Featuring an innovative talk emphasizing women’s leadership and the strength of creative strategy in celebration of International Women’s Month in March, the Developers Society Benilde’s (DEVSOC), “EmpowerHer: Navigating the Future by Design” commenced on April 10 at the 2/F Unionbank Atrium Campus.
Recognizing the struggles of women being in male-dominated fields, DEVSOC returned for the second time around, continuing its commemoration to Women’s Month by highlighting the strength of women and their journeys in these fields.
This year, they focused on filmmaking and technology, featuring speakers Ms. Karen Jane Salutan-Krukover, CEO and founder of EdukSine Studios Corporation and Eduksine USA, as well as Ms. Lani Jane Cidro, a professional with 13 years of experience in the banking industry and expertise in system migration and digital transformation. They shared their insights and journeys in their respective fields, along with valuable lessons that students can learn from.
The startup
As reflected in the event’s theme, EmpowerHer aims to empower women in different fields. Project Manager and Chief Operating Officer, Danielle Ysabel Gasper, an ID124 student from the Information Systems (BS-IS) program, shares the desire for having EmpowerHer as an annual event for DEVSOC, displaying the hardships that women go through likely due to the differences in gender and stereotypes and appreciating how women are able to shape the future, not only in technology but also in other related fields.
Behind the system
The event was divided into two parts, the first of which was a block screening of “The Adventures of Kween Jhonabelle,” a film written and directed by Mr. Carlo James Buan from EdukSine. It showcased the life story of Jhonabelle as she graduates from Senior High School and tries to apply to a prestigious university yet her plans come to a stop, as her aunt leaves her and her brother, JhanJhan, to fend for themselves. Struggling to afford to take care of her family, Jhonabelle searched for different types of job so that she could earn enough money. Unfortunately, problems arise which places Jhonabelle in a much harder situation than before.
Represented by the Creations Operations Lead Ms. Amira Al-Sobeh, EdukSine Corporations aims to empower independent Filipino filmmakers to bring their films locally and internationally. It all started when Ms. Salutan-Krukover had the idea of bringing attention to inspirational films that make people continue on being hopeful and achieving big dreams.
EdukSine addressed challenges in the Filipino film community by organizing different modes of block screenings and launching a website showcasing categorized films, including Women Empowerment, also promoting inclusivity by adding sign language interpreters for deaf audiences in indie screenings.
The next event was a talk on leadership in the technology industry. Ms. Cidro led the session and shared her journey from banking and technology, noting that leadership isn’t about the position one holds in the company, but the behavior, soft skills, and influence. Miscommunication happens a lot and one way to avoid it is to think outside the role, to think beyond a developer or a designer. Being adaptable in situations also helps but it all roots down to being able to guide the team to more growth opportunities.
At the end of her talk, she stated “code gets you hired but leadership grows your career.”
User interaction
EmpowerHer hopes to be a reflection that women are able to shape the future of technology and filmmaking, bringing even more knowledge to what is already known and recognized. DEVSOC President, Ansell Fajardo, an ID124 BS-IS student, noticed the stereotypical viewpoint of women in the tech industry which is why in this event they wanted to prioritize the perspectives of others to change that stereotype and learn experiences by inviting women to share theirs.
He states to The Benildean that, “[...] In the end, we reached the main goal of sending the main message to everyone which is empowering women's month.”
Meanwhile, Andrea Ochotorena, an ID123 BS-IS student, shared in an interview with The Benildean that this industry made her realize her capability of organizing teams, supporting initiatives, and creating environments where people can learn or grow. With that, she is able to balance structure and unite a team towards a shared goal. Although, there are cases where doubt enters, she noted that “[...] just because you feel uncertain does not mean you are not capable.”
As time goes on, more women are entering fields that are known to be dominated by men and through their journeys, it is becoming more inclusive and more ideas are being introduced compared to before. Not only focusing on technology, but also embracing greater creativity, allowing more ideas and designs to emerge into the world since that is what’s needed to improve.
Women joining the tech industry creates an influence into future opportunities. For Ms. Cidro, she noted that women bring empathy into the industry, that they are able to understand their team members and clients which led them to identifying weak points and other issues they can resolve. Similarly, Ochotorena shared that collaboration and inclusion highlights the importance in tech, where decisions can affect many people. She also added that these qualities lead to more thoughtful and responsible solutions.
In a STEM-related field, women continue to add more to what has already been placed. Women in these types of fields are able to address misconceptions and stereotypes by proving to those who belittle, that they are worth it alongside those who are already there.
