Get To Know Pinay Collection's Jovie Galit and Her Brand's Mission | ABS-CBN
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Get To Know Pinay Collection's Jovie Galit and Her Brand's Mission
Get To Know Pinay Collection's Jovie Galit and Her Brand's Mission
Grace C. Diez
Published Oct 15, 2023 11:00 PM PHT
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Updated Oct 16, 2023 08:46 AM PHT
Maarte. Maldita. Suplada. Walang Hiya. Walang Utang na Loob.
These are hurtful words that are often hurled mindlessly in our culture that can cause insecurities and deep-seated traumas. This time around, Toronto-based Filipina calligrapher and Pinay Collection clothing line founder Jovie Galit is reclaiming these words and turning them into something empowering.
These are hurtful words that are often hurled mindlessly in our culture that can cause insecurities and deep-seated traumas. This time around, Toronto-based Filipina calligrapher and Pinay Collection clothing line founder Jovie Galit is reclaiming these words and turning them into something empowering.
Jovie recently launched a series of “Maarte, Maldita, Maganda” calligraphy workshops held in Metro Manila and Rizal. The workshop uses calligraphy and art to address and confront the impact of derogatory words in individuals. Make no mistake about it: it with a mission and Jovie took us through how this journey came about.
Jovie recently launched a series of “Maarte, Maldita, Maganda” calligraphy workshops held in Metro Manila and Rizal. The workshop uses calligraphy and art to address and confront the impact of derogatory words in individuals. Make no mistake about it: it with a mission and Jovie took us through how this journey came about.
Jovie Galit of Pinay Collection Photo by Grace Libero, using Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5
Jovie Galit of Pinay Collection Photo by Grace Libero, using Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 “In 2016, my partner gifted me a calligraphy class so for about six months of doing it, I just started practicing because it really brought me a lot of joy. Practicing calligraphy is actually mindfulness so in that process, I got to really take it slow and just engage in the art of calligraphy in a way that feels joyful and healing,” Jovie shared.
“In 2016, my partner gifted me a calligraphy class so for about six months of doing it, I just started practicing because it really brought me a lot of joy. Practicing calligraphy is actually mindfulness so in that process, I got to really take it slow and just engage in the art of calligraphy in a way that feels joyful and healing,” Jovie shared.
She eventually saw its potential as a business and she starred sharing her calligraphy work on social media. This led to even more opportunities in events and businesses.“After three years of just doing calligraphy work, I eventually launched Pinay Collection because that’s when I realized that the work that we’re doing now, this art, we can transform it into something more resonating with the Filipino community. At least dito sa diaspora [in Toronto, Canada], there are so many of us but there are so few representations in the narratives and stories that really hit home with people,” she explained.
She eventually saw its potential as a business and she starred sharing her calligraphy work on social media. This led to even more opportunities in events and businesses.“After three years of just doing calligraphy work, I eventually launched Pinay Collection because that’s when I realized that the work that we’re doing now, this art, we can transform it into something more resonating with the Filipino community. At least dito sa diaspora [in Toronto, Canada], there are so many of us but there are so few representations in the narratives and stories that really hit home with people,” she explained.
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Growing up as a child in Nueva Ecija and moving to Canada at 18 years old gave her access to both perspectives that contributed to how she works at her art. According to Jovie, being in Nueva Ecija is having a typical probinsyana life where people know everyone and you live next to rice fields without ever dealing with heavy traffic. While she and her family initially moved to a small town in Canada, there’s still a stark difference in the way she lived in the Philippines and in where they migrated.
Growing up as a child in Nueva Ecija and moving to Canada at 18 years old gave her access to both perspectives that contributed to how she works at her art. According to Jovie, being in Nueva Ecija is having a typical probinsyana life where people know everyone and you live next to rice fields without ever dealing with heavy traffic. While she and her family initially moved to a small town in Canada, there’s still a stark difference in the way she lived in the Philippines and in where they migrated.
“I realized how isolating life is. I really didn’t talk for the next six months [when I first lived here], I only talked when it’s essential but I didn’t talk to strangers. As in iiwasan kong mag-bus kasi hindi ko alam magbayad or mag-para. I kind of stopped living for a bit, there’s a lot I had to let go not only with my identity but also with my way of life,” she recalled. In a small town in Canada, there were only about 20 Filipino residents so when Jovie moved to Toronto, she found it refreshing to be in a large community of Filipinos. She feels she owes a lot to the Filipinos she’s surrounding herself with these days. She was even empowered to recently quit her corporate life to focus on her business.
