Filipinos like Bella Poarch and Olivia Rodrigo landed on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list as further proof of their growing impact.
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Forbes recently released their annual 30 Under 30 list, which recognizes individuals under 30 years old for their impact in their respective industries. And further highlighting the talents of Pinoys abroad, a handful of Filipinos made it on the prestigious list. Forbes recognized these talents as movers and shakers in their respective fields this year and most likely in the years to come. They have or are poised to change the game at their relatively young ages. Some are households names while others you may not have heard of. But one thing is for certain, these Millennial and Gen Z Filipinos are the ones to watch out for in America and the world.
TRISHA BANTIGUE
If you follow the pageant scene, then Trisha Bantigue may be a familiar name. The 27-year-old was born and raised in Angeles City, Pampanga before moving to America. There, she took on a series of jobs to make money including entering pageants where she made a name for herself as a beauty queen.
But Trisha wouldn’t stop there as she, along with Kathy Zhou, co-founded Queenly, an online marketplace in 2017 where people can resell formal wear like gowns. In an interview with Forbes, she said that Queenly can be a way for young women to get access to clothes that they may normally not be able to afford. Aside from this, she also is a motivational speaker. Forbes recognized her under the Arts & Style category.
JOHN VINCENT SALCEDO
The Western music scene has its fair share of Filipinos who have been making waves and topping the charts. But that representation also extends to the executive side as well. Enter John Vincent Salcedo, the 29-year-old is the VP of Digital Marketing at Colombia Records. He also is the youngest VP and the only Filipino executive in the company.
Over the past year, he has worked with artists like Tyler the Creator, Lil Nas X, and The Kid Laroi. But working with big names isn’t the only thing he does. John also uses his platform to promote and give a spotlight to Filipino artists to help them break into the industry.
ALYSSA NAVARRO
With the title of Executive Producer at The Walt Disney Studios, Alyssa Navarro is living a dream many people aspire for. But her work is more important than just producing content. She specializes in representation and inclusion strategies at Walt Disney Studios, helping make one of the biggest movie studios in the world a more inclusive, diverse, open, and equitable space. The 27-year-old also helped create the Disney Launchpad Shorts Incubator, a new platform for filmmakers. Forbes recognized her under the Hollywood & Entertainment section.
LIV PORTIO
Liv Portio’s story is one of a side hustle that turned into a multi-million dollar business. A first generation immigrant, Liv started out by making jewelry in her bedroom to help her family. She then turned that into her very own business, DBL Jewelry, that has raked in million of dollars in revenue. At only 20 years old, not only is she one of the youngest honorees on the 2022 list, but she’s the youngest immigrant as well. The best part is that a portion of the sales of her jewelry business go to help impoverished and special needs kids in the Philippines.
JONATHAN JAVIER
Another young Filipino recognized by Forbes for making waves in the business world is Jonathan Javier. Jonathan, along with his business partner Jerry Lee started Wonsulting, a company that helps job seekers, especially from underserved communities or come from nontraditional backgrounds, land their dream jobs. Aside from the company’s admirable mission, Wonsulting has also proven to be popular with over 1 million followers on social media. The first-generation Filipino-American is also a worthwhile follow on social media for his insightful career and business tips.
RACHELL HOFSTETTER
If the name Rachell Hofstetter doesn’t ring a bell, then maybe her gamertag will, Valkyrae. She is arguably one of the most popular female streamers in the realm of video games and has millions of followers across her social media profiles. If she isn’t streaming by herself, then she is joined by her Rolodex of famous friends. The 29-year-old content creator has also received a few awards such as Content Creator of the Year at the 2020 Game Awards. But aside from streaming, Valkyrae, has also entered the realm of business as one of the owners of 1000 Thieves, an esports and gaming organization.
MARIANNE GONZALEZ
The success of Pinoys abroad isn’t just limited to the fields of business and entertainment. There are also some young talented Filipinos doing important work in the field of science. One such young Pinoy honored by Forbes is Marianne Gonzalez. While she may not be a household name, her work could arguably shape the future of humanity. The 26-year-old is an engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. There, she has worked on numerous projects including an experiment to generate oxygen on the surface of Mars. She also has and is currently working on the Europa Clipper, a satellite set to visit Jupiter’s moon to look for signs of life.
IAN VILLA
Also in the field of science and technology is Ian Villa, another Pinoy making strides in the future, especially in the field of flight and aeronautics. The 29 year old holds degrees both in aeronautics and astronautics from Stanford. He used to work Uber Elevate, Uber’s initiative to make air taxis a reality and usher in the urban aviation ride-sharing era. Currently, Ian is the cofounder, COO and Chief Product Officer of Whisper Aero, a company that makes quiet electric thrust technology for drones, fixed-wing aircraft and electric VTOLs.
BELLA POARCH
In just over a year, Bella Poarch figuratively blew up to become one of TikTok’s biggest creators. With over 85 million followers, she’s one of the most followed creators on TikTok. To this day, she still holds the record for the most liked video on the video-sharing app. She then parlayed her meteoric rise on social media into a very promising career in the music industry with two well-received singles. To top it all off, Bella is also a rising fashion star. It’s no surprise then that Forbes recognized the 26-year-old under their Social Media category.
OLIVIA RODRIGO
When you think of breakout stars of 2021, no list is complete without including Olivia Rodrigo. Fewer artists had as big of a year this year than Olivia. When she dropped drivers license back in January, it broke records and signaled the start of Olivia’s barrier-breaking music career.
Among the many, many achievements she got this year include number one singles, a critically acclaimed and chart-topping debut album in Sour, and a gaggle of awards and nominations including 7 Grammy nominations. Oh, and she’s only 18, making her one of the youngest names on the Forbes 30 Under 30 2022 list and the youngest Filipino on the list.
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