Issue 88, July 2025
70 Filipino nurses Trafficking victims win case vs recruiter
Michael Purugganan
Interim dean at NYU Arts & Science
Sol & Mary Ann Kapunan
Kalayaan 1521 tandem in Albany
America in the Twilight Zone of birthright citizenship
This statement is not originally mine, but this captures precisely where we are right now.
Historically, when one is born in the United States, he or she automatically becomes a U.S. citizen. The circumstances of the parents do not make a difference. Either or both can be non-citizens and still the child is unquestionably American if born in U.S. soil. That is why some sneaky foreign women carrying a child come to the U.S. taking advantage of the constitutional provision which grants the child legal status even if the mother, a tourist, is simply visiting.
The constitutional provision is clear-cut. Citizenship can be acquired either of two ways -- if born within U.S. soil (jus soli) or by naturalization.
According to the Citizenship Clause of the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution (adopted after the Civil War), “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.”
The Supreme Court recently issued a puzzling decision on the matter of birthright citizenship that has long been a thorn on the President Donald Trump’s immigration agenda.
One of the contentious provisions in the SC ruling of June 27, 2025 is the matter of
Founding Editor
Cristina DC Pastor
Managing Editor Rene Pastor
where an immigrant’s child is born. The executive order resulting from the SC decision may not be enforced in 22 states that include New Jersey, California, Illinois, Hawaii, New York. Birthright citizenship remains the law
here. (These states, incidentally, have large Filipino populations.) They are exempt because, according to immigration lawyer Nick Caraquel, “They sued (to block the executive order).”
It is now being interpreted that children born in these “exempted” states will still acquire citizenship and those born in the other remaining states will not. It now becomes a matter of where you are born and that is how the law will be applied.
Denying citizenship to people born in the U.S. is part of the administration’s inflexible immigration agenda that includes massive deportations for immigrants with criminal backgrounds and even those who have run afoul of the law in the past and have been cleared.
The administration believes becoming a citizen should follow “tougher standards” and not just because the mother happens to give birth in the U.S. Immigration advocates, on the other hand, are criticizing the SC decision as “confusing” and the administration as toying around with the Constitution to suit its agenda.
The executive order could go in effect 30 days after the SC ruling was decided, and pregnant immigrant mothers across the country are facing untold anxieties of what to expect. The thought of having a child “with no nationality” has them gripped with fear.
Contributing Writers
Marissa Bañez
Tricia J. Capistrano
Joel David
Wendell Gaa
The
Allen Gaborro
Maricar CP Hampton
Ludy AstraquilloOngkeko
Lindy Rosales
Pregnant immigrant women faced with anxieties following Supreme Court ruling.
70 Filipino nurses exploited by staffing agency will receive restitution: AG James
New York Attorney General Letitia James on May 29 secured more than $660,000 for foreign-born nurses who were subjected to illegal labor trafficking and exploitative contracts by Advanced Care Staffing and Priority Care Staffing (ACS) and ACS CEO Sam Klein, according to a press statement from her office.
An Office of the Attorney General (OAG) investigation found that ACS, a New York health care staffing agency, recruited nurses from abroad and required them to unwittingly sign exploitative employment contracts. Nearly all of these contracts included severe financial penalties for early resignation, requiring any nurse who resigned or was fired before their contract expired to pay the company as much as $20,000.
The OAG found that since 2020, ACS has collected this “termination penalty” from 71 nurses – 70 of them Filipinos, according to an OAG spokesperson -- many of whom resigned due to significant concerns about understaffing, inadequate patient care, mandatory double shifts, and going weeks without a day off. As a result of the investigation, AG James has secured $663,668.66 in restitution for the 71 exploited nurses and is requiring ACS to forgive outstanding debt for former employees and remove the exploitative provisions from its contracts.
“Advanced Care Staffing exploited vulnerable nurses, had them sign unfair contracts, and forced them to pay illegal financial penalties,” said James. “Nurses are the backbone of our health care system, and they deserve fair and just treatment. No worker in New York should be forced to choose between their financial security and their basic rights. My office will always fight to ensure nurses across New York can continue their life-saving work free from mistreatment and intimidation.”
ACS is a health care staffing agency that recruits trained nurses from foreign countries to work at health care facilities and nursing homes in New York City, Westchester, and on Long Island. In July 2023, OAG opened an investigation into ACS and found that since 2013, ACS had recruited dozens of nurses from other countries, offering to sponsor
them for visas and cover the cost of transportation and the immigration process. As part of its recruitment efforts, ACS required the nurses to sign restrictive, exploitative contracts with limited information or legal advice. The foreign nurses had to rely on ACS representatives to explain the provisions in the contract and were not encouraged to seek outside legal counsel. Part of this contract was an illegal repayment provision, which required the nurses, with limited exceptions, to pay up to $20,000 if they resigned or were fired before their contract ended, typically after two or three years of employment.
In addition to the contracts, nurses were required to sign a legal pledge that guaranteed payment of the $20,000 if they departed ACS early. Around 2022, ACS changed its practices and stopped requiring this legal guarantee of payment. Instead, ACS began enforcing the penalty through an arbitration process that, in addition to the early termination fee, would hold employees responsible for “lost profits.” The OAG concluded that this was a continuation and escalation of the previous penalty provision, as ACS would send nurses repeated letters and emails indicating the company planned to seek at least $20,000 in arbitration – if not more – if the nurses did not reconsider their resignation. The agreement also required nurses to cover all attorneys’ fees for the company if they lost during arbitration.
The result was a pervasive climate of fear for the foreign-recruited nurses who worked at ACS. The OAG found that nurses consistently raised concerns to ACS about working conditions at their facilities, including unsustainable nurse-to-patient ratios, frequent mandatory double shifts, and inadequate support and staffing, resulting in a dangerous environment for both the nurses and their patients. Nurses expressed that they felt their nursing licenses were at risk and, as a result, felt compelled to resign.
In five years, ACS coerced 71 nurses into paying the resignation fee – 24 nurses paid up to $7,000, 18 paid between $8,000 and $10,000, 24 paid between $11,000 and $15,000, and five paid $20,000. The OAG determined that ACS engaged in a pattern of coercive behavior and repeatedly violated the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, which prohibits companies from exploiting people for labor through threats of force, legal action, or harm, including financial harm.
