The FWN Filipina Leadership Book Series fills the gap in the leadership literature that has missed the opportunity to survey the leadership competencies of the women of Philippine ancestry.

A groundbreaking book series that documents the leadership stories about victories over poverty, domestic violence, incarceration, discrimination and harassment which shaped their world view, leader identity, life purpose, power and influence.

The book series  is key to FWN’s strategy in building its pipeline of qualified leaders that some will rise to the leadership position in all sectors of the economy. The authors and contributors are recipients of the Filipina Women's Network's 100 Most Influential Filipina Women in the World™ Award™.

Why DISRUPT Filipina Leadership Series?

Filipina women are the ultimate disrupters. They disrupted their personal and professional lives, and their organizations as they became achievers in their professional fields and broke “glass ceilings”. Filipina women disrupted the business landscape when they innovated products, improved or created services that impacted the lives of women and the citizenry. They disrupted their communities as they became strong advocates for social issues that affected their families and children.

Filipina women across the world have engaged in culture-spanning and have overcome increased complexity in their work. Filipina women do not back down—once they make up their minds that they will get behind a cause or an issue that will change how we live or aim for that promotion or leadership position—they don’t stop. They’re tenacious. They’re firm. They’re forceful. And they don’t give up. 

FWN DISRUPT Filipina Leadership Book Series is available through Amazon, Kindle and Kindle Unlimited.

UPCOMING EVENTS

DISRUPT 5.0: Filipina Women Leading with Intersectionality is a transformative anthology that challenges the corporate status quo and invites business leaders to rethink their approach to leadership diversity.

This compelling collection highlights the intimate stories of Filipina women—first and second-generation immigrants—who have navigated and overcome barriers related to race, class, gender, poverty, violence, religion, and education. These women have forged paths through complex professional landscapes, often defying stereotypes and breaking through systemic biases to achieve remarkable leadership positions.

Each narrative in DISRUPT 5.0 offers insights into the profound ways intersectionality shapes the lived experiences of Filipina women. Through their personal journeys, readers will gain a deeper understanding of the hidden challenges these leaders face, from navigating issues of inclusion and visibility to battling underrepresentation in management and decision-making roles.

DISRUPT 4.0. Filipina Women: BEING examines the leadership philosophy, styles, and traits of Filipina women leaders in a complex diaspora environment through individual life stories. With the rise of anti-Asian hate, this book's many authors provide a deep understanding of their struggles in bridging Filipino and global cultures in the workplace.

The leadership stories center around three themes:

• Liberation - Learning the right to live life as they've always wanted but couldn't because of the debilitating pressures of culture and outside forces.

• Transformation - Discovering the internal shifts that aligned with her highest potential

• Change - Experiencing new and exciting things that impacted how she related to the workplace and finding her place in it.

These narratives about Filipina leadership have implications for gender and intercultural leadership research practice and theories of women and how they lead.

This book answers the following:

1. What are the dominant leadership traits of Filipina women?

2. How does a Filipina woman leader lead and manage herself?

3. How does a Filipina woman leader lead and manage a team?

4. How does a Filipina woman leader lead and manage a department, a division, or an organization?

5. What factors influence a Filipina woman's leadership philosophy?

Of the 36 authors, 28 authors were born in the Philippines, five were born in the United States, and one was born in Canada. Of those born in the Philippines, 14 immigrated to the US, and six identified as Overseas Filipina Workers. Launched at the 2022 Filipina Leadership Global Summit in Lisbon, Portugal. LEARN MORE

Here is an excerpt from “Sisterhood, Dialogue, and Impact” by Susie Quesada from DISRUPT 3.0. Filipina Women: Rising:

“I always felt different growing up. I grew up in a mostly white American suburb in Northern California where I was only one of a handful of Asians at school. 99.9 percent of my teachers and coaches were white. In my seventh grade Spanish class, the teacher spoke to me in Spanish because of my last name and I was mortified because I did not understand Spanish.

