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Laundry workers win case vs exploitation, wage theft
The Office of the Attorney General has announced it has recovered $90,000 in stolen and unpaid wages for more than a dozen former employees of a commercial dry cleaner in Astoria, Queens known as Enterprise Cleaner. A press statement says Enterprise failed to pay its employees minimum wage, failed to pay the proper overtime rate, failed […]
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Culinary artist Jenn de la Vega: ‘You can make sandwich with Ulam’
By Harvey Barkin Who says you can’t make a great sandwich by slapping ulam in between toasts? Food stylist and cookbook collaborator Jenn de la Vega says, “Sandwiches can certainly start as ulam between bread. I encourage folks to try putting their dinner leftovers in a sandwich. You might be surprised by the combination.” Jenn […]
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Punyeta! Filipina-owned clothing line uses sexist Tagalog words
A Filipina-owned clothing line that aims to “celebrate, own, and reclaim” Filipina identity was founded in Toronto in 2019. “Historically sexist and derogatory terms,” such as Maldita, Maarte, Lakwatsera, Ambisyosa, are front and center of the Pinay Collection of shirts, bags and accessories. Founder Jovie Galit said Pinay Collection is about taking back words that […]
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CEO Tina Marie Romero: ‘America has a caregiving crisis’
By Maricar CP Hampton Back in 2000, Tina Marie Romero visited homebound seniors as a volunteer at her parish in New Brunswick, N.J. She thought she was helping them but unbeknownst to her, they were helping her discover her life’s mission. One in particular, Grandpa Joe, aka GPJ, became her BFF. It was a friendship […]
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The mark of longevity: Fiesta In America celebrates 25th year
By Len Manansala In the fraught world of festival organizing, no other indoor Filipino event on the U.S. East Coast has demonstrated similar constancy more than Fiesta In America. Founded in 1996 in New York City and mounted every year except during the 2020-2021 pandemic, Fiesta In America lays claim to being the most enduring […]
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My dad: Aklan-born vet doctor runs flourishing pet hospital in Queens
By Tina Marie Romero I am convinced my dad set a Guinness World Record that no one will ever attempt to break. My dad, Dr. Florentino Romero, holds the record of taking the U.S. Veterinary Board exam eight times until he finally passed and became a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) in New York City. […]
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Juliette CEO Rechelle Balanzat: ‘I am building a brand’
By Cristina DC Pastor It’s been a turbulent two years for many businesses, not the least the laundry and dry clean industry. Juliette, a boutique wash-and-fold business in Manhattan, lost one of its drop-off locations and furloughed 75 percent of its staff. “That’s the hardest part,” said founder and CEO Rechelle Balanzat. The business hit […]
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How New Yorkers can protect themselves from scams (Part 2)
Attorney General Letitia James offers various tips to protect New Yorkers from future scams: INTERNET Do not use the same password for multiple accounts. Cybercriminals use passwords stolen from one company for other online accounts. New Yorkers can protect themselves with the following safeguards: -Never reuse passwords. While reusing login information may be convenient, it also puts […]
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PFAY: Young Jersey FilAms carve out their own safe space
By Cristina DC Pastor Lauren Lalicon threw herself into PFAY – or the Professional Filipino American Youth — in 2017 without much of a plan or a second thought. The following year, she began working for the office of Tammy Murphy, the First Lady of New Jersey, as a policy director. Then, she got engaged. […]