As part of the settlement, ACS will pay $663,668.66 to OAG, which will be distributed to the 71 nurses who were forced to pay the early termination penalties.
New York Attorney General Letitia James: ‘Nurses are the backbone of our health care system, and they deserve fair and just treatment.’
A pervasive climate of fear for the foreign-recruited nurses who worked at ACS.
Little Manila Park signage unveiled in Queens
Whenever Architect Noel Gamboa and his wife Dori wanted to “satisfy their craving” for authentic Filipino food, they would drive to Roosevelt Avenue, in Woodside, Queens from their home in Forest Hills.
They often passed by a long fenced vacant lot while searching for parking space. For decades, it was unsightly, inside and out, full of tossed garbage, random trees, shrubs, weeds and construction debris.
On June 12, 2022, the Little Manila Avenue street sign at the corner of 70th St. and Roosevelt Ave. was unveiled to celebrate Philippine Independence Day declaring the district as “Little Manila”. Noel’s interest in the vacant lot peaked because after all, he is an architect, a Manileño, and a cum laude graduate of the University of the Philippines, experienced in design, construction and development.
“My natural instinct was to transform this jungle of a lot, which had been idle for decades, into something useful,” he says. And that was when his idea of calling the prime but dormant 11,000 square foot piece of land, "Little Manila Park."
He visited the City Planning office who informed him that the property was owned by the State of New York, which acquired the land for the expansion of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway directly behind the walls demarcating the property. He was granted permission to visit this gated parcel and was able to develop drawings of his vision of this green oasis.
The lot, he discovered, had many slopes, some steep. It would not be feasible for a basketball court or even a parking lot. The terrain would be suitable for a green space with tables, gazebos and a central stage, utilizing the slope to form a natural outdoor amphitheater. As a requirement for his design, he consulted with licensed arborists to determine which trees needed to be removed and which ones needed to remain and get pruned.
After the landowner gave a nod to his preliminary plans, an official organization was needed to be the signatory of the permit. Since no established group wanted to assume the responsibility for the project, which was met with doubts, harsh criticisms, and high expectations, Little Manila Park Inc. (LMPI) had to be formed and was incorporated as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization and a Registered New York State Charitable Organization. This speedy accomplishment allowed LiMa Park (the acronym the core group created) to solicit funds and get tax deductions for kind donors
The FilAm community’s compassionate leaders came through with their support. Noel and his team presented the “Little Manila Block Improvements Project” to Queens Community Board 2, which gave an overwhelming written Letter of Support and approval distributed to all the State and City government offi-
cials. His supportive wife, Dori and the LiMa Parksters core group are behind him all the way. Together with Caroline Pasion, Gheng Pingol and Attorney Elizabeth Cueva, the group sought the support of the elected officials, primarily Assemblymember Steven Raga, who also submitted his letter of support, as the site is within his district. Consul General Senen Mangalile has constantly advocated for the project as well, believing in his heart that "we would all have a picnic there someday."
In October of 2023, Noel dotted the I’s and crossed the T’s, and submitted all the approved plans, insurance certificates, and his signature on the permit for the final approval of the Agency, to grant a year-to-year lease paying $1rent. But it had become a long waiting game.
After several months, since LiMa Park had not received any response from the landlord, I had suggested, “Why not call the office of the DOT Commissioner in Albany?" A phone call was made. Two months later, on December 12, 2024, Noel finally received the permit and approval to develop the unused parcel of land left over from the highway project completed in 1965. The die is cast!
The project is still in need of a minimum of $70,000 in order to pay for cutting the trees, buying iron chairs, regrading the terrain, installing nipa hut-inspired gazebos and a central stage using the slope “to make a natural outdoor amphitheater,” as planned.
"The organization will not settle for a generic park. It carries our name, therefore it should represent the beauty of our culture. The objective is to make the whole Little Manila district a cultural and foodie destination," laments Noel.
Although the park will be open to the public for free, LMPI will need sustainable funding to maintain the park, and work with organizations to help man the park during weekends between Memorial Day and Labor Day, as most community parks function. "This is a great meeting place to share our culture and welcome others. We certainly look forward to the official grand opening once all the planned improvements have been funded and installed."
On a rainy June 14 Saturday, this writer and Ambassador Mario de Leon Jr. led the formal unveiling of the Little Manila Park signage.
Architect Noel Gamboa and wife Dori (2nd row center) with LiMa Park volunteers. Photos by Michael Magsombol of theofwproject.com
Filipino scientists remain nearly invisible in American Science: AFSA
Despite Filipino Americans comprising 4 percent of the U.S. population, they represent less than 1 percent of the American scientific workforce, a stark invisibility that the Association of Filipino Scientists in America (AFSA) is working to address through expanded programming in New York City, the heart of the Filipino American diaspora.
Founded by 11 friends over coffee in Manhattan in October 2019, AFSA has grown to include scientists across the country representing diverse scientific disciplines, from neuroscience to paleontology. The organization has evolved from international digital pandemic programming to hosting regular in-person events including health fairs, community gatherings, and professional development workshops that address both scientific collaboration and the unique challenges facing Filipino researchers and the community related to science.
"We're fighting a double invisibility," said Andrew Esposo, AFSA executive board member and finance chair.
"Filipino scientists are overlooked in inclusion conversations because we're lumped into 'Asian American' data,
yet we face distinct challenges, from visa and funding uncertainties for Filipino students studying here to cultural isolation in predominantly white institutions."
The challenges are compounding in the face of a changing scientific climate and funding landscape for student scientists, early-career researchers, and STEM and healthcare going forward. Recent federal funding cuts disproportionately impact early-career researchers, many of whom are Filipino international students or first-generation Americans navigating academic systems without family guidance. Meanwhile,
immigration policy changes create uncertainty for Filipino researchers whose families often sacrifice everything for their American science education. AFSA's programming reflects these realities.
