Fil-Am philanthropist Loida Nicolas Lewis to new OFWs in Europe: 'Don’t forget your heritage'

As more migrant Filipino workers are expected to arrive in Europe in the coming months, Filipino-American community icon Loida Nicolas Lewis is reminding them to not forget their heritage.

Nicolas Lewis said she favors the labor deals the Philippines has signed with several Central European countries, including Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, and Hungary. These agreements have adjusted several labor requirements and increased the quotas for migrant Filipinos coming there for work.

“For those who are here [in Europe], or those of you who have children, please emphasize the background of the Philippines: how we fought [and almost won] against the Spaniards, [who] our heroes [are], and then [how] America came to snatch [the victory] from us,” Nicolas Lewis said in her short remarks at the United Nations Office in Vienna. 

She was at the Austrian capital as part of her speaking tour in Europe to promote her memoir, "Why Should Guys Have All the Fun?" on June 10.

Nicolas Lewis spoke about regretting not giving that opportunity to her two daughters with her late husband, Reginald F. Lewis.

“My regret comes from the recognition that America is still racist in the sense that many people think that once you are African American or Black, you are inferior. So, together with my husband, I had to emphasize [to my daughters] that ‘Black is beautiful,’ that African Americans helped make the United States, and that we are all equal in the eyes of God,” she said

“I may have made it too much. In retrospect, I should have at least said something about the proud history of the Philippines,” Nicolas Lewis added.

However, she said she is trying to address this by teaching her grandchildren Filipino words and culture.

“Aside from that, [I’m trying to teach them] the core values of Filipinos, which are compassion, doing your work [well], and respecting elders. That’s why I’m very impressed when [young third culture] Filipinos see me and say, ‘Mano po’. Wow! Their mother taught them well to respect their elders!” she said.

Learning the ropes

Nicolas Lewis’s fireside chat at the United Nations Office in Vienna was attended by several Filipino community leaders, long-time nurses, and representatives of civic groups in Austria and neighboring countries.

Poet Camilo C. Antonio led the group with a poetry reading, while Nicolas Lewis’ niece, Broadway singer Lora Nicolas Olaes, facilitated the discussion.

Speaking about how she has dealt with criticism, Nicolas Lewis said she finds strength in her faith and how it helped her cope with grief following the untimely demise of her husband in 1993. 

“Whatever I did [in the business], I did because it had to be done. All I am saying is that we are all heroes in the sense that we are able to overcome whatever it is,” she said. 

“So my message to anyone: When an opportunity comes, tell your children, ‘Take it!’. You don’t say, ‘I’m not ready,’ because you will learn the job as you go along.”

Since 2023, the influential Filipino-American businesswoman has been going on book tours to promote her memoir whose title is a wordplay after her husband's best-selling book, "Why Should White Guys Have All the Fun?". —KBK, GMA Integrated News