Filipinos In Boston: An Interview With Artist-in-Residence Hortense Gerardo
By Trish Fontanilla
February’s Filipinos in Boston profile is Hortense Gerardo! Hortense and I actually met at BF’s Filipino food pop-up at Parsnip last month, and after hearing about her show next week, I thought that it’d be the perfect time to highlight her.
Thank you, Hortense, for letting us profile you this month, and I hope you all enjoy our latest FiB post!
Birthday smile! // Photo submitted by Hortense Gerardo
Where are you from?
I was born in Nashville, Tennessee, but my father is from Ilocos Norte and my mother is from Ilocos Sur. Most of my relatives are in Quezon City.
Where do you work and what do you do?
I am the Artist-in-Residence in the Arts and Culture Department at the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC), and my job involves devising creative strategies to promote community cohesion and resilience through art.
What inspired you to pursue that career path?
My work as an Associate Professor in Anthropology and Performing Arts at Lasell College has been an ongoing training ground that honed the multidisciplinary skill set that I bring to MAPC as an ethnographer, playwright, filmmaker, choreographer, and educator. However, the current projects on which I am working, which address issues such as mental health care, climate change, and the opioid crisis, are informing the ways I write and my approach to teaching and collaborating with others. Underpinning all of this is a love of travel and storytelling, and the most compelling way for me to pursue these passions was to become an anthropologist and a playwright.
Until recently, I never understood where my love of playwriting came from. I was told I had a relative who was in theatre, but my searches came up empty, in part because I had been searching under the last names of more distantly-related relatives. More recently I discovered the playwright, Severino Montano, was my grandmother’s half-brother, and there was a commemorative postage stamp issued in his name (picture below!).
Severino Montano (my paternal grandmother's half brother) // Submitted by Hortense Gerardo
On Boston...
How long have you been in Boston?
I was at Boston University the year Mike Eruzione scored his goal against the former Soviet Union and won the gold medal for the US Olympic Hockey Team. You can do the math.
What are your favorite Boston spots (could be restaurants / parks / anything!):
I think Boston has some amazing art museums. I never tire of going to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts, the Institute of Contemporary Art, and the Harvard Art Museums, all of which not only house amazing permanent collections and exhibitions, but are increasingly the go-to places to attend performing arts events.
What's your community superpower?
I don’t know that I’d call it a superpower, but I’ve been told I listen well and can translate what I hear into the works that I write for the stage or screen. I’ve been fortunate to meet some very generous people with inspiring stories to tell. Most recently, I worked with people from the town of Medfield who shared their stories of the former Medfield State Hospital, which I wrote into a full-length play called, The Medfield Anthologies.
I also worked on a project in which a farmer and a fisherman told me about the impacts of climate change on their respective occupations, and the innovative solutions they’ve found to the challenges they faced. Here are the links to short, documentary “video-lets” I co-directed with filmmaker Monica Cohen: https://youtu.be/oJ2f8XZLGug https://youtu.be/nidApZGs88E
On Filipino Food...
What's your all-time favorite Filipino dish?
Camaron Rebosado is the dish I always ask my mom to make when I visit my parents. I associate it with the big dinner parties they’d host at our house for their friends and relatives. As a kid, I knew there was a special occasion to celebrate when she’d make Camaron Rebosado.
What's your favorite Filipino recipe / dish to make?
My mom’s recipe for Leche Flan is easily my favorite dish to make. It’s that great combination of being delicious and plates really well, yet ridiculously easy to prepare.
On Staying in Touch...
Created and submitted by Hortense Gerardo
Do you have any upcoming events / programs that you want to highlight?
