FUN FACT: In the mid-2000's, Mx. Manila sang this song LIVE with world-renowned and Portland-based band, PINK MARTINI accompanied by bandleader, Mr. Thomas M. Lauderdale, back-up vocals with Mr. Timothy Nishimoto and with violin by Ms. Paloma Griffin during their live performance concerts from Peacock In The Park to the Crystal Ballroom.
AIDS Clinical Trials Unit
Alki Beach Pride
Amazon
Artist Trust
Asian Counseling & Referral Service
Avalara
Bob Snell & Leanna Karg Photography
Brian Buck Photography
Burien Pride
(The) Broadway Grill
Capitol Hill Al-Ano Club
Center for Multi-Cultural Health
Center on Contemporary Art
Comeback
Drag Out The Vote National Campaign
Eli's Park
Entre Hermanos
Gan Bei Eatery & Bar
Gay Bingo since 2008
Gay City Health Project
Gen2Gen
Gender Justice League
Generations with Pride
GenPlace
Greater Seattle Business Association
Henry Art Gallery
Hood Famous Cafe & Bakeshop
Hugo House
Imperial Sovereign Court of Seattle
International Imperial Court System
Ingersoll Gender Center
Julia's On Broadway
Kilig
King County Library System
Kitsap Pride
Langston Hughes Performance Center
Lifelong (AIDS Alliance)
Massive Club
Musang
Museum of History and Industry
Nate Gowdy Photography
Nark Magazine
Neighbors Nightclub
Olympia Pride
Pagidiriwang Festival
PCAF - Tacoma
POCAAN (People of Color Against AIDS Network)
Project FIRST
Project NEON
Public Health - Seattle & King County
Purr Lounge
Q-Law Washington
R Place
SAP Concur
Say It Out Loud Conference (Health Care Authority) since 2002
Seattle Area Support Group (now Peer Seattle)
Seattle Art Museum
Seattle Asian Art Museum
Seattle Counseling Service (2003-2019)
Seattle Gay News
Seattle LGBTQ Commission (2004-2008)
Seattle LGBTQ Community Center
Seattle Pride since 2003
Seattle Pridefest since 2006
Seattle Public Library
Seattle Queerfest
Tacoma Pride
Trans Pride
United Territories of the Pacific Islander Alliance (UTOPIA)
W Hotel
Washington State Leather
Wing Luke Museum
My journey to Seattle started in July 1995, just days after 4th of July celebrations. I had just turned 20, and so I was this wide-eyed brown boy excited to join my family in the US and was eager to be an "adult." As an immigrant FilipinX, my Philippine culture that includes both my ethnic background and religion, are very important to me. It's what makes up a big chunk of my identity. Because I migrated as a young adult, my childhood memories and much of my familial history is intact. And I feel proud that I am able to keep my brown identity in the forefront of who I am and what I do as a FilpinX-American and genderqueer person. A lot of the work I do (& not necessarily in my profession only) is centered on ethnic pride - be it with Pride ASIA, the Filipino Community Center, Legendary Children, UTOPIA or mainstream spaces where I'm reminded of being a minority, I get to join forces with other proud POCs to celebrate our diversity. I chose the Filipino Community Center for various reasons - primarily, it's the place where I was crowned as Miss Gay Filipino in 2001, my very first drag pageant where I won every category except for Miss Congeniality (insert laughter here). And beyond that, it's become a symbol of community for me - "bayanihan."
Businesses and organizations Aleksa Manila has collaborated with over the years! (Partial list)
All About Aleksa
Social activist by day, socialite by night. Aleksa Manila is a celebrated and respected drag personality. Originally from Manila, Philippines, she now calls Seattle, Washington home.
Aleksa is a favorite emcee/host, speaker/panelist, performer/model at many events in the region because of her smart and sassy presence onstage and her ease of engaging her audience. She's a staple in Seattle's landscape from ICON - a celebration of drag, art & life!, LEO Party, University of Washington's Lavender Graduation, Seattle Pride Parade, Seattle Pridefest, Seattle Pridefest Capitol Hill,Lifelong's Gay Bingo to Seattle Symphony's Celebrate Asia among many. Plus you can see her as Helena Pen Poison on Wes Hurley's Capitol Hill Web Series. Notably, she has performed with Pink Martini on various concerts including Zoo Tunes, Chateau Ste. Michelle, Crystal Ballroom, Microsoft, Washington Park and Kirkland Performance Center.
Over the years, she has been recognized for her community efforts in advocacy and social justice. Aleksa has received the President's Award with QLaw - Washington State's LGBTQ Bar Association,; in 2019, at the 84th Anniversary Gala of the Filipino Community of Seattle, Aleksa was honored with the Bayanihan Lifetime Achievement Award for Community Leadership. And in 2018, Aleksa was honored with Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan's Pride Award for Outstanding Leader, Seattle Women's Pride for Community Champion, the Filipino American Student Association at the University of Washington 100th Year Anniversary Recognition as one of 100 Centennials in advancing Filipino Americans, and the GSBA (Greater Seattle Business Association)Humanitarian Honoree for Community Leadership. She was also honored with the prestigious Dr. Bob Wood Award for Excellence in HIV Prevention in 2013, and was Grand Marshal at the 40th Seattle Pride Parade in 2014 alongside her hero, Mr. George Takei.
Aleksa Manila is a favorite feature of Seattle's rich LGBTQ history & HERstory. She does not shy away from sharing the spotlight that showcases the diverse stories of LGBTQ icons. Mx. Manila along with the iconic "Lampshade" have been featured in Chris E. Vargas' Trans Hirstory in 99 Objects at Henry Art Gallery at the University of Washington, and at the Wing Luke Museum's "Where Beauty Lies" Exhibit (through September 2021) featuring the photographic works of Nate Gowdy and Brian Buck; and is featured in a spread with "Girls Like Us" Magazine based in Amsterdam/Brussels.
In 2012, she founded Pride ASIA whose mission is to celebrate, empower and nurture the multi-cultural diversity of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer communities through the Asian Pacific Islander lens.
In 2020, she was chosen as one of the National Drag Ambassadors for the Drag Out The Vote National Campaign to mobilize LGBTQ Americans in the polls for the November elections. She is also a member of the International Court Council and Heir Apparent, in-line of succession to Empress Nicole The Great de San Diego, Queen Mother of the Americas.
In her professional career, Aleksa when "not-in-face" is the Program Manager at Pubic Health - Seattle & King County focused on health disparities that impact marginalized groups in King & Snohomish counties (National HIV Behavioral Surveillance); and worked as Program Manager of the Immigrant, Refugee & Undocumented Outreach Program, Program Coordinator of Project NEON and Program Supervisor of Addiction Services at Seattle Counseling Service where s/he dedicated 16+ years in behavioral health and social service.
Completing her Master of Social Work at the University of Washington, Mx. Manila now provides consultation and clinical services through her private practice at AM Clinical Services focused on LGBTQI2+ and BIPOC services in the heart of Seattle's Chinatown/International District. S/he provides services with emphasis on LGBTQ cultural competency, harm reduction, addiction and behavioral health from a social justice perspective. Some of her clients include the City of Seattle LGBTQ Commission, Hood Famous Bakeshop, Restaurants United, University of Washington Schools of Medicine, Nursing, Social Work, Swedish Hospital LGBTQ Conference, and Asian Counseling & Referral Service, to name a few.