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Press Release
PHILIPPINE CONSULATE GENERAL IN CHICAGO HOSTED BREAKING THE GLASS CEILING: A Virtual Seminar on Filipina Women Leaders in the United States
24 March 2025 - The Philippine Consulate General Chicago hosted on 21 March 2025 a virtual seminar titled "Breaking the Glass Ceiling". The virtual seminar focused on the experiences of three Filipina Women leaders in the United States, namely: Ms. Sofia Aragon, JD, BSN, RN, Judge Rohanee Zapanta, and Ms. Rhodora Palomar-Fresnedi.
The webinar started with the opening remarks of Consul General Melanie Rita B. Diano, where she gave an overview on the gender situation in the Philippines and referred to some gender gaps also experienced in the United States. She mentioned that the webinar aimed to highlight how Filipino women, who have been identified as leaders in the US, were able to “break the glass ceiling” in their respective fields.
The three resource persons were all featured in Disrupt 5.0: Filipina Women Leading with Intersectionality, a book launched in Sydney during the 20th Annual Filipina Leadership Global Summit hosted by the Foundation for Filipina Women’s Network (FWN).
Ms. Aragon shared her experiences on her journey that began as a child immigrating to the US to being the first woman of color to hold the position of Mayor in Burien, Washington in 2019. She is currently Executive Director of the non-profit Washington Center for Nursing.
Reflecting on her strong Filipino cultural roots and values as learned from her lola, Judge Rohanee Zapanta emphasized the role of kapwa and bayanihan as unique sources of identity in her discharge of her responsibilities as the only Filipino American judge serving in the San Diego Superior Court and only the second Filipino to be appointed to the same Court. Her program "Brown Faces to the Sun" continues to inspire Filipino American youths. She is also the Co-founder and co-chair of the California Judges Association Law Student Wellness Committee.
Lastly, on her support for persons with disability (PWD) inclusion and on her NGO affiliations, Ms. Palomar-Fresnedi shared her joy in establishing Sunshine Farm Philippines, a sunflower farm that employs 50 families of PWDs as full-time and part-time employees and partners. She was the first Global Vice President for Diversity of Unilever based in London, chair of Best Buddies Philippines, a non-profit organization launched in 2014 under Unilab Foundation’s Project Inclusion that advocates for individuals with intellectual and development diversities, and chair of Arte Autismo Filipino, the latter a grouping of exceptional artists with autism.
The webinar highlighted how Filipina women are able to navigate the gender gaps in the United States in their chosen fields to achieve professional success and personal growth and development. By their lived experiences shared through eloquent reflections, all three women showed how they are real role models to Filipinos regardless of gender who wish to make trailblazing contributions of their own in the future.
The webinar was organized under the Gender and Development Section of the Philippine Consulate General Chicago, and concluded the Consulate's participation in the month-long celebration of the Philippine National Women’s Month this March 2025END
24 March 2025 - The Philippine Consulate General Chicago hosted on 21 March 2025 a virtual seminar titled "Breaking the Glass Ceiling". The virtual seminar focused on the experiences of three Filipina Women leaders in the United States, namely: Ms. Sofia Aragon, JD, BSN, RN, Judge Rohanee Zapanta, and Ms. Rhodora Palomar-Fresnedi.
The webinar started with the opening remarks of Consul General Melanie Rita B. Diano, where she gave an overview on the gender situation in the Philippines and referred to some gender gaps also experienced in the United States. She mentioned that the webinar aimed to highlight how Filipino women, who have been identified as leaders in the US, were able to “break the glass ceiling” in their respective fields.
The three resource persons were all featured in Disrupt 5.0: Filipina Women Leading with Intersectionality, a book launched in Sydney during the 20th Annual Filipina Leadership Global Summit hosted by the Foundation for Filipina Women’s Network (FWN).
Ms. Aragon shared her experiences on her journey that began as a child immigrating to the US to being the first woman of color to hold the position of Mayor in Burien, Washington in 2019. She is currently Executive Director of the non-profit Washington Center for Nursing.
Reflecting on her strong Filipino cultural roots and values as learned from her lola, Judge Rohanee Zapanta emphasized the role of kapwa and bayanihan as unique sources of identity in her discharge of her responsibilities as the only Filipino American judge serving in the San Diego Superior Court and only the second Filipino to be appointed to the same Court. Her program "Brown Faces to the Sun" continues to inspire Filipino American youths. She is also the Co-founder and co-chair of the California Judges Association Law Student Wellness Committee.
Lastly, on her support for persons with disability (PWD) inclusion and on her NGO affiliations, Ms. Palomar-Fresnedi shared her joy in establishing Sunshine Farm Philippines, a sunflower farm that employs 50 families of PWDs as full-time and part-time employees and partners. She was the first Global Vice President for Diversity of Unilever based in London, chair of Best Buddies Philippines, a non-profit organization launched in 2014 under Unilab Foundation’s Project Inclusion that advocates for individuals with intellectual and development diversities, and chair of Arte Autismo Filipino, the latter a grouping of exceptional artists with autism.
The webinar highlighted how Filipina women are able to navigate the gender gaps in the United States in their chosen fields to achieve professional success and personal growth and development. By their lived experiences shared through eloquent reflections, all three women showed how they are real role models to Filipinos regardless of gender who wish to make trailblazing contributions of their own in the future.
The webinar was organized under the Gender and Development Section of the Philippine Consulate General Chicago, and concluded the Consulate's participation in the month-long celebration of the Philippine National Women’s Month this March 2025END