As early as 1765, Filipino sailors known as “Manilamen” - who were working as crew or indentured servants aboard Spanish galleons - jumped ship in the Gulf of Mexico and established the first Filipino American communities. By the 1880s, the Manilamen had set up eight villages in the bayous of Louisiana. The lives of Manilamen took many paths – some fought alongside the U.S. in the Battle of New Orleans in the War of 1812, while some found work building houses on stilts, like the nipa huts of the Philippines. Others became shrimp fishermen or established ethnic organizations. Some Manilamen started families, intermarrying with local Cajun and Creole families, which now span eight to ten generations of Filipino Americans.
Owin Pierson is an Asian American-Pacific Islander, LGBTQ+ and mental health influencer. Growing up as a gay Asian American in a predominantly white and religious community resulted in feelings of isolation. Lacking queer role models and people like him in media, Owin struggled with the onset of depression and anxiety. It was during these challenging times that he realized he had to take charge of his life. He majored in psychology, moved to Los Angeles, and now uses his social media to help others who felt like he did - invisible and alone - while inspiring them to live a happier, more sustainable life.
Marie Kondo is a Japanese organization consultant, author, and TV host. Marie began her tidying consultant business at age 19, while she was a university student in Tokyo. Today, Marie is a renowned tidying expert helping people to transform their cluttered homes into spaces of serenity and inspiration. Kondo has written four books, which have collectively sold millions of copies worldwide. Her profile and methods were greatly promoted by the success of the Netflix series Tidying Up with Marie Kondo, which gained Kondo a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Competition Program.
Dr. Shakuntala Haraksingh Thilsted is a global nutrition expert, who won the prestigious 2021 World Food prize for her groundbreaking research in developing holistic, nutrition-sensitive approaches to aquaculture and food systems. Her trailblazing research on small native fish species in Bangladesh - from farm to food processing, to final consumers - has resulted in improved diets for millions of the most vulnerable people in Asia and Africa. Thilsted is a native of Trinidad and Tobago and is a descendant of Indian and Hindu migrants brought to Trinidad to engage in agricultural labor.