Leadership - Sacred Fire Creative

Articles Tagged with: leadership

Monique Lhuillier: Elegance for the Everyday Woman

“I am a perfectionist, but I know how to live life. When I’m working, it’s 100%. When I’m with my friends, I put everything away and enjoy life. When I come home to my kids, it’s pure joy and everything’s worth it. Every time, I really focus, 100 percent on one thing, I’ve learned how to juggle my life and I feel like now I have the perfect balance.” – Monique Lhuillier

What do Taylor Swift, Michelle Obama, and Reese Witherspoon have in common? They’ve all worn Monique Lhullier’s creations. The Filipino-American fashion designer has made a mark on the fashion industry with her sophisticated, feminine, and glamorous ready-to-wear and bridal collections.

From regular brides to famous celebrities, most women have heard of Monique Lhuillier. Her brand is synonymous with elegant and timeless feminine designs, whether in dresses or houseware. The renowned fashion designer has been a member of the Council of Fashion Designers of America since 2003. Since then, she has ventured into fragrance, jewelry, and various partnerships with other brands, such as Pottery Barn.

Monique was born in Cebu City, Philippines, in 1971. She spent her childhood in the Philippines before attending boarding school in Switzerland at 15. Monique loved fashion at an early age, and after leaving Switzerland, she attended the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandise in Los Angeles. This school is where she met her husband, Tom Bugbee, who also became her business partner. Aside from being her life partner and father to her children, he has also helped her build her business empire.

She began designing wedding gowns in 1996 when she was preparing for her own wedding and couldn’t find anything she liked. Although she eventually found a wedding gown from another designer, this event sparked her motivation and interest in the fashion industry and began a successful fashion career.

Thanks to Monique and her elegant brand, women worldwide have access to sophisticated styles that are designed for a woman by a woman. Whether it is a milestone event like a wedding, or everyday pleasures, like wearing a favorite perfume, Monique Lhuillier continues to add beauty to women’s lives.

Sacred Fire Creative honors women who make a difference in everyday life. Contact us to learn how you can make a difference through your own business.

Leni Robredo: Inspiring the Philippines’ Pink Revolution

“You do not lose sight of what you believe in, you do not lose sight of the goal. You drown out the voices because there are bigger battles to fight.” – Leni Robredo

Maria Leonor “Leni” Gerona Robredo is currently the vice president of the Philippines and one of the most influential and powerful women in the country. While influence and power typically conjure up images of a rich and authoritative figure, Leni Robredo is the opposite.

It’s common for Philippine politicians to flaunt their wealth. However, unlike a typical politician, Robredo is known for being humble and unassuming. She is famous for riding public transportation even after being elected as a congresswoman. She also caught the public’s attention for changing out of her heels and going barefoot after a televised debate. Her office focuses on anti-poverty programs and has the highest rating from the government’s Commission on Audit. Even if Robredo holds the second-highest position in the government, she remains true to herself and her values.

Before entering politics, Robredo worked as a human rights lawyer working with abused wives, marginalized farmers, and other disadvantaged groups. She is a long-time champion of Filipina empowerment and gender equality.

Robredo ran for public office after her husband Jesse Robredo died unexpectedly in a plane crash in 2012. He was the former mayor of Naga City and secretary of the Philippines’ Department of the Interior and Local Government at the time of his death. Robredo often shares how she had to stop working as a pro-bono lawyer when she became a widow because she had three young daughters to support and care for.

Her first role in public office was representative of her home province Camarines Sur’s third congressional district in 2013. This was less than a year after the death of her husband. Robredo principally authored three bills signed into law in her lone term as representative, including the Tax Incentives Management and Transparency Act. This bill aims to promote fiscal accountability and transparency in the grant and management of tax incentives.

Robredo is currently in a tight race for the presidency of the Philippines. Her primary opponent is the son of the country’s former dictator, and some would say her complete opposite. Her campaign has been dubbed “The Pink Revolution” as it brings together multisectoral groups to spread her message of hope, transparency, and transformative change.

If elected as president, Robredo says she will spend her first 100 days in office strengthening the country’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, including giving social aid to those who need it the most. She also plans to continue and expand her poverty alleviation program throughout the Philippines. Another of her main goals is to regain the public’s trust in government through accountability and transparency. Millions of people in the country, especially women, hope that Leni Robredo wins as the 17th president of the Philippines. If she does, she will bring her brand of leadership onto a bigger stage and touch many more lives.