February 27, 2020: staged reading of FACE WORK made possible by a LAB grant from the Boston Foundation as part of the Asian American Playwright Collective (AAPC). https://aapcboston.wixsite.com/mysite/upcoming-events
March 20, 2020: full production of THE SAUNA PLAYS made possible by a grant from The Falmouth Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/188999052501173/ https://www.salted.no/programme/2020/3/20/the-sauna-plays Tickets: https://www.universe.com/saunaplays200320
April 21, 22 & 24, 2020: full production of movement work, SMALL STEPS ON CLIMATE CHANGE as part of the Metropolitan Area Planning Council Artist Residency. https://www.mapc.org/staff-member/hortense-gerardo/
May 2, 2020: full production of THE MEDFIELD PROJECT as part of the Barr Foundation and the Metropolitan Area Planning Council Artist Residency. https://www.mapc.org/planning101/medfield-anthology-gives-audience-glimpse-of-past/
May 14, 15, 16 & 17, 2020: curation of THE MOVING MEMORY INCUBATOR: AN ACTION ART WORKSHOP at the Grange Hall Cultural Center https://www.grangehallcc.com/events/
How can people stay in touch?
www.hortensegerardo.com
Twitter: @hfgerardo
Filipinos In Boston: An Interview With Project Coordinator & Artist Anna Dugan
By Trish Fontanilla
I first met Anna Dugan last year at the Filipino Festival in Malden. She was selling some super cute stickers that I picked up, “You Had Me At Halo Halo” and “Kalamansi is My Main Squeeze,” to name two. She was at the beginning stages of launching her online store, so we held off for a little bit, but now that she’s rockin’ and rollin’, we figured it was time to highlight her!
Hope you enjoy our profile of Anna, and if you or someone you know wants to be highlighted on our blog or social media this year, you can fill out our nomination form.
Happy reading!
Where are you from?
Anna: I was born in Methuen, MA. My mom and her family are from Balayan, Batangas originally. A lot of family members have since moved closer to the Metro Manila area. And when I visit the Philippines, I usually stay with my Tita in Quezon City.
Where do you work and what do you do?
Anna: I work full time in Salem, MA as a project coordinator for a travel company. That job pays the bills as I pursue my career as a mural artist and illustrator. I am working hard to create more Filipinx representation around the East Coast and beyond.
What inspired you to pursue art?
Anna: I have always been a creative person. Ever since I can remember, I have loved everything art related. No matter what job I’ve worked in my adult life, I always found myself making time for the arts. Eventually, I realized that I needed to create things. It was part of me, and it was time to listen to myself and my desires to pursue it.
On Boston...
How long have you been in Boston?
Anna: I have lived in the area my whole life.
What are your favorite Boston spots:
Anna: Kaze Shabu Shabu in Chinatown is my absolute favorite restaurant to hit up in the city! Usually followed up with a fresh cream puff from Beard Papa. YUM.
On Filipino Food...
What's your all-time favorite Filipino dish?
Anna: Sinigang na baboy (sour and savory soup that has pork in a tamarind broth). It is the ultimate flavorful, comfort food. My mom also makes the best Filipino spaghetti.
What's your favorite Filipino recipe / dish to make?
Anna: I love making all kinds of soups - Sinigang, Nilaga (boiled meat and vegetable soup), and Tinola (Filipino chicken soup).
On Staying in Touch…
Do you have any upcoming events / programs that you want to highlight?
Anna: I am currently fundraising to send my painted balikbayan boxes to help aid people in the Philippines affected by the Taal Volcano eruption. People can donate to my GoFundMe to help pay for the contents of the boxes and the shipping costs OR they can donate physical goods. They can reach out to me on Instagram (@annadidathing) if they would like to drop off goods.
My family is originally from the Balayan area of Batangas. We are proud to be Batanguenos. And exemplifying the essence of kapwa, when our fellow man is in need we step up to help one another however we can. https://www.gofundme.com/f/north-shore-taal-volcano-relief
How can people stay in touch? (website / social / email if you want!)
Anna: Instagram: @annadidathing - Website: www.annadidathing.com
2020 Here We Come!
By Trish Fontanilla
Our top Instagram posts of 2019 // Created on the Top Nine app using our Instagram posts.
