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9 Global Filipino Trailblazers You Need To Know

At NextDayBetter, we scour the Earth for the boldest changemakers and creatives from the global Filipino diaspora. We found them and asked them to share their world-changing ideas on our stage. These leaders in entrepreneurship, civil rights, the arts, and more are helping to reimagine the capacity of global Filipinos to create impactful solutions, not just for the Philippines, but for the world.

#1: Jose Antonio Vargas

[San Francisco, United States] Pulitzer Prize-Winning Journalist, Founder of Define American, Advocate for Undocumented People

This Pulitzer Prize-Winning Journalist became the face of the immigrant rights movement when he outed himself on the cover of TIME Magazine. His documentary, “Documented”, tells his life story as an undocumented immigrant living in the U.S.

“Take Bold Actions. Being Here is a Privilege.” — Jose Antonio Vargas (@joseiswriting)

#2 Tara Abrahams

[New York City, United States] Global Policy Advisor at Girl Rising

This social entrepreneur champions girls education across the globe. As the Global Policy Advisor at Girl Rising, she led the worldwide launch of a documentary film of the same name. “Girl Rising,” from Academy Award-nominated director Richard E. Robbins, captures the strength of the human spirit and the power of education to change the world.

“Invest in girls. Education is the most precious gift.”- Tara Abrahams (@taraabrahams)

#3: Francis Manapul

[Toronto, Canada] Award Winning Writer/Illustrator for DC Comics

This Filipino-Canadian is a New York Times bestselling comics creator and an award-winning writer. His past comic book works include Superman/Batman, Legion of Super-Heroes, and the Flash.

“Be a hero. Be true to yourself.” — Francis Manapul (@FrancisManapul)

#4 Geena Rocero

[New York City, United States] Model, Founder of GenderProud, Advocate for Transgender Rights

Geena Rocero is known for her fierce runway and modeling experience. In 2014, she took a massive leap and came out as a Transgendered person at TED and NextDayBetter. Her TED talk advocating for Transgender rights has been viewed over 3,000,000 times.

“Live your truth. I’m a proud #Transwoman.” — Geena Rocero (@GeenaRocero)

#5: Reese Fernandez

[Manila, Philippines] Social Entrepreneur, President of Rags2Riches, Forbes Top 30 under 30.

This Forbes Top 30 under 30, social entrepreneur co-founded Rags2Riches — a fashion and design house empowering community artisans in the Philippines. Rags2Riches has trained 900 artisans and directly employs 50 people—professionals, in-house artisans, marketers, and strategists who are all working together towards the same goal.

“Wear something beautiful. #Style + #sustainability can co-exist.”- Reese Fernandez (@reese_fernandez)

#6: Nicole Ponseca

[New York, NYC] Restaurateur, Founder of Maharlika and Jeepney Restaurants

This restaurateur and tastemaker’s mission is to bring Filipino food to the global mainstream. Her New York City based restaurants have been celebrated by Top Chefs and have been featured in VICE, NBC, the Huffington Post, and more.

“Go beyond fear. Explore and create.” — Nicole Ponseca (@Nicole_Ponseca)

#7: Estelle Reyes

[Los Angeles, United States]Executive Director, Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE)

This former banker combined her love of education and innovation as the Executive Director of Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE). Estelle Reyes played a central role in launching entrepreneurship focused educational programs, reaching 10,000 students from low-income communities across the greater Los Angeles Area.

“Invent your own job. Create a ripple effect.”- EstelleReyes (@NFTEGreaterLA)

#8: Maria Ressa

[Manila, Philippines] Journalist, Founder of Rappler

Maria Ressa is a wonderwoman, garnerning positions such as CNN’s Bureau Chief in Manila, Philippines and Jakarta, Indonesia. She is currently CEO and Co-Founder of Rappler, a social news network that combines professional journalism and citizen journalism with crowdfunding.

“Help our country build institutions bottom up.” — Maria Ressa (@maria_ressa)

#9: Johneric Concordia

[Los Angeles, United States] Restaurateur, Founder of The Park’s Finest

Johneric Concordia is a true community organizer. Combining his love for Filipino Cuisine, BBQ, and community, he opened the doors to one of LA’s most renowned restaurants, The Park’s Finest. His foodie creations have been featured on the Food Network, helping to push forward Filipino-inspired cuisine into mainstream.

“Hustle all day. Hustle never hurt anybody.” — Johneric Concordia (@theparksfinest)

The search continues. We are looking for the most daring visionaries across the Filipino diaspora. Know somebody to add to the list? Tell us in the comments below.

Learn more about our work unlocking the genius of the Philippines diaspora by watching the video below.

  ABOUT: NextDayBetter is a storytelling platform for creative diaspora communities. We celebrate Filipino + Asian Pacific changemakers around the world and call them to action.

  9 Global Filipino Trailblazers You Need To Know was originally published on NextDayBetter

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The Man Table: How do we include both men and women in sustainable development?

Our first day in Philippines began with a home cooked meal of fish and crab. Jérôme (my partner of five years) and I left our home in Toronto and travelled for 24 hours straight to land in my parent’s hometown in Bulacan, Malolos (about two hours north of Manila). I immediately gave into my jet lag and went to bed. Jérôme, the more resolute of us two, stayed awake and ended up at my uncle’s next door where five of my Titos (uncles) were drinking. They greeted him warmly to their Man Table, handed him a San Miguel Light, and insisted he help himself to the ‘pulutan’ (finger foods) on the table. Immediately, they involved him in their conversation.

“So Jérôme, do you have a second girl yet?” My uncle asked with a sly smile.

The rest of my uncles eagerly awaited Jérôme’s response (no). They were as hungry as paparazzi for a juicy story and disappointed at the outcome. And that’s it. Within five minutes, they made it very clear what kind of men they were.

Men and Women

When you step into a family party in the Philippines, you’ll catch yourself in the middle of one grand fiesta. You’ll see children of all ages screaming and running about, their exasperated mothers trailing behind them while someone belts out a karaoke ballad in the background. You’ll also see the women running the show, taking care of the food and the guests and the cleaning, while the men sit and drink at a table separate from the rest of the party. In this corner, crude jokes and beer are allowed (and women and children, implicitly, are not).

When Jérôme returned and told me what they asked, my god, I was so angry I couldn’t see straight. How dare they? I’m their niece, aren’t I? After all, Jérôme was only here in Philippines because of me, isn’t he? I wondered: if he was dating one of their daughters, would they still have asked him and hoped he said yes? Do they not give a shit at all about women?

I told my mother what they said, expecting her to be enraged and ready to fight. But my mother just shook her head with disapproval. ‘Just ignore them,’ she said. ‘There’s no point making yourself angry over talk like that.’

But I was angry. When I first began writing this blog post (weeks ago), I wrote it with a vengeance. I was going to talk about the shortcomings of Filipino men and their lack of respect for women. I was going to criticize the obsession with class and stature in Filipino society – how white and male mean first class, and everyone else falls into descending levels of worth (if you happen to be dark skinned and a woman, sorry, you’re out of luck). I was going to disclose my disappointment in my own family and my outrage on behalf of all women.

  Tony Meloto, founder of Gawad Kalinga, at the Manila Impact Hub speaking about the need to involve men in development.

  In short, I was hurt and angry and taking it all far too personally.

Then I attended a fortuitous event in Manila at the Impact Hub in Makati. Tony Meloto, the founder of Gawad Kalinga, was speaking about his journey into social entrepreneurship and how his organization is lifting Filipinos out of poverty. He dreams of a country where people are proud to be Filipino and wealth does not leave people behind. Everyone (rich and poor, men and women) must be involved in building this dream.

Traditional models of development

When we usually talk about development and alleviating poverty, the conversation always revolves around women (and for good reason). Poverty often has a female face and research shows that if you can provide a woman with a steady income, the likelihood her children will receive post-secondary education increases significantly. There’s a reason why the majority of our community partners on Cambio Market work solely with communities of women to provide employment and education.

But where do men fit into development? Should we just accept that men will be men and say “to the hell with them – we women will pave our own way!”? The problem with this way of thinking is that it’s wrong. The men at the bottom of the pyramid are the ones who fall victim to (and also contribute to) substance abuse, gang violence and petty crime. Many of them also become abusive at home, or abandon their wives and children. According to Tony Meloto, as long as we continue to ignore the role of men in poverty and development, they will become our liabilities when they should be our assets. These men are as much symptoms of the problems in society as they are causes, and we must help them be part of the solution instead of the ongoing problem. A man who doesn’t respect himself will never respect a woman.

  Cambio Market’s line of greeting cards made by women escaping sex trafficking in the Philippines.

  A New Approach At Cambio Market

That’s when I realized that my anger was directed at the wrong people. Yes, I should be angry. Yes, I should be hurt. Yes, I should take it personally and be ready to fight – but poverty isn’t black and white. Sometimes the aggressor needs as much help as the victim.

