Isabela Villanoy is a creative based in Toronto, Canada. As a lover of all things books, art, and pop culture, Isabela is passionate about storytelling in all its forms.
Growing up in the Philippines most of her life, Isabela aka Iya considers both Canada and the Philippines her home. She packed her bags and boxes of memories at the age of 19 and started a new life in Canada.
After spending a year in Manitoba, she moved to the big city of Toronto where she spent the best 3 years of her life as an English Literature and Book & Media Studies student (with a minor in Women and Gender Studies) at the University of Toronto, St George Campus. She owes much of her learnings to her writing experience at The Mike, MNERVA Literary Journal, Her Campus U Toronto, and The Foolscap Journal. Her love for storytelling is also reflected in her passion projects Ihayag and Sa Pagitan, both of which focus on uplifting and representing the Filipino community, their voices, and their stories.
She is currently pursuing a Graphic Design and Visual Communication Skills Certificate at the Ontario College of Art and Design (OCAD). Her passion in art is inspired by science fiction, fantasy, anime, and literature.
Her love for research and design inspired her to go back to her alma mater, the University of Toronto, where she finished a bootcamp program on UX Research and UI Design.
Starting her own blog has been her lifelong dream. She hopes that her stories spark inspiration, and give you the comfort you need in whatever you’re going through.
If you’d like to learn more about her, her stories, and her passions, have a look around!