In the Tagalog language, being unapologetic is often referred to as being “bastos" – meaning vulgar or shameless – which in turn, is generally used as a put-down. We always try to reclaim that narrative by giving the Filipinx community, particularly women and gender non-conforming folks, a space to shine unapologetically.
We believe it's super important to disrupt the traditional media landscape and create the reflections of ourselves that we want to see in the world. To see people who look like us represented in an empowering, beautiful way positively impacts not just ourselves, but also has intergenerational and cross-cultural effects.
Asian culture is not a monolith; within the over 7,000 islands that came to be grouped together and called the Philippines under Spanish colonization, we have over 180 living languages alone. Too often our identities are erased within the already marginalized “Asian American” demographic – despite Filipinos being the second largest Asian immigrant group to the US. While solidarity amongst Asian Americans (and with ALL QTBIPOC groups) is critically important, we feel like it’s important for us to also make our own voices heard, to embrace and share our own cultures, and to be proud of who we uniquely are.
There’s more than enough room for all of us.
04: THE fashion ISSUE
Hella Pinay 04: The Fashion Issue (Fall/Winter’24) marks our return to print after an almost two-year hiatus! Our biggest issue yet (!!) filled with original interviews and editorials focused on fashion, beauty and design from the Philippines and diaspora.
Cover: Reigning in Manila. Savina Rise Mizrahi photographed by Belg Belgica. Styling by Jodinand Aguillon using vintage and antique textiles from Glorious Dias.
Also featuring:
Tern Out 4 Terno | Aiala | Glyn Alley | Kabuté | Lawrence De leon | Katawhayan: Medicina for the Heart/Land/Mind | Paglinang: Parangal Dance Company Cultivates Connections | Blaze Revlon | JELLY Diner | Keith LaFuente
WHO WE ARE
Hella Pinay is a queer-led independent media platform building bridges across creative subcultures in the Philippines and Filipina/o/x diaspora. Founded in New York in 2016 and now based in Oakland, CA, we aim to cultivate healing spaces of joy, self-expression and consent that center women, femmes, queer and TGNC folks.
Frustrated by the lack of representation in mainstream and traditional Filipino media, Hella Pinay was created as a platform for us to tell our own diverse, complex stories; a space to cover emerging creative culture and explore the many intersections of diasporic identity. Since then, we've launched a biannual print magazine, created digital content for hellapinay.com, thrown parties in NYC/Manila/the Bay, connected with a super-engaged global community, and built a team of contributors from LA to Manila to Toronto.
Founder & Editor-in-Chief: Stephanie Gancayco
Print/Merch Design: Vi Viray
Stockists
Atomic Books
3620 Falls Rd, Baltimore, MD 21211
BāS Bookshop
1154 Nuuanu Ave, Honolulu, HI 96817
Casa Magazines
22 8th Ave, New York, NY 10014
Cone Shape Top
5200 Adeline St, Oakland, CA 94608
Eastwind Books of Berkeley
2066 University Ave, Berkeley, CA 94704
Eternal Now
Oakland, CA
FEELTRIP RECORDS / NO REQUESTS
2321 N Keystone Ave, Chicago, IL 60639
Native Sol
2018 E 4th St, Long Beach, CA 90814
Native Sol Oak Park
3328 Broadway, Sacramento, CA 95817
Obet & Del’s Coffee
5233 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027
Pegasus Books
2349 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley, CA 94704
1855 Solano Ave, Berkeley, CA 94707
5560 College Ave, Oakland, CA 94618
Skylight Books
1818 N Vermont Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027
The Stacks Record Shop
965 B St, Hayward, CA 94541
With My Sister
5636 Shattuck Avenue, Oakland, CA 94609