Hello! Welcome to My Blog, Where I Aim to Empower Women, Champion Ethical Fashion, & Encourage A Socially Responsible Lifestyle.
I just love this International Women's Day Illustration from Filipina Artist Soleil Ignacio!
International Women's Day is more than just a day, but an advocacy I champion everyday. View the video above to see how I exercise my commitment to the movement. How do you do your part to ensure that we RISE together?
Love,
Ruby
Image via Mirror UK
Beyonce dropped the video for “Formation”, and the world (including me, I admit) went wild. By now, you know that the video visuals are a huge topic of conversation, referencing deep and complex social issues ranging from Hurricane Katrina, #BlackLivesMatter, and feminism.
As expected, Beyonce lit a fire, and now the social media world is in a blazing frenzy, coming up with variations of interpretations ranging from academic analyses of the video’s social and historical relevance, “YASSSS” statements from those who were moved by the video’s symbolism (my own included), to commentary calling out the artist for capitalizing on society’s pains, and then there were also those who downright pointed out that the video visuals and lyrics just don’t match, so what is Beyonce really, truly saying?
Whatever your position, here’s one thing I know for sure: Beyonce may have lit a fire, but it is US as a people who keep that fire burning. As an artist, Beyonce delivers her work through her platform, but as a society, WE are the ones responsible for interpreting that work and incorporating the value we see in it into our daily lives.
Because guess what? With Beyonce or without, a movement for social change can’t happen without the people. When the media moment is over, the movement doesn’t die- it lives through our individual and collective actions, and how we choose to show up in the world.
As academic Dr. Zandria Robinson points out, “formation is the alignment, the stillness, the readying, the quiet, before the twerk, the turn-up, the (social) movement. “
That being said, I have an invitation:
This goes for any social issue you may want to champion- listening is the most important thing you can do as a social change agent. Without listening, you can’t truly know how you can affect someone or something in the most effective and powerful way possible- most especially those whose perspectives and experiences are different from our own. But if we are able to have the patience to hear out the opposing side, just maybe, we might find common ground. So stop, take a few steps back, and listen, especially to voices that really need to be heard.
On another angle, as a Filipina-American, I consider myself an ally to the #BlackLivesMatter movement, as well as an ally to the African-American community. In order for us as non-black allies to truly be a partner in this social movement, we have to give black voices the space to be heard. We must humble ourselves to stop and listen, and take the time to learn how we can be the most helpful instead of assuming we know the solution.
Finally, remember that knowledge is power. If you’re curious about supporting any kind of social movement, it is imperative that you educate yourself on it first. There’s nothing more valuable than context! Some of the leading books that I’m on a personal mission to get and finish are Ta-Nehisi Coates’ book, “Between the World and Me” as well as Jeff Chang’s “Who We Be”.
Whether it’s in everyday conversation or even a social media post, use your voice to highlight the good things that you see in and within marginalized communities. Share achievements, share joys, share positive news to counteract the negative portrayals of marginalized communities (people of color, LGBT, women, disabled, etc.) in the media. Support by respectfully and joyfully highlighting the positive things that are happening within those communities.
And when you hear or see an –ism play out (racism, sexism, able-sim, etc.,) use your voice to call it out. I know this one is particularly hard (and often awkward), but I encourage us all to create a personal intention to become more bold in approaching these instances with bravery and grace.
We cannot be cultural appropriators. It is definitely not the same as appreciation.
Specifically referencing Beyonce's "Formation" video and black culture, this quote says it all: “What bothers me most is that black culture is popular but black people are not. Brands will cop black culture for engagements on social media but when it comes to black issues, they’re radio silent.”
We all love the products of black culture- the music, the dance, the styles, etc. Beyonce’s new “Formation” video is the epitome of this. But loving black culture is not the same as respecting and showing genuine love to the Black community. As social change agents and allies, it is crucial that we demonstrate this love through our commitment to support and empower marginalized voices, in the black community and beyond.
The best way to learn how to be a part of a mutually nurturing and loving community is to practice with your close friends. I recently wrote about the Asian Women Giving Circle, a philanthropic group based in NYC supporting Asian-American women. The organization began when the founder, Hali Lee, started a Korean tradition called the Geh with her close girlfriends, a shared saving circle in which each member would contribute money into a pool, and everyone would take turns taking it home to fund self-care practices or passion projects. The concept has since grown into an organization that has raised over $700K to fund art and progressive social change projects.
Now THAT’s sisterhood that changes the world.
If ‘formation’ is about getting us ladies organized and aligned, well then, we must be centered on a powerful force: self-love. Through self-love, we achieve the ability to be more confident and secure in ourselves, leading us to the ability to be truly supportive of other women.
Without this glue, we cannot sustain any kind of change or movement, because without it, we cannot do it together. When we master self-love, we are able to be the kind of women that build immovable, unshakeable, powerful sisterhoods that become forces to be reckoned with.
If you enjoyed this article, please click the "share" button below! And if you have any thoughts, I would love to hear from you. Find me on social media @RubyVeridiano or email me to connect.
Image courtesy of SUSI's FB page
Back when I lived in Manila in 2011-2012, one of my biggest challenges was finding somewhere to eat with my pescetarian (seafood & veggies only) diet. Filipinos are notorious for their carnivorous, pork-loving, fried-food cuisines, so I often had trouble figuring out what to eat at parties (when all else failed, I ate only from the dessert table- while it was yummy, it also felt like I was treating myself to early onset diabetes. =/)
Image courtesy of SUSI's FB page
Imagine my delight when I came home recently and was introduced to SUSI (which means 'key' in Tagalog), a vegan restaurant promoting sustainable living. SUSI is founded by Bianca Mabanta, who left her visual design job in Barcelona to start SUSI in Manila.