The organization has co-hosted NYC's largest Filipino health fair, demonstrating how Filipino scientists serve as bridges between research institutions and community health needs. Their networking events connect scientists across disciplines and career stages, highlighting not only Filipino scientists but also Filipino research, while a recent "Know Your Rights" session educated Filipino scientists, students, and researchers about their workplace rights and protections in academic and industry settings, creating the community support often missing in traditional academic environments.
As the scientific landscape becomes increasingly challenging for underrepresented researchers, AFSA offers a model of peer support rooted in Filipino values of community cooperation and collective uplift. The organization continues expanding its in-person presence while maintaining connections nationwide, ensuring Filipino scientists have access to both professional opportunities and cultural community during uncertain times.
AFSA founders and members. Facebook photo
Dr. Mark Munoz: Possibly the most published Filipino business author in the U.S.
Dr. J. Mark Munoz, a business scholar in Illinois may yet be the most published Filipino American academic author in the United States.
He has authored and edited more than 30 books on business & management and technology and just released three more recently. They are:
–“Digital Leadership: Concepts and Cases.” Published in February 2025, this pioneering volume gathers insights from global experts on how emerging technologies such as AI, blockchain, and the Internet of Things are shaping corporate strategy and competitive advantage.
–“Technology Entrepreneurship in Theory and Practice” is a book co-edited by Dr. J. Mark Munoz and Dr. Orestis Terzidis, a professor at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany. This book explores the intersection of science, engineering, and entrepreneurship designed to equip engineers, scientists, and entrepreneurs with the strategic tools needed to bring new innovations to market.
–“Evolution of Management Practice,” is a guide for executives, consultants, and educators adapting to a changing contemporary business environment.
The Zamboanga City-born Munoz, has been a business professor in the U.S. for over 20 years. He has double post-graduate degrees — MBA and PhD in Management — and is currently a tenured Full Professor of Management at Millikin University, a private college in Decatur, Illinois.
“Before he came to the U.S., he worked as a front desk clerk at a hotel in Cebu, became a sales executive for an oil company, and ended up as country manager for a European tech company for the Philippine operations. A career pathway that is consistently moving upward.
His first U.S. job was director for U.S. and Asia-Pacific for a market research firm. He moved to the U.S. in the late 90s and his family soon followed him in New Jersey in late 1990 until he joined academia as a professor at Millikin University.
He has authored, edited and published more than 30 business and technology books.
University.
On two occasions, according to the Millikin website, Munoz has led teams of students as consultants for Ecuador.
“I’ve been in academia ever since. On the side, I write books and do business consulting worldwide,” he shared when reached by The FilAm. He was a former Visiting Fellow at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. He has long set his sights on joining the academe with his rich business background, both in practice and through extensive research. With his advanced degrees he applied for multiple positions across the country. The
first offer came from Millikin University.
“I accepted the offer to join Millikin University as an assistant professor in 2001. I have been with them since then,” he said. He rose to the rank of full professor and at one point served for one year as Interim Dean for the Tabor School of Business at the university. During that time, he received the Distinguished Business Dean Award from the Academy of
Global Business Advancement. His philosophy in life is: “We’re like seeds that can be blown by the wind anytime and anywhere in the world, the important thing is wherever we land we should do our best to grow and make a difference.”
In the U.S., he has made a difference in business education. He taught courses such as Business Creation, International Business Consulting, International Immersion and Global Business Strategy, among many areas of studies. He ended up receiving multiple awards for his efforts in incorporating innovative teaching methodologies.
“I had the opportunity to take students to different countries around the world for research projects and other educational programs. In my classes, I am currently doing pro bono class projects to help companies from all over the world plan for their international strategy,” he said. On two occasions, according to the Millikin website, Munoz has led teams of students as consultants for Ecuador, who was then developing a market strategy as it prepares to enter the U.S. handicrafts market.
With a very busy schedule as a professor, author and consultant, he has very little free time. When he can, he enjoys traveling with his family, walking in parks, swimming, and watching concerts and movies. He has four children, two from a past marriage and two with his current wife Melanie, a recently retired CPA and accounting executive. His children are: Marijka, a finance manager and commercial model in Chicago; Paolo, a real estate and tech entrepreneur in Cebu; Maria Markiesha, a doctor of nurse practitioner in Saint Louis, Missouri; and John, a corporate executive in Chicago.
“The kids are all grown up and living their own busy lives,” he said, pleased at all the blessings that have come his way. While none of his children has chosen to follow his academic and writing career, Munoz said they are all “continuing their father’s legacy of leveraging their talents and abilities to grow where they have landed and make a difference in the best way they can.”
Cristina DC Pastor
Photos Millikin
Charm and sentimentality in ‘COVID Diary’ book on China
For centuries, China has been a formidable yet enigmatic social, cultural, and political entity, more so to outsiders. To intone the evolution of this historical landscape is to recognize one truth: that the Middle Kingdom has been replete with webs of wonder, contradictions, and complexities that at once have amazed and boggled minds the world over.
The conjugal, journalistic couple of Rene Pastor and Cristina DC Pastor lived in the Chinese capital of Beijing for some four years working as editors for the China Daily newspaper. They have chronicled their experiences in the publication “Living in China 2019 to 2023: A COVID Diary.”
The timing of their move to Beijing in May 2019 was a matter of journeying to an alien world. It would be a journey that would ingrain in them the memories of a lifetime, including an unforeseen encounter with an earth-shaking virus.
Upon beginning work with China Daily, one of the issues that concerned Rene and Cristina was journalistic censorship. China after all, is notorious under the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) for its suppression of journalistic facts, facts that the CCP deems to be “inappropriate” for public consumption. Rene writes, “What if we were asked to twist facts or overly exaggerate the importance of their leaders?”
Fortunately, that possibility never happened. They did not review any article on the geopolitically-sensitive subject of the South China Sea.
One of the prominent aspects of “Living in China” is its authors’ pursuit in China of the everyday necessities of life as well as the creature comforts that were available to them there. In an example of buying a consumer product that would have been more conveniently found in the United States, in China Rene had difficulty finding sneakers that would fit him properly.
Other mundane anecdotes involved visiting flea markets, eating at restaurants, and riding the sub -
By Allen Gaborro
Neighbors pass the time playing cards.
way. These reminiscences are deeply personal to Rene and Cristina for they do justice to the indelible emotional value that they both place on their time in China. The authors’ touching attentiveness to the quotidian details and regimen adds to the charm and sentimental power of their account.
