DOMINGO LUMANOG IS INSPIRING OTHERS TO SHOW UP AS THEIR AUTHENTIC SELVES, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME GIVING BACK TO MULTIPLE CAUSES, MAKING FOR A BETTER CALGARY.

If you passed Domingo Lumanog in the street, your head would surely turn thanks to his glamorous and flamboyant style. But beyond his four-inch heels and gender-free style, this change agent attracts attention for many other reasons, too. His fearless presentation of his true, authentic self and his drive to better the city through philanthropy are among those reasons.

Lumanog works at Berlitz Canada language centres by day and pursues a variety of philanthropic extracurriculars during his downtime. When he’s not at home with his husband or exploring new places to eat, you can find him championing diversity, equity and inclusion within Calgary and beyond. Immigration and health care are also fields where he is a passionate advocate, yet his advocacy doesn’t just stem from passion. His lived experiences fuel his philanthropy, too.

“PASSION IS NOT SUSTAINABLE; PASSION WITH A PURPOSE IS,” HE SAYS.

When Lumanog came to Calgary in 2005 as a Filipino immigrant and a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community, it didn’t take him long to get involved with the LGBTQ+ newcomer services at the Centre of Newcomers. His work as an LGBTQ+ advocate later expanded when he became a board member for CommunityWise Resource Centre, a non-profit hub which supports diverse organizations, including LGBTQ+ groups. He is also a part of the Gender and Sexual Diversity Advisory Board for Calgary Police Service. There is no hiding the fact that Lumanog is proud to work within different organizations in the LGBTQ+ rights and resources sector.

“THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY IS A DYNAMIC FORCE, EVOLVING WITH TIME. ADVOCATING FOR ITS RIGHTS IS NOT JUST A CAUSE BUT A COMMITMENT TO SECURING EQUITABLE POSITIONS IN THE TAPESTRY OF OUR DAILY LIVES,” HE SAYS.

When his mother passed away in 2020 from lung cancer, Lumanog was driven to champion women’s health. He is now the vice president of WE ARE MAUD, a health-care foundation, derived from MAUD Medical Clinic, with a mission to “serve the underserved.”

To Lumanog, there is no ostentatious motive behind the work he does around the city; it’s just what he does, because it’s who he is. Although, without even trying, Lumanog has become an inspiring and representative face for many.

“There is a population that still thinks that people that look just like me are beneath them,” he says, talking about his being a person of colour, member of the LGBTQ+ community, boundary-pushing fashion icon and everything else that makes him part of the collective of people who don’t fit a traditional mould.

“ONE THING THAT I’M VERY, VERY PROUD OF, IS [THAT I SHOW] UP EACH TIME,” HE SAYS. “I WANT TO BE SEEN BECAUSE I NEED TO BE SEEN. MY PEOPLE NEED TO BE SEEN: PEOPLE LIKE ME, PEOPLE WHO DRESS LIKE ME, PEOPLE WHO TALK LIKE ME.”

Calgary has undoubtedly come a long way when it comes to diversity, equity and inclusion, but more work needs to be done.

“Canada is really a melting pot, and we know that there is diversity here. The question now is: What are we doing with that diversity? Are we maximizing its potential? Are we even recognizing and identifying that there is more potential in diversity than not?”

He compares people to individual pieces of Lego which form a cohesive unit. No piece will have quite the same connection, but their uniqueness makes for a strong and united system.

There is power in presenting yourself as you are to the world and fighting for causes that are true to you. Lumanog is doing just that — and Calgary is better off for it.