Sacred Fire Creative honors women leaders advocating equity, societal change, and the greater good. Work with us and create a meaningful impact in your niche today.

volodymyr zelenskyy, leader of strong character, leadership

Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy: A Leader of Strong Character

When Volodymyr Zelenskyy ran for the Ukrainian presidency in 2019, no one from Ukraine’s political establishment took him seriously. He had a law degree and was a household name, but he had no political experience.

In fact, the closest that Zelenskyy got to politics before his presidential campaign was playing the head of state in a satirical sitcom. That’s because he’s a comedic actor—a staple of Ukrainian and Russian-language rom-coms. He even won Ukraine’s version of Dancing with the Stars in 2006.

What does a comedian know about running a country, after all?

Apparently, Zelenskyy knew enough to convince 73% of Ukraine’s voters to elect him president. He struggled early in his term, however, with his controversial decisions disillusioning many Ukrainians.

But when Russia invaded the country on February 24, 2022, Zelenskyy showed a side of himself that his compatriots hadn’t seen before—that their president is a leader of strong character.

How did Volodymyr Zelenskyy display character-based leadership in the face of this enormous crisis? Here are five examples.

1. He showed courage.

A leader of strong character shows courage when it matters the most.

As Russian troops made their way to Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital city, the US offered to evacuate Zelenskyy for his safety. His response: “I need ammunition, not a ride.”

He’s aware that his life is in danger, yet he refused to be president in exile. He knows that staying in Kyiv puts him in a better position to serve his country.

2. He is authentic.

A leader of strong character is willing to show that they, too, are human.

Zelenskyy may have shown courage as expected of a wartime president. But this doesn’t mean he’s unbothered by what’s going on. His Instagram videos clearly show him as worried and exhausted. He has dark circles under his eyes, and his stubble is days old. He also switched from his usual presidential suits to military fatigues.

He shows that, just like his compatriots, he feels the physical and mental toll of the conflict with Russia. He also expresses that he doesn’t see glory in war.

3. He knows how to reach people.

A leader of strong character is an effective communicator.

Observers have seen Zelenskyy use social media to great effect. He frequently posts on Instagram and Twitter to show the world what’s going on in Ukraine amid the invasion. Aside from posting regularly, he uses language that will resonate with his audience.

In his videos, his speeches are full of gravity and passion, but he speaks calmly, plainly, and doesn’t use rhetorical language. His soundbites are quotable and tweetable, but they aren’t empty of meaning.

4. He is on the ground.

A leader of strong character works at the frontlines and isn’t afraid to get their hands dirty.

During the first few days of the invasion, Zelenskyy posted videos of himself running around the streets of Kyiv. He shot the videos as selfies from his phone.

Through his videos, Zelenskyy meant to show the actual situation in Kyiv from the ground. He also wanted people to see that he’s not always hunkered down in his bunker and he knows firsthand what’s really going on.

5. He inspires.

A leader of strong character inspires others to action.

Zelenskyy has shown Ukrainians and the whole world that he has the grit to help his country survive the Russian aggression. He may have stumbled early in his term, but he’s making up for it now. His show of courage, his calm demeanor, and his presence in Kyiv despite the risks have inspired Ukrainians to resist.

The Ukrainians aren’t the only ones inspired by Zelenskyy. Governments around the world have imposed various sanctions on Russia. Multinational corporations in different sectors, from technology to energy to fashion, have either pulled out of or suspended their Russian operations. Elon Musk activated SpaceX’s satellite internet service in Ukraine. The hacktivist collective Anonymous launched cyberwarfare in Russia as well.

Motivational speaker and former politician Les Brown once said, “Our ability to handle life’s challenges is a measure of our strength of character.” The Russian invasion of Ukraine is only a few days old, and no one knows for sure how it will turn out. But through Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the conflict has given the world a true example of a leader of strong character.

Maria Ressa: Journalist and Activist

Journalism wasn’t always a life-threatening field of study. Times have changed, however, and some journalists have become activists who risk life and limb—even their freedom—to publish the truth. According to a New York Times article, 2018 was the most dangerous year on record for journalists; this trend has not shown any sign of waning.