Residing in China in the midst of the COVID outbreak was for Rene and Cristina, a disorienting extreme. So much so that the “pandemic has drastically changed behaviors that used to be taken for granted.” The challenge of trying to get by during the crisis was made all the more angst-ridden under China’s rigid Zero- COVID guidelines.
During the COVID lockdown, the Pastors had to queue up for COVID testing (administered several times by surprise at home at unseemingly hours), diligently sterilize deliveries, and digitally prove that they didn’t have the virus in public settings.
In Cristina’s specific case, the pandemic sidetracked her learning Mandarin as COVID isolated her from others. She writes: “In lockdown, with no one to speak to, the few words I had picked up evaporated from my memory and were completely forgotten.”
The Pastors present a society that features contemporary citizens navigating a contemporary existence. Cristina taught English—-an occupation which was in demand in China—-English being the lingua franca of a globalized world. There is also the institution of marriage. As China advances further into the 21st century, more women there are seemingly less-inclined to get married. You also have some Chinese taking on a Western name in addition to their indigenous name for purposes of integrating into foreign lands.
‘Living in China 2019 to 2023: A COVID DIARY’ March 28, 2025
Berkeley 189 pages
Rene’s and Cristina’s game determination to blaze their own trail through China and absorb everything they could about the people and the culture was worth all the trials and uncertainties. They confirmed the idea that while one can always imagine what another country is like, that there is no substitute for actually being there.
The book is available on Amazon.
Food is resistance
By Maricar Tangonan
When I first arrived in America, I wasn’t particularly fond of Mexican food. Back in the Philippines, my only exposure was to the Texas-Mexican variety which, while popular, doesn’t come close to capturing the incredible diversity and depth of Mexico’s regional cuisines.
Living in New York City changed that completely. Here, I’ve had the privilege of exploring the many faces of Mexican food—from its most comforting and familiar forms to its most elevated and imaginative expressions. I’ve waited in line at a popular taqueria cart in Jackson Heights, Queens for melt-inthe-mouth birria taco dipped in beef consommé, and dined at the Michelin-starred Cosme in Manhattan, by Chef Enrique Olvera—whose restaurant Pujol in Mexico City is considered one of the best and most innovative in the world, with Two Michelin Stars. (Yes, I’ve reserved a table this July—taking this form of protest straight to the heart of it all, by embarking on a cultural pilgrimage in Ciudad de México.)
There’s also the One Star Michelin spots—Oxomoco and Claro in Brooklyn—and Casa Enrique in Queens. And a special mention to Michelin-rated
Alta Calidad, my comfort go-to during my nursing school days in Brooklyn. And even now, in my current neighborhood in Westchester —and back in my old one in Queens—I’m surrounded by family-run gems that remind me how lucky we New Yorkers are. We’re spoiled with choices, and even more so when we choose with care and intention. These restaurants offer more than great meals. They are a culinary map of Mexico’s soul, undeniably and indelibly stitched into our multicultural city and I believe, the entire country as well.
Lately, though, dining in Mexican restaurants has become more than just about food. It became personal. I weep—and burn with quiet rage—at the ongoing assault on the dignity and rights of immigrants, especially those from Mexico and Latin America. One small but meaningful way I resist is by honoring our brothers’ stories— through travel, literature, & food and remembering our shared history of colonial oppression — the Philippines and Mexico under a Spanish king and the USA under a British king.
On No Kings Day on June 14, with street protests happening in over 1,800 locations across the U.S. -- which I sadly can’t attend due to work responsibilities —I did my own quiet protest. After work, I walked in my neighborhood and found a place to celebrate the culture of the oppressed and vilified. I found a newly opened Mexican spot in New Rochelle called Taqueria el Chiltepin, that is serving a week end only Chivo (goat) special that absolutely blew me away—Chivo barbacoa, Chivo consommé, and Chivo tacos. Restaurant is named after Chiltepin, a wild pepper variety native to the Americas, particularly the southwestern United States and Mexico. This chili is small, round, red, and very spicy.
The food was deep, soul-warming, unforgettable. The service was sincere, coming from members of a community who deserve to be honored—not hunted—by a racist and unjust government.
Food is resistance. Food is love. Gracias, mis amigos!
Chivo (goat) dishes can be enjoyed as soup or tacos
The author beside a decorative skull, a Mexican symbol of life and death.
Sol & Mary Ann Kapunan: Husband-and-wife tandem behind Albany’s Kalayaan 1521
By Cristina DC Pastor
June 2021 was an auspicious time for a celebration, at least in Albany.
Two reasons were brought up:
One, travel restrictions caused by the pandemic had been lifted. Two, the labor issue involving Albany nurses reached an impasse and subsequently led to a contract signing.
Hence, on June 26, 2021 Albany’s first Philippine Independence Day parade took off in Washington Park. It was sponsored by the New York State Nurses Association with support from local organizations. In her keynote message, Mayor Kathy Sheehan paid tribute to Filipinos for their contributions to “our culture, health care institutions and business community” and enriching the city’s diversity.
Sol founded Kalayaan 1521 as he urges Filipinos to ‘abandon colonial mentality.’
Parade organizer Sol Kapunan, 49, made this cheeky remark: “This is the best opportunity to gather the support of local population because people are raring to go out after a long imprisonment.”
The 123rd Philippine Independence Day parade of June 26, 2021 – Albany’s first -- attracted a sparse 800 people. Such number would balloon in stunning numbers in the years to come. On June 28 this year, several thousands of Filipino Americans across the state turned out for the 127th Independence Day parade prompting Sol and his wife
Mary Ann, 47, to remark that the success could be gauged by the participation of more Filipino organizations closing ranks with the greater Asian community and the local population.
“We gained traction,” said Sol. Kalayaan 1521 is now in motion. It is Albany’s version of PIDCI or the Philippine Independence Day Council, Inc. which mounts the iconic annual parade in New York City’s Madison Avenue.
Sol shared the story of how Kalayaan got its name.
“People thought the ‘Kalayaan’ came from the declaration of independence from Spain in Kawit,
Sol addresses 2025 marchers: ‘If we don’t tell our stories no one will.’
