In celebration of Women’s Month, we are delighted to feature exceptional Filipino women who are shaping British society across diverse fields. While each one of them tells a unique narrative, they are bound by a shared resilience and an unwavering commitment to their passions. Though their career paths differ, they are united by a common thread: an openness to learning and a deep connection to their roots. These women are proud stewards of Filipino heritage, embodying our shared values as they carve out space for excellence in British society.
“Study the law or your chosen craft to become an advocate of your community. Always remember: you belong in every room where decisions are made.” – Crystal Dias
Please describe your current role/work.
As Solicitor at Dias Solicitors and Lawyery, I specialise in Immigration and Family law, representing Filipino migrants and victims of domestic violence, trafficking and modern slavery. Partnering with Juan Eu Konek, Kanlungan and healthcare groups, I provide a vital legal lifeline to the most vulnerable members of our community.
What is the maxim you live by?
“Turning the isolation of the past into a shield for the future.”
Having arrived as a teenager and seen women struggle with domestic violence, I live by the principle that no one should feel invisible. I use my platform — from Juan Eu Konek to Lawyery — to ensure every Filipino migrant has the voice I once sought.
Tell us the biggest challenge that you faced and how you overcame it.
Arriving from the Philippines as a teenager, I struggled with isolation in a society that overlooked my heritage. This “otherness,” compounded by seeing family members suffer domestic violence in the Philippines, fuels my advocacy. My greatest challenge is breaking the cycle of fear for migrant workers and victims of abuse.
I overcame this by building a “community-first” legal model: writing for One Philippines, hosting Pinoy Radio UK, and presenting for Juan EU Konek. By providing legal advice through these platforms, Kanlungan and Filipino healthcare groups, I empower migrant workers — who, like my younger self, once felt invisible — to navigate the UK’s complex legal systems.
What is the one achievement that you are most proud of and why?
My proudest achievement is the dual recognition of my advocacy by both the legal establishment and the Filipino community. In 2021, I was one of the presenters for the Juan EU Konek docu-series, “Kontra Corona.” This project provided vital, life-saving information to the diaspora during the height of the pandemic.
It was a profound honour when the series won a Migration Advocacy and Media (MAM) Award in the Philippines in 2021, validating the global reach of my work.
Building on this momentum, my greatest professional milestone followed in 2023 when the Law Society shortlisted me as a “Legal Hero.” Being recognised by my regulatory body for my work in the community was deeply moving. It proved that the legal profession values grassroots advocacy for community work as much as corporate success.
These honours, from the Philippines and the UK, represent the bridge I have built between the law and the community. They affirm that my mission — using media platforms like Juan Eu Konek to demystify complex immigration and family law — is not just a service, but a necessity for the protection of the migrant workers, including the vulnerable.
What would be your advice to young Filipino girls of today?
Your empathy is your superpower, not a weakness. In the face of injustice, let your voice be the one that refuses to be silenced. Study the law or your chosen craft to become an advocate of your community. Always remember: you belong in every room where decisions are made.