What. A. Year. Next week BOSFilipinos turns 2.5, and 2019 marked our 2nd full calendar year as an organization. Some of our milestones include…
60+ individual profiles about Filipinos / Filipino Americans across our blog and Instagram
6 general meetups around Boston (our next one is February 20th!), including our first ever community pot luck (thank you to everyone that contributed and special shout outs to Hyacinth Empinado and Katie Milliken)
2 community meetups: salsa dancing (thanks to community member Desiree Arevalo) and karaoke (thanks to our events contributor Mark Kcolrehs Cordova)
12 newsletters (one a month, and you can subscribe here)
14 videos filmed for #WordWednesday (thanks to multimedia content contributor Hyacinth Empinado)
20 blog posts (thanks to contributors Bianca Garcia, Reina Adriano, and Helena Berbano)
And we welcomed hundreds of new community members across our newsletter, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
We are so incredibly excited about our 2020, and so thankful for all of our community supporters, whether you attended an event, contributed financially, or shared a tweet, we couldn’t have gotten through this year without you. We have a lot in store for next year, including more eatups, a podcast, and new community events. If there’s something you’d like to do with BOSFilipinos or if there are other ways for us to help, please let us know! You can comment below, email us at info@bosfilipinos.com, or DM us on Instagram or Facebook.
Manigong Bagong Taon (Happy New Year)! And I hope we have the opportunity to see you soon!
Filipinos In Boston: An Interview With Experience Design Strategist Noelle San Jose
By Trish Fontanilla
Of course there’s a million reasons why I love BOSFilipinos, but at the very top of my list is the ability to get into deep dive conversations with our community members on platforms like this. Noelle is one of those people that’s been in my network for years now, but we’ve never had a one-on-one. She’s also been amazing at nominating other people in the community to be highlighted across our feeds, so I figured it was time for her very own spotlight! Thanks to Noelle for chatting with me this month, and I hope you all enjoy her profile!
Photo provided by Noelle San Jose.
Where are you and your family from?
I was born and raised in So-Cal, in the coastal 805 area code. My parents immigrated to the States from Caloocan City’s Grace Park neighborhood in Metro Manila. My mom immigrated to the U.S. as a registered nurse, and was part of the Filipino “outmigration” of nurses and other workers in the 70s and 80s. My dad is not in the Navy or military, but spent most of his life working for the County of Ventura as a Sheriff’s Deputy and DA investigator.
Photo provided by Noelle San Jose.
Where do you work and what do you do?
I’m an Experience Design Strategist at George P. Johnson, a global experience and brand marketing agency located in Copley Square. I use my research, writing, and marketing skills to design user-centered experiences for our clients, like IBM’s flagship conference: Think.
I’m also the founder of GPJ’s first employee resource group (ERG) for multicultural employees, EPIC, which stands for Empowered People, Inclusive Cultures. Our mission is to use our experiential expertise to activate inclusion and equity in the community. We just launched officially, so stay tuned for more!
Tell us a little more about your career path and why you decided to get into experience design.
My career path is a great example of a zig-zag! I didn’t plan on going into marketing. My parents wanted me to become a lawyer or a doctor. The lawyer route is how I got my parents to accept my BA in Comparative Lit from UC Irvine. I tried law school for a year, but that didn’t pan out. After doing everything from teaching English to admin to accounting, I decided to take a leap of faith and move to Boston. After failing to find a stable job, I was accepted into Simmons College’s MBA program with a focus on Women’s Leadership and Diversity, Inclusion & Equity. I’ve always been passionate about Filipino culture and social justice, so it was a great program for me!
From there I worked for HubSpot as a recruitment manager, and was set on applying my D&I passion to the job-- you know, shake things up in tech! I learned a ton about startups and marketing, and co-founded their ERG for people of color. But in the end, it really wasn’t for me. I left that job (and all the free snacks, coffee and beer), to be unemployed for about 6 months. That was a really tough time! I didn’t think I was “allowed” quit a job just because it made me unhappy. I was taught to be thankful for employment, yada yada, but I had to do it for me! While I wouldn’t call it funemployment, I used that time as an opportunity to try other things. I was Board Chair of ASPIRE (Asian Sisters Participating In Reaching Excellence) here in Boston, so I threw myself into that work-- helping with marketing, outreach, events, and fundraising. I also got involved with Diversity@Workplace, a D&I consulting and training group, and delivered an inclusion workshop with them.
