Why Should Guys Have All The Fun?

Indeed! Celebrated immigration attorney, author, businesswoman, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and community leader, Loida Nicolas Lewis, bares it all in her memoir of love, life, and foray into a billion-dollar international food corporation, TLC Beatrice. Meet the author at the San Francisco book launch and signing of Loida Lewis’ memoir at Sentro Filipino/the San Francisco Filipino Cultural Center at 814 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA on Thursday, April 20, 2023 at 6pm RSVP at e.sparxo.com/loidalewis

Why should one meet our exemplary Asian American Filipina in the flesh? The list is long. She just happens to be the first Asian lawyer who passed the New York State Bar (1974) without graduating from an American Law School; wrote “How to Get a Green Card” in 1992; co-founded the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NAFFAA) in 1997 together with Alex Esclamado, Rodel Rodis, Michael Dadap, and Gloria Caoile; chairwoman of the Reginald F. Lewis Foundation, which among other donations built The Lewis College (TLC) in Sorsogon, Philippines; donated $3 Million toward the creation of the Reginal F. Lewis International Law Center at Harvard Law School, Reginald Lewis’ alma mater; $5-million donation toward the construction of the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture, in Baltimore; $1.5 Million to Virginia State University, and recently pledged $5 million toward the creation of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago.

Loida Lewis is also passionate about politics. Not only in the U.S. but in her beloved home country, the Philippines. Some wins and some losses, but she plods on. After completing her law degree at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, and later as a newly minted US citizen, wife and mother, she publishes a short lived anti-martial law monthly, Ningas-Cogon. Later on, Lewis immerses herself in the Filipino American community as well, and without much fun fare, is the guiding hand behind quite a few successful endeavors.

Accordiing to Rodel Rodis, "Loida Lewis is the most consequential Filipino American today. She was a co-founder of NAFFAA which effectively lobbied the US Congress to pass the Filipino Veterans Equity Bill. Under her leadership, NaFFAA lobbied the Philippine government to pass the Overseas Voting and Dual Citizenship laws. She has supported the election of Filipino Americans to public office all over the US. On April 20, we should meet her in San Francisco and thank her for empowering the Filipino community in America."

Ms. Lewis says, “I don’t profess to having unraveled the mystery of life, but I have glommed on to some valuable nuggets of wisdom over the years.” Most likely, she will share those nuggets of wisdom at the book launch. RSVP at e.sparxo.com/loidalewis

The Conversation, Book Launch and Signing moderator is Odette Keeley, director of Maynard 200; and underwritten by a group of Filipino American organizations such as UP Alumni Association of San Francisco, SF Filipino American Chamber of Commerce, Sentro Filipino, Philippine American Press Club USA, Filipino Food Movement, NAFFAA, Friends of the Fiipino American Community-PAC, PinayPowerhouse, Pistahan, and spearheaded by community leaders Sonia Delen and Rodel Rodis.

Contacts:
Sonia Delen - soniadelen@yahoo.com
Esther Chavez - emchavez@easterworksmedia.com