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CONTINUED JOURNEY “BORICUA SOY YO”

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It’s been a while since I’ve written about my film “Boricua Soy Yo.” However, over the last few weeks, I’ve had some positive news regarding this project. Although my film has been available on a few streamers, Amazon Prime Video, Tubi, and Plex among others, in late July, I was very proud to have my film be one of the first films offered with the launch of the new streaming platform for A+. Avenida Productions is the studio behind A+ streaming and this new platform celebrates U.S. Latino stories, offering movies, shows, and documentary films that focus on our stories. The platform’s motto is “American Heart, Latino Soul,” and I recommend you all download the app and support this new service. A+ is available on AppleTV, IOS, Roku, FireTV, Android, and through your browser at https://watchaplus.tv/home. You can watch for free with ads, or pay a small monthly fee to stream ad-free. Let us support our own and help this new platform grow! Upcoming screening event: Having completed “Boricua Soy Yo” over two years ago, I’m still proud of the feedback it continues to receive as well as the attention it continues to grow. Last year in September, I had the pleasure of presenting my film at Canisius University in a free public screening hosted by the Western New York Peace Center in conjunction with the Latin American Solidarity Committee of Western New York as part of their monthly “Coffee House” events. Looking back at this screening, it was a humbling experience, as I sat with folks and observed the audience, watching them watch my film. Regardless of how often I’ve been part of a screening event for one of my documentary projects, the nervous, uneasy feeling one gets as a crowd is watching something you poured eighteen months of one’s life on never gets easy. Although the audience that joined me on this night was not as large as the three-hundred-person audience that first joined me when I first screened it at the Dr. Phillips Center in downtown Orlando in April of 2022 for the UCF Celebrate the Arts screening, the fact that this was being screened in my own hometown of Buffalo, NY made it all the more special. After that screening event at Canisius University, I was approached by Dr. Marko Militech, a professor of the Modern and Classical Language Department at Buffalo State University who teaches courses in Spanish, translation, and interpretation, as well as the culture and civilization of Latin America and Spain. Dr. Militech shared positive feedback on my film and asked if I would be interested in screening “Boricua Soy Yo” at Buffalo State University’s Hispanic History Month celebration events the following year. Fast forward almost a full year and here we are set and ready to screen “Boricua Soy Yo” on Friday, September 20th at 6:00 p.m. at the Jacqueline Vito LoRusso Alumni and Visitor Center at Buffalo State University. I anticipate I will again be full of nerves as I sit in the audience watching, I invite you all to attend this free screening. Seating will be limited but I look forward to seeing you there and hope you engage with me at the end of the screening for a short Q&A segment. While I’m still in the early steps, after a few false starts, of my next documentary project (one that investigates our city’s history), I’m still very proud of the work I did on “Boricua Soy Yo” and hope to continue presenting this film, in other platforms should the opportunity present itself. I hope to see you there on September 20th at Buffalo State University at 6 pm. Read More From This Writer All Post Art Books & Poems Business Column Community Community News Education Entertainment español Food & Culture Health Interviews Media Military & Veterans Music Peace People Politics Sports Technology CONTINUED JOURNEY “BORICUA SOY YO” September 1, 2024/No Comments Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo. Read More… Read More LOCAL LATINO COMMUNITY RADIO SILENCE August 26, 2024/1 Comment Since moving back home to the Buffalo area in October 2022, I have been curious to see how local media… Read More Finding Passion in Face Painting: The Journey of Darlene Berrios Blair July 22, 2024/1 Comment With summer upon us, the Summer Festival Season is in full swing. Typically, at these local events, among vendors selling… Read More Load More End of Content.