And now, here I am doing experience marketing! I found GPJ through my good friend, Mandy who I met at Simmons College. I love doing the research and writing the briefs! I know that sounds hella boring, but I love diving into the latest research and turning that into fuel and insights for our creative teams. It’s all about telling an interesting and authentic story. I hate dealing with the details of execution, but bless our producers for making it all real!
So back to the original question: I decided to get into this field because aside from my aforementioned skills because I AM that Filipina American woman that’s trying to make her way through corporate America. I’m trying to infiltrate from the inside and pay attention to my experience. In the same way my parents had to navigate American culture, I’m taking a deeper dive into American corporate culture-- someplace that no one in my family has really experienced yet. To make change, you have to be excellent and I’m still putting in that work.
Photo provided by Noelle San Jose
On Boston…
How long have you been in Boston?
I’ve been in Boston since July 2013! It was a really rough transition from the West Coast, but I’ve come a long way.
What are your favorite Boston spots?
I live in East Boston, and love the vibe. If you’re looking for authentic Latino flavors, they’ve got it all! I also love Chinatown because of the food. I will drive down to JnJ Turo Turo for pinakbet since I can’t make it right! Bodega and Concepts are also great spots for streetwear. I’m a sneaker head who can’t help but buy more Nike stuff!
On Filipino Food...
What's your all time favorite Filipino dish?
My favorite is Pinakbet or Pakbet-- I’ve tried to make it, but I haven’t been able to layer the flavors right. And I always pick out the bittermelon. Sorry!
What's your favorite Filipino recipe / dish to make?
My regular meal prep rotation usually includes spamsilog, bistek, sinigang, and adobo of course, made loosely based on those recipes linked!
On staying in touch…
Do you have any upcoming events / programs / even work things that you’d like to mention?
ASPIRE’s Leadership Conference happening on November 16! Please attend, donate and support creating an intergenerational network of Asian American women! [Note: Trish is emceeing this year’s conference!]
How can people stay in touch?
ASPIRE: www.girlsaspire.org
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/noellesanjose
Personal Instagram: noe_san_joe
Hobby Instagram: kutsara_kusinera
Filipinos In Boston: An Interview With Open Data Manager Kim Lucas
By Trish Fontanilla
This month’s Filipinos in Boston profile was nominated by Amy Mahler, Director of SPARK Boston (which, by the way, if you’re in the city and between 20-34, you should definitely check out SPARK). Amy had seen the call for nominations that I had put out on Instagram, and after bumping into me IRL she asked, “Have you talked to Kim Lucas yet?!” So shout out to Amy for being an awesome BF ally, and I hope you all enjoy this profile of Kim!
Photo provided by Kim Lucas.
Where are you and your family from?
I’m originally from San Francisco! Born and raised in the Bay Area, I came to Boston by way of Los Angeles.
My mom was born in Manila, and she immigrated to SF when she was a child. My dad was born in SF, and his parents are from Ilocos Norte.
Where do you work and what do you do?
I’m currently the Open Data Manager on the Citywide Analytics Team at the City of Boston. I take city-generated data and make it available for public use. Check it out: data.boston.gov
Wow, very cool! Can you tell us a little more about your career path, and why you decided to get into that field?
What a windy road! I am an academic by training. I have a PhD from Brandeis University in Social Policy and Sociology, and I have an MA from Tufts University in Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning and Child Development. I moved out to Boston for grad school, and I’ve been working in non-profits and government ever since. Prior to my current job, I was the Civic Research Director at the Mayor’s Office of New Urban Mechanics, and I’ve worked in the early childhood field for over a decade.
