I avoided the stimulant route for a LONG time. I was scared and also felt like I could do life without it. I want to say I also recognize that some people cannot use stimulants. I see you and acknowledge your journey is different. #adhdinwomen #adhdtiktok #adhdtok #blackandadhd #adhdprofessional

Eighteen years of stories, stages, airports, sashes, sacrifices, and a heart that refused to dim. Ahtisa Manalo’s pageantry journey wasn’t just a career—it was a lifetime of choosing courage again and again, even when the world didn’t always understand. She walked into every competition carrying more than a crown dream—she carried a nation. And along the way, she heard the whispers: “Ikaw na naman,” “paulit ulit ka na”, words meant to diminish, to discourage. But Ahtisa never let them define her