Albany’s first Philippine Independence Day parade in 2021 with then-Deputy Consul General Arman Talbo addressing the festival.
Cavite. It was not. About ‘1521,’ they thought it’s about Lapu Lapu defeating Magellan. That’s not the reason,” he began.
He said Kalayaan 1521 is some kind of a rallying cry for Filipinos to abandon the “colonial mentality that plagues us.”
He and wife Mary Ann, then an ICU nurse at Ellis Hospital, would lock horns while brainstorming on the name. “Nag-aaway talaga kami,” both of them confessed in jest.
“I said I wanted freedom from the colonial mentality that plagues us. That anything foreign is good. That we allow ourselves to be relegated to second-class citizens in this country. I see that in the inferiority complex of some of us. I want us to be superior in our own way. That’s the Kalayaan part. 1521 refers to the start of the colonialization of the Philippines.” It is the year Magellan arrived on Philippine shores.
Listening to Sol’s impassioned explanation, Mary Ann promptly came on board. Sol became the founding president of Kalayaan 1521 Council Inc., a New York non-profit corporation “dedicated to preserving and promoting Filipino culture and heritage,” his wife of 26 years became the corporate secretary.
She said, “My background as a community leader and healthcare professional is deeply rooted in public service.”
| Seminarian
In recalling his interesting past, Sol mentioned how he was a young seminarian in college. It did not lead to priesthood as he decided to pursue a non-sectarian path. He went on to college at the University of Santo Tomas where he completed his bachelor’s degree in Philosophy and met Nursing student Mary Ann Gozon along the way.
“Different buildings but we have common friends,” he said with an ironic smile.
The couple, now with two daughters, migrated to the United States in 2011 via the EB-3 skilled visa program that qualified Mary Ann who had an extensive nursing career as a nurse manager of an Ambulatory Surgical Center in the Philippines.
Albany became home to the Kapunans because Mary Ann’s employer then, Pathways Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, was based in Schenectady, a mere half hour away from the state capital. Sol, shy about
Giant flag blankets the June 2025 festival with patriotic colors.
being called an activist, found himself immersed in Albany’s labor issues with nurses because of his wife’s job. Local nurses are known to protest against
major Albany hospitals over working conditions. He and APO fraternity brother Nathan Ty became advocates for the Filipino nurses and in the
process came to know the city’s local leaders.
Meanwhile, Sol became a member of the board of PIDCI through an invitation from Nora Galleros, then PIDCI president. Sol is the president of Alpha Phi Omega Alumni Association of Greater New York (2023-2026) of which Nora is a life-long member.
“Nora asked me, Sol, I’m in the process of cleaning the ranks of PIDCI, pwede mo ba akong tulungan? Sabi niya tumakbo ka. Hindi ko mahindian yung sister ko,” he shared. He was elected under the ticket of current president Arman David.
The parade and Sol’s growing influence caught the attention of Gov. Kathy Hochul. Her office reached out through an emissary from her Asian American Affairs office. The official commended Sol for his role in advocating for the Asian community and said, “Asians need representation.”
“I told him I am not a politician but I will not sit idle on an opportunity that would help the Filipino community,” he said.
| June 28, 2025
This year’s parade has definitely grown from a few hundred marchers in 2021 to almost 4,000. The vendors – 26 of them -- were spread all over the park showing the community the quality and variety of Philippine crafts, clothing, and cuisine. Sol thanked the local officials for supporting the Filipino community. The Filipinos, he thanked for “showing your colors, showing what a true Filipino is. We have to tell our story because if we do not tell our story, nobody will.”
Except for unusual high security around the park – police said to prevent a possible Lapu Lapu festival incident in Vancouver – the parade ended on a festive note with some participants lingering much longer like they didn’t want the gathering to end. It was a lovely day. It did not rain.
Kalayaan 1521 will continue to grow the Philippine parade until Filipinos in New York State recognize their role, and responsibility, in propagating Filipino heritage, said the couple. How do you ensure it will not be plagued by issues that used to trouble the old PIDCI, The FilAm asked.
Sol replied. “People might think we’re a copycat. Kalayaan 1521 has a life of its own, has its own destiny. We will always observe transparency. It will not be another (old) PIDCI.”
Sol and Mary Ann with daughters Alexandra, 25, and Gabrielle, 16, from Niskayuna, a suburb of Albany. Mary Ann is now a nurse entrepreneur running her own hospitality business.
Calendar of Events
| June 30 to October 5
Golden Years Weighing Philippine Martial Law 1972-1981 exhibit
Asian American Resource CenterCity of Austin (TX)
| July 11
Financial Literacy Expo by N.J.
Reentry Corp.
Newark/Essex County
936-938 Bergen Street
Newark N.J.
| Ongoing till July 15
The Courage in Care:
Community Doulas and the Joyful Revolution of Birth
Newark ArtSpace
355 Broad Street
Newark N.J.
| Ongoing till July 20
Eva Noblezada in ‘Cabaret at the KitKat Club’
August Wilson Theatre
245 West 52nd Street, NYC
| July 5, 12, 19, and 26
Paaralan sa Konsulado: Balik-tanaw sa Kahapon: Paghahanda sa Kinabukasan by AFTA
Philippine Center
556 Fifth Avenue, NYC
| July 15
Policy Summit hosted by Philippine Nurses Association of America, Inc., Philippine Nurses Association of New
Jersey, and Philippine Nurses Association of New York
Westin Book Cadillac
1114 Washington Boulevard Detroit, MI
| July 16 to 20
46th Annual Convention of the Philippine Nurses Association of America
Westin Book Cadillac Detroit 1114 Washington Boulevard Detroit, MI
| July 19
Sofronio Vasquez concert Town Hall Theatre
123 W 43 Street NYC
| July 26
NYC Summer Filipino Community Resource & Health Fair organized by the Association of Filipino Scientists in America, the Council of Young Filipino Americans in Medicine and Migrante NY
APICHA Jackson Heights 82-11 37th Avenue
Jackson Heights, Queens NYC
| July 30
Deadline for nominations to the Sampaguita Awards by the Philippine Nurses Association of Metropolitan DC Contact Maricon Dans at maricon. dans@ana.org
