The “I’’s” have it: Integrity, Innovation & Impact
January 1, 2021
You can say a lot about the year that was 2020.
There’s one thing that’s undeniable, for better or for worse — this is the year that no one will ever forget.
Yet, there’s been no year that has taught, challenged me more than these past 12 months.
I started off 2020 with a personal breakthrough, fueled by the momentum that was ignited in 2019.
If 2019 was about finding clarity and 2020 was executing on that, then 2021 is about rallying and leading the way to a future that builds upon the “I”’s — Integrity, Innovation and Impact.
And investing….in innovation and people.
Integrity
There are many ways to define integrity.
It’s not only about “honesty and having strong moral principles” but it’s “state of being whole and undivided.”
We are not out of the woods from what 2020 left us. One thing is for sure, strength comes from within — no one can give you that. Everyone is on their own journey to find that strength but you don’t have to do it alone.
We live on concurrent, but not competitive paths — this is where we can collectively come together as a community — thus grow our own strengths in the process.
Innovation
My day job literally has me working on an innovation team. So it’s no coincidence that taking all the experience and skills I have acquired in the course of 16+ years, could be leveraged into something that leaves an impact — whether that’s providing reliable information to a vulnerable to rethinking how we come together as a community and industry conference — innovation comes in many forms. The point is to keep adapting, pivoting and innovating.
Impact
When innovation and integrity are put together, anything is possible even in the most trying times. In 2020, I’ve had the honor to lead and be part of teams that are working to make an impact. Impact has a cascading effect — from the people being helped to those involved in the project — I’ve seen this firsthand. It’s what motivates and inspires me to keep going.
So for 2021, I’d like to add another “I” for the year — Invest.
Invest
Let me know where I can help you. In 2020, I’ve crossed paths with people I haven’t talked to in decades and also made new connections I don’t think I would have in any other situation. I’d like to keep that going.
Reach out — I’d love to hear what you are up to and where I can help: leezel@leezeltanglao.com
Vice versa, if you are interested in lending a hand with some of the many projects I’m involved in, here are a few:
Caretaker Project — Tayo virtual help desk
Launched in October 2020 thanks to a Booz Allen Foundation Innovation grant, we were able to stand up a website and run a pilot from October to December 2020. This project seeks to provides vital and reliable information to Filipinos during COVID19 — a group that’s been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.
Read about what we’ve done so far and where we are going: Tayo: It’s you. It’s me. It’s us.
Launch: Tulong na Tayo: Taking Care of the Caretakers
How you can help: funding, strategic partnerships
Impact metric tool
I incubated this project through a 2019–2020 Reynolds Journalism Fellowship. My final deliverable was a prototype tool that was able to flag real world impact after a story was published. But there’s more to do. I’m currently looking for funding to not only build out the reactive part of this tool but the proactively end as well.
More: https://www.rjionline.org/stories/rji-fellows-tool-measures-impact-with-context
How you can help: funding
Blood Debts
I launched this podcast in October 2020 to kickstart the conversation on how debts impacts our lives in profound ways beyond money. Told through 10 minute episodes via stories from the Filipino diaspora, I start to unpack the good, the bad and long-lasting impacts of debt. Guests from Season 1 include Retired General Major Antonio Taguba, Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray and Kumu cofounder Roland Ros.
Listen on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Deezer, PlayerFM or wherever you listen to podcasts.
If you like our episodes, don’t forget to leave us a review on Apple podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/blood-debts/id1534578115
Subscribe to our newsletter: https://bit.ly/blooddebtsnewsletter
If you want to support this series, you can buy me a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/blooddebts
How you can help: recommend it to a friend, suggestions on other people to interview, funding
I don’t know what 2021 will bring and that’s ok.
I’m not afraid of living in the gray.
In fact, there’s nothing more Filipino than that — being between two or more spaces at the same time.
Uncertainty can bring innovation in the most unexpected ways.
Let’s do this.