CONTINUOUSLY making conscious efforts to elevate women in sports - be they athletes, artists, storytellers, or advocates - Philippine-based organization Go Hard Girls put the spotlight on visuals with the launch of the Pinay Power Art Exhibit.
The event showcased 12 artworks across 12 sports, featuring more than 30 Filipina athletes as muses, all crafted by local artist Juliana Samson.
Made available as posters and postcards, Go Hard Girls founder and women-in-sports advocate Ceej Tantengco-Malolos explained the significance of having these tangible objects, which she believes can spark not just fascination but also motivation for young girls.
“Storytelling is just one part of the equation. Closing the gender gap also takes building communities and creating physical objects that make change tangible,” she said.
Founded in 2019, Go Hard Girls first gained ground as a podcast highlighting female athletes like Jack Animam and Meggie Ochoa before expanding into workshops and other community-driven initiatives.
Samson, the artist behind the collection, added:
“I hope these can be both a mirror and a motivation - that girls see themselves in these artworks and feel inspired to dream bigger and go harder.”
Indeed, the artworks went beyond colors and aesthetics, focusing on body types and abilities to honor diversity and highlight athleticism in all shapes and sizes.
Art-hletic excellence
Apart from the exhibit, Para National Games gold medalist in weightlifting and medical doctor Kat Hernandez also hosted a live podcast recording during the event.
“By living my life, by doing my best in my sport, and by using my voice, I show others that I am more than my disability,” she said.
Among notable guests were former volleyball star Paneng Mercado, also the daughter of late track queen Lydia De Vega - whose legacy was honored in one of the 12 artworks, 'Bawat Hakbang May Patutunguhan' - and PVL standout Maddie Madayag, featured in 'Dig Deep, Rise Above.'
Other muses included icons such as Hidilyn Diaz, Alex Eala, Alyssa Valdez, and members of the Filipinas.
For Go Hard Girls, the project was more than an exhibit - it was a visual love letter to women in action, designed to spark deeper conversations on the importance of supporting women in the still male-dominated world of sports.
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