On Boston…
How long have you been in Boston?
15 years--and I still hate the winter.
What are your favorite Boston spots (food, parks, spaces, etc!)
I live at the top of Fort Hill/Highland Park in Roxbury, and it’s one of my favorite places in the whole city.
On Filipino Food...
What's your all time favorite Filipino dish?
Hands down: labong, grandma style. I never eat the meat, just the shoots. Always over rice (of course).
What's your favorite Filipino recipe / dish to make?
Last Christmas, my family and I had a turon making championship. We did a blind taste test and awarded the winner (my cousin John) a trophy.
On staying in touch…
Do you have any upcoming events / programs / even work things that you’d like to mention?
ALWAYS. First of all, I’m always looking for suggestions for improvement on data.boston.gov. What do you want to know about Boston? If we don’t have data to help you, let me know!
Second, Generation Citizen is an AMAZING organization that brings action civics education to young people (full disclosure: I sit on the Associate Board), and you should come to a Civics Day or Trivia Night if you can.
How can people stay in touch?
Find me on Twitter: @kdlucas04
[RECIPE] Filipino Style Corned Beef
By Bianca Garcia
I’ve loved breakfast food for as long as I can remember, and there’s nothing I love more than a Filipino breakfast.
Give me kesong puti (buffalo mozzarella), pan de sal (breakfast rolls), and tsokolate (hot chocolate). Give me sinangag (garlic fried rice) paired with any of our traditional breakfast meats. Any time, any day, and I will be happy.
I love the concept of “-silog” which is an abbreviation of the words sinangag and itlog (egg), essentially fried rice and fried egg, typically served with longganisa (breakfast sausage), tapa (thinly sliced beef sirloin), Spam, or corned beef.
Today I want to share my recipe for corned beef - and I’m not talking about the boiled corned beef with cabbage - but rather, canned corned beef that’s sauteed with potatoes, garlic, onions, and tomatoes. Corned beef that’s served with garlic fried rice and fried eggs. Corned beef that’s been a breakfast staple for many Filipinos like myself.
My husband Matt (who is not Filipino, but has embraced Filipino culture and Filipino food) and I often make corned beef for brunch during the weekends. We stock up on our favorite canned brands (Delimondo from the Philippines, and Palm brand from Asian grocery stores) and always have the rest of the ingredients on hand, so it’s an easy meal to whip up. We usually make garlic fried rice and fried eggs to eat with the corned beef, but sometimes we just do plain rice, sometimes scrambled eggs. Sometimes I don’t have tomatoes, sometimes I have too many potatoes, but it still always turns out delicious.
Filipino Style Corned Beef
1 can corned beef (depending on the brand, cans range from 11 oz to 14 oz)
For this recipe, I used Delimondo Garlic and Chili Corned Beef
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium yellow potatoes, peeled and chopped into half-inch cubes
1 small white onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, each tomato sliced in half
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add potatoes and cook until softened, stirring to make sure they don’t brown too much, about 7 minutes.
Pour remaining oil and add onions to pan. Saute onions and potatoes, until onions begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
Add garlic to pan, and saute with onions and potatoes until fragrant, about 3 minutes.
Add tomatoes to pan, and cook until tomatoes start to release juices and burst from the skin, about 3-5 minutes.
Add corned beef to pan, and cook until beef is fully heated. Season with salt and pepper.
Increase heat to medium-high and cook corned beef mixture to your desired dryness. (I like getting some crisp and charred bits of corned beef.)
Filipinos In Boston: An Interview With Doctor Manny De La Rosa
By Trish Fontanilla
Well it’s been almost 2 years of Filipinos in Boston profiles (I started this a few months after we started the organization), and we’re finally interviewing a doctor! I met Manny at the BOSFilipinos meetup at Parsnip in July (amazing food and crew over there!). He’s super new to Boston, so I figured why not introduce him to the BF community more formally? After all, we’re all about storytelling and community!