“I realized how isolating life is. I really didn’t talk for the next six months [when I first lived here], I only talked when it’s essential but I didn’t talk to strangers. As in iiwasan kong mag-bus kasi hindi ko alam magbayad or mag-para. I kind of stopped living for a bit, there’s a lot I had to let go not only with my identity but also with my way of life,” she recalled. In a small town in Canada, there were only about 20 Filipino residents so when Jovie moved to Toronto, she found it refreshing to be in a large community of Filipinos. She feels she owes a lot to the Filipinos she’s surrounding herself with these days. She was even empowered to recently quit her corporate life to focus on her business.
“I think about it when doing this work. The calligraphy workshops that we’re doing these days and even the work that we do for Pinay Collection is very much formed by the experiences of the women who raised me—my mama and my mamang [grandmother]. It is also influenced by the friends I grew up with and to the community I have now,” she thoughtfully shared.
“I think about it when doing this work. The calligraphy workshops that we’re doing these days and even the work that we do for Pinay Collection is very much formed by the experiences of the women who raised me—my mama and my mamang [grandmother]. It is also influenced by the friends I grew up with and to the community I have now,” she thoughtfully shared.
She credits the Filipino community for being one of her inspirations for the mission. “We’ve been called many different words growing up. Me and my friends are in the process of reclaiming and healing out of that experience. It was very much informed by the loving and caring Filipino community that I have now and a very supportive community who tells me I can do this and that the space in this work is very much needed. Honestly, if not for them and for the way they validate me and see the value in my work, I don’t think I’d have the guts to have a flyer that says ‘walang hiya’ or ‘punyeta.’ I won’t even have an inch of confidence to lead workshops dito and pagbalik sa Pilipinas,” Jovie candidly admitted.If not for her interest in calligraphy, she wouldn’t have found this purpose and get started on the journey she is in now. It is Jovie’s daily practice of calligraphy that somehow led her to a lightbulb moment.
She credits the Filipino community for being one of her inspirations for the mission. “We’ve been called many different words growing up. Me and my friends are in the process of reclaiming and healing out of that experience. It was very much informed by the loving and caring Filipino community that I have now and a very supportive community who tells me I can do this and that the space in this work is very much needed. Honestly, if not for them and for the way they validate me and see the value in my work, I don’t think I’d have the guts to have a flyer that says ‘walang hiya’ or ‘punyeta.’ I won’t even have an inch of confidence to lead workshops dito and pagbalik sa Pilipinas,” Jovie candidly admitted.If not for her interest in calligraphy, she wouldn’t have found this purpose and get started on the journey she is in now. It is Jovie’s daily practice of calligraphy that somehow led her to a lightbulb moment.
“At some point kung magpa-practice ka everyday, mauubusan ka ng words na isusulat. So I looked at some prompts online and eventually saw some prompts that said you should start writing words that describe you or other people describe you. So I did that and for whatever reason, my words would go back towards 'maarte,' 'walang hiya,' 'maldita,' 'suplada,' 'walang utang na loob'… it would go back to those childhood experiences and early years, pivotal experiences where I would get yelled at or scrutinized,” she narrated.
“At some point kung magpa-practice ka everyday, mauubusan ka ng words na isusulat. So I looked at some prompts online and eventually saw some prompts that said you should start writing words that describe you or other people describe you. So I did that and for whatever reason, my words would go back towards 'maarte,' 'walang hiya,' 'maldita,' 'suplada,' 'walang utang na loob'… it would go back to those childhood experiences and early years, pivotal experiences where I would get yelled at or scrutinized,” she narrated.
That was when Jovie realized that writing the words that have historically pained her felt empowering when done via calligraphy. Jovie added, “In a way, na-realize ko na ito pala iyong theory ng linguistic reclamation. I never really thought of the impact of these words on me from my upbringing and the way I show up for other people until I actually slowed down and started staring at those words and engaging in this artistic journey.”
That was when Jovie realized that writing the words that have historically pained her felt empowering when done via calligraphy. Jovie added, “In a way, na-realize ko na ito pala iyong theory ng linguistic reclamation. I never really thought of the impact of these words on me from my upbringing and the way I show up for other people until I actually slowed down and started staring at those words and engaging in this artistic journey.”
This discovery in calligraphy gave her the idea to also apply in in her clothing line Pinay Collection.“If these words are in the clothing that you wear, it allows you to confront them in a way that’s empowering and it allows you to somehow impose boundaries on the words and not allow them to impose power over you. It allows you to reframe them and reclaim them and take them back on your own terms. More than ‘I know,’ it’s flipping it. I’m unapologetic about who I am. I not going to play small for anyone,” Jovie explained.
This discovery in calligraphy gave her the idea to also apply in in her clothing line Pinay Collection.“If these words are in the clothing that you wear, it allows you to confront them in a way that’s empowering and it allows you to somehow impose boundaries on the words and not allow them to impose power over you. It allows you to reframe them and reclaim them and take them back on your own terms. More than ‘I know,’ it’s flipping it. I’m unapologetic about who I am. I not going to play small for anyone,” Jovie explained.