My name was different, my food was different, and my parents were different. I was made fun of for eating with a fork and spoon. I did not know my parents had an accent until a friend of mine mentioned it in middle school. I had a crush on the only Filipino boy at school in seventh grade. I was too nervous to get to know him, but I felt like if I did, we would have had a lot in common. Having things in common with others is what most kids are looking for as they grow up. They want to be accepted and have successful role models that look like them. Do not get me wrong. I had great friendships growing up. Friendships that endure even today but I knew I was very different from the other kids.”

DISRUPT 2.0. Filipina Women: Daring to Lead is a celebration of Filipina women who have achieved success in their professional careers and made a difference by their practice of leadership; an affirmation of the leadership competencies of Filipina women with a global mindset.

The book examines leadership themes in various global settings. The competencies which constitute the “how” of leadership are significant, but the greater significance is the “why” of leadership. The “why” of leadership for most of these women made reference to finding purpose and meaning in life, achieving impact in their work, and giving back to their local communities.

The authors examined their leadership qualities, their leadership actions, and their own leadership development process. DISRUPT 2.0 celebrates, affirms, and acknowledges Filipina women whose vision and impact go beyond the boundaries of the Philippines.

The book's purpose is to inspire, motivate, and nurture women world-wide, not just Filipina women, who have leadership responsibilities in cross-cultural and global situations, seek leadership development opportunities in the diaspora environment, and teach leadership not only to inform but also to transform.

FWN Founder and CEO, Marily Mondejar, inspired the use of the Center for Creative Leadership’s “Benchmarks by Design” as a guide for the authors:

1. What skills and competencies got you to where you are today?

2. What skills and competencies did you have to learn that got you to the next leadership level?

3. What skills and competencies do you need to acquire or learn to sustain your current leadership level?

35 authors from 5 countries. 497 pages. Launched in 2016 at the Filipina Leadership Global Summit in Cebu, Philippines. LEARN MORE

An excerpt from “From my Two Mothers: A Legacy Borne” by Hon. Thelma B. Boac from DISRUPT 2.0. Filipina Women: Daring to Lead.

"My life’s journey began in a village on the island of Bohol. It was there that my parents gave me up for adoption to my mother’s older sister, Auntie Crispina, also called Auntie Pining, who lived in America. Sadly, Auntie Pining lost her two young children and her first husband during World War II. After the war, Auntie Pining who was a risk-taker journeyed by herself to the U.S., met and married Uncle Diego in California, and because they had no children of their own decided to adopt one of my birth mother’s nine children.

I remember one afternoon in 1958, when I was only eight years old, while walking home from school I saw my mother in the distance walking quickly towards me and calling out my name 'Mimi' which was my family nickname. She seemed excited but somewhat sad at the same time. She said, “Mimi, you are going to America. You are going to school and live with your aunt and uncle in California. Isn’t that wonderful?” My response was one of innocence and ignorance. I did not know where America was and how far away it was, but I had heard it was a beautiful place; rich, with streets paved with gold. So I said, as I hugged my mother, 'Wow, I am going to America.'”

Filipina women leaders in diaspora share their career journeys, their sacrifices to seek better lives for themselves and their families, and their strategies to thrive in the modern multi-cultural global economy. They share inspiring stories on:

• Shaping their leader identity

• Developing their sense of self as they achieved power and influence

• Determining their life purpose and world view

• Adjusting to cultural norms in their drive to succeed

• Overcoming domestic violence, incarceration, poverty, discrimination and harassment

• Coping with cognitive dissonance when Philippine traditional beliefs were at odds with the requirements of making it in the global workplace.

This is not just a book about the leadership successes of individuals but also a community's call to action to celebrate and expand the global leadership talents of Filipina women. This book is also a reminder to Filipina women of their responsibility to give back to society and to help create a better world.

37 authors and editors are recipients of the Filipina Women's Network's 100 Most Influential Filipina Women in the World™ award from the United States, Philippines, Singapore, Brazil, Japan, United Arab Emirates, Canada, and Poland. 582 pages. Launched in 2014 at the Filipina Leadership Global Summit in Manila, Philippines. LEARN MORE