In my work with Cambio Market, we already work with amazing partners on the ground like Olivia & Diego and Good Paper/The Paper Project. They employ low-income Filipina women (many of whom were former victims of sex trafficking) to produce every item and provide them steady income to help their families. We’re excited to continue with these projects, but we also acknowledge that we should be engaged with projects that also empower men and help them provide for their families. We believe in Tony Meloto’s dream of a country where no one is left behind – rich or poor, man or woman.

Change

I’m still hurt but I’m no longer angry like I used to be. Time and a little reflection usually put things into perspective. One night during our trip, my aunts and uncles threw my parents a ‘despedida’ (goodbye party) to celebrate their return to Canada. For the first time, I joined Jérôme and my uncles at their Man Table. This triggered my aunt (who I’m sure was concerned and wanted to keep an eye on me) to sit down with us also. As more people arrived and saw women at the table, more of my aunts joined. Some of them shared a drink, others just shared in the company.

But that night, I saw something I’ve never seen before. I saw my aunts and uncles and cousins all sitting at the same table, laughing and singing and happy. I watched them with a feeling of lightness as they got up from the table, tipsy from drinking and lightheaded with happiness, and began dancing with each other in the middle of our backyard – everyone wondering why they haven’t been doing this all along.

Change may come sooner than we think.

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Gelaine Santiago: Gelaine, a Filipino-Canadian, is co-founder of ChooseSocial.PH – the go-to resource to learn about the social enterprise scene in the Philippines. She is also co-founder of the social enterprise startup Cambio Market – an online shop for handcrafted, ethical products that give back. She’s pretty nerdy and loves to talk about all things social enterprises, entrepreneurship, travel, start-ups, and food (of course).

The Man Table: How do we include both men and women in sustainable development? was originally published on NextDayBetter

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Joining Forces to Cut the Price of the Pneumonia Vaccine in the Philippines

NEW YORK, 24 March 2016 – Pneumonia is the leading cause of childhood death in the Philippines. There is a vaccine to prevent the disease, but at about US$45 per child, the price charged to the government by pharmaceutical company Pfizer, this price may become unsustainable to vaccinate all children in the future. NextDayBetter – a storytelling platform for creative diaspora communities – is today joining Doctors Without Borders’s efforts to encourage pharmaceutical companies Pfizer and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) – the sole manufacturers of the pneumonia vaccine – to reduce the price of the vaccine to $5 dollars per child in the Philippines and all other developing countries.

The pneumonia vaccine is the world’s best-selling vaccine, and last year alone, Pfizer brought in more than US$6 billion dollars in sales just for this product. At the lowest global prices, which the Philippines cannot access, it is now 68 times more expensive to vaccinate a child than in 2001, according to a 2015 MSF report, The Right Shot: Bringing down Barriers to Affordable and Adapted Vaccines. The pneumonia vaccine accounts for about half the price of vaccinating a child in the poorest countries. After years of fruitless negotiations with Pfizer and GSK to lower the vaccine’s price for use in its projects, in 2015, MSF launched the ‘FAIR SHOT’ campaign to ask Pfizer and GSK to reduce the price of the pneumonia vaccine to $5 per child (for all three needed doses).

SIGN THE PETITION

“Due to the high price charged by the companies, many countries where millions of children risk getting pneumonia simply can’t afford it, and for countries such as the Philippines the high price threatens sustainability of the vaccination program,” said Dr. Greg Elder, Medical Coordinator for MSF’s Access Campaign.

NextDayBetter is hoping to amplify the “FAIR SHOT” campaign and make the pneumonia vaccine more accessible to millions of children in the Philippines. “The Philippine diaspora is very involved in the provision of healthcare on this continent, while being extremely well aware of the situation at home. Together, we think we can put pressure on Pfizer and GSK to reduce the price of the vaccine, and speak out against high vaccine prices in the Philippines,” said Elder.

To increase awareness about the pneumonia crisis in the Philippines, NextDayBetter will be launching a storytelling campaign that humanizes the people affected by this issue and highlights the work of Filipinos who are dedicated to improving the quality of public health in the Philippines. The campaign will be launching on NextDayBetter’s multimedia platforms with the intent of inspiring and empowering the Philippine diaspora to take action in effecting change in their homeland.

“The Philippine diaspora is overflowing with incredibly talented nurses, doctors, and other leaders in public health who have pioneered breakthroughs in healthcare. We have saved so many people around the world – now we need to focus on our own community back home,” said CEO of NextDayBetter, Ryan Letada.

SIGN THE PETITION

To sign the petition and learn more about the “FAIR SHOT” campaign, visit http://nextdaybetter.com/afairshot/ or email NextDayBetter at curious@nextdaybetter.com

Joining Forces to Cut the Price of the Pneumonia Vaccine in the Philippines was originally published on NextDayBetter

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Living Ethically: Time to re-think what it means to change the world

Jérôme and I founded Cambio Market with a goal: do business differently. We want our business to be transparent, to employ 100% ethical business practices, and to always put people first above everything – this means prioritizing our customers, our partners, our future employees, and even our personal wellbeing over our personal bank accounts. In order to run a business ethically, however, we need to lead ethical lives – but what does it mean to live ethically, and how?

These are precisely the kind of questions Jérôme and I put out there for our Cambio community to answer. We held a Facebook giveaway several weeks ago and asked two questions: (1) What does living ethically mean to you? and (2) How do you make the world a better place? The responses we received were wonderfully insightful and taught us a few things about this business of changing the world.

We held a giveaway and asked people on Facebook to tell us what ethical living means to them and how they’re making the world a better place.

Question #1: What does living ethically mean to you?

For many people, the term “ethical living” is reserved for hard-core extremists. You may think of hippies from the ’70s (or their modern-day equivalents) living in the woods and cut off from civilization, fashioning clothes from sticks and leaves. The reality is most of us can’t (and don’t want to) live like this, and we don’t have to. Leading an ethical lifestyle doesn’t mean we have to turn our whole lives upside down and give up on society.

When we put the question out there for our community to answer, we received responses like “living outside of myself”, “being aware of my impact”, or “making environmentally conscious decisions.”

Dani, a giveaway participant and founder of Canadian social enterprise Tribe of Lambs, shared:

“For me living ethically is making conscious choices on what we wear, what we eat, what we put on our skin, and what we put in our homes. Those choices (for me) need to have minimum impact on the environment and maximize the difference it makes for the people who makes the items – small business owners, local entrepreneurs etc. We vote with our dollars everyday, and I like voting for the ethical choices everyday…”

Ultimately, living ethically means something different to each of us, but the key is this: it always starts with you. It starts first with awareness, and then acceptance: First, awareness that your actions do have an impact (for good or bad) and second, acceptance that you must do something about it. But what can you do?

Lucie, one of our giveaway winners, shares her thoughts on what it means to live ethically and how it has impacted her personally.

Question #2: How do you make the world a better place?

There’s another misconception that changing the world entails something grandiose – you need to fly across the world to volunteer in remote villages or war-torn countries, or work for prominent agencies like the UN, Amnesty International or Green Peace. It’s pretty amazing if you are doing or have done this, but what about the rest of us? What about Krysania, for example, who is working to improve her knowledge of emergencies and disaster preparedness so she can be ready to help others if and when a crisis occurs? Or people like Bobbi who plan canoe trips for youth in the Peel Watershed in Ontario, which needs protection from industry? There are also wonderfully kind people like Tara who believe in small acts of kindness because “sometimes, it is the simple things that can make a difference.” Lucie, one of our giveaway winners, makes the world a better place by simply “allowing people to be who they are.” Truth is, we each change the world in some way – our impact may not span across continents (or maybe it does), but we each unknowingly change someone’s world simply by existing, and that means a great deal.

  Krishia, our second giveaway winner, tells us about how she strives to make the world a better place through actions both big and small.

Whatever your way of giving back and creating impact, start small and start with you. Many of us feel small, overwhelmed, intimidated, or afraid – but we must “never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has” (Margaret Mead). Living ethically is a choice, making an impact is a choice, and we make that choice everyday with every. single. decision we take.

So what about you? Are you also passionate about ethical living, responsible business, and giving back? Visit us at www.cambio.market to learn how we’re helping to develop the next generation of conscious consumers. Together, we can have a real and meaningful impact.

—

Gelaine Santiago: Gelaine, a Filipino-Canadian, is co-founder of ChooseSocial.PH – the go-to resource to learn about the social enterprise scene in the Philippines. She is also co-founder of the social enterprise startup Cambio Market – an online shop for handcrafted, ethical products that give back. She’s pretty nerdy and loves to talk about all things social enterprises, entrepreneurship, travel, start-ups, and food (of course).