Bianca Mabanta, center. Image from Pepper PH.
I had the 'Oscar the Grouch' green smoothie lathered in kale, spinach, wheatgrass, and banana, and felt refreshed and cleansed at the same time. Their menu boasts vegan, gluten-free options heavy on my favorite leaf, kale (I know, such a Cali girl thing) and decadent desserts that are all dairy-free and egg-free.
Image courtesy of Manila Bulletin
To top it all off, their interiors are designed beautifully with the cozy charm of nature-inspired decor. It is the perfect environment for brunch, afternoon meetings (I myself came with Rich Earth Jewelry founder Rica Banares Manuel), or a place to take yourself on a coffee/reading date.
Image courtesy of SUSI's FB Page
If you're headed to Manila with a limited diet and a penchant for green gastronomy, head on over to SUSI and unlock a whole new world of vegan/healthy cuisine still rare in the Philippines!
Read more about SUSI on their FB page and via this post here.
Disclosure: This is not a sponsored post. Rica was kind enough to treat me to a snack there, and was excited to find a place that reminded me of my health conscious State of California. :)
All images courtesy of Rich Earth Jewelry
During my recent visit to my home country of the Philippines, I finally got the chance to meet Rica Banares Manuel in person, the Manila-based boss babe and creator behind Rich Earth Jewelry. Rich Earth Jewelry is particularly special to me, not only because of their gorgeous, hand-crafted jewelry, but because of their mission to promote sustainable luxury and social good.
Rich Earth Jewelry is made with 24K gold plated aluminum metal and devastation free, semi-precious stones sourced through socially responsible procedures. According to their website:
Aluminum is Rich Earth Jewelry's metal of choice for its dedication in promoting a conscious effort on protecting the environment and passion for social responsibility. This type of metal is highly sustainable for it is 100 percent-recyclable, without compromising quality. It is currently the third most recycled material in the world. Aside from its lightweight feature, Aluminum is a non-toxic metal. It is lead and nickel free, so it won't tarnish nor cause skin discoloration.
In addition to their partnership with Save Philippine Seas, Rich Earth also seeks to give back to communities through partnerships with other individuals and organizations committed to bringing more good to societies across the globe.
Intrigued? Check out Rich Earth Jewelry on their website, and prepare to be mesmerized.
Me at the Jose P. Rizal Museum inside Fort Santiago in Manila, Philippines. Rizal is our national hero.
A message inspired by my recent trip to the homeland. Becoming more of who we are first begins by knowing where we came from. That's where unshakeable confidence comes from. Root yourself in something great today.
Love, Ruby
If this message inspired you, do click the share button below! :)
Ah, the Parisienne—the most revered and idolized woman in the world. Her elegance, her nonchalance, and her famed je ne sais quoi attitude has hypnotized men and women alike forever. But those perfectly masculine-inspired outfits and chic frocks don't just fall out of the sky. Women in Paris shop for their clothes, too. They just do it differently.
As an American living in France, I’ve noticed a distinction between the way a French woman shops versus the way Americans do. And I'm not alone. Iconic fashion legend Christian Dior noticed it. According to his personal memoir, the designer, upon his first visit to the United States, noted significant differences. Among them was the observation that the American woman was often more likely to choose quantity in her shopping, while the Frenchwoman would naturally value quality.
To explore her allure just a bit further, let's look at how the Parisiennes make even the practice of acquiring goods stylish, smarter, and more sustainable.
Read the rest of my new article on Verily Magazine, a magazine encouraging women to be 'less of who they should be, and more of who they truly are'.
Social media can be pretty overwhelming. There is so much more content that we are bombarded with on a daily basis, and a lot of it doesn't inspire or uplift us. It's no secret that social media has made our society much more narcissistic, more self-centered. But done the right way, social media can be a powerful force for change.
Boomcast is a new social networking app that is on a mission to do just that. By committing to telling stories that matter, Boomcast encourages users to "broadcast your story, not your selfie". They are creating a new platform that "highlights what's going on in the world, but also each user's value and place in it".
I am excited to find a tribe of people who share my values. I am excited to be a new ambassador for Boomcast, and to be part of a passionate community of like-minded people inspiring positive change.
Check out my story on Boomcast here, and be sure to download the Boomcast app today!
My primary cause as a changemaker is the cause for empowering women. This is precisely why I’ve also made a decision to champion ethical fashion and change the way I shop, because fashion largely affects women on both the production and the consumer end.
Women make up about 80% of garment workers worldwide, and are often some of the lowest paid workers in the world. In Bangladesh, women only make $68 per month (Source: International Labor Rights Forum).
According to this article by Mic, women are preferred at factories because of the following reasons: As Liana Foxvog, director of organizing and communications at the International Labor Rights Forum, explained to Mic, “Factory owners prefer to hire female workers because they believe that not only are they better suited for sewing with their smaller hands, but that they're also more docile and, therefore, willing to work longer hours for less pay, without organizing or trying to change their conditions.’”
On the flip end, women are also the largest consumers of fashion. This means that we women have the power to change the nature of the industry, buy casting our votes for fair trade fashion with our wallets.
Next time you consider buying something, ask yourself, who made my clothes?
To get you going on the ethical path, check out my article on NBC featuring women-owned, ethical brands.
More brands coming on the blog soon, stay tuned!
To shopping well, wise, and with women in mind,
Ruby
Curious about fair trade fashion and conscious consumerism? Let's work together to bring Glamourbaby Diaries to your school, organization, or venue this year!
As 2015 comes to an end, I encourage you to ask yourself one important question. Watch below and re-share if you think someone you know should hear this!
