Filipino-American businesswoman and philanthropist Loida Nicolas Lewis received the "Trailblazer of Democracy" award this week at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York City. The Eleanor's Legacy organization handed the award to Lewis and the other Trailblazer awardees on October 24. Lewis became the CEO of her husband Reginald F. Lewis' investment firm TLC Beatrice following his untimely death at the age of 50. Lewis was the first Asian woman to pass the bar exam in New York without studying in the United States. Aside from Lewis, the other awardees are:
Rep. Kathy Hochul; Pamela Flaherty, and Lisa Rosenblum. Lewis is the first and only Filipina to receive the award so far. Eleanor's Legacy recognizes women's political candidates who follow in the footsteps of former United States First Lady Anna Eleanor Roosevelt (October 11, 1884 to November 7, 1962), wife of the late US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt (January 30, 1882 to April 12, 1945). Mr. Roosevelt was the 32nd President of the United States (1933–1945). One of America's leading Filipina women New York Senator Charles Schumer, the guest of honor during the awarding ceremony, said, ""Loida Lewis is one of America's leading Filipina women." "Fifteen years ago, when there was a desperate shortage of nurses in this country, and the talent of Filipina women to come here and be nurses was being blocked by the same kind of non-thinking approach to immigration that too many exhibit in Washington today," Schumer said. "Loida led the charge to change. There are now thousands of Filipina nurses in America, and particularly in New York," the senator added. Upon receiving the award, Lewis said, "I accept this with great honor and humility, and I am honored to represent my fellow Filipinos." When asked about the secret of her success, Lewis answered: goal setting, maintaining order in one's life and having determination in one's endeavors. She pointed out that the three key words spell out GOD. "With God, everything is possible. Nothing is impossible," she said. "Nasa tao ang gawa, nasa Diyos ang awa" she added. "God has been so good to me, he has given me so many benefits and advantages, we have to give back, we have to share and that’s what I’m doing." A philanthropist As a philanthropist, Lewis has contributed to several causes, such as The Lewis College in her hometown of Sorsogon in the Philippines which gives scholarships to Filipino children from pre-kindergarten to university level. Lewis is also a trustee of the Philippine Development Foundation, a non-profit organization which provides Filipino students with scholarships in science and technology. Lewis also leads programs like the People's Alternative Livelihood Foundation which has helped 20,000 families in the Philippines rise from poverty through micro-financing. In Mr. Lewis' hometown of Baltimore in Maryland, the public high school — the Reginald F. Lewis High School for Business and Law — was named after her husband. Mr. Lewis' Foundation supports the school by donating to the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship to teach students how to start their own businesses. - VVP, GMA News 
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