  Living Ethically: Time to re-think what it means to change the world was originally published on NextDayBetter

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Empowering Social Change with Products that Look Good, Feel Good, and Do Good

It’s been almost a year since Jérôme and I first launched ChooseSocial.PH. Time flies, and neither of us could have imagined where our journey would take us. Since we launched our online directory of social enterprises in the Philippines, we’ve grown it from zero to more than 80 social enterprises, were speakers at the NextDayBetter event in Toronto earlier this year, and were featured on Rappler, one of the biggest publications in the Philippines. We both also quit our day jobs to work on our latest venture (but more on that in a bit!). Life really is full of surprises.

It’s also full of opportunities. When we initially launched ChooseSocial.PH, it was just a passion project we worked on for fun. When people began asking us where they could buy these social enterprise products in North America, we had our aha! moment. Why stop at awareness and education? What if we could tangibly help these social enterprises scale their impact and become financially sustainable? What if we could get their products in front of more people? Imagine the impact that could have.

  Jérôme and I were invited to speak at the NextDayBetter in Toronto earlier this year.

Enter Cambio Market, Jérôme and mine’s latest venture. We help grow socially responsible businesses in the Philippines and around the world by helping them reach a wider market. Every product in our store is handcrafted, ethically sourced, and linked to a social cause. Currently we have community partners in North America like Purpose Jewelry (jewelry handcrafted by victims of modern-day slavery rescued in India and California) and Ezzy Lynn (handmade hair accessories that help species at risk). We also support Filipino social enterprises like the benevolent Olivia & Diego (eco-ethical and sustainable jewelry made from upcycled materials) and The Paper Project (handcrafted greeting cards made by survivors of sex trafficking). Being able to work with and support our community partners is so humbling and exciting, but we also love the part where we can connect people like you to causes you genuinely care about.

That’s actually why we started ChooseSocial.PH in the first place. We wanted to inspire people to choose social – to choose to live consciously, support impactful organizations, and enact social change in ways both big and small. Cambio Market was a natural next step for us to take our mission further.

Cambio is the Spanish word for change. We want to change communities (and individuals) for the better. We want to change how traditional businesses operate, how people perceive “giving back” and living ethically, how people shop and where they shop. That’s why every single purchase you make at Cambio Market creates positive change: that upcycled necklace you just bought means less waste in the landfill and fair wages for the artisans who made it, the birthday card you gave your friend is helping a former victim of sex trafficking find dignified work to support her family, and the earrings you’re wearing help a former child slave get a quality education. Your choices, your actions, and your impact – Jérôme and I are just here to provide the means to do it.

So what’s coming next? We have a lot of work to do when it comes to raising awareness. We need to grow our revenue in order to raise our ability to support our existing partners and our capacity to take on new ones. The two of us are taking an extended trip to the Philippines this winter to meet with suppliers in person and foster stronger connections with the amazing social entrepreneurs we’ve met (online) this past year. With all this, ChooseSocial.PH will have to take a backseat for now as we focus on growing Cambio Market, but we’ll still be around and will continue growing our directory (fingers crossed!).

Just like we could never have imagined we would be here a year ago, neither of us have a clue where any of this will be in the next year (or even in the next few months). But the only thing we do know with certainty is that change is afoot, and to us, that’s a wonderful thing.

Are you also passionate about ethical living, sustainable fashion, and giving back? Pay us a visit at www.cambio.market and help us spread the word. Together, we can have a real and meaningful impact.

—

Gelaine Santiago: Gelaine, a Filipino-Canadian, is co-founder of ChooseSocial.PH – the go-to resource to learn about the social enterprise scene in the Philippines. She is also co-founder of the social enterprise startup Cambio Market – an online shop for handcrafted, ethical products that give back. She’s pretty nerdy and loves to talk about all things social enterprises, entrepreneurship, travel, start-ups, and food (of course).

—

About NextDayBetter | NextDayBetter is a speaker and food series for diaspora communities. Its global events in nine cities celebrate the stories of changemakers from untapped global migrant communities and call them to action. It believes that diasporas like the Filipino Asian Pacific Islander global communities are hubs and inspirations for world changing ideas. Learn more at nextdaybetter.com.

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Empowering Social Change with Products that Look Good, Feel Good, and Do Good was originally published on NextDayBetter

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The Future of Diaspora is Here

When I was growing up in the Philippines, I remember getting “balikbayan” boxes in the mail: care packages from a hemisphere away, bursting at the seams with clothes and books and movies and all the bittersweet symbolisms of distant relatives and their lingering connections to us, the ones they left behind.  Little did I know that I would soon find myself on the other side of that exchange.

In 2003, my mother got a job as a nurse in Cleveland, Ohio, and the tides of economic opportunity swept us away to another life and a very different reality in the American Midwest.  Our lives became the latest chapter of a decades-long wave of economic migration from the Philippines and the US.  The latest episode of a centuries-long saga between the Philippines and the Western World.  We lived all the classic beats of that story: the messy assimilation, the hiding — and at last, rediscovery.  Over the course of my adolescent years, I went from an island child to a Midwest misfit to a proud Filipino again.  I’ve never felt so much whiplash.  

In retrospect, many of these moments feel like rites of passage, stepping stones to a shared identity and a common citizenship as people of color in America’s hard mosaic.  They are modern iterations of the same experiences that the generation before us went through as they parsed out who they were and what their lives meant.  

It’s only lately that I’ve come to learn that we’re also on the verge of something else – that the plates beneath our feet are shifting, and a fundamentally different kind of migration story is emerging amid the vibrations.  Today, we are seeing a new wave of diaspora that was born out of some of the most significant shifts rattling the world – and is now positioned to play a powerful role in everything that follows.

***

We are living in a unique moment in the history of the world, at the intersection of countless disruptive trends. Technology has allowed greater possibilities for voice and connectivity at the individual and community level.  The principles of success for business and leadership are changing.  Sectors and disciplines are quickly melting into one another.  In the context of migration, several waves of displacement, acclimation, and community building have led to the maturation and ripening of societies more diverse than ever before.

In the face of these tectonic shifts, the role of diaspora is changing.  The opportunities for migrants to play a role in global leadership and bridging mindsets are broadening.

I saw a sneak peek of it at NextDayBetter’s DC event last month.  There was Kalsoom Lakhani of Invest2Innovate, a model of fostering entrepreneurship in Pakistan that’s beginning to scale to different parts of the globe.  There was Patrice Cleary, whose restaurant, Purple Patch, welcomes guests to dive deep and get to know both her Filipino and Irish American roots.  There was Erik Bruner-Yang of Toki Underground and Maketto; Darryl Perkins of Broccoli City; Cathal Armstrong of Restaurant Eve.  There was Nani Coloretti of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, who shared tales of collaboration, innovation, and genuine change from the perspective of the public sector.

Together, their journeys paint a picture of diasporas that are no longer limited to the old narratives of marginalization, preservation, and seeking acceptance.  More than ever, it’s about truly leading, owning one’s identity, and harnessing it to leave a visible mark upon the world.  Here’s more of what this new diaspora landscape contains:

A new set of tools.  Our movement is powered by a more diverse set of frameworks and instruments for change than ever before.  The way we organize and activate our communities is influenced by our predecessors and peers of color, yes, but at the same time, we find ourselves pulling from different non-profit and for-profit, micro and macro, experimental and proven, digital and analog approaches.  Our blueprints are interdisciplinary and unsiloed.

A rising tide of young voices. Over half of the Filipino diaspora in the United States is of the 2nd generation, and most of this population is under 30 years of age.  They are a part of the American millennial generation, a generational cohort larger than the infamous boomers themselves.  Soon they will be the roaring majority; already they are generating leaders and pioneers.  They are natives to a world of change — and natives to the same platforms and tools that will shape the coming century.

Connecting the dots. We live in a more globalized world than ever, for better and for worse.  Although much remains to be done at the frontlines of racial justice and equality, we are seeing more diverse societies than ever before, more conversations happening across ethnic and racial lines.  Diasporas are positioned to play a unique role in this context, as bridge figures between their homelands and the multifaceted, multicolored networks of their new homes.

Open sourcing the global narrative. This is the era of Wikipedia, where anyone has the ability to change the way a story is told and information is disseminated.  The era of open source technology, where anyone can build upon the ideas of another, then pass it on to be transformed once more.  The same principles now apply to global narratives and perceptions of culture.  Members of diasporas today hold the power to challenge old assumptions and establish new paradigms around the power, potential, and pride that lie within our cultural identities.

* * *

NextDayBetter itself is an example of all this new breed of diaspora movement. It’s a remarkably different diaspora organization from the ones that came before it.  Like our own work at Kaya Collaborative, NextDayBetter draws from a palette that’s equally inspired by the worlds of social innovation, social justice, new media, and food culture.   