| August 16 & 17
Fiesta In America
American Dream Mall
1 American Dream Way East Rutherford, N.J.
| August 22
Yaman ng Lahi Award (Treasure of the People Award) by IAM FAME Leonard’s Palazzo
555 Northern Boulevard Great Neck, N.Y.
| August 23
PIDCI Maria Clara Ball
Astoria Manor
25-22 Astoria Boulevard
Astoria, NYC
| September 12 & 13
New York Fashion Week by Steadfast Creative Arts Production Edison Ballroom 240 W 47th Street NYC
| September 13
Knights of Rizal 2nd Commander’s Ball
Terrace on the Park 52-11 111th Street
Queens, NYC
| October 3 to 5
Philippine Nurses Association of America, Inc.’s 22nd Eastern
Region Conference with the theme ‘Impacting Lives, Influencing Change’
Live Casino & Hotel Maryland
7002 Arundel Mills Circle Hanover, MD
| October 5
Gala Filipiniana by the Filipino Apostolate Archdiocese of Newark Park Hotel at Meadowlands
Two Meadowlands Plaza East Rutherford, N.J.
| October 12
5th Anniversary of the Filipino American Cancer Care: Fashion for Love, Care and Hope Charity Gala
Hyatt Regency Reston 1800 Presidents Street Reston, VA
| Oct 17 to 18
UPAA in America’s 23rd Grand Reunion and Convention
Westin Galleria 5060 W Alabama Street Houston, TX
The Girl Who
(Thought She)
Looked Like Kamala Harris
“At age twelve, Paula confronts a school bully who folded easily. Her US Marine father has taught her courage amidst challenges, her school-teacher mother has instilled in her compassion with cleverness. Then she meets a senator who, growing up, has faced enormous life adversities and humbly bears those same traits. An unlikely friendship ensues.ˮ
Gene P. Del Carmen
The FilAm readers get reduced shipping price, author-signed copies.
Order @ gpdelcarmen@gmail.com
Scientist Michael Purugganan named interim dean at NYU Arts & Science
In a May 27 memorandum to the Arts & Science community, NYU President Linda Mills and Provost Georgina Dopico announced the appointment of Michael Purugganan as Interim Dean of Arts & Science:
“We are delighted to announce the appointment of Michael Purugganan, Silver Professor of Biology and formerly dean of science, as interim dean of the Faculty of Arts and Science, effective July 1, 2025,” says the statement posted on the NYU website.
“Michael brings a deep familiarity with Arts and Science to the deanship, as well as a reputation as a highly productive and respected scholar, a skilled and experienced leader, a collaborative and respected colleague, and an upholder of academic excellence.
“Many of you already know Michael well. A member of NYU’s Department of Biology faculty since 2006 and an affiliate faculty member at NYU Abu Dhabi and at the Institute for the Study of the Ancient World, he has served in a number of important and prominent positions: as dean of science in Arts and Science from 2012 to 2019; as director of the NYU Center for Genomics and Systems Biology from 2010 to 2012; as the founding codirector of the NYU Abu Dhabi Center for Genomics and Systems Biology
from 2012 to 2017; and as academic director of 19 Washington Square North from 2022 to the present.
“He has also been active in the wider academic sphere, serving as a trustee of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, a member of the National Science Foundation Biological Sciences Advisory Committee, and the U.S. representative to the Council of Scientists of the international Human Frontiers Science Program.
“Michael is well known as a leader in the field of plant evolutionary genomics. Recognition of his scholarly work includes being elected a member of the US National Academy of Sciences and corresponding member of the National Academy of Science and Technology of the Philippines. He has been a Kavli Frontiers of Science Fellow, a Guggenheim Fellow, and a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and
this last year was a visiting fellow at All Souls College at the University of Oxford.
“With so many challenges confronting higher education, we are fortunate to have such an able, seasoned, and esteemed academic leader willing to step in and take on this important assignment. We are very grateful to Michael, and have every confidence in his stewardship of Arts and Science.”
In a 2012 interview with The FilAm, Michael said he took up Chemistry at UP Diliman and became features editor at the Collegian in the turbulent 1980s. When opposition leader Benigno Aquino was assassinated in 1983, Michael led the coverage and published two special issues about social injustice and the unraveling of the Ferdinand Marcos dictatorship.
With a bachelor’s degree, he left the Philippines to pursue his master’s in Chemistry at Columbia University. Realizing he wasn’t all that enthused about chemistry, he looked around for other disciplines that would be “potentially useful” in case he had to go back to the Philippines. Why not Plant Biology, thinking he could use the knowledge to study rice, possibly at the International Rice Research Institute in Los Banos. He got a PH.D. in Botany from the University of Georgia, followed by postdoctoral research at the University of California in San Diego, where he studied plant evolution. After UCSD, he applied for a research position at UP, but was told the only available position was teaching.
While evaluating his options, he was offered to teach Genetics at North Carolina State University. He stayed there for 10 years, leaving as a chair professor. He joined NYU in 2006, bringing with him his entire laboratory and a staff of about six people. Purugganan Laboratory is known as the “hub of science” in the heart of New York City.
‘Respected scholar, skilled and experienced leader.’ NYU photo
Assemblymember Steven Raga backs Mark Levine for City Comptroller
New York State Assemblymember Steven Raga has announced he is backing Mark Levine for New York City Comptroller.
Raga, the first Filipino American elected into office in the state of New York, joins the Filipino American Democratic Club and a growing coalition of AAPI elected officials and community groups that are backing Levine, highlighting Levine’s longstanding commitment to supporting the AAPI community, according to a press statement.
Raga said: “Mark Levine has dedicated his career to fiercely advocating for more housing, stronger tenant protections, and an accountable government. Whether as a teacher, founder of the Neighborhood Trust Federal Credit Union, City Council Member, or Borough President, Mark has always fought for bettering the lives of New Yorkers. That’s why I am happy to support Mark for NYC Comptroller!”
Levine said, “Assembly Member Raga has consistently delivered for his Queens community, and I am so proud to have a fighter like him on our team.
As Comptroller, I look forward to continuing our work together to make sure New Yorkers can afford their apartments, send their children to good schools, and retire with dignity.”