No one knows this better than Filipino-American journalist Maria Ressa. She was Time Magazine’s Person of the Year 2018, part of this year’s Bloomberg 50 List, former bureau chief of CNN Philippines and Indonesia, and founder of Manila-based news outlet Rappler. In June of this year, in the middle of a global pandemic, she was convicted of cyber-libel.

Who is Maria Ressa?

Maria Ressa was born in the Philippines and moved to the United States with her family as a young child. She spent her early years living in New Jersey and studied English and Theater at Princeton University. In the 1980s, after the regime of dictator Ferdinand Marcos came to an end, Ressa decided to return to the Philippines. Back to her roots, she discovered journalism and spent the next 30 years as a television and broadcast journalist working around Southeast Asia. While working as a journalist, she had her first interview with Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, who would later become president of the Philippines in 2016.

She is the Chief Executive Officer of Rappler, which she founded in January 2012 along with three other female founders and 12 journalists. With the ultimate goal of building communities while using social media to do good, Rappler has grown into a well-respected independent news outlet known for its investigative journalism.

Before founding Rappler, Maria Ressa spent six years as the news division leader of ABS-CBN, formerly the Philippines’ largest TV network. Earlier this year, ABS-CBN was shut down due to legal issues, although many believe President Duterte had a direct hand in closing the networking giant down. This closure is just another example of the kind of political climate Ressa and other Filipino journalists face.

Covering Duterte’s “War on Drugs”

In 2016, under Ressa’s guidance, Rappler first started to cover President Duterte’s “army of trolls” who were seeding and spreading fake news to millions of his followers online during the Philippine presidential campaign. When he eventually won the election and became President, Rappler began to write stories on the administration’s “War on Drugs,” which killed over 7,000 people between July 2016 and July 2017.

During this dark time, President Duterte ordered the Philippine police to kill anyone they suspected of drug connections. Unsurprisingly, only small-time and usually lower-class drug users and street-side pushers were caught and killed in this brutal war. It left international syndicates and influential drug dealers who control the drug trade unscathed. Reporting on this is what put Rappler and Ressa in the spotlight and right in front of President Duterte’s line of fire. That would be the beginning of Ressa’s legal battles.

Her Legal Battles

Maria Ressa’s current legal battles stem from an 8-year old story that Rappler published alleging a Filipino business person had links to illegal drugs and human trafficking. The story was published in 2012, four months after the “cyber-libel law” was passed. In 2014, the story was re-published due to a typo, and the courts declared that it fell under the jurisdiction of the said law.

During the proceedings, the judge stated that Rappler did not offer proof of their allegations and convicted Maria Ressa with cyber-libel. She now faces the possibility of serving six years in jail. According to Ressa and Rappler, the case was politically motivated. Since 2018, there have been 11 cases filed against Rappler, including tax evasion and foreign ownership violations.

As her legal battles grew, so did her profile, both locally and internationally. She has become known worldwide as a symbol of standing up for the truth and battling an authoritarian president and would-be dictator. As Maria Ressa has said in an interview, “In a battle for facts, in a battle for truth, journalism is activism.”

An Inspiring Voice

The 2020 documentary “A Thousand Cuts,” produced by fellow Filipino-American Ramona S. Diaz, features Ressa. The film covers Maria Ressa and Rappler as they put up a fight against President Duterte’s attack on them and, inevitably, on freedom of the press. Throughout the film, Maria Ressa is a beacon of hope and strength-showing her humanity by voicing out her fears, yet never giving up on what she believes is right.

She has become an inspiring voice around the world. When Ressa talks about the attacks on freedom of speech, the truth, and facts, she is not just talking about the state of the Philippine press and politics but the state of the world. In this day and age, where people can get the news with a click of the button, they can also get fake news and lies at just the same speed. It has become Maria’s advocacy to stand up for facts and not give in to political pressure.

Currently, Maria Ressa is out on bail and still publishing. Rappler continues to cover the Philippines’ daily news, together with fearless views on the current Philippine administration. Ressa continues to stand for what she believes in and to fight the legal cases piling up against her and Rappler. It is interesting to note that in “A Thousand Cuts,” she asks the lawyer what the worst case can be filed against her. Her lawyer answered that it didn’t matter because the government would find the opportunity to file any claim against her, even child abuse, in their attempt to silence her.

From journalist to activist, Maria Ressa inspires journalists and women around the world with her strength and poise. She is an excellent example of the power of an individual who refuses to give up on facts and continues to fight for the truth.