They target the same wicked problems that have long surrounded our diaspora communities – but they are powered by decentralized global networks, sound bites amplified across online channels, open-sourced tools and frameworks, and a generation that grew up with all of this as their daily background.

These are not just timely strategies; they are approaches that literally could not have existed before today.  They harness the unique power of the time we live in.  And they are early foreshadowings of what the future will look like as our world adapts to this new reality and the possibilities that come with it.

The future of diaspora — and of our globalizing world – is already here.  The question is whether we’ll pay enough attention to recognize it and build with its promise at heart.  Lighthouses like NextDayBetter keep us awake to that promise, show us what it can look like in living color — and inspire us to beat on against the ancient current, ceaselessly, this time, into the future.

* * *

Rexy Josh Dorado is the founder of Kaya Collaborative, a venture that aims to connect youth from the Filipino diaspora to changemakers in the Philippines.  He is a 1.5 generation Filipino American, a 2014 graduate of Brown University, and a believer in the power of identity to spark change.

The Future of Diaspora is Here was originally published on NextDayBetter

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Made in the Philippines: Social Enterprise Incubator Supports Products Made By Filipinos, For Filipinos

When we began working on ChooseSocial.PH, we wanted to highlight the great work and community impact of social enterprises in the Philippines. But really, which organizations inspired us to embark on this journey? And why Philippines? Gelaine and I are located in Toronto and Gelaine, who was born in the Philippines, hasn’t always felt like an insider in the Filipino community. For myself, I’m not even Filipino. I was born and raised in Québec speaking French as my first language, and then moved to Toronto five years ago. What was so special about social enterprises in the Philippines that appealed to us so much?

Gelaine and I met as volunteers for the non-profit student organization called AIESEC. While volunteering, we both discovered the alluring and ambitious world of social enterprises – the idea that businesses and business skills could be forces for social good. We always knew our passions lay with social enterprises, but how this applied to the Philippines didn’t occur to us. That is, until we discovered the Gawad Kalinga Enchanted Farm, an incubator of social enterprises and a Filipino success that inspires many across the world. This immediately caught our eye and thus began our budding passion for Filipino social enterprises.

The Enchanted Farm was created by Gawad Kalinga, a Filipino non-profit with the mission of ending poverty for 5 million Filipino families by 2024. The Enchanted Farm itself was founded as a center of innovation in order to foster a new generation of innovative social enterprises in the Philippines. The goal is an ambitious one – to create new Filipino brands that will manufacture Filipino products for the Filipino market. Which is needed in a country where a lot of products, including food products (chocolate, dairy & coffee) that could be farmed locally, are imported.

Because the Enchanted Farm itself is on farmland, many of those products are food products. And because they are all social enterprises, they facilitate local capacity building by providing employment, job training and education to beneficiaries of Gawad Kalinga (typically low-income) communities, while also reinvesting their profits into social programs to help alleviate poverty. By hosting more than 20 social enterprises under the same roof, this hub of social entrepreneurship fosters collaboration, networking, and knowledge sharing amongst the social enterprises, while providing a unique marketplace (Enchanted Farm Cafe) to showcase their work. The innovation coming out of this high concentration of social enterprises has led many to call the Enchanted Farm the “Silicon Valey of social enterprises”.

Since I am myself an IT Professional with experience consulting for various companies big and small, I love learning about new startups and the development of new technologies, I can also witness and understand how new companies can benefit from an environment of collaboration and growth similar to the Silicon Valley. At the Enchanted Farm, entrepreneurs can constantly network and share their learnings and expertise. Because of this unique and inspiring environment, the Enchanted Farm attracts people from all walks of life – whether they want to found a social enterprise, volunteer, or are working professionals who wish to pivot from a career in corporate to the social enterprise or social impact world.

For example, Xilca Alvarez left her work as a lawyer to work at the Enchanted Farm and eventually to join Bayani Brew, a social enterprise that creates drinks from local & indigenous ingredients cultivated at the Enchanted Farm. Because of the Farm’s reputation as a hub of innovation and entrepreneurship, it now attracts lots of funding opportunities from other organizations that can help to scale those social enterprises. For me, that was a personal realization. The Enchanted Farm taught me that the Silicon Valley model of IT innovation could be applied to the world of social good and impact, and how my two passions for technology and social enterprises could intersect. I decided then that I wanted to share this unique Filipino social enterprise scene with the world.

Xilca Alvarez, Ron Dizon, and Shanon Khadka from Bayani Brew

  We often hear through NextDayBetter of the successes and accomplishments of Filipino diaspora communities across the world. These successes not only inspire the Filipino diaspora but everyone in the community, both Filipinos and non-Filipinos alike. The Enchanted Farm also attracts this kind of attention. The difference is, however, they are located in the Philippines and people actually travel large distances to learn from this unique place. For example, many European students volunteer at the Farm for months at a time and many business visitors come to learn from the farm’s operation for a few days. This is how people at the Enchanted Farm have begun to refer to themselves as the “’Disneyland’ for social tourism”.

While many people come to learn, Fabien Courteille from France, decided to stay after volunteering and launched his own social enterprise at the Farm. The social enterprise is called Plush and Play, and sells children’s toys. Regardless of their origin, the farm shows that people from across the world can come in, take part and be integrated into the community, and work alongside Filipinos to help resolve one of the Philippine’s major social problems: poverty. For a non-Filipino like me, I often see the pitfalls of foreigners going to another country to bring their own solutions to what they consider are the most important problem. What I love about the Enchanted Farm is that it’s a concept entirely created for the Philippines, by Filipinos and adapted to the local Filipino needs and realities, while they still are welcoming help from everyone. Knowing that different cultures can come together to innovate and work towards a single social goal in the Philippines, knowing that I could be one of those persons without feeling out of place, what else could be more inspiring?

Our mission at ChooseSocial.PH is to bring social enterprises into the mainstream and the Enchanted Farm is great at helping us with this goal. For anyone visiting the Philippines and staying around Manila, the Enchanted Farm is a must-see. Located in Angat, Bulacan, it is a few hours drive from Manila. Not only is it possible to visit it, but they actually have various visitor packages to help you learn about the social enterprises and offer accommodations. Gelaine and I still haven’t had the chance to visit the Enchanted Farm or any of the social enterprises we feature on ChooseSocial.PH. However, this is something we want to remedy as we plan to travel to the Philippines in December this year. In case we needed any more signs of the importance of social enterprises into our lives, we even realized that Gelaine’s birthplace in Bulacan is less than one hour out from the Enchanted Farm. Really, there’s no good reason for us to miss this amazing place!

Perhaps this won’t be possible for you to visit and learn from the Enchanted Farm in the immediate future. So, what can you do? Learn and apply the principles of collaboration and innovation from the Enchanted Farm and see if there is another group in your city you can join which may help you build the next big thing!

Not sure where to start? Look at your local NextDayBetter chapter! – Jérôme Gagnon-Voyer

  Photo Credits: Destination Changemakers

About NextDayBetter | NextDayBetter is a speaker and food series for diaspora communities. Its global events in nine cities celebrate the stories of changemakers from untapped global migrant communities and call them to action. It believes that diasporas like the Filipino Asian Pacific Islander global communities are hubs and inspirations for world changing ideas. Learn more at nextdaybetter.com.

Connect with the NextDayBetter global community:

Website: www.nextdaybetter.com

Facebook: facebook.com/nextdaybetter

Twitter: @NextDayBetter

Instagram: NextDayBetter

Made in the Philippines: Social Enterprise Incubator Supports Products Made By Filipinos, For Filipinos was originally published on NextDayBetter

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NextDayBetter Launches Creative Speaker and Food Series for Diverse Changemakers in Vancouver

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Vancouver, BC – September 23, 2015) NextDayBetter is bringing together big thinkers and innovators in Vancouver, BC for the launch of their creative speaker and food series for migrant communities. NextDayBetter + Vancouver, powered by email marketing company MailChimp, will take place on October 3, 2015 at the River Market (810 Quayside Dr, New Westminster).

“Vancouver is known as one of the most livable, sustainable cities in the world that is fueled by a diverse community. We’re excited to amplify these stories at NextDayBetter + Vancouver and cultivate connections by demonstrating how this diversity creates opportunities for new ideas, collaborations, and community building,” says NextDayBetter + Vancouver City Curator Anna Mae Abia. As an art director and designer, Anna Mae regularly collaborates with a variety of clients by solving design challenges.

The theme of the event will be “Cultivating Connections.” Speakers from multicultural communities will have the platform on the NextDayBetter stage to share their diverse voices in creating inclusive solutions to local and global challenges. There will be an impressive lineup of accomplished leaders in the fields of media, entrepreneurship, the arts, environment, and food.

Featured speaker Alden E. Habacon, the Director of Intercultural Understanding Strategy Development for the University of British Columbia, is an accomplished diversity and inclusion strategist. His work focuses on creating socially sustainable and diverse communities and workplaces.