The statement says Levine has been at the “forefront of advocating for more affordable, equitable and healthy communities for nearly 25
years.” He’s a former bilingual math and science teacher in the South Bronx, and he founded the Neighborhood Trust Federal Credit Union, which today has made over $100 million of loans to local families and businesses in Northern Manhattan and the South Bronx. He served on the New York City Council for 8 years,
including as Chair of the Committee on Parks, Chair of the Jewish Caucus, and Chair of the Committee on Health, where he brought his science-based and data driven approach to helping to lead the city out of the worst public health crisis in a century. He introduced and passed transformative tenants rights protections, including the first-in-the-nation Right to Counsel, which guarantees tenants at risk of eviction with legal representation if they cannot afford a lawyer.
In 2022, Mark was elected Manhattan Borough President, where he led the fight to end our affordability crisis. He identified opportunities for tens of thousands of new units of housing, advocated new policies that will help create badly needed affordable housing, and fought to protect tenants so they can stay in their homes. He has launched campaigns to plant a million more trees and deliver millions of dollars of low-interest loans to small businesses, and has pushed the city to improve our mental health system, ensure New Yorkers can travel quickly and safely on our streets, and prepare for climate change.
Raga on Levine: ‘An advocate for more housing, stronger tenant protections’
Fashion designer Puey Quiñones opens Los Angeles atelier
Fashion designer Puey Quiñones will officially showcase his new couture collection at a private event on Ju ly 8, when he will also launch the opening of his new atelier in downtown Los Angeles.
The couture collection, Quiñones revealed, would “highlight an array of intricate designs that celebrate both contemporary and Filipino traditional aesthetics, blending luxurious and local fabrics from the Philippines with bold colors. Expect to see pieces that embody elegance and innovation.”
The soft-spoken designer revealed where he gets inspiration for his designs and creations.
He said, “Inspiration for my designs comes from various sources. I often find myself drawn to art, nature, and cultural history. Additionally, I draw inspiration from the people around me. Their stories and experiences shape the way I approach fashion. Traveling also opens my eyes to different styles and practices, which I then incorporate into my work.”
The PeopleAsia People of the Year 2024 awardee, who has an atelier in the Philippines and a Q Bridal collection shop in Los Angeles, is known for being the only Filipino fashion designer who has a couture dress purchased by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) as part of its heritage collection.
He described the dress that was acquired by LACMA in 2020 as part of the museum’s historic collection and is now preserved alongside the creations of fashion legends, including Christian Dior, Madame Gres and Alexander McQueen.
“I am still in awe of this incredible recognition. The piece, a stunning gown crafted from silk organza and adorned with intricate embroidery, was inspired by traditional Filipino textiles. When I received the news that it would be part of LACMA's heritage collection, I was overwhelmed with joy and gratitude. It felt surreal to know that my work would be preserved alongside such iconic designers.”
He disclosed how he manages his shops in the U.S. and the Philippines.
“Managing my two shops is indeed a challenge, but it’s a journey I embrace wholeheartedly. Each market has its own unique needs and preferences, so I make a concerted effort to tailor my collections accordingly. Balancing both locations requires a disciplined schedule, but it also allows me to explore diverse creative avenues,” he said.
The 45-year-old designer, who was a guest designer for “America’s Next Top Model Cycle 21,” designed clothes using fabrics native to the Philippines for a runway challenge where the contestants had to walk in stilts.
His creations are worn by celebrities, dignitaries and other VIPs.
“I have been fortunate to have my clothes worn by some incredible individuals. Celebrities like Melissa McCarthy, Dolly De Leon, and even dignitaries such as the President and the First Lady of the Philippines have donned my creations. It’s always an honor to see my designs being appreciated by such influential figures,” he said.
Born and raised in Bobon, Northern Samar, Quiñones shared that growing up in the Philippines “has taught me the value of hard work and resilience. My humble beginnings instilled in me a strong sense of community and an appreciation for craftsmanship, which I carry into every piece I create.”
He confessed that he realized he wanted to be a fashion designer “when I was just a child, watching my grandmother sew our clothes. The joy she found in creating something beautiful sparked a flame in me. I started sketching designs and experimenting with fabric when I moved to Manila and worked for designer Dennis Lustico, and it was clear that this was my calling.”
Due to the demands of his work and profession, Quiñones is aware that taking care of his health is vital. “Taking care of my physical and mental health is crucial in this demanding industry. I make it a priority to meditate and pray regularly, practice mindfulness, and take time to recharge. I also find joy in cooking, which serves as a creative outlet for me.”
A very good chef as well, Quiñones shared that he learned how to cook from his grandmother. “I love preparing traditional Filipino dishes like adobo and
other Samar dishes, as well as experimenting with new recipes like vegetarian dishes because my husband Paul (Martineau, curator of Photographs at The J. Paul Getty Museum) is vegetarian.”
Looking ahead, Quiñones said, “I have dreams of expanding my brand internationally and collaborating with other artists across different media. I’m also passionate about giving back to the community, so I hope to launch initiatives that support aspiring designers in the Philippines. The world of fashion is ever-evolving, and I’m excited to see what the future holds!”
Designs in white
Quiñones examines a barong material made of indigenous weave for presidential son Sandro Marcos.
Ex-New Jersey Gov. Jim McGreevey: Life after coming out
By Cristina DC Pastor The FilAm Exclusive
The decision to interview former New Jersey Governor James ‘Jim’ McGreevey was never in the cards. First, he does not belong to The FilAm brand, meaning he is not Filipino American and he most certainly, I thought then, has not done anything remotely connected with the community.
Until several months ago when he began attending Filipino events in New Jersey. I first spotted him at a PAFCOM gala and learned he was running for mayor of Jersey City, the city where Filipinos constitute a vote-rich population of about 20,000 and where a street is named Manila Avenue. Ah, of course. He would grace a theater event and gatherings for nurses, making himself visible. Out of curiosity I asked around if he would be willing to sit down with The FilAm. A kind PAFCOM officer offered to connect us.
McGreevey was born in Jersey City to middle class parents. His father Jack was in the Marines and served in World War II and the Korean War. Upon retirement he worked for a transportation and trucking company. His mother Veronica was a charge nurse at Jersey City Medical Center and a professor of Nursing.
