A former overseas Filipino worker (OFW) made it to Asia Society’s Asia 21 Young Leaders Class of 2018.
Xyza Cruz Bacani, along with two more Filipinos, will represent the country in the 13th Annual Young Leaders Summit in Manila.
Bacani was only 18 when she went to Hong Kong to work as a household service worker.
She started taking photos with a camera she bought through a loan from her employer.
She has earned a name for herself through black and white photos on labor and migration.
Among her achievements are being a part of BBC’s 100 Women of the World 2015, 30 Under 30 Women Photographers 2016, Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia 2016, and a Fujifilm Ambassador.
In a post on her social media, Bacani said that she usually goes to an area she plans to photograph everyday until the people there get used to her presence.
Aside from Bacani, Jam Acuzar and Paul Rivera also made it to the list. Acuzar founded Bellas Artes Projects, an advocacy organization working to promote accessible art in different communities.
Meanwhile, Rivera is the founder of Kalibrr, a recruitment website that helps connecting employers to job-hunters.
Their nomination to the Asia 21 Young Leaders Initiative will connect them with 900 other professionals to make an influence in the global scene.