Kamala Harris – A Woman of Many Firsts

The year 2020 has been historic in more ways than one. Despite being a year that many people would like to forget, it was also filled with remarkable firsts. It was the first time the US elected a woman to the second-highest position in government. Vice president-elect Kamala Harris made history and has become a bright light in these dark times. Not only is she the first woman vice president, but she is also the first African-American and first Asian-American to occupy this esteemed position.

She shattered the infamous glass ceiling for women by being elected vice-president. More than that, she also broke through the “concrete ceiling” – a term used to describe the obstacles women of color particularly face. She went through it all with positive energy and a smile on her face. Kamala is a beacon of hope for women around the world, as she herself said during her victory speech, “While I may be the first woman in this office, I will not be the last, because every little girl watching tonight sees that this is a country of possibilities.”

Her early years

Kamala Devi Harris was born in 1964 to immigrant parents, her mother Shyamala Gopalan Harris from India, and her father Donald Harris from Jamaica. Both her parents migrated to the United States to study for doctorate degrees at the University of California, Berkeley. This is where they met, got married, started a family, and continued pursuing their own careers. It would be natural to assume, and rightly so, that the environment that Kamala and her sister Maya were exposed to at a young age helped shape who they are today. With both parents being accomplished in their own fields and active in the civil rights movement, it was inevitable that these factors would influence Kamala and Maya in their own career choices.

Kamala has said, “My parents marched and shouted in the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. It’s because of them and the folks who also took to the streets to fight for justice that I am where I am.”

Her parents divorced in 1971, and Kamala and her sister were mostly raised by their single mother. They moved to Montreal, where Kamala finished high school before going back to the US to study political science and economics at Howard University. She, later on, obtained her law degree from Hastings College.

Her mother Shayamala had a huge impact on Kamala’s life, and she often mentions her even today. In her own words, “There is no title or honor on earth I’ll treasure more than to say I am Shyamala Gopalan Harris’s daughter.” Sadly, her mother passed away from cancer in 2009 and is not here today to see how far her daughter has come. Despite this, Kamala never fails to mention just how much influence her mother had on her life and accomplishments.

A woman of many firsts

Throughout her life and her career, Kamala has been breaking barriers. We all know that she’s about to become the first woman Vice President, but she had many firsts even before she made her presence known on the national stage. She was also the first woman, the first African-American, and the first Asian-American woman to become the attorney general of California. In the Senate, she is the first Indian-American to serve as Senator while also being only the second African-American woman to hold this position. She is also the first Vice President to graduate from a historically black college, Howard University.

Her husband Doug Emhoff also contributes to her string of firsts – he will be the first second gentleman and the first Jewish spouse of a US Vice President. Kamala didn’t set out to become the first in all these things – she accomplished them by following her own path and working hard towards her goals. Something we can all learn from. Kamala serves as an inspiration to women all over the world. She also shows that women can truly be trailblazers in any field.

Her love of cooking

For all her professional accomplishments, Kamala has also become famous for one more thing – her love of cooking. She is a self-professed passionate home cook and has shared a few of her personal recipes on her social media accounts. Recently, she shared a step-by-step recipe of her family’s favorite cornbread dressing for Thanksgiving. “During difficult times, I have always turned to cooking,” Kamala has said. Cooking is a source of comfort for her, and this passion started when she was a young child watching her own mother in the kitchen.

“One of the things that I do to relax at the end of the day is I read recipes,” she shared in 2018, something many people can relate to. Now, we can all imagine her flipping through her favorite cookbooks after a long day at work. This open love of cooking is another thing that makes Kamala stand out from other career politicians. Her willingness to share snippets of her personal life with others is a wonderful way she connects to people.

Kamala Harris and the future

The past few years in the US have not been easy, with racial and political divisions growing and becoming more evident in everyday life. Kamala Harris winning as vice president is a much-welcome change and a refreshing breath of fresh air. She serves as an inspiration to both women and people of color everywhere.

We can all learn a lesson or two from Kamala and her journey — the importance of family, the influence of a mother’s love and example, and the greatness you can accomplish when you combine hard work and heart, no matter your circumstances. It will take many years to overcome the negativity and discord that have been sown in the US landscape. However, when there is someone like Kamala Harris helping lead the way to heal these wounds and to create a more equitable and just society, we can allow ourselves to envision and believe in a better future.

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