Applying these derogatory and hurtful words in her creative and business pursuits fuel her mission and drive to continue with her work. “I think that the spaces and the workshops that we do and the clothing line that we offer can be a beautiful act of defiance against misogyny and sexism. It’s something I’ve experienced all my life on an individual level and on a systemic level din,” she says, noting that in the society we live in, many of the swear words and derogatory words are rooted in degrading women.
Applying these derogatory and hurtful words in her creative and business pursuits fuel her mission and drive to continue with her work. “I think that the spaces and the workshops that we do and the clothing line that we offer can be a beautiful act of defiance against misogyny and sexism. It’s something I’ve experienced all my life on an individual level and on a systemic level din,” she says, noting that in the society we live in, many of the swear words and derogatory words are rooted in degrading women.
“They’ve been normalized so much and ingrained in our society na, ay ganu’n na lang… so that’s the inspiration I work from in conversations and spaces like these. The clothing line Pinay Collection is not only relevant but also empowering in the sense that they challenge those deeply ingrained misogyny and sexism that persists in our society and they provide a platform for healing, for open dialogue, and support. It allows us to reclaim our voices and challenge those harmful languages and attitudes that perpetuate in our system,” Jovie pensively remarked. Utilizing this concept came with challenges too. She has been criticized on why she uses bad words in Filipino language and she would even receive DMs saying things like “shame on you for doing this work” or “how dare you!” However, Jovie remains unfazed.
“They’ve been normalized so much and ingrained in our society na, ay ganu’n na lang… so that’s the inspiration I work from in conversations and spaces like these. The clothing line Pinay Collection is not only relevant but also empowering in the sense that they challenge those deeply ingrained misogyny and sexism that persists in our society and they provide a platform for healing, for open dialogue, and support. It allows us to reclaim our voices and challenge those harmful languages and attitudes that perpetuate in our system,” Jovie pensively remarked. Utilizing this concept came with challenges too. She has been criticized on why she uses bad words in Filipino language and she would even receive DMs saying things like “shame on you for doing this work” or “how dare you!” However, Jovie remains unfazed.
“I think that’s part of the work when you’re trying to change mindsets, trying to change narratives—naturally, may resistance. Somehow may hatred din from people who also haven’t healed from these experiences and who also think what we’re doing is wrong. I’ve learned over the years that what we are not to blame our titas and people who do not like this work for things like these because they’ve also been through the same trauma that we’ve been through,” she said, adding that in the process she interrogates herself and think of how she has also been complicit in this culture at some point in her life. She hopes that with the calligraphy workshops, people would find the capacity to understand more and heal.
“I think that’s part of the work when you’re trying to change mindsets, trying to change narratives—naturally, may resistance. Somehow may hatred din from people who also haven’t healed from these experiences and who also think what we’re doing is wrong. I’ve learned over the years that what we are not to blame our titas and people who do not like this work for things like these because they’ve also been through the same trauma that we’ve been through,” she said, adding that in the process she interrogates herself and think of how she has also been complicit in this culture at some point in her life. She hopes that with the calligraphy workshops, people would find the capacity to understand more and heal.
“Everyone has the right to engage in this art, we all have the right to heal and these issues impacted all of us. But it really is in unpacking hurtful words because hurtful words tend to sit with us for a long time. We think about them a lot, make us feel insecure and oftentimes, we internalize them and we end up believing them about ourselves. The way I that I saw these spaces, if these hurtful, sexist words are going to live with us, we might as well have a bada*s relationship with them. Sige lang, but let me build a healthy relationship with you, let me take you back, reappropriate and reframe you in my own terms and empower me as I go,” she mused.
“Everyone has the right to engage in this art, we all have the right to heal and these issues impacted all of us. But it really is in unpacking hurtful words because hurtful words tend to sit with us for a long time. We think about them a lot, make us feel insecure and oftentimes, we internalize them and we end up believing them about ourselves. The way I that I saw these spaces, if these hurtful, sexist words are going to live with us, we might as well have a bada*s relationship with them. Sige lang, but let me build a healthy relationship with you, let me take you back, reappropriate and reframe you in my own terms and empower me as I go,” she mused.
Join the “Maarte Maldita, Maganda” calligraphy workshop on October 22, 2023, 2:00 pm to 4:30 pm at Manila Middle Ground located at 2F, Unit 6, Comuna, 238 Pablo Ocampo Sr. Extension, San Antonio, Makati City. Click here to register.
Lead photo from @pinaycollection
Lead photo from @pinaycollection
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