By Eva C. Visperas

 

ON Tuesday evening, September 19, 2023, I had to set aside all my scheduled tasks, prompted by a message from a fellow Puncher, Farah Decano. She invited me to join a virtual program of Lyceum Northwestern University’s Rule of Law Month, Gender Card event, featuring the esteemed Loida Lewis.

The message read, “Hi fellow Puncher! We select people we give this link to. We have Loida Nicolas Lewis as our guest sa LNU College of Law. Event starts at 8pm tonight. Pero call time is 7:30pm.” I received it just before the Angelus, prompting me to quickly have dinner and freshen up for the online event.

I couldn’t afford to miss the opportunity to listen to Loida Lewis, an icon in her field and an inspiration to many.

Why wouldn’t anyone be awed by her sterling record, power, wealth, and love story?

Although the event was hosted by the LNU College of Law, I never felt left out of their discussion. It felt personal, interesting, especially for individuals striving to achieve success in life, love, and business matters.

Farah’s approach to the virtual discussion was unconventional, allowing us to delve into Loida’s mind and heart as she shared her thoughts and insights on success, among other topics.

It was like watching Karen Davila on ANC while Farah conducted the interview with Loida. I loved that part! It was light, easy, relaxed, and left viewers like me craving more of the Q&A.

Loida, born in Sorsogon, shared that her father instilled in her the values of hard work, common sense, problem-solving, determination, thriftiness, and faith in God.

Loida is the widow of TLC Beatrice founder and CEO Reginald Lewis. How wealthy were they, you ask? Well, brace yourself, ladies and gentlemen. Mr. Lewis was one of the richest black American men in the 1980s and the first African-American to build a billion-dollar company: TLC Beatrice International Holdings Inc. In short, Reginald was incredibly wealthy, a titan.

Loida met Reginald on a blind date. It’s like something out of a romance movie! It turns out blind dates can lead to forever love!

She is no ordinary woman. She passed the bar exams in both the Philippines and the U.S. and in 1974, became the first Asian woman to pass the New York Bar, making her eligible to practice law in both the Philippines and the United States.

As an immigration lawyer, Loida has had a significant impact, particularly in advocating for the rights of Filipino immigrants living in America.

Ang yaman-yaman nilang mag-asawa! But sadly, her husband passed away at the young age of 50. However, she proved to everyone that she could continue her husband’s legacy. She did not let the sun stop shining.

She fittingly said, “Anything men can do, we can do, maybe not better but differently.”

How to deal with critics? She advised, “It’s alright. If it is not true, let it go. Let it not stay in your heart.”

For businessmen, she said, “Profit with honor.”

She expressed gratitude to LNU for beginning the virtual program with a prayer, something she’s accustomed to, like during board meetings.

And the key to success? She shared, “When opportunity comes, take it and try to do your best. You learn from your mistakes. If at first you didn’t succeed, try and try again.”

Set your goal, have a code of ethics (Obey the golden rule), and determination (Don’t go with people who say you can’t do it).

One lesson from Loida that will always stay with me: “Life has crosses to bear but there’s always a resurrection.”

Share your Comments or Reactions

comments

Powered by Facebook Comments