Other featured speakers include Kei Baritugo, Agency Director of BoldLove Communications, JR Guerrero, Co-founder of Kathara Pilipino Indigenous Arts Collective Society, and Theresa Fresco, Program Coordinator of the Fraser Basin Council specializing in water sustainability. These leaders will share their personal stories on how they overcame challenges to continue making a visible change in their communities.

The Vancouver foodie scene will also take centre stage with delicious bites and drinks served up by local restaurants and vendors including Joemel Gracilla and Rosette Samaniego
 of Kulinarya Filipino Eatery, Jan-Michael Reyes of 
Loco Ono Kitchen, and Caisan Castro of Insular Bakery 604. These featured chefs will showcase the growing Filipino food movement and how cultural cuisine plays a powerful role in shaping community and encouraging intercultural dialogue.

NextDayBetter’s global events celebrate the stories of changemakers from immigrant and multicultural communities and call them to action. “We believe that these communities belong on the decision-making table. We believe that they are hubs for world-changing ideas and social innovation. We have no doubt that they have immense potential to push humanity forward,” says NextDayBetter CEO and CoFounder, Ryan Letada.

Learn more and buy tickets for NextDayBetter + Vancouver here: http://ndbvan.eventbrite.com

NextDayBetter + Vancouver | #ndbVAN

Where: River Market | 2nd Floor – 810 Quayside Dr, New Westminster

When: October 3, 2015 | 6pm – 9pm

  About NextDayBetter | NextDayBetter is a speaker and food series for diaspora communities. Its global events in nine cities celebrate the stories of changemakers from untapped global migrant communities and call them to action. It believes that diasporas like the Filipino Asian Pacific Islander global communities are hubs and inspirations for world changing ideas. Learn more at nextdaybetter.com.

Connect with the NextDayBetter global community:

Website: www.nextdaybetter.com

Facebook: facebook.com/nextdaybetter

Twitter: @NextDayBetter

Instagram: NextDayBetter

  NextDayBetter Launches Creative Speaker and Food Series for Diverse Changemakers in Vancouver was originally published on NextDayBetter

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Taking to the Stage: Startup ChooseSocial.PH at NextDayBetter + Toronto

  This article was originally published on the ChooseSocial.PH Blog.

Last week, Jérôme and I were invited to speak at the NextDayBetter + TO event. For those of you who don’t know, NextDayBetter (or NDB for short) is a global food and speaker series which aims to empower diaspora communities through storytelling and culture (they’re awesome! Check ’em out). We had attended the same event last year, which you could say was the start of us being introduced to the Filipino community in Toronto.

When we were first approached by the NDB+TO team to speak, Jérôme and my first reactions were along the lines of, “There really must be some mistake. I think you want someone more legit.” This isn’t about humility. This was us not being able to comprehend how our story  could be interesting or relevant or on par with the likes of Caroline Mangosing and Filipino comic book artist Francis Manapul who spoke last year. I mean, come on, Francis has his own Wikipedia page (!!!). In contrast, Jérôme and I are just two random people who started a website out of our own apartment. We work full-time in the corporate world, make dinner at home like everyone else, and then continue working into the night on our laptops. How could that be guest speaker worthy? 

In my previous blog post for NextDayBetter, I talk about what it’s like to run a website on Filipino social entrepreneurship despite being something of a Filipino “outsider” myself. Despite this already being out in the open, part of me felt embarrassed and afraid to be so vulnerable on a stage in front of over 150 people.

But that’s what we did. We went on stage. We spoke about how surprised we were to be invited to speak. How we felt out of place because we weren’t “typical Filipinos” (Jérôme, after all, isn’t even Filipino). I spoke about how, despite me losing touch with my roots at such a young age, that didn’t stop me from feeling proud to be Filipina, that I was here to re-connect and share the story of ChooseSocial.PH, share the story of social entrepreneurs in the Philippines, and ultimately, share our story of me and Jérôme.

After our talk, several people came up to us afterward. They told us how they loved our presentation and how it resonated with them. And then they started telling us their stories. One woman told us about her research on Filipino food history and how she’s always dreamed of sharing the story of the Philippines through food. Someone else told us about her involvement with Gawad Kalinga and how she is passionate about expanding their efforts in Canada.

That’s when I had a realization. The beauty of platforms such as NextDayBetter isn’t that they find the best and brightest people to speak and share their story. It’s that they allow anyone to be a storyteller, to be an expert, to be a change maker. By sharing our modest and perhaps even ordinary story of ChooseSocial.PH, we unconsciously allowed others around us to feel liberated and empowered to reciprocate and share their own. The people are the stories. NextDayBetter is just the platform.

As I reflect on that night, I think about the people we met. I think of the genetics researcher who is learning about Filipino genes and how looking at them through a microscope can tell you our history of colonization, diversification, and deviation from our indigenous roots. Or the young Filipino who works at CAMH and is committed to sharing stories of people suffering from mental health and the importance of bringing those stories to light. Or about the many Filipinos I met who have come looking to re-connect and re-discover their Filipino roots.

All of those stories are worthy and deserve to be shared on stage. What’s funny though is that when I suggested they should be up on the stage, the thought had never previously occurred to them. Expressions of “Really? Oh, I don’t know about that…” or “Huh. Maybe I should…”

What I learned more than anything that night is the beauty and power of storytelling. And more importantly, of vulnerability. By being open and about our fears and hopes and dreams, we unconsciously allow others to do the same.

In a sense, our stories are all the same, and yet so distinctly unique. That’s the beauty of it. – Gelaine Santiago

  Photo Credits: Bo Fajardo

About NextDayBetter | NextDayBetter is a speaker and food series for diaspora communities. Its global events in nine cities celebrate the stories of changemakers from untapped global migrant communities and call them to action. It believes that diasporas like the Filipino Asian Pacific Islander global communities are hubs and inspirations for world changing ideas. Learn more at nextdaybetter.com.

Connect with the NextDayBetter global community:

Website: www.nextdaybetter.com

Facebook: facebook.com/nextdaybetter

Twitter: @NextDayBetter

Instagram: NextDayBetter

Taking to the Stage: Startup ChooseSocial.PH at NextDayBetter + Toronto was originally published on NextDayBetter

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NextDayBetter Brings Diverse Thought Leaders to DC for "Transformation & Collaboration"

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Washington, DC– Sept 8, 2015) NextDayBetter is bringing together big thinkers and innovators in Washington, DC for the launch of their creative food and speaker series for migrant communities. NextDayBetter + DC, powered by email marketing company MailChimp, will take place on Sept 19, 2015 at 1776 (1133 15th St NW, Washington, DC, 20005). 

NextDayBetter’s global events celebrate the stories of changemakers from immigrant and multicultural communities and call them to action. “We believe that these communities belong on the decision-making table. We believe that they are hubs for world-changing ideas and social innovation. We have no doubt that they have immense potential to push humanity forward,” says NextDayBetter CEO and Co-Founder, Ryan Letada.

The theme of the event will be “Transformation and Collaboration.” Speakers from multicultural communities will have the platform on the NextDayBetter stage to share their diverse voices in creating inclusive solutions to local and global challenges. Teasers for the event already tout an impressive lineup of accomplished leaders in the fields of social entrepreneurship, the arts, government, and food.

Nani Coloretti of the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, the highest ranking Filipino-American in the U.S. federal government, will be a featured speaker along with Darryl Perkins, Vice President of Broccoli City Art Festival, and Founder and CEO of Invest2Innovate, Kalsoom Lakhani. These “social do-gooders” will share their personal stories on how they overcame different challenges to continue making a visible change in their communities.

“Washington, DC is in the middle of a rapid transformation that is fueled by an influx of diverse peoples. We’re beginning the see the growth of collaboration between disparate industries as well as communities. We’re excited to amplify these stories at NextDayBetter + DC and demonstrate how these intersections create opportunities for new ideas, community building, and positive outcomes,” says NextDayBetter + DC City Curator, Bryan Lozano.

NextDayBetter + DC’s “Food for Thought” panel will showcase how cultural cuisine plays a powerful role in shaping community and encouraging inter-cultural dialogue. The DC foodie scene will take center stage with featured restaurateurs and chefs including James Beard Award-nominated Erik Bruner-Yang of restaurants Toki Underground and Maketto and Patrice Cleary of Purple Patch. Food panelists will share their thoughts and experiences with the growing Filipino food movement taking shape in the culinary space of DC.  

But NextDayBetter promises to do more than just talk about food. Delicious bites and drinks will be served up by local DC restaurants and vendors Twinkle Bakery, WhistlePig Straight Rye Whiskey, and modern Filipino cuisine pop-up, Timpla.

