I’m here in the Philippines! Join this discussion with me and Gabes Torres - after 2 years of being friends connecting purely online, I’ve had her on the podcast, she is a powerful voice for Filipin@s & decolonization work. A few days before coming I spent time in Manila, to visit historical sites like Intramrous, and national museums.

Gabes Torres is a psychotherapist, writer, and organizer with her work focusing on the interplay of mental health, the arts, spirituality, and justice-oriented practice. 

She has an MA in Theology & Culture, and Counseling Psychology; both graduate degrees were accomplished in Seattle, the city where she organized with abolitionist and anti-imperialist groups at a local, grassroots level. She is also a poet and singer-songwriter. 

This will be released on Monday June 12, Independence Day in the Philippines, which is in itself, is mistaken because yes while it was freed from Spain it was handed to United States, officially become a republic on 1946, but nevertheless happy Independence day! Hope this day serves as awareness for people to learn we are not yet free and to honor those still advocating for freedom, you’lll learn here,

VIDEO RECORDING HERE

In this episode:

What those in other countries should know about what’s happening on the ground

• Activism & climate justice in the Philippines, Gabes talks about the the work being done here and community care
• Me seeing there’s a bigger role for us in other countries, for myself, to start engaging back with the fight for freedom & justice for our people, country
• We talk bout this Romanticization of Resilience
• Characteristics of Filipino people that is admirable, but was taken advantage of
• Intergenerational oppresion and how a lot of things is a trauma response
• I talk about my humbling experience a week before in Hong Kong seeing Filipino careworkers on the street on a Sunday and starting to see beauty in overlooked
• Going a step out of the identity work to contributing to progress
• Outside of the work, of dismantling oppression, who are we?
• In the work of always what are we free from, what are we free FOR

Gabes Torres:
gabestorres.substack.com
IG @gabestorres/

I'm leaving to the Philippines soon! We are joined here by our lovely Tesz Millan, previous podcast host and Youtuber from Filipina American Creative

We cover

• Tesz Itinerary and why she chose these remote villages
• What visiting & getting a tattoo Apo Whang Od, the eldest Filipina Tattoo Artist who made vogues covers, was like
• Visiting towns that preserved culture and the present value of heritage
• Surprising Learnings and differences of culture & perspetives in the Philippines

Dr. Neeta Bhushan is a world-renowned emotional health expert & keynote speaker in the areas of grit and resilience, she’s a former cosmetic dentist turned mental health coach, and a founder of the Global GRIT Institute and Co-Founder of Dharma Coaching Institute. She’s been on international stages (including the Women’s Economic Forum in India, Google HQ, & Mindvalley ), is host of The Brave Table Podcast, and best selling author of 2 previous books and now recently released book, “That Sucks, Now What: How to Move Forward When Life Knocks You Down." This book has already been truly transformational. (Join our Book Club for this book)! Neeta’s been featured on Forbes, Entrepreneur, NBC, ABC, CBS, Chicago Today, Verve, Tatler Magazine and more.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Neeta's story of overcoming extreme loss early on, how growing up with both Filipino and Indian-American background shaped her experience dealing with grief, trauma,  relationship patterns and healing
• How Filipinos are generally known to be resilient and caretakers, which sometimes lead to attracting people who are narcissists and takers
• How to literally deal with "sucky" moments in the moment, move through it with grace, and find magic in the middle of the mess
• Voicing out and normalizing the messy, not staying silent on problems within a relationship or family
• Her book, “That Sucks, Now What” and the 5 stages of the Fly Forward framework: Falling, Igniting, Rising, Magnifying, and on to Thriving

Connect with Dr. Neeta Bhushan

* Website:  https://neetabhushan.com

* Instagram: @neetabhushan

You're invited!! Come with me to a Philippines Retreat
Where & When: Camiguin, Philippines on October 2023 on a 5-Day transformational experience in our own private resort, to truly disconnect from all the stress and noise and reconnect with your ancestors, strengthen your magick and heal with the feminine power of the land.  As a listener, you get $500 off. Message me at [email protected] for more info about this deal.

Join the Filipina Soul Sisterhood Circle! Hang out with Krystl and other “journeying” Filipino women every week, as we reconnect with our culture and histories, have healing, decolonizing and soul-filling discussions, get mentored by impactful, industry-disrupting Filipina leaders, and help each other step into our Power as Pinays.