“She met my dad at Seton Hall where he was taking up arts. He wanted to find a wife and he found my mom,” he remarked breezily. He has two sisters Caroline (McGreevey) Jones and Sharon McGreevey.
McGreevey lives in an old brownstone-type house on a leafy street of Jersey City. His home had wood paneling and reeked of the musty scent of old books. His sofa was littered with square pillows. Some parts of his floor creaked. There were sculptures on desks and tables. It was a lovely, charming home where one might imagine artists and writers live.
In 2004, he figured in a highly publicized sex scandal prompting him to step down as governor of New Jersey.
“And so my truth is that I am a gay American,” he declared.
The media and succeeding lawsuit called it a “homosexual affair” with an Israeli man he tried to appoint for a security position in the governor’s office. He left office quietly and not much has been heard from him since except for a book he wrote in 2006 titled “The Confession.” He remained, at least to me, a quietly intriguing political figure.
As I entered his house, he led me into the kitchen where sunlight was filtering in and offered me a bottle of fruit-flavored water. He opened his fridge and I glanced stacks of rice in bowls, the type that is microwaveable. I asked jokingly, “Don’t you cook your rice the traditional
way using a rice cooker?” He just laughed. “No, it’s faster this way.”
We sat by a round dining table with candles flickering in the unlighted room and began our conversation.
| The FilAm: I’m curious about your life, how it pivoted after you stepped down as governor in 2004.
Jim McGreevey: It was a difficult time for New Jersey, my family. After you resign you leave New Jersey and you leave the best public housing, namely Drumthwacket (the governor’s official residence). (laughs) I was just trying to figure it out. What came next has been the focus of my life. Friends said now you have the opportunity to do something meaningful, something you’ve always wanted to do. For me it was going to seminary. It’s
understanding the scripture more deeply, understanding a sense of spirituality, understanding a sense of belonging to my faith.
| TF: Have you always wanted to do that? That seemed so remote from your past as a politician.
JM: They say when you’re Irish the default was a priest, poet or politician. (laughs)
Yeah. In high school, I actually registered in Saint Louis University which is a Jesuit university in St. Louis, Missouri. I seriously considered going for the priesthood. My mother thought I was too young to make that
decision. I did not make the decision to enter St. Louis, but I went back and forth. When I was in law school in Georgetown, I thought about reentering the Jesuits. There was always a tug, a calling.
| TF: How did your life evolve after your resignation?
JM: First I had no money.
I was from a working class family. My mom was a nurse. A warm path toward developing close relationship with the Filipino community. My dad was in the U.S. Marine corps. Then he was in the transportation business and logistics, moving freight throughout the
Stacks of book and sculptures scattered in his living room. The FilAm photo
It’s been 21 years since he declared: ‘I am a gay American.’
The mayoral candidate for Jersey City in his kitchen.
The FilAm photo
country. They were both incredibly hardworking. Never affluent. After leaving the governor’s office I was trying to discern what is my path? It was time of introspection, time of self-examination.
The seminary was three of the best years of my life. I went to the Episcopalian…General Theological Seminary in Greenwich Village. In retrospect, resignation was singularly the most important and valuable lesson of my life.
| TF: During that time you were totally cut off from politics?
JM: Yeah. We were required to do field education. I went to the Cabrini Nursing Home in the Lower East Side. The dean of the seminary recommended I provide assistance to one of the first reentry centers called Exodus that was in Harlem. It served as a combination between having daily liturgy, studying scripture, studying academic treatises, the intersection of psychology, meaning and faith. It’s fascinating. So I worked in Cabrini as an assistant at the pastoral ministry, literally with people that were dying. It was a wonderful education on the resilience of life.
| TF: Some people think what you did paved the way for acceptance of the LGBT community but of course your circumstances were different.
JM: America was changing. Parts of the world were changing. I think I was just part of the story. The LGBT they were very kind. They were people who were compassionate beyond rationale mea -
sure, they just understood where I was. And how difficult it was. I was filled with a sense of shame and embarrassment.
| TF: Have you always known you were gay?
JM: Yes! It’s a great question. I knew when I was 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, that I was different.
I remember going to the Woodbridge Public Library. I remember as if it was yesterday, I went to the card catalog, I wanted to see what is homosexuality, a 9-year-old looking at the card catalog. I’ll never forget…homosexuality, see psychiatric illness. I said to myself, this is not a good thing. This is not something I wanna own. At the time I thought it was a test from God, perhaps it was a struggle that I had to overcome.
I remember being in Boy Scouts. I remember being in camp. I was with my bunkmate. I remember hearing the older boys say, ‘I think he’s a fag,’ talking about me. I didn’t realize it at first when I heard it. I compared it to almost being a tripwire. To me it became a tripwire. I can never cross this wire. It became less of a moral question than just a psychological question.
| TF: Did you try to fight it?
JM: Definitely. I have two loving wives. (First wife) Kari (Schutz) is in British Columbia with my older daughter Morag. There’s a spectrum of feelings people have and I clearly loved (second wife) Dina and clearly loved Kari. No question. I thought I was doing the right thing, obviously, the closet is not a healthy place. I was trying to navigate it the best I could.
| TF: Why do you like hanging out with Filipinos? (laughs)
JM: Great food (laughter). No…so many contact points. One is growing up with the community. Going to high school at St. Joseph’s in Metuchen, I had many Filipino friends.
My mother was on the board of the Philippine Nurses Association of New Jersey and I was on the board of the Filipino Medical Society. It’s a community that has great Faith, has great devotion to family. I think the Filipino experience looking for independence and coming to this country actually, in many respects, mirrors the Irish experience. Except for the Filipinos it was with the U.S. In the Irish it was the UK. The Irish went into policing and nursing, the Filipinos became nurses and doctors.
Ballroom dancing with a Filipina community leader wearing his Knights of Rizal Barong shirt. Facebook photo
Issue 88, July 2025
Puey Quiñones
New atelier in downtown L.A.
Mark Munoz
Most published FilAm business author?
Jim McGreevey
Counting on FilAm votes for JC mayoral bid