Learn more and buy tickets for NextDayBetter + DC here: http://ndbdc.eventbrite.com

  NextDayBetter + DC | #ndbDC

Where: 1776  | 1133 15th St. NW, 12th Floor Washington, DC 20005 When: September 19, 2015 | 1pm – 5pm

About NextDayBetter | NextDayBetter is a speaker and food series for diaspora communities. Its global events in nine cities celebrate the stories of changemakers from untapped global migrant communities and call them to action. It believes that diasporas like the Filipino Asian Pacific Islander global communities are hubs and inspirations for world changing ideas. Learn more at nextdaybetter.com.

Connect with the NextDayBetter global community:

Website: www.nextdaybetter.com

Facebook: facebook.com/nextdaybetter

Twitter: @NextDayBetter

Instagram: NextDayBetter

NextDayBetter Brings Diverse Thought Leaders to DC for “Transformation & Collaboration” was originally published on NextDayBetter

[nextdaybetter]

Open Letter: NextDayBetter Toronto Responds to Article Slamming Filipino Food

Letter to the Editor

The Toronto Star

Attention: Desk of Michael Cooke

1 Yonge Street

Toronto, ON

M5E 1E6

Dear Editor:

I’m writing in response to the article titled “PETA-offending treats on the menu in Philippines,” which appears online at thestar.com at the time of my writing on August 20, 2015.

I’m quite surprised that the Toronto Star would permit the publication of an article with this slant in the Life/Travel section of your esteemed publication. The choice in title appears to deliberately bait readers, basically reducing a country with a rich and nuanced flavor palate to the backwoods. The writer framed the article unfairly by choosing to highlight each dish’s ‘Ick Factor’ rather than provide an objective reporting of what could have been a very delicious food trip had she been guided appropriately.

Of course, the Philippines has its share of street food, as well as choice of unusual, even ‘exotic,’ ingredients. What would the writer have said if she had been served the chicken backside as the amuse bouche in a nose-to-tail restaurant? Would she have turned up her nose at the choice of the chef to serve her red bean ice cream to finish off her meal?

I’m not sure what Ms. Counter’s objective was when she set off on this gastro-adventure. Did she set out wanting to prove that Filipino cuisine was in fact icky? Could someone also be commissioned to find the Ick in Canadian cuisine by trolling the streets of downtown Toronto to pass judgement on the 3AM hotdog outside of Osgoode Station?

Intrepid Travel should have been more discerning in their choice to feature cuisine from the Philippines. As a company that prides itself in packaging small group adventures that have been “carefully designed to make sure you have an unforgettable grassroots travel experience,” they’ve done a really great job offending the people on the ground who are resourceful in their use of the available ingredients and in their interpretation of traditional ways of cooking. A people who are also unmatched in their efforts to be hospitable to a visitor who ungraciously “threw up over a wall. True story.”

I would invite Ms. Counter and Intrepid Travel to get in touch with Filipinos and in fact other globetrotters who have made their way to the Philippines or have even sampled the cuisine as interpreted by new chefs in Toronto and across North America. Yana Gilbuena of Salo Series, who is now concluding a trip across Canada in Halifax, would love to cook Ms. Counter a meal that would re-educate her on the flavours of the Philippines, perhaps, even give her a history lesson on why we’ve been avid nose-to-tail chefs well before it was cool and hip. (By the way, ask James from Bar Ape in Toronto on how much he liked collaborating with Yana to create a cheese and corn ice cream bar when Yana was here in early August).

Lamesa Filipino Kitchen could also give Ms. Counter and her friends a delightful introduction to remixed traditions. Kanto by Tita Flips could show her on a warm Thursday afternoon in Toronto how ihaw-ihaw (off the grill) can change her perception of Filipino street food. Then, if that still weren’t enough, travel to Lola’s Kusina in Rexdale to cap it off with a sweet ending of halo-halo or Nutella, sans rival.

I would hope that in a time when the world is getting smaller and our pantries are starting to include new staples like soy sauce, sugar cane vinegar and fish sauce, that instead of clickbait and ick-mongering the Toronto Star would encourage an exploration and appreciation of new flavours and different cultures.

Sincerely,

Isabela Palanca

City Curator Team, NextDayBetter + Toronto

Associate Producer, Carlos Bulosan Theatre

  Photo Credit: youqueen.com

Open Letter: NextDayBetter Toronto Responds to Article Slamming Filipino Food was originally published on NextDayBetter

[nextdaybetter]

#SQUADGOALS: Meet the NextDayBetter + Toronto Team

Meet the awesome NextDayBetter + Toronto Team on July 30!

  Fave Restaurant: The Ritz

Spirit animal: Bing. Bong. (The imaginary friend in the film ‘Inside Out’, but my version is a part lion, dragon, tiger and Batman – with eyes of a hawk, strength of bear and speed of a puma…oh and he has a great sense of humour, loves to dance and has an affinity for comic books, rom coms, Lynch, Wong Kar Wai, Gene Kelly and Bruce Lee films)

Go-to karaoke song: “Always” by Atlantic Starr (as a duet)

I make the next day better by: Continuing to dream, believe, and work hard to build community and to create art through my efforts as City Curator for NextDayBetter + TO and Artistic Producer of Carlos Bulosan Theatre.

  Fave Restaurant: The County General Riverside

Spirit animal: Turtle – graceful, wise, seen life, and lived life

Go-to karaoke song: “Say My Name” by Destiny’s Child

I make the next day better by: Leading with kindness and being grateful. So much more gets accomplished when people feel they are valued for who they are and what they bring, not to mention how things become exponentially great because we feed what’s good in the world.

  Fave Restaurant: Barrio Coreano

Spirit animal: Owl – wise, intuitive, touch of attitude, and nerd

Go-to karaoke song: “Holiday” by Madonna

I make the next day better by: Reminding myself that the world doesn’t revolve around me.

  Fave Restaurant: Enoteca Sociale’s cheese cave

Spirit animal: Narwhal or polar bear – I prefer the cold

Go-to karaoke song: “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” by Whitney Houston

I make the next day better by: Making the conscious effort in my day-to-day to choose to be a part of the solution, and not the problem.

  Fave Restaurant: Enoteca Sociale’s cheese cave

Spirit animal: Polar Bear – large, omnivorous, lovable yet deadly

Go-to karaoke song: “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen

I make the next day better by: Accepting compromise, while keeping an open mind, challenging norms, and striving for improvement.

  Fave Restaurant: Lee

Spirit animal: Raccoon with wings – practical on land and dazzling in flight

Go-to karaoke song: “Bed of Roses” by Bon Jovi

I make the next day better by: Organizing NextDayBetter + Toronto and highlighting our community to shine.

  Fave Restaurant: Café Polonez

Spirit animal: The Honey Badger – totally bad ass and fearless

Go-to karaoke song: “Hotel California” by The Eagles

I make the next day better by: Doing what I can to highlight and share the stories of the Filipino diaspora on a global scale.

    INTERESTED IN JOINING THE NDBTO TEAM?

NextDayBetter is coming back to Toronto for Year 2 and we’re looking for You!

Volunteer on Thursday, July 30th from 3:30 pm to 10:30 pm at 918 Bathurst and be there for the 2nd year of #ndbTO! This year, we’re working off the theme ‘Level Up’ and calling our networks to think about what they can do to level up as individuals and as members of the Filipino-Canadian Diaspora in Toronto.

Similar to last year, we’re looking for Volunteers for the following work streams:

– Load In, Set Up and Strike – Ushers and Hospitality (including food and beverage set up) – AV and Tech – Registration – Runners

What’s in it for you? You get to: – Attend the second-ever NextDayBetter + TO event! – Get a discounted ticket (we’re asking that you make a small investment in the event, beyond your time which is your most valuable investment. Plus, you’ll get to enjoy the food and drinks that come with your admission. Of course, let us know if you have any concerns.) – Meet amazing people (Read: Professionals, Mentors and Possibility Models) – Build your network (It’s like LinkedIn, but in person.) – Contribute your time to a platform for social innovation and inspiration. – Be inspired and LEVEL UP in your own way!

To respond to this callout, contact any one of us: Isa Palanca (isabela.palanca@gmail.com) Celeste Palanca (celeste.palanca@gmail.com)

  NextDayBetter + Toronto July 30, 2015 | 6PM – 9PM Bathurst Centre for Culture, Arts, Media & Education 918 Bathurst St.