Pledge $3 or $10 a month to help keep the show going! Here: Patreon

Marian Bacol is the founder of Thriver Lifestyle, Coach, and TEDx Speaker. She produces experiential events, workshops and transformational retreats for women in Miami, NYC and internationally.  

Marian has been featured on Vice, Business Insider, New York Post, Daily Mail, CBS, NBC, Thrive Global, over 60 podcasts and publications.

• How to reconnect with our Motherland and ancestors from wherever we are, and the benefits this has on our lives
• How to show the PRIDE of our heritage as a modern woman
• Honest journeys around divorce, fertility, reclaiming sexual agency after trauma
• Indigenous femininity and using that to step into our sensual power

Alexandra Dorda is the founder of Kasama Rum - a small-batch rum inspired by her mother’s native Philippines. Kasama, named after the Filipino term for “together,” pays homage to founder Alexandra Dorda’s Filipino-Polish heritage resulting in a rum that defies the category. Kasama is distilled in the Philippines, bottled at her family's distillery in Poland, and enjoyed internationally. Alexandra’s love of craft spirits comes from her Polish father, who co-founded Belvedere & Chopin Vodkas. Alexandra’s first solo venture not only brings to light her industry knowledge, heritage, and entrepreneurship that runs in her family but also, a sense of optimism that many consumers are craving right now.
Join us as we sip Kasama rum and dive into how her family links to liquor humble and inspire her, the day-to-day realities of running a small business, and why celebrating the Philippines through rum gives her a reason to smile every day. 

In this episode we will cover

• Alexandra’s fascinating Filipina-Polish backstory, and how the liquor industry literally runs in her DNA. 
• Lessons from her non-linear entrepreneurial journey and how she found a gap in the market for Kasama rum. 
• The not-so-glamourous BTS of scaling a small-batch rum business as a woman in a male-dominated industry.
• How Kasama rum is bringing Filipina-pride to the masses through home-grown produce, Pinay-team talent and culture-conscious branding. 
• Overcoming imposter syndrome, start-up guilt, and defining growth and success on her own terms. 

Connect with Alexandra: (@kasamarum)

* Website:  https://www.kasamarum.com/

* Instagram :https://www.instagram.com/kasamarum/

Join the Filipina Soul Sisterhood Circle! Hang out with Krystl and other “journeying” Filipino women every week, as we reconnect with our culture and histories, have healing, decolonizing and soul-filling discussions, get mentored by impactful, industry-disrupting Filipina leaders, and help each other step into our Power as Pinays.

Subscribe to the podcast:
* Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3MR7Ngc
* Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3MSUBYb 

Pledge $3 or $10 a month to help keep the show going! Here: Patreon

In honor of Black History Month, we are bringing back this discussion with Bianca Mabute-Louie, an educator, activist, organizer, an extremely inspiring and activating person, in June 30, 2020, this was around the time of the anti-asian American hate crimes which had an exponential rise amid the pandemic, around same time of the George Floyd murder protests, a month before, which sparked some racial reckoning and reflection of our two groups.

Bianca Mabute-Louie (she/her/hers) is an educator based in Oakland, CA. She has taught Asian American Studies at Laney College, San Francisco State College, and City College of San Francisco. This fall she will be starting her PhD in Sociology at Rice University, where she will pursue research on religion, race, and racism.  Bianca has also organized with Network on Religion and Justice for queer affirmation in Christian churches, as well as with API Legal Outreach on domestic violence prevention among youth of color.         

In this episode, we talk about

• Understanding this moment and the historical and political framing of Asian American resistance and solidarity with black and brown communities
• How the Model Minority Myth has been used as a tool for anti blackness to pit communities of color have been pit against each other
• How our history of colonization and resistance in Philippines positions to be in solidarity with indigenous and black and brown communities
• A story in history of black American soldiers during Filipino American war who while in the Philippines, ended up allying and joinign with Filipinos in fight against colonization
• How to go from performative solidarity to true solidarity
• Confronting internalized racism and anti-blackness within our own people and how to start talking to our own communities
• Committing to our own learning & unlearning and how we can be effective allies

Instagram: @beyonkz

Help the show go on!

