MANILA, PHILIPPINES — Across the Asia Pacific region, many brands and businesses have started to take a stance on LGBTQ+ issues by way of launching marketing campaigns and inclusive initiatives in support of the queer community’s fight for equality. In the Philippines, the movement is charged by creative trailblazers who are unabashedly making noise to spread this message of acceptance and celebration. To further amplify these voices, adobo SheCreative Network is gathering the community’s fiercest leaders and advocates to have an open conversation with the rest of the industry.
Continuing to celebrate freedom of self-expression beyond Pride month, adobo SheCreative Network returns with another insight-filled session that aims to amplify the voices of women and queer leaders taking a stand on important social issues, such as human rights, inclusion, and respect. Entitled “Speak Out for Equality,” the session aims to create and nurture a safe space to listen to stories and share ideas, recognize the cultural shifts in our respective industries, and speak our truths on how to continue building them up to prosper.
Happening this Thursday, July 20, this adobo SheCreative panel lineup consists of industry trailblazers who strongly advocate for diversity, equality, and inclusion – values that we believe deserve to be expressed out loud and championed in vibrant color.
Here are the panelists joining us:
Amrei Dizon, Director for Research, Learning, and Development, Philippine LGBT Chamber of Commerce
Amrei is the Founder and Chief Creative Officer of Vitalstrats Creative Solutions (VCS), a 19-year-old independent creative agency specializing in digital content production.
She holds a Master’s Degree in Entrepreneurship from the Ateneo Graduate School of Business and a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts, majoring in Visual Communication at the University of the Philippines, Diliman. She is also a Certified Professional Marketer from the Marketing Institute of the Philippines.
Amrei is an active member of various organizations. She has held several board positions in the Advertising Suppliers Association of the Philippines and the Philippine Marketing Association where she was awarded the Most Outstanding Member in 2014. Always in pursuit of opportunities where she can use her skills to support the marketing and creative industry, Amrei served the Philippine Marketing Association as the Director for the 38th Agora Awards — the Philippines’ standard-bearer for marketing excellence in the Philippines.
Currently, Amrei serves as a board member of the Philippine LGBT Chamber of Commerce and advocates diversity and inclusion in the workplace. As a certified Kapatid Mentor at Go Negosyo, she is a staunch supporter of MSMEs. Amrei is also a Board of Trustee of the ADHD Society of the Philippines, and an Honorary Life Member of the Advertising Foundation of the Philippines.
She has served as a resource speaker on Entrepreneurship, Content Marketing, Advertising, and Creativity in schools, companies, and organizations.
As the in-house Executive Producer and Director for Vitalstrats, she has produced numerous digital content, video, and event production projects for companies including Sun Life Financial, VIACOM-CBS, Aboitiz Equity Ventures, BPI, and BDO.
Nikki Golez, Creative Director, Propel Manila
Nikki Golez is a Creative Director at Propel Manila. In her past 15 years in the ad industry, she has always had a passion for championing people and causes that traditionally have not been centered or heard. She has written and led campaigns for brands that have been their first LGBTQ+ centered, first women empowerment, first regional inclusivity, and other first change-in-mindset campaigns.
She has worked with Gabriela Women’s Group, the Commission on Human Rights, Philippine Financial & Inter-Industry Pride, and other related organizations on solutions that grow awareness, acceptance, and true change. And she continues to bring her passion for making a difference every day to the work that she does with her young team that handles women’s products, workplace equality projects, and a range of other things.
Trixie Arias, Head for Talent Management, GCash
Trixie’s team leads strategic initiatives around culture, talent, and leadership development as well as organization-wide learning and development under GCash FinTech University. Prior to Mynt, Trixie worked with Globe Telecom for more than ten years, working across business groups in corporate, consumer, and retail businesses. Her career as a corporate educator began when she joined Globe University’s pioneering team as the Director of the Sales and Marketing Academy. Aside from her corporate experience, Trixie brings her years of experience in the private sector as a human resource professional in healthcare and as a seasoned educational leader in basic and technical-vocational education,
She holds a Doctor of Philosophy and a Master of Arts degree in educational leadership and management from De La Salle University (with high distinction), a Master in Management degree from the Asian Institute of Management, Certification in Human Resource Management from Cornell University, Diploma from Les Roches School of Hotel Management in Switzerland, and a bachelor’s degree from the University of the Philippines. She is passionate about bridging lifelong learning, from the academe to the workplace setting; and enjoys reading, calligraphy, and journaling in her personal time.
Mela Habijan, Miss Trans Global 2020, Host, Writer, and Content Creator
Mela Habijan is the first-ever Miss Trans Global. She is a writer by profession; working with some of the country’s most notable media companies, such as ABS-CBN, Rappler, Esquire Philippines, and L’Officiel Manila. She has also contributed articles to Rappler, Esquire Philippines, and L’Officiel Manila. She also takes pride as an actress, representing transgender women on TV and digital media.
An active voice of the Trans Filipina community, she has been championing education on SOGIE and trans identity, forwarding LGBQIA+ rights. She is a member of the Society of Transexual Women of the Philippines, Pantay Pilipinas, and Love Yourself, and is affiliated with the Philippine LGBT Chamber of Commerce and Philippine Financial Industry Pride.
A cum laude Communication graduate of Ateneo de Manila University in 2008, she continues her passion for storytelling as a content creator; producing her digital talk show, “3Some,” her TikTok series “Mahalagang MELAman Mo,” and her Youtube content, “All Things T.”
In 2016, she broke barriers in politics when she ran for the City Council of Marikina in 2016. Her bold campaign slogan, “Bata. Bago. Bakla,” made waves and went viral on social media.
Take pride and show your most colorful self. Join us on July 20 at the Astbury in Poblacion, Makati.
The adobo SheCreative Network session, “Speak Out for Equality,” is made possible thanks to our event partners and sponsors:
Venue Partner: The Astbury
Platinum Sponsors:
GCash
Bench
Bronze Sponsors:
H&M
Don Papa Rum
Swag Partners:
Mondelez
INSPI
Closeup
Sekaya
Nala Woman
Food and Beverage Partners:
Jollibee
Onlypans
Jade’s Temple
Moonleaf
Media Partners:
RMN
Kumu
Network Partners:
Girls Got This
Philippine LGBT Chamber of Commerce
Workbean
ASEAN SOGIE CAUCUS
Asia Society Philippines
PANA
About the adobo SheCreative Network:
The adobo SheCreative initiative showcases a series of conversations and roundtables, with the purpose of gathering a strong community of engaged and inspired women. Our efforts have been globally recognized and we‘re proud to have received the Gold Stevie® Award for Women in Business for our Thought Leadership Campaign which stood out from 1,500 entries from around the world. We also received the Excellence Award at the Philippine Quill Awards for our efforts to empower women in support of the country’s creative economy.
Celebrating the power and innate talents of women, as well as their ability to create a positive impact on culture, creative industries, business, and communities– providing a platform for women to connect, educate, and support each other in their endeavors and achievements. We explore the power and possibilities of an all-women network as we gather the country’s most influential Filipinas who are instrumental in taking the first step towards creating a strong community of female leaders in Asia. Uplifting Women in Creativity the world over.
