BOMA Celebrates Filipino American History Month

This October marks Filipino American History Month, a time to celebrate the experiences, lives, and many societal contributions of the Filipino Community.
 
BOMA Silicon Valley President Brian Chavez spoke with BOMA member Abigail George of JLL, who shared her story and what her Filipino heritage means to her personally and professionally.

How do you describe your cultural identity or ethnicity?

I’m 100% Filipino, born and raised in Manila, until my Mom and I migrated to the US when I was nine years old. And because I’ve lived in the US for so long and have grown to appreciate and love this nation as much as I do the Philippines, I consider myself a Filipino American.

What family traditions did you have growing up? 

 The traditions that immediately come to mind revolve around family gatherings with a lot of food and music. Whether it was or is a birthday, baptism, or just a general family gathering, the “tradition” has always been to spend time together preparing the bountiful spread of traditional food (or the “handa”) and always playing music, singing and dancing. We’re blessed that my two sisters always led the charge with music, and rightfully so since they’re amazing singers and dancers (Cha Cha, Swing, Disco Jive, you name it!).

What types of foods were cooked for special occasions when you were growing up? 

 This is a long list because I come from a family of excellent cooks, particularly my Mom. There are the “basics” such as the various types of Pancit (noodles), Lumpia (egg rolls), Lechon (roast pig) and grilled whole fish and grilled pork belly. In our family, we always included Kare Kare (oxtail stew), Kaldereta or Mechado (types of beef stew). Hungry yet?

Is there a traditional way that people in your culture dress for special occasions? 

 Typically, during weddings or milestone birthday celebrations, my aunts and uncles and older cousins will wear our native or national dress, Barong Tagalog (formal shirts for the men and dresses for the women). Whatever the attire, we always keep in mind comfort…mainly for all the eating and dancing!

What are the three most important things that people should know about your culture? 

 The Filipino people are extremely hard-working loyal people. Hard work comes naturally to us. Having been raised by my Mom and Grandmother (“Lola”) and seeing them work 2-3 jobs at a time to get us through our toughest times, is evidence of this. We are also a people of Faith; going to church was never an option. Last but not least, we LOVE to party; we love to cook, eat, feed people (a lot), dance, sing, and truly enjoy time with family and friends. 

From your perspective, what is the most commonly held misconception about people of your culture?

Define and describe the most important (or most celebrated) holiday/s of your culture. 
What we consider to be our “religious” holidays such as Easter and Christmas are the most celebrated. Christmas because “Jesus is Born” and Easter because “Jesus Has Risen”. For Christmas Eve, especially in the Philippines, the celebration towards Christmas Day is all day and through the night, or “Noche Buena” which means “Good Night”. This is when families gather for dinner and continue to feast all the way through midnight, attend midnight mass to ring in the birth of Jesus, and continue to feast after the Mass. 

What does being a Filipino-American business professional mean to you?

 It means having a great deal of pride and gratitude; I’m proud to have the opportunity to bring in my Filipino values of hard work and commitment into my work and grateful for the opportunities given to me over the years by people I’ve worked with and for.

Have you ever faced challenges in your career based on gender or ethnicity, and how did you overcome them?

I’ve never faced challenges based on gender or ethnicity; I’ve been blessed to have worked with, and continue to work with, professional, inspiring and very supportive people. Particularly at JLL.

Have you found that your culture has influenced your work performance? If yes, can you provide a couple examples?

Absolutely; I approach work (generally speaking and day to day) with absolute dedication and commitment. Working hard and persevering is very much in me, much like it was with my Mom and Lola.

What was your first professional job and what did you learn from it?
I was placed by a temp agency to be a Front Office Receptionist for Spieker Properties (a REIT, owner/operator) in Concord. While in this position, I quickly learned that Commercial Real Estate, particularly Property Management, was an area I wanted to explore and can see myself learning a lot from.

How long have you been in CRE and how did you get into it?

I started in CRE, with Spieker Properties, in 1998. Then in September 2001, I joined JLL as an Assistant General Manager in Walnut Creek.

What does Diversity, Equity and Inclusion mean to you and has your company implemented it?
To me, it means everyone within the company is welcomed, supported and empowered. JLL is absolutely focused on DEI and DEI initiatives; JLL fosters a workplace that promotes diversity and encourages everyone to thrive. It creates a supportive environment that drives innovation, creativity and results.

How long have you been with JLL?

I’ve been with JLL for 21 years now, how time flies!

Has your role changed since you’ve been here? If yes, how?

My long-term career path in CRE essentially started with JLL in 2001; I was hired as an Assistant General Manager, was promoted to be a General Manager after a couple of years. And from there, became a Group Manager for the East Bay/Silicon Valley, and ultimately assumed my current role as Executive VP, Market Lead for the greater Bay Area.

What’s your favorite part about working here?

 Hands down, it is our people, our culture. Leadership within JLL truly embodies the word, “Leader”; they lead with integrity and passion. Everyone here is here to collaborate, build a better business for tomorrow, to challenge yet support one another and to celebrate each other’s successes. I can’t imagine a more supportive and thoughtful company to work for and I’m honored to be in this family.