• Be a monthly supporter or make a one-time donation on Patreon
• Leave a written review on Apple
• Follow IG @filipinaontherise

Answering your Q&As! I share a little bit of my story, background, beliefs, and answer your Q&As sent in:

• Advice on entrepreneurship and pivoting into your passion while having a full-time job
• What are my biggest fears?
• What are my beliefs on faith and religion?
• Who are my Filipina role models?
• Goals this year?
• Why I started this and what is my vision?

Help the show go on!

• Be a monthly supporter or make a one-time donation on Patreon
• Leave a written review on Apple
• Follow IG @filipinaontherise

Someone I've been wanting to have on the podcast for a long time, and finally! Restaurateur, award-winning author & chef, Nicole Ponseca. 

In this episode, we’ll cover:

• Krystl and Nicole both share recent pivots in life and the challenges that come with opening yourself up to new dreams and reinvention
• The important lessons taught by Nicole’s father around what it means to be Filipino in their family
• How Filipino values and culture factored into Nicole’s own career growth and how she run her businesses 
• Advice for being better prepared when chasing your dream and how to face the challenge of funding your dreams when all you have is.. your dreams
• How Nicole overcame the western ideals of what is good in food to showcase the unique and delicious elements of filipino food

Importance of This Episode
At one point or another, many of us have experienced a pivot. Some type of significant change, whether in our careers or personal lives, voluntary or not. For Nicole, she went from VP in Advertising to a role in the restaurant industry. She is a great example of listening to that voice in the back of your mind saying, “you’re supposed to be doing something else,” and then stepping out and doing it. Opening yourself up to reinvention and new dreams can be risky and scary, but there are so many lessons that can be learned from Nicole’s own journey of creating a different lens around Filipino food, especially in the mainstream culinary world.

Connect with Nicole:
* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicoleponseca/ 

Join the Filipina Soul Sisterhood Circle! Hang out with Krystl and other “journeying” Pinays every week, as we reconnect with our culture, meet with and get mentored by impactful, industry-disrupting Filipina leaders, and help each other step into our power as Pinays.

Subscribe to the podcast:
* Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3MR7Ngc
* Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3MSUBYb 

Support, Share, Follow, Get Spotlighted:

• Support the show for as little as $1 a month: http://patreon.com/filipinaontherise
• Follow IG @filipinaontherise

Pledge $3 or $10 a month to help keep the show going! Here: Patreon

Hello! I share 7 Learnings from 2022 + the stories behind them. I also read a very inspiring quote from Joanna Gaines of Magnolia Network from her book, The Stories We Tell.

Help the show go on!

• Be a monthly supporter or make a one-time donation on Patreon
• Leave a written review on Apple
• Follow IG @filipinaontherise

Today we’re joined by restaurateur, award-winning author & chef, Nicole Ponseca. 

In this episode, we’ll cover:

• Krystl and Nicole both share recent pivots in life and the challenges that come with opening yourself up to new dreams and reinvention
• The important lessons taught by Nicole’s father around what it means to be Filipino in their family
• How Filipino values and culture factored into Nicole’s own career growth and how she run her businesses 
• Advice for being better prepared when chasing your dream and how to face the challenge of funding your dreams when all you have is.. your dreams
• How Nicole overcame the western ideals of what is good in food to showcase the unique and delicious elements of filipino food

Importance of This Episode
At one point or another, many of us have experienced a pivot. Some type of significant change, whether in our careers or personal lives, voluntary or not. For Nicole, she went from VP in Advertising to a role in the restaurant industry. She is a great example of listening to that voice in the back of your mind saying, “you’re supposed to be doing something else,” and then stepping out and doing it. Opening yourself up to reinvention and new dreams can be risky and scary, but there are so many lessons that can be learned from Nicole’s own journey of creating a different lens around Filipino food, especially in the mainstream culinary world.

Connect with Nicole:

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicoleponseca/ 

Join the Filipina Soul Sisterhood Circle! Hang out with Krystl and other “journeying” Pinays every week, as we reconnect with our culture, meet with and get mentored by impactful, industry-disrupting Filipina leaders, and help each other step into our power as Pinays.

Subscribe to the podcast: 

* Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3MR7Ngc 

* Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3MSUBYb 

Support, Share, Follow, Get Spotlighted:

• Support the show for as little as $1 a month: http://patreon.com/filipinaontherise
• Follow IG @filipinaontherise

Pledge $3 or $10 a month to help keep the show going! Here: Patreon