BIJON
"Bijon," a fashion project highlighting Filipino excellence. We styled, interviewed and captured individuals like Small Business Minister Rechie Valdez and TV producer James Hebrio who shared their stories, shedding light on the influence of culture on their lives and how it shaped their career paths.
Rechie Valdez
Small Business Minister of Canada
“I really lean into my ‘Filipino-ness’. That hard work. That grit. That dedication. That devotion and that passion is certainly something that bring into work every single day.” This quote embodies both the energy and the elegance Rechie Valdez brought to her series of portraits that day. Her dedication, devotion and passion have propelled her to be the first Filipina MP in Canadian parliament. In this interview gives a insight as to who she is and what challenges she’s had to overcome to get to where she is today.
JAMES HEBRIO
Filipino TV - TV Producer / Sports Anchor
We sat down with Filipino TV's anchor James Herbio, to hear about his journey and how he broke into the industry. Starting his journey in America hopping state to state getting a taste of the multi-cultural landscape he eventually landed in Toronto where he would start his career. James leaves us with a final note that he’s noticed about his cultural community that “…no matter where I went, Filipinos, they go beyond (expectations).”
BIJON is an ongoing project highlighting and celebrating Filipino excellence produced by Marcel Tualla and captured by Mark Gallardo. If you or anyone you know has a lesson learned or a story to tell, please contact me.
contact@markgallardo.com