Amelyn Laro is a feminist writer, researcher, gender advocate, and global traveler whose life journey—from growing up on the streets of Bucana Boulevard in Davao City to representing the Philippines at the Asia Pacific Economic Conference (APEC) Youth Forum in Canada at age 18— reflects resilience, service, and leadership. Her early experiences shaped her enduring commitment to empowering marginalized communities and promoting social justice.

At fourteen, Amelyn began advocating for HIV/AIDS awareness through nonprofit initiatives while serving as a volunteer street educator, experiences she considers among the most meaningful in her life. She later worked with the Kinaiyahan (Environment) Foundation as an advocate, linking human rights advocacy with environmental protection, and spent three years as a social development worker at the City Social Services and Development Office of Davao City, handling cases of abused women and girls and organizing the Badjao community. These grassroots experiences cemented her commitment to uplifting vulnerable groups and creating inclusive spaces for empowerment.

Amelyn’s passion for learning and education was profoundly shaped by her family. Her mother, a former child laborer in the sugarcane plantations, taught her resilience and perseverance, while her father, differently abled but a passionate reader, inspired a lifelong love for books and knowledge. These influences instilled in Amelyn the conviction that education is both a right and a transformative tool for empowerment.

Her career expanded internationally, where she became the youngest Volunteer Service Overseas (VSO) social work adviser in Kazakhstan after the Soviet Union. She also served as Protection Support for the Commission on Human Rights during the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan and, in 2016, worked with refugee girls in Minnesota, USA, through the Community Solutions Program, focusing on leadership, empowerment, and rights advocacy. For her dedication, she received the Outstanding Community Leadership Award from the Greater Davao Jaycees.

Amelyn is also a prolific writer and researcher. She authored Streets to Horizons: A Journey from Street Education to Global Education and Gender Responsive Toolkit for Teachers and is a regular contributor to MEER Global Magazine. Her research has been published in international journals, including the Journal of Sociotherapy (Slovenia), ASEAN Social Work Journal, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, and the Institute of International Research Assistance (Berlin, Germany), where she is also a part-time fellow and is accessible on ResearchGate and Google Scholar. She has presented her research work at international conferences held in Berlin, Prague, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam. She also serves as a peer reviewer of scientific journals, contributing to the rigor and advancement of social work and gender research globally.

Her fellowships and affiliations reflect her global recognition and leadership in gender and social work advocacy. These include the International Sustainability Academy (Germany, 2022–2023), where she developed the Teach for Gender Equality project; the Feminist Edge Program (Netherlands, 2024) through KIT Royal Tropical Institute and UN Women; and the Community Solutions Program (USA, 2016); and the Asian Gender Trainers Program (Korea, 2019). She is a recognized Subject Matter Expert in Social Work and Gender (National Book Development Board, 2025), an Associate Member of the National Research Council of the Philippines and serves as Moderator for the Community Solutions Alumni Community of Practice for Asia & the Pacific from 2023 to present.

Amelyn is a reflective traveler, having journeyed through nearly 20 countries, mostly in Asia and Europe, integrating her experiences into books, essays, and research that explore culture, social change, and human connection. Among her international travels, Italy remains her favorite, cherished for its art, food, and timeless culture, especially the city of Rome. Solitude and introspection allow her to deepen ideas, reflect on social issues, and integrate learning into meaningful advocacy. She also travels to mostly different parts of the her country and brings with her a wealth of stories from her own island, Mindanao, and the rest of the 1,700 islands in the Philippines.

Known for her humor, authenticity, and resilience, Amelyn embraces life with humility, often sharing jokes she picked up from the streets. Her personal philosophy centers on continuous learning and unlearning, adapting to new challenges, and focusing on service and significance. For her, being a social worker, researcher, and gender advocate means constantly seeking solutions to emerging problems while reflecting on their broader meaning—focusing on ideas and actions that truly matter.

Amelyn Laro continues to inspire communities through her writing, research, advocacy, peer review work, and mentorship, promoting gender equality, sustainability, and social transformation across local and global spheres.