Filipino Author Ned Legaspi Launches Book on Cultural Intelligence

SANTA MONICA, California—Filipino author and a former global media executive Ned Legaspi will launch his book on cultural intelligence (CQ) entitled “Culturally Intelligent Storytelling (CIS) of Southeast Asian Creators” on 04 November 2025 (Tuesday) at The Shoreline Hotel in Santa Monica.

Legaspi’s book will be part CQ Fellows International Book Launch 2025 which will feature six new books written by members of the CQ Fellows program, each exploring how CQ can be applied to real-world practice. The fellows program, founded by Dr. David Livermore, is one-year certification program that develops leaders who apply CQ in diverse fileds such as business, education and storytelling.

“This book is a way of reclaiming our place in global storytelling,” Legaspi said. “I wanted to show that Southeast Asia creators can reach global audiences without losing their cultural identity.”

According to Legaspi, his book introduces the CIS Bamboo Framework, a storytelling model that helps creators, educators and leaders craft narratives that connect across cultures while staying rooted in their values. The framework uses the metaphor of bamboo to represent resilience, growth, and Southeast Asian ways of seeing the world.

In photo: Legaspi recently presented his book to Philippine Consulate General of Los Angeles (PCGLA) Consul General Adelio Angelito S. Cruz and Deputy Consul General Maria Alnee D. Gamble.

Understanding CQ will enable individuals to effectively navigate and adapt to new cultural contexts and work with people from different backgrounds. CQ goes beyond just being aware of cultural differences and includes a person's capability to understand, appreciate, and interact appropriately with diverse groups, which can include different nationalities, ethnicities, age groups, or even workplace teams.

The launch will mark Legaspi’s debut as an international author. His book is now available globally through Amazon, Apple Books, Google Play Books, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble and in the Philippines through Simplicitive Ventures Inc.

With over 30 years of experience in worldwide broadcasting, Legaspi is also an international speaker, having talks at the University of Tokyo, National Vietnam University and SOAS University of London. This November, he is scheduled to present at Texas A & M University-San Antonio and the University of Pittsburg.

Earlier this week, Legaspi also had a privilege to speak with healthcare professionals at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center on CQ Awareness, and Boundaries.