seeing the smiles of the people we've helped does a lot to inspire empathy, compassion, and bayanihan.”
2. Noni De Vora, Artist and Designer, Baltimore, MD
“Like for most people, the past few months have been incredibly tough. As a creative, I experienced my lowest of lows but eventually emerged with a renewed sense of purpose. In isolation and far from home, I tuned in to news round-the-clock. Seeing all the social and political upheavals here and at home, I could not stand silent. As a designer, I was compelled to use my skills in communication and storytelling to amplify important messages. I poured my energy (and pent-up angst, to be honest) working on relevant projects. For example, designing a website for a company developing a COVID-19 vaccine, volunteering for the Black Lives Matter movement, and making visuals for #JunkTerrorBill, now #JunkTerrorLaw. And I was not alone. It was exhilarating and inspiring to see all these Filipino creatives bravely use their voice and platform for change."
3. Josephine Gamos, Founder of Tara Baraha, Manila
"Tara Baraha! was borne out of love for our Philippines. Each artwork on every card was masterfully created by Filipino artists & aims to show the world different facets of our culture and heritage: from historical facts to tourist attractions & even local delicacies.The best part is, with every Tara Baraha! deck, you don't just get to play your way around the Philippines; you make a difference in the lives of Filipinos. For every deck sold, a portion of the proceeds go to chosen organizations we support. At the start of the pandemic, through the brand's social platform, I also started an initiative called Tara Tulong Tayo! which aims to give a Php 1,000 cash assistance to displaced daily wage workers and hopefully we're able to support more of our kababayans who need help the most in these trying times."
Update: as of Jan 2022, Tara Tulong Tayo! was able to raise more than Php 2M!
How are you using your talents and platforms to inspire positive action in our communities?
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