FWN Filipina Leadership Book Series
published by Foundation for Filipina Women’s Network
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™.
DISRUPT Leadership Book Series is available in print (paperback and hardcover) and Kindle versions to educate the public and promote Filipina women’s capacities to lead, manage, and achieve gender parity in all economic sectors. Distributed to schools, libraries, corporate diversity programs, meetings, and conventions.
The goal is to educate companies to achieve better gender and racial equality and build more productive workplaces by utilizing Filipina women’s talent. As of 2024, FFWN has published five books with 167 authors from 16 countries.
The Five Leadership Books
Book #1: (2015) DISRUPT. FILIPINA WOMEN: PROUD. LOUD. LEADING WITHOUT A DOUBT. 35 authors from nine countries. 582 pages on identity, consanguinity, affinity, migration, gender and leadership on public policy, advocacy, diplomacy, and entrepreneurship.
Book #2: (2016) DISRUPT 2.0. FILIPINA WOMEN: DARING TO LEAD 2016. 35 authors from five countries. 497 pages on life and workplace disruptions, leadership competencies developed for oneself, for leading others, for leading organizations, and legacy building for next generation leaders.
Book #3: (2018) DISRUPT 3.0. FILIPINA WOMEN RISING. 38 authors from nine countries. 624 pages on leadership stories about leaning in, daring greatly, channeling grit, fueling fire, disrupting tradition and rising boldly ahead whilst embracing Filipina women’s relational virtues with family, heeding the call for service, and leading lives of commitment.
Book #4: (2022) DISRUPT 4.0 FILIPINA WOMEN: BEING. 37 authors from nine countries. 648 pages. The leadership stories center around three themes: 1) 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; 2) Transformation: discovering the internal shifts that aligned with author’s highest potential; 3) Change: experiencing new and exciting things that impacted how she related to the workplace and finding her place in it. With the rise of Anti-Asian Hate, this book’s authors provide a deep understanding of their struggles in bridging Filipino and global cultures in the workplace.
Book #5 (2024) DISRUPT 5.0 FILIPINA WOMEN LEADING WITH INTERSECTIONALITY: 21 authors from six countries. 526 pages. This 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 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.
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.