Our Story
Our Story
Salamat for stopping by!
Kumusta?
My name is Jovie Galit and I am the founder of Pinay Collection! I am a multifaceted creator whose work lies in the intersectionalities of art, entrepreneurship, and social justice.
As a trained Hand lettering artist, my work with the Tagalog language has been focused on reclaiming pejorative words through the art of calligraphy. This work, alongside the need for more intentional and grounded representation of Pinay realities in the diaspora - strongly inspired me to launch Pinay Collection in the fall of 2019.
Born and raised in Nueva Ecija, Philippines, I came to Canada as a settler in 2011 as a young adult. Indeed, my immigration journey has moulded the person I've become and the person that I am for my community. Outside of my artistic role, I have extensive experience developing community work and advocating for newcomer & Filipino families within so called Canada - work that continues to ground me and my entrepreneurial values.
I'd like to thank you for being here, for supporting our movement, for resonating with our stories. Salamat for believing in the work of an Immigrant Pinay, for believing in our joy and sense of freedom that comes with the strength of owning our struggles and identities. I hope that you feel seen, valued, and represented in these pieces. And I hope that you know that you have a community in us, regardless of where you are.
Maraming salamat, Kapatid.
Our Commitment to our Community
Pinay Collection was born out of the aspiration to amplify and own our Pilipina/x identity in the diaspora.
Our commitment is centred around amplifying Filipina/x narratives in ways that are rooted in community purpose and care.
Our platforms aim to build support around our shared pain and histories as Pilipina/xs.
Our partnerships work to re-distribute space and resources to communities in the diaspora and the homeland.
All of these efforts are centred in shared learning and helping mobilize our community towards social impact.
In the face of colonial forces that seek to keep Filipina women down, this Pinay Collection is a powerful and necessary act of defiance.
For so long the narratives of Filipina/xs have been shaped by people other than us. Our colonizers and other oppressive forces have rendered us quiet, submissive, subservient, and inferior. All the things that I – and many of the Filipina/xs in my life – are not.
This is why it’s so important for us to reclaim the word “Pinay” and why it’s so important for us to #WearPinay. To take back this word and make it ours again; to define it on our own terms.
But Pinay Collection goes even deeper than this. This brand – dare I say movement? – isn’t just about our colonizers or external forces that have kept us down. It’s also a statement against those within the Filipino community, our own families, our own intimate relations who are guilty too of keeping us down, who use our very own mother tongue against us.
In Pinay Collection’s line you’ll find words like maldita, maarte, lakwatsera, ambisyosa front and centre of the fashion. Extra, bratty, a woman who goes out “too much”, a woman who is “too ambitious”. They are all Tagalog words that have been used against Filipina/x to shame us, silence us, make us feel small.
Tara na!
#WearPinay
Maraming Salamat for being here, with us. I hope that you will continue to join our movement by using the hashtag #WearPinay on social media. We all know that Pina/xys have been historically and undeniably loud, brown, and proud - join us as we amplify our strong collective voices even more!
Testimonials
@kmvdananThis line was always about confronting the words that our titas (aunts) and nanays (moms) used to make us feel milennial Filipinas feel some kinda way as we were growing up. I'm most amused by the fact that when I strut around my Punyeta bag or Maarte sweater, the titas are all over it. I love how Pinay Collection has been bringing healing and laughter that many of us Pinay daughters have carried since childhood.
@tinylittlecactiJust found your page and Oh. My. God. I just love it so much. these words I grew up with doesn't hurt so much anymore. Thank you for doing that for me. Really. My mom used to say these fucking lines and it would piss me off every time. Now, after reacding each of your clothing descriptions, it's like taking back the power and standing up for yourself.