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A brave boy named Alton Jace
By Cristina DC Pastor In the humid morning of May 18, a heavily pregnant Amanda Alvaro was scheduled for a Cesarean section. Together with her husband Fred, the calmest person in the family, they drove to New York-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital praying for a safe delivery andhoping for the best. She found out on […]
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Like the ‘bamboo amid a storm,’ the return of People’s Ball
The People’s Ball, a festive gathering of Filipino Americans in the New York area, returned on August 22 paying tribute to health care professionals as well as economic frontline workers — FilAms and non-Filipinos alike — calling them the community’s Pandemic Vanguards. This is the first time People’s Ball, a companion event to the annual […]
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Liza Ty Beasca: A wrong call on cancer and a NYC teacher’s road to recovery
By Vicky Potenciano-Vitug Liza Ty Beasca was a Special Education Teacher in a Harlem public school. A devoted mentor, she made her classroom a joyful learning place for young children diagnosed with severe disabilities such as autism and Down Syndrome. Her love of teaching came to a disheartening end in 2011 when she was diagnosed […]
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Artist Kilusan Bautista appeals for support for daughter with CHARGE Syndrome genetic condition
Multimedia artist, writer, and performer Kilusan Bautista has opened a GoFundMe campaign as he shares the story of his daughter Phoenix who has developed CHARGE Syndrome, a genetic condition that affects multiple organ systems, according to the National Organization for Rare Disorders. In the last four years, Kilusan has stopped creating, writing, and performing as […]
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Free vaccinations for NYC’s older adults through mobile vans
The New York City Department for the Aging has announced that select reopened senior centers will host mobile vaccine vans through August as part of the City’s ongoing efforts to reach the estimated 25% of older New Yorkers who remain unvaccinated. Vaccinations at mobile sites are free for all New Yorkers over the age of 12, […]
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Reuniting with the grandkids after the long lockdown: A Lola’s indescribable joy
By Ludy Astraquillo Ongkeko, PhD It all seemed eerie. When March 2020 arrived, so many changes happened around us. In many households, rooms were transformed into office spaces. Regular school terms were set aside and children were educated electronically. Everyone was talking about ‘vaccination’ – when to get it, where, how long to wait, and […]
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Pop star Olivia Rodrigo rallies 20M fans to get their jabs
FilAm actress, singer and songwriter Olivia Rodrigo is using her voice to speak to young Americans about the importance of getting vaccinated against COVID-19. At a press briefing on July 14, Rodrigo, a Filipino American multiplatinum recording artist, faced White House journalists before she was to meet President Biden and his chief medical advisor Dr. […]
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9 leaders selected to serve as FYLPRO Tayo fellows
Filipino Young Leaders Program (FYLPRO) is excited to announce its second cohort of nine talented young leaders to the FYLPRO Tayo Fellowship Program. The FYLPRO Tayo Fellowship Program aims to equip young Filipino American leaders with the skills and strategies to support the Filipino and Filipino American community during the COVID-19 pandemic. Fellows will provide […]
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Struggling Astoria residents face job loss, sense of uncertainty coming out of pandemic
Eve lost her babysitting job when the family of her 4-year-old ward packed for good and moved to California in the middle of the pandemic. She is one of several thousands of Filipinos who call Astoria home. A nanny for more than 10 years, Eve – with no health insurance and other employment benefits — […]