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Kristina Kalaw Joyas confronts the stereotypes about parenting and community organizing
By Cristina DC Pastor The first time I saw Kristina Kalaw Joyas was at a packed town hall meeting at the Philippine Center a year or so ago. She was wheeling her daughter on a stroller, navigating around the backpacks and handbags that have taken over the floor. “Can’t she find a sitter?” the woman […]
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Catalyst Awards celebrates ‘champions’ of the Asian LGBT community
By Cristina DC Pastor A Korean mother of a transgender teen, a Filipino-American women’s organization, and a public policy advocate were honored on March 28 for being LGBT “champions” in the Asian and Pacific Islander (API) community. This year’s Catalyst Awards were given to Clara Yoon, Gabriela USA, and Dennis Chin for their work in […]
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SO Jannelle!: Tennis paved the path to Dante Sta. Cruz’s American Dream
By Jannelle So As a tennis pro, Dante Sta. Cruz always had the will to win. In sports as in life, he exhibited the same determination in his pursuit of the American Dream. Dante came to U.S. in late 1990s, thinking, ‘why not try his luck in America?’ He was already a tennis star in […]
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INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING PROJECT: Marichu De Sesto was not terminated; she quit: lawyer (Part 2)
By Cristina DC Pastor 925 Park Avenue is a pre-war residential co-op on the Upper East Side. Emphasis on ‘pre-war’ which connotes Manhattan luxury because of the apartments’ large rooms and high ceilings. In some units, there may be wood-burning fireplaces. This has been Elyse Slaine’s residence for at least 15 years. On October 29, […]
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INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING PROJECT: Housekeeper sues Wall Street socialite for unpaid wages of over $75K (Part 1)
By Cristina DC Pastor Elyse Slaine appears to be the typical Wall Street socialite: attractive in a Hollywood-esque kind of way, a regular at charity fundraisers, and a darling of the gossip columns. The New York magazine once wrote about her as wearing a “studded Loubutin boots…a Harry Winston diamond watch, while drinking a $9 […]
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The essence of joy on Palm Sunday
By Ludy Astraquillo Ongkeko, Ph.D. Religious practices for the Lenten season, ushered in by February’s Ash Wednesday strongly remind us of our home-grown observances. Aren’t those celebrations so called ‘cool,’ by the very young generation? Young adults have been heard to call the same rites ‘awesome.’ For many of us who witnessed celebrations long past […]
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Pommes Frites manager Jordan Cezar on East Village explosion: ‘Traumatizing!’
By Cristina DC Pastor It was around 3 p.m. of March 26, and Jordan Cezar, shift manager at Pommes Frites, was about to take his lunch at one corner of the restaurant when he experience a really loud explosion. He felt the room shake, and the poster décors on the walls and the kitchen pans […]
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To the American beside me who said it felt like a U2 concert, it’s only Parokya ni Edgar, honey!
By Jen Furer On my family’s first visit to the Philippines 10 years ago, my children had their first exposure to Original Pilipino Music (OPM) through the songs of Parokya ni Edgar. Their cousins introduced them to the distinct, story-telling style music of the four band members. Thus, my kids learned about the romantic courtship […]
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I never met Cardinal Egan, but somehow knew him very well
By Loudette Avelino When I learned that Edward Cardinal Egan had died, I felt a sense of loss. I wanted to give him the respect and set him off to everlasting life by participating in his March 9 funeral mass. That was the only way I knew how to honor the man I never met, […]