“Whatever you decide to do, you can do. That’s what the Filipino is. Kaya natin!”
This was the message Loida Lewis, Filipino American business leader, lawyer and philanthropist told the audience at SOAS’s Khalili Theatre on Friday evening, 7th June.
Ms Lewis is in the UK to launch her latest book, “Why Should Guys Have All the Fun?”, a memoir that captures her upbringing in the Philippines and her marriage to legendary businessman Reginald Lewis. He was the first African-American to build a billion-dollar business, TLC Beatrice International.
She also writes about the sudden passing of her husband at age 50 and how she decided to lead a multinational company while being a solo parent to her two young daughters. After the death of her husband in 1993, Ms Lewis took the leadership of TLC Beatrice International and turned it into a USD2.2 billion corporation, despite having no previous experience of running a company.
Understated yet elegant in her black beaded top paired with black trousers, Ms Lewis had an engaging conversation with award-winning Filipino British author Candy Gourlay who moderated the discussion.
Ms Lewis, who said she was happy to be called “Tita” (auntie in Filipino) Loida, enthralled the audience with stories of her affluent upbringing in Sorsogon. She credits her father’s hard work in giving the family a comfortable life. In her book, she talks about the values imparted by her father Francisco Nicolas Sr to her and her siblings which carried her through life: hard work, common sense, resourcefulness, determination and faith in God.
Standing up for herself
She fired up the audience with her story of winning a discrimination case against the US Immigration and Naturalisation Service (INS) in the late 70s. A bar topnotcher in the Philippines and the first Asian to be admitted to practice law in New York, she applied as an attorney at the INS but she failed to get the job.
After not hearing back from them for many months, she thought to herself “Ah, this must be discrimination.” She charged the INS with discrimination based on national origin, race and gender. She asked the judge to assess her credentials against those who were hired by the INS who agreed. When the agency failed to submit copies of the hired lawyers’ applications, the judge ruled in her favour.
Ms Lewis was awarded three years’ back pay and ordered the INS to employ her as an immigration lawyer. The audience gave her a warm applause as she concluded her story.
Don’t settle, you have value
Ms Lewis also gave practical advice as she talked about her experience in America.
“If your job doesn’t give you what you think you deserve, start looking because there are others that will recognise your value. Don’t settle. You know you’re working hard and your boss doesn’t recognise you, get another one,” she advised emphatically. Many in the audience murmured in agreement.
You cannot take the Philippines out of me
Ms Lewis is a leading figure in the Filipino American community, having co-founded the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA). She was also the national chair and co-founder of the US Pinoys for Good Governance.
“Yes, I live in America but America cannot take the Philippines out of me,” she said. She said that migrant Filipinos send USD30 billion to the Philippines in remittances but 40 percent of Filipinos are poor.
“How can we – how can I – stay in the United States and do good and yet 40 million of our people are poor?” she said.
Ms Lewis has been actively supporting charitable causes not only in the US but also in the Philippines. In 2000, she founded The Lewis College, a private school named after Mrs Lewis’ husband, in her hometown in Sorsogon. They offer scholarships to poor but deserving students from the Bicol region.
The evening ended with Ms Lewis and Ms Gourlay signing books and chatting with guests at the lobby of Khalili Theatre. The event was organised by Dr Cristina Juan, head of the Philippine Studies Department at SOAS.