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WORKFORCE BUFFALO

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As Labor Day is celebrated nationally, let us remind ourselves that this country runs on the hard labor of the working class. According to the U.S Department of Labor: “Labor Day is a federal holiday in the United States that honors the contributions of American workers to the country’s well-being, prosperity, and strength” To those who are committed and dedicated to jobs where we may or may not have the ability to do, let us celebrate their contributions. With all the talents and abilities people are endowed with, let us hope that they are being utilized towards a positive good. Whether it’s economic development, charitable contributions towards the community, or simply freedom to utilize their income as people see fit, we must understand how employment can lead to sustainable wages during their pursuit of happiness.   Even though that phrase may mean different things to different people, or the phrase “money doesn’t buy happiness” which is either subjective or objective depending on perspective, we may question whether one must earn a living while earning a paycheck to thrive in this country. We may be tempted to question the taxes we pay as Americans but that’s another column for another month. This column aims to shed light on programs and opportunities developed for those who are unemployed or underemployed.   Underemployed according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary is defined as “the condition in which people in a labor force are employed at less than full-time or regular jobs or at jobs inadequate with respect to their training or economic needs.” From that definition we can assume people are seeking opportunities which lead to adequate jobs and sustainable wages. As a Business Services Specialist with Workforce Buffalo, we are a network of employment and training providers, educational institutions, and community agencies to help every person reach their career goals.   We understand that every job seeker has different needs, and we are happy to provide a range of services to assist you. Job seeker services we provide are career assessment and exploration, skills training in demand occupations and access and referral to NYS job openings. We work closely with the Buffalo Employment and Training Center (BETC) where our colleagues assist with job readiness training, resume preparation and cover letter writing assistance. We also offer in-house services to assist the business community including employee recruitment and screening, use of center facilities for group interviews, and On-the-Job Training opportunities. For more information, please reach out and contact me.   Workforce Buffalo: (716) 819-9845; sjoseph@wdcinc.org Buffalo Employment and Training Center (BETC): (716) 856-5627   Sources:  https://www.workforcebuffalo.org/ https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/underemployment https://www.dol.gov/general/laborday/history   Read More From This Writer All Post Art Books & Poems Business Column Community Community News Education Entertainment español Food & Culture Health Interviews Media Military & Veterans Music Peace People Politics Sports Technology WORKFORCE BUFFALO September 1, 2024/No Comments Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo. Read More… Read More THE NEED TO MANIFEST “MANIFEST DIVERSITY September 25, 2022/No Comments THE NEED TO MANIFEST “MANIFEST DIVERSITY With so many cultures, races, and ethnic groups from around the world, wouldn’t it… Read More Manifest Destiny vs Diversity February 25, 2022/No Comments Manifest Destiny vs Diversity “Manifest Destiny: Manifest destiny was a widely held belief in the 19th-century United States that American… Read More Load More End of Content.

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RECEIVING WITH HUMILITY

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Have you ever felt uncomfortable receiving help or a gift from another person? Did you ever have difficulty asking for help?   Our independent–oriented culture coupled with the prevailing thoughts that we can and should do all and everything by ourselves can result in receiving assistance being viewed as negative. Besides, if we are used to being the giver in our relationships and philanthropy we can find receiving from another ripe with difficult emotions. Knowing how to ask for assistance is not a weakness, but a sign of strength that empowers us to connect with our fellow humans. Giving would not be possible without a receiver. Opening to help from others teaches the importance of humility as one builds relationships by tapping the wealth of resources in the community around us. Guidelines on How to receive with Humility: Reflect on how no one does life alone. To think otherwise is just an illusion. We need each other to maintain our basic needs, including food, shelter, roads, electricity, and more. Identify what you need help with. Be honest. Accomplish research for useful social resources and services. Write down a list of up to three people or organizations, whom you trust and have the skills and expertise to assist you, give sound advice, and can locate other resources. Contact all your resources. Be direct and to the point with what you need. Do not apologize for asking for help. We all need help from time to time. 7.Express gratitude and appreciation for any help you receive. These steps will not only get you the help you need but will instill the optimism that is the by-product of solving problems and getting help when you have hit a brick wall, or when you could use a fresh perspective or guidance. Remember that no one walks alone, and we all need help as we traverse this journey. To receive is helping the giver too! Giving and receiving is a symbiotic relationship! Read More From This Writer All Post Art Books & Poems Business Column Community Community News Education Entertainment español Food & Culture Health Interviews Media Military & Veterans Music Peace People Politics Sports Technology RECEIVING WITH HUMILITY August 26, 2024/No Comments Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo. Read More… Read More INVESTING IN OURSELVES July 22, 2024/No Comments A minute can be very important in re-setting us! How many minutes do we really pay attention to? Did small… Read More Mindful Ways to Build Resilience Part 3 – Clarity April 4, 2024/1 Comment Many factors can derail clarity and your ability to function and maintain residence at a high level.  By skillfully staying… Read More Load More End of Content.

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