Purchase tickets here: ndbto2015.eventbrite.com

Share on FB: http://on.fb.me/1Q1p94p

About NextDayBetter A Creative Speaker and Food Series For Diaspora Communities. Our events celebrate the stories of changemakers from untapped global communities and call them to action. We believe that diasporas like the Philippines global community are hubs and inspirations for world-changing ideas. Learn more: www.nextdaybetter.com

Connect with the NextDayBetter global community: Website: www.nextdaybetter.com Facebook: facebook.com/nextdaybetter Twitter: @NextDayBetter Instagram: NextDayBetter

#SQUADGOALS: Meet the NextDayBetter + Toronto Team was originally published on NextDayBetter

[nextdaybetter]

Transforming the Social Enterprise Landscape of the Philippines – Meet the Founders of ChooseSocial.PH

ChooseSocial.PH co-founders, Gelaine Santiago and Jérôme Gagnon-Voyer, are big believers that social enterprises are the way to building a society where everyone profits. They built their crowdsourced social directory to support and build awareness about organizations that are changing the business landscape in the Philippines – organizations that think like smart and savvy businesses in order to grow the bottom line: their social impact.

Get your tickets here to learn more about their passion project, ChooseSocial.PH, at NextDayBetter + Toronto on July 30, 2015!: ndbto2015.eventbrite.com

Read on to get to know more about Gelaine and Jérôme!

  Featured Speaker Q & A:

Names: Gelaine Santiago + Jérôme Gagnon-Voyer, @ChooseSocial

Trade: Social Entrepreneurs and Co-Founders of ChooseSocial.PH

If you had to choose one restaurant in Toronto to eat at tonight, where would it be and why? Gelaine: A little hole-in-the-wall place in Scarborough, serving a type of food I’ve never tried before. I love supporting local businesses and discovering new and unique foods and flavours. To me, food is a way to immerse yourself into any culture. You can learn and experience so much in a single meal.

Jérôme: I can always go for take-out wings at Wild Wings. After a long day at work, watching Netflix and eating chicken wings always seems like a good combo.

What makes Toronto unique? How do you feel about being a creative in Toronto? Gelaine: Toronto is unique because it’s a city that truly embraces diversity. I don’t mean diversity just in terms of culture – but diversity in terms of passions, interests, education, skill sets, and personalities. You can be an engineer, a writer AND a business person and there’s a community that will encourage you to be all of the above and really mix everything together. I love that. Toronto truly embraces diversity as a strength – not just in terms of our communities, but also diversity in our personal interests and skills.

Jérôme: The mix of culture in that city is something I haven’t experienced anywhere else among the 21 countries I’ve visited. This is not only about the variety of culture; it’s also how well they can interact together. It is not a rare occurrence to have multiple ethnicities and cultures represented among the same group of friends. This really helped my integration into the city as a French-Canadian.

This mix of people also helps creativity in Toronto. Regardless of my interest (technology, non-profits, language learning), there is a MeetUp group that exists in Toronto to meet people with common interests, this is truly inspiring.

What is your spirit animal? Gelaine: Elephant They may not be the most nimble or powerful animals, but they’re capable of so much more than meets the eye.

Jérôme: The panda. I wouldn’t say this animal represents me entirely, however, I like its calm and quiet spirit, which makes it an animal easy to love.

What is your favorite go-to karaoke song? Gelaine: Air Supply – “Making Love Out Of Nothing At All”

Jérôme: The Black Eyed Peas – “Where Is The Love?”

Complete this sentence: “I make the next day better by…” Gelaine: Contributing my skills however I can. I may not be the most talented, smartest, or inspirational person with the million-dollar idea, but I believe we all have a role to play in this world and I’m going to play mine, no matter how big or small the part.

Jérôme: Contributing my time daily to causes that I care about. For long hours or just for few minutes, I believe that dedication and perseverance eventually moves mountains.

  Meet Gelaine and Jérôme at NextDayBetter + Toronto! July 30, 2015 | 6PM – 9PM Bathurst Centre for Culture, Arts, Media & Education 918 Bathurst St.

Purchase tickets here: ndbto2015.eventbrite.com

Share on FB: http://on.fb.me/1Q1p94p

About NextDayBetter A Creative Speaker and Food Series For Diaspora Communities. Our events celebrate the stories of changemakers from untapped global communities and call them to action. We believe that diasporas like the Philippines global community are hubs and inspirations for world-changing ideas. Learn more: www.nextdaybetter.com

Connect with the NextDayBetter global community: Website: www.nextdaybetter.com Facebook: facebook.com/nextdaybetter Twitter: @NextDayBetter Instagram: NextDayBetter

Transforming the Social Enterprise Landscape of the Philippines – Meet the Founders of ChooseSocial.PH was originally published on NextDayBetter

[nextdaybetter]

Jodinand Aguillon of HATAW Wants Filipino-Canadians To Get Their Groove On

As co-founder and artistic director of HATAW Performing Arts, Jodinand Aguillon brings together professional dancers, multi-disciplinary artists, and community dancers from Filipino folk dance troupes across Canada. HATAW interprets traditional Filipino folk dance through the lens of the Filipino-Canadian experience, fusing diverse styles of dance.

Get your tickets here to see HATAW perform and to learn about Jodinand’s inspiration at NextDayBetter + Toronto on July 30, 2015!: ndbto2015.eventbrite.com

Read on to get to know more about creative and #ndbTO 2015 speaker, Jodinand Aguillon!

  Featured Speaker Q & A:

 NAME: Jodinand Aguillon, @spreadego

TRADE: Co-Founder/Artistic Director of HATAW and Business Owner of A HOMERUN

If you had to choose one restaurant in Toronto to eat at tonight, where would it be and why? I have yet to check out Hanmoto but I’ve seen images of their interior on Google. Looks great and I think I’d enjoy myself in there even if the food wasn’t that good.

What makes Toronto unique? How do you feel about being a creative in Toronto? I love Toronto. Being a creative here can be much more challenging but also much more rewarding.

What is your spirit animal? Rufio.

What is your favorite go-to karaoke song?

“Hit ‘Em Up Style (Oops!)” by Blu Cantrell

Complete this sentence: “I make the next day better by…” HATAW makes the next day better by honouring our heritage, creating the future, and putting our best foot forward.

  Meet Jodinand Aguillon at NextDayBetter + Toronto. July 30, 2015 | 6PM – 9PM Bathurst Centre for Culture, Arts, Media & Education 918 Bathurst St.

Purchase tickets here: ndbto2015.eventbrite.com

Share on FB: http://on.fb.me/1Q1p94p

About NextDayBetter A Creative Speaker and Food Series For Diaspora Communities. Our events celebrate the stories of changemakers from untapped global communities and call them to action. We believe that diasporas like the Philippines global community are hubs and inspirations for world-changing ideas. Learn more: www.nextdaybetter.com

Connect with the NextDayBetter global community: Website: www.nextdaybetter.com Facebook: facebook.com/nextdaybetter Twitter: @NextDayBetter Instagram: NextDayBetter

Jodinand Aguillon of HATAW Wants Filipino-Canadians To Get Their Groove On was originally published on NextDayBetter

[nextdaybetter]

Meet the Underground Pop-Up Chef Who’s Spreading Filipino Cuisine Around the World, One City at a Time

Derived from “Salu-salo” which means a dinner party, SALO aims to raise community and cultural awareness through food. Yana Gilbuena, a designer and creative, started SALO as a means of bringing people together with her “underground” dinner parties. SALO provides a dinner experience that is carefully orchestrated to showcase the dialogue between dishes as guests explore the Philippines through their palates.

Get your tickets here to learn more about SALO and the Filipino Food Movement at NextDayBetter + Toronto on July 30, 2015!: ndbto2015.eventbrite.com

Read on to get to know more about SALO’s founder, Yana Gilbuena!

  Name: Yana Gilbuena, @saloseries

Trade: Gastrodiplomat /gypsy chef

If you had to choose one restaurant in Toronto to eat at tonight, where would it be and why? Hmmmm . . . I’ll have to go with Lamesa. I love the Lamesa boys and the work they do to put Filipino food out there in Toronto.

What makes Toronto unique? How do you feel about being a creative in Toronto? Toronto is a great melting pot of cultures, that itself contributes to the uniqueness of the city. I feel very lucky to contribute to this city.

What is your spirit animal? It’s an eagle/lone wolf. Like a lone wolf, I explore and push my own boundaries and dance to the beat if my own drum. As an eagle, I like to see the bigger picture, the broader perspective, and see how far I can go.

What is your favorite go-to karaoke song? “No Diggity” by Black Street.

Complete this sentence: “I make the next day better by…” Bringing Filipino cuisine to one city/country at a time.

Meet Yana Gilbuena at NextDayBetter + Toronto July 30, 2015 | 6PM – 9PM Bathurst Centre for Culture, Arts, Media & Education 918 Bathurst St.

