Skip to main content

Meeting Mark Zuckerberg and My Facebook Friends Day Experience



Last January 31, 2016, Fellow Filipino Abby Asistio flew to San Francisco and had the wonderful opportunity of being chosen as one of the eighteen invited by Facebook on their 12th Anniversary Friends Day celebration with California-based Alopecia awareness advocate, Rachel Regal.  



Alopecia is an autoimmune condition which results in partial or total head and body hair loss.  Abby Asistio have had it since she was four while Rachel just developed it sometime in 2012, the same year she discovered that her 10-year-old daughter, Eliana, had it, too.  Six inspiring stories were picked by Facebook among its 1.64 billion users and Abby’s friends were all amazed when they’ve found out that Abby’s Alopecia story was one of them.  Imagine that!

Abby and Rachel met each other through the double A hand sign campaign that Aby started in 2012, and they've been "connected" since then.  Last year, Facebook Stories featured how these two were able to build a friendship, as well as campaign for disease awareness through Facebook!  And last February 1st, Abby and Rachel had the chance to tour FB headquarters in Menlo Park, San Francisco, meet and chat with the people behind Facebook (Founder & CEO Mark Zuckerberg, COO Sheryl Sandberg, CPO Chris Cox, and a whole lot of awesome people), get crazy cool gadgets and have one of the best experiences of their lives.

Abby recounted that it was such a surreal feeling to be in the same room as the creator of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg. Mark Z was wearing his trademark look (jeans, sneakers, shirt and a big smile on his face), and had such a friendly, approachable aura and demeanor about him.  Not at all intimidating!  



He shared stories about how the company started, its mission-vision, the ups and downs that come along, and their future plans.  Those invited also had the chance to ask him questions. When Mark Z was asked about achieving success and life’s “impossibilities”.  He said, “There’s a difference between impossible and things taking a really long time. Even if you’re not going to be able to do something in a short time period, if you care about something, you want to see the world to move into that direction…  So the best thing to do is just get started and not be discouraged.  It’s tough because this stuff is hard, or else people would’ve already done it.”

Abby Asistio got the chance to ask a question to one of the world’s 50 most powerful, successful women in business, Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg.  Aside from Alopecia awareness, Abby is also an active Real Beauty advocate with girls and women struggling with various insecurities, being so consumed by the world’s unrealistic and sometimes superficial standards of beauty.  So Abby asked Sheryl about her perception of it.  Sheryl said that beauty is just like success and that no one could really define it for you.  We are all unique.  We have different stories, dreams and desires. We should explore our own inner and outer beauty, believe and embrace that we are beautiful, and never allow anyone to tell us otherwise.

Mark capped off his talk by sharing their company philosophy with everyone present. Though already having over 1 billion subscribers, there are still 7 billion people all over the world without access to all the meaningful connections and information that Facebook brings.  One thing that the company stands by is that “things are always 1% completed”.  It keeps them grounded, reminding them that there is always so much work, growth and progress to be done, and so many people to reach out to and help. 

Everything about the Facebook trip was overwhelming and inspiring according to Abby.  More than anything, it reminded her about “responsibility”.  We are all given our own platforms, in this case “accounts and connections”, to make a dent in this world.  It is up to us to become complacent and take these vehicles for granted, or maximize the opportunities and use them to make a positive impact in this generation.   



Abby is grateful that Facebook has become a medium for her to communicate disease awareness and touch people beyond the confines of her tiny room and her country.  Abby is also glad that she and Rachel are two out of millions of people choosing to recognize the importance of social media in contributing to making this world a better place, and actually doing something about it.

Truly, God plans the best adventures and creates the most beautiful surprises.  Abby knows that she wouldn't have been handpicked for this if it weren't for Him, as well as the countless individuals who have cared and showed support for my advocacy.

Abby would like to leave a positive thought to everyone that we should really take the time to search for and identify our “purpose” – that one unique, very specific calling that is the result of our talents, dreams, desires, passions and experiences.  Once you find it, be faithful to it no matter how long or difficult the journey towards its fulfillment may be.  You’ll never know where it could lead to, how far it could go and how large it could grow.  



Abby is also thankful that her campaign continues to spread and reach new heights and she is particularly grateful to Facebook for giving her this opportunity and to Novuhair, Nature's Answer to Hair Loss (www.novuhair.com), for always being so supportive of her advocacy and endeavors.  Abby is proud and honored to have represented the Philippines and the Alopecia community in this once-in-a-lifetime, international event. 

WATCH: Abby’s friends day song here- https://youtu.be/8iV1nXdf4Do




Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Transforming Lives: The Impact of SM Group's KSK Program on Filipino Farmers

  Farming futures Jayson and Juanito proudly showcase a selection of produce at the SM City Clark’s Weekend Market. While modern agricultural techniques boost yields for some, there remains a number of Filipino farmers who struggle to keep pace. These experienced hands find themselves falling behind in a market demanding higher production, clinging to familiar yet often inefficient methods passed down through generations. One farmer from Pampanga, Jayson Garcia, sought to disrupt this prevailing narrative in his family. He knew that he had to chart a new course forward for his farm and innovate to remain competitive within the rapidly evolving landscape of modern agriculture. “Noon, mahirap ang magtanim,” he recalled their life before joining SM Foundation’s Kabalikat sa Kabuhayan. “Para bang tsambahan, basta pag itinanim mo ‘yan, hintayin mo na lang mamunga. Mas mahirap pa lalo kapag nagkaroon ng kalamidad,” he added.  SM Foundation’s training program focused on high-value cr...

Bioessence 30 Years of Beauty and Wellness: Caring Beyond Beauty

  Caring Beyond Beauty Bioessence PH, one of the country's premier beauty brands, celebrated its 30th anniversary last night with an elegant Pearl Anniversary event.   Held on September 26 at The Blue Leaf Cosmopolitan, the night gathered nearly a thousand guests, including VIPs, loyal clients, media, influencers, and special performers, to enjoy an evening dedicated to beauty and wellness.   " We will continue to CARE for you Beyond BEAUTY...I love you and God bless you all! " - Dra. Emma Beleno, founder Bioessence Themed around #CaringBeyondBeauty, the event focused on Bioessence's innovative approaches to care that extend far beyond their products and services. The atmosphere was filled with energy, as attendees experienced a fresh take on beauty and wellness, along with a variety of activities designed to showcase the brand’s vision for the future. New Ambassadress Unveiled  One of the most exciting moments of the evening was the reveal of Bioessenc...

SM Supermalls champions MSMEs at SM Dagupan's Bangus Festival Food Fiesta

Dagupan sizzled with pride, flavor, and Filipino flair as SM Center Dagupan brought the heat to the city’s iconic Bangus Festival with its dynamic Bangus Festival Food Fiesta and up-to-70% summer sale, all while proudly championing local entrepreneurship through SM for  Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises ( MSMEs). In a city known as the Milkfish Capital of the Philippines, the annual Bangus Festival was more than just a celebration — it was a heartfelt tribute to the hardworking people and rich culture that made Dagupan shine. And this year, SM Center Dagupan didn’t just join the party — it elevated it.   In the photo:  SM Supermalls Assistant Vice President for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Royce Cabunag (5th from left), with Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) representatives led by Atty. Joseph Manuel Pamittan (center), along with the MSMEs, at the launch of the Bangus Festival Food Fiesta at SM Center Dagupan in Pangasinan. From April 25 to 30, SM ...