4 Fearless FilipinaS Leading the Charge for social Change
Dare we say it, there is no force as strong as a fearless Filipina. From Belinda Aquino leading initiatives in the 1970’s as a civil and women's rights activist to Dr. Dawn Bohulano Mabalon fighting hard to preserve the historic Little Manila in Stockton, California, there are no limits to what an empowered Pinay can do. We’ve put together a list of some of our favorite game changers who are on the rise. Whether it’s fighting for women's rights or shedding light on the misconceptions surrounding disabilities, these girl bosses are continuously taking action on their respective missions to make the world a better place, and we are here for it!
1. Deja Foxx
Deja Foxx’s journey in activism is nothing short of remarkable. From experiencing homelessness in her teenage years to working alongside one of the country’s most powerful women, the United States Vice President Kamala Harris, she has come a long way. Deja’s long list of accolades consist of graduating from Columbia University, founding GenZ Girl Gang (a community of over 15,000 empowered women that lift each other up through social media), and signing as a Digital Creator with Ford Models.
She fought for comprehensive sex education reform for her school ( and ultimately won), confronted her senator at a town hall (which was recorded, posted, and racked up millions of views, catapulting Deja into the radar of a number of respected publications), and co-founded the El Rio Reproductive Health Access Project (where her and her team worked as sex educators, providing services and resources at no cost to over 17,000 people in need), all in her teenage years. At 19 years old, Deja became the youngest staffer across the 2020 presidential campaigns, joining the Kamala Harris For The People Campaign as the Influencer and Surrogate Strategist on the digital team. Throughout her career, her efforts have been praised by CNN, The Cut, Refinery 29, Rolling Stone, Vogue, Nylon, The New York Times, and so much more.
Follow her on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/dejafoxx?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
2. Macy Lee
Macy started their journey in the Philippines, advocating for better mental health resources for schools through their organization, “Talang Dalisay” (directly translated to Pure Star in English), which was founded in 2016 when they were 14 years old. Their passion for mental health and the initiatives implemented to spread awareness helped catapult their platform to reach people in need in the Philippines and across the globe through their international branch “My State of Mind”. Combined, the two organizations consist of over 800+ members from across 12 countries.
Macy’s efforts in advocating for psychology, social justice, education, and mental health have been recognized and featured on the likes of Netflix Philippines’ 13 Reasons Why “Truth Be Told” Mental Health Campaign, the book Fearless Filipinas II alongside 23 game changing Pinays, and on the highly respected TEDx Talks stage where she gave her talk “The Ultimate Solution to Time Travel”. Since their start, Macy has given more than 100 keynote speeches and worked with 200 non-profits, movements, and individuals.
Follow her on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/macycastanedalee?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
3. Averie Bishop
In 2022, Averie Bishop made history as she was crowned the first ever Asian-American woman to win Miss Texas and represent her state in the Miss America pageant, where she ultimately placed second runner-up. Her passion for advocating diversity, equity, and inclusion went on even after her reign as queen. Beyond the crown, she became the recipient of the inaugural GIFFORD champion award, advocating for common sense gun reform. She also started “Y’all Means All,” an initiative to expand diversity and inclusion across the country and globally and The Tulong Foundation, a nonprofit that she started with her mother in hopes of supporting children in Banga, Mindanao, Philippines.
Averie was the youngest member of the City of Dallas’ Anti-Hate Advisory Council, statewide and national ambassador for The Texas Cares for Children, and published a children's book on the importance of diversity and inclusion. Among the other hats that she wears are first generation law student, musical theater actress, and viral influencer with over one million followers across all of her social media platforms. Her work has been featured on the likes of The New York Times, Washington Post, USA Today, and Teen Vogue. Averie now is hoping to take her activism to the next level as she is in the running as a Democratic candidate for Texas's 112th House of Representatives district.
Follow her on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/averiebishop?igsh=ZWMyNDBlOTQyNg==
4. Katherine Lizardo
Katherine Lizardo has made it her mission to support moms with ADHD, empowering them to embrace their neurodiversity so that they can navigate motherhood with compassion. Since being diagnosed herself, Katherine dove into research to better understand her life and see through the stigmas and misconceptions that surround it. Her work spans over two decades of combining science, law, and lived experiences about ADHD through talks, interviews, social media awareness, and so much more.
When Katherine was diagnosed, she was just about to start attending law school. Now, she is a thriving ADHD mother of 2 brilliant boys, a TEDx and inspirational speaker, a bestselling author, and a seasoned lawyer. She founded ADHD Life Simplified, a community for moms with ADHD who band together to overcome challenges for a joyful and peaceful life at home with their kids and family, in hopes of playing a role in reshaping how the world talks about ADHD and mental health using simplified messages. Katherine’s efforts have garnered global recognition from the likes of ABC, NBC, FOX, CBS, New York Post, Texas Business Times, The Philippine Tribune, Asian Pacific Culture News, Law & Crime Trial Network, Manila News Journal, and more! From having nowhere to turn to for resources after being diagnosed to leading a community of empowered ADHD women, Katherine took action and became the change she wanted to see in the world.
Follow her on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/adhdlifesimplified/
Written By Nico Belasco
Photographer, Writer, Speaker, Podcast Host, Creative
Filipino names are truly some of the most diverse names you’ll ever come across. Our last names alone can have Spanish influence, Chinese influence, and in some cases American influences due to the involvement of the U.S. during World War II.
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