Purchase tickets here: ndbto2015.eventbrite.com

Share on FB: http://on.fb.me/1Q1p94p

About NextDayBetter A Creative Speaker and Food Series For Diaspora Communities. Our events celebrate the stories of changemakers from untapped global communities and call them to action. We believe that diasporas like the Philippines global community are hubs and inspirations for world-changing ideas. Learn more: www.nextdaybetter.com

Connect with the NextDayBetter global community: Website: www.nextdaybetter.com Facebook: facebook.com/nextdaybetter Twitter: @NextDayBetter Instagram: NextDayBetter

Meet the Underground Pop-Up Chef Who’s Spreading Filipino Cuisine Around the World, One City at a Time was originally published on NextDayBetter

[nextdaybetter]

Food, start-ups, and social enterprise: The story of a Filipino outsider

I’m not your definition of a Filipina role model. I understand but don’t speak Tagalog. I was born in Philippines but couldn’t tell you much about life in the country. I grew up eating ‘adobo,” palabok,’ and ‘pancit,’ but only recently learned the difference between ‘lechon’ and ‘lechon kawali.’ I’ve lived most of my life in Canada where I was raised to believe that Philippine-made meant cheap, and “opportunity” was always paired with “abroad”.

So, it must be a surprise that here I am – co-founder of ChooseSocial.PH, an organization that aims to connect and educate people about social enterprises in the Philippines and the work of Filipino social entrepreneurs. It’s a surprise but an honour to be part of an organization that proudly showcases the work, impact, and innovations of Filipinos and what they are doing to make their communities even better.

For the many of you who don’t know, a social enterprise is a business that primarily exists in order to address a social or environmental cause. You might have immediately thought about Toms Shoes or even Ten Thousand Villages, some of the better-known social enterprises. But what about Kalibrr (named one of five filipino tech startups to watch in the Wall Street Journal)? Hapinoy (a social enterprise modernizing the traditional sari-sari store model to help female entrepreneurs)? Or The Enchanted Farm Café (a café in Quezon City selling gourmet and artisan foods made from 100% Philippine ingredients and sourced from local farms)? These are exactly the stories that we want to tell.

The concept for ChooseSocial.PH slowly began to form after Jérôme and I travelled to Philippines in December 2013. This was my first time back since moving to Canada when I was three years old. During our short two-week trip, Jérôme and I both fell in love with the country. I loved the warm heat on my skin even when it was pitch black outside and the heaviness that was always present in the air. I loved the open hospitality of strangers on the street who would invite Jérôme over for a beer, and seeing my father so proud to show us the home where we grew up in Bulacan. Despite all the things to love, however, you would have to be completely daft to be oblivious to the extreme poverty, inequality, and complex social and environmental issues prevalent within the country.

When we returned to Toronto, we heard of an event through Kapisanan, a Toronto-based Filipino arts and culture organization where Jérôme had been taking Tagalog classes back in 2013. The event was marketed with the intriguing headline “Batman, Foodies, Fashion + CrisisMaps” and we decided to attend. This was our introduction to the world of NextDayBetter and it was my first time being surrounded by so many people like me – second generation Filipinos who grew up in Canada. They were hugely idealistic, and I discovered a community of people who not only looked like me, but also shared my ambitions to create positive and impactful change in the world.

At the first NextDayBetter event in Toronto, I discovered a community of ambitious Filipino youth (and also plenty of delicious Filipino food).

We were inspired. Jérôme, with his insatiable appetite for knowledge, intensively began to research the Philippines. He occupied himself with learning about the tech and startup scene, social issues, and economy. He came across Gawad Kalinga, an extremely impressive Filipino organization founded by Tony Meloto committed to eradicating poverty in the Philippines. One of the key ways they aim to do this is through their Enchanted Farm, an incubator for Filipino social enterprises. From there, we were introduced to organizations such as GoldenducK, Gourmet Keso, Human Heart Nature, Rags2Riches, and engageSPARK. The range in size, mission, and product offerings was astounding, and the creativity with which many of these organizations tackle the country’s most complex social issues completely floored and humbled us.

Something we noticed early in our research was though many social enterprises were doing amazing work, learning about it was a huge challenge. Many of these organizations didn’t have websites or were impossible to find, and when we did find them, the messages were so convoluted that it was next to impossible to understand what they did. That’s where the idea for ChooseSocial.PH was truly born. We essentially created what we wanted for ourselves –  a go-to resource to learn about social enterprises in the Philippines that was visually appealing, up to date, and in touch with the younger generation of Filipinos.

We officially launched our website in November 2014 and have 73 organizations in our directory to date, with over 150 organizations waiting to be researched and added. We continue to make improvements to our site, and are focused on strengthening our relationships with social entrepreneurs and partner organizations. When I think of it, the two of us are a funny group – me, a Filipina still learning Tagalog; and Jérôme, a Québecois living in Toronto who learned English as a second language and knows more about the Philippines than I do. We are both members of our respective diaspora communities in our unique ways.

I would be lying if I said I didn’t have my doubts. I doubt whether the two of us are really knowledgeable or qualified to be involved in this type of work. I get anxious when I think about the future and what ChooseSocial.PH will become, if it will become anything. I get frustrated when my friends and own family don’t understand or show interest in what we’re doing. I wonder, more often than not, if I know what I’m doing and if those entrepreneurs we spend so much time researching and learning about ever wonder the same things.

Despite the doubts, I draw my inspiration from stories. Stories of the people on our website, and of the Filipinos I heard speak the first time I attended an event with NextDayBetter. I am moved by experiences of Filipinos who choose to stay in the Philippines rather than go abroad because they want to fight for their communities, and stories of Filipinos who left and returned because they believed they could make it better. I am driven by stories of people like my partner Jérôme and my sister who works with Filipino youth, like the amazing team of NextDayBetter, like the people who email us on a weekly basis wanting to learn more about social enterprises and how they can contribute – people who may be far from where they came from but wear their Filipino-ness close to their hearts. I strive for the day we can finally shed off the description of Filipinos as “resilient people” and replace it instead with words like; “innovative”, “empathetic”, “passionate”, “intelligent”, and “entrepreneurial “.

These are the things that drive me and put my doubts to rest, and though I am still discovering what it means to be Filipina, I know I am not alone and there are people like me and different from me who are trying to achieve the same goals. I am so humbled and excited to be able to continue to share the stories of such amazing organizations and people with you.

  —

Gelaine Santiago: Gelaine, a Filipino-Canadian, is co-founder of ChooseSocial.PH – the go-to resource to learn about the social enterprise scene in the Philippines. She works as an HR professional in Toronto during the day and loves to talk about all things social enterprises, women’s and minority rights, entrepreneurship, tech, start-ups, and food (of course).

Food, start-ups, and social enterprise: The story of a Filipino outsider was originally published on NextDayBetter

[nextdaybetter]

Meet Everett Katigbak: The Artist as Cultural Builder and Producer

Artists are pretty magical. I don’t mean in some illusory way or through any slight of hand work, which probably has it’s place in some instance. I’m talking about the definition of magic in terms of the beautiful and delightful things that are out of the ordinary as well as the extraordinary. One of the many unofficial roles of the artist entails creating experiences that touch at something familiar, resonant, and memorable. Everett Katigbak is not only an artist, but a storyteller, a strategist, and designer. He is a tinkerer and helps foster a desire to get at the essence and soul of connection in our world through technological means.

The breadth of his experience, from environmental design management at Facebook to his time at Pinterest as a brand design manager, Katigbak has always been aware of the necessity for content, of any nature, to resonate with the viewer, the reader, the participant, or the listener. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that Katigbak is a musician and studied audio engineering, sound design, and recording. During his tenure at Facebook, he actually helped the company create an audio identity, solidifying his multi-faceted creative practice that enabled him to work closely with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg on world-renowned architect Frank Gehry on the west campus for the organization.

It was such a pleasure researching and learning about his background and experiences. Soon after learning about his work, I looked through his portfolio. I noticed his penchant for strategy and creative direction that foregrounds the human experience. Technology is a tool for us to connect more in real life than through digital means. But in addition to his design and creative practices within the technology realms, his work for a prestigious cultural institution such as the J Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles serves as a true testament to his skill and deftness in knowing how to reach at the core of human experiences and connection. — Dorothy Santos, NextDayBetter + SF City Curator

Meet Everett Katigbak at NextDayBetter + San Francisco Saturday, June 20th, 2015. ‪#‎ndbetter‬ ‪#‎ndbSF‬

Purchase tickets here: http://bit.ly/NDBSF

Share on FB: http://on.fb.me/1Q1p94p

About NextDayBetter A Creative Speaker and Food Series For Diaspora Communities. Our events celebrate the stories of changemakers from untapped global communities and call them to action. We believe that diasporas like the Philippines global community are hubs and inspirations for world-changing ideas. Learn more: www.nextdaybetter.com

Connect with the NextDayBetter global community: Website: www.nextdaybetter.com Facebook: facebook.com/nextdaybetter Twitter: @NextDayBetter Instagram: NextDayBetter

Meet Everett Katigbak: The Artist as Cultural Builder and Producer was originally published on NextDayBetter