CoCo deep dives into topics with advocates for mental health, financial literacy and the LGBTQIA+ community
Last October 19, CoCo held its own Fam Hall (inspired by Town Hall meetings) entitled #TaraCocoTayo with fan-favorite content creators and guest speakers. The Fam Hall, hosted by none other than Janina Vela, highlighted pressing advocacies among members of the current generation.
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Janina started the event by reminding the audience that, “Everything is better when we're sharing it together,” which is why CoCo decided to hold an event that sheds light on topics important to this generation. She adds, “We want these drinks to be more than just the refreshing bubble tea you always drink; we want this to be part of your memories.”
To start the discussions (PechaKucha style!), mental health advocate Geli Cruz talked about hope, hopelessness and what we can do to protect our peace as well as mental health. “Knowing where to invest our energy” plays a big role in taking care of yourself. She goes on to say, “Finding hope is not easy but we can choose to do it anyway. We have the power of choice.” With this, we are reminded of how important it is to take our time, pause and reframe our hopeless thoughts.
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To continue the engaging conversation, LGBTQIA+ advocate Albiean Revalde inspired us to take up space, reclaim negative words thrown at us and flourish by making our own definition of ourselves. Albiean notes, “Our visibility is not just for ourselves, but for our community.” This reminder is timely as we work towards a better future.
Albiean also talked about the role of allies in empowering the LGBTQIA+ community: “I believe that to be an authentic ally…you should be integrating yourself into the community you’re advocating for.” And with that, we can’t wait to see more brands follow in CoCo’s footsteps to embody that message of allyship.
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To end the presentations, investment advisor and wealth coach Ailyn Caringal emphasized her advocacy of empowering Filipinos to be financially independent. She reminds the audience that dealing with financial literacy has a lot to do with “how you save, protect, invest and earn money.” She also stresses the importance of saving up for yourself and your future, because no one else will do it for you. Here, Ailyn also prompts us to invest wisely and do the research before making a big decision.
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CoCo’s three guest speakers, Geli, Albiean and Ailyn, exceeded our expectations and changed our perspective on how we look at certain issues. The afternoon with CoCo was definitely refreshing and eye-opening. Seeing brands stirring up important conversations is always a step in the right direction. Tara, CoCo tayo!
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Words Julia Makalintal
Art Matthew Ian Fetalver