Thank you to Manny for taking time to chat with me, and I hope you all enjoy getting to know him!
Where are you and your family from? Also, feel free to share more about your family’s background and ties to the Philippines.
Manny: For Fil-Ams like ourselves, the story really began in the Motherland. My mom is originally from Bataan and grew up in Quezon City, and my dad in Candelaria in Quezon Province. My maternal grandparents were physicians; Lola (grandma) was a psychiatrist and med school professor and Lolo (grandpa), a pediatrician. On my dad’s side, my Lolo was the Vice Mayor of Candelaria, while my Lola stayed at home to support the kids. My parents are from huge families! My mom grew up with six sisters and two brothers, and my dad has two brothers and two sisters. Starting in the 70s, my parents, titas (aunts), and titos (uncles) on both sides of my family gradually came to the U.S. to pursue their professional careers and start their branches of our family. I have relatives on both coasts and in the Midwest. My dad settled in Iowa for his first job as an engineer for Case before moving to Indianapolis to work for General Motors. My mom finished high school in Ohio, studied nursing initially, but then moved to Indiana, where she switched her major to respiratory therapy and was later hired by one of the local hospitals in Indy. My parents met through mutual friends in the small Fil-Am community in Indianapolis, where I was born, raised, and educated. I have a younger brother who lives in Orlando and runs his own social media marketing firm called Vadela (check it out at www.vadela.co). After graduating from medical school at Indiana University in 2016, I moved to the D.C. area for internal medicine residency at Inova Fairfax Hospital. I finished residency this past June, and here I am now!
So tell us a little more about where you work and what you do.
Photo provided by Manny De La Rosa / “Still looking alive after a night shift!”
Manny: I’ve worked as an internal medicine doc at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and a part-time instructor at Harvard Medical School since July. My job at the Brigham is to admit patients to the various medical and oncology floors at night, whether they come in as transfers from another hospital or through the emergency room. At the same time, I am available for any overnight needs for about thirty to forty patients who are assigned to me for the shift. At Harvard, I teach med students how to interview and examine patients at the hospital, and I am one of the proctors for the clinical skills exam they take at the end of the course. I am a tough grader… muahahaha.
For most Filipino families, having someone working in the medical field feels like a pre-req, but when did you decide to get into medicine?
Manny: I knew I wanted to be a doctor when I was about 7 or 8 years old. My mom kept many of her college textbooks around the house, and I remember browsing through many of the pictures and diagrams. I thought that the human body was the coolest thing in the universe! Particularly inspiring for me as a kid was how my own pediatrician listened and observed carefully to address my concerns. Every time I saw him, I was curious about why he was asking so many questions, and what he hearing with his stethoscope that helped him come up with a diagnosis to restore my health when I was sick and keep me well when I was healthy. Combined with the fact that I always naturally enjoyed my science classes, loved working in teams of all kinds, and engaged in philanthropy, I knew that medicine was the perfect career for me. Even though a handful of my relatives are physicians, nurses, and medical lab techs, I never experienced family pressure to pursue a career in healthcare. Now that I am a fully practicing physician after many years of school and on-the-job training in residency, I believe that the same things that drew me to the profession as a kid are why I still enjoy coming to work every day!
Photo provided by Manny De La Rosa / “This is from my residency graduation banquet. My colleague and I shared the award for Resident Scholar and Teacher of the Year.”
On Boston…
How long have you been in Boston?
Manny: I moved here at the end of June, and I live in JP.
What are your favorite Boston spots (food, parks, spaces, etc!)
Manny: My favorites are Fenway, Newbury Street, Seaport, the Boston Common, and Quincy Market. In terms of food and drink, James Hook & Company has the best lobster rolls I have ever had, but if you know of a better place, let me know! The Liberty Hotel is my go-to for upscale drinks and dining. Last, but not least, JP Licks in Brigham Circle is where you will frequently find me for a cup of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream before work!
This town is great for fitness too! I often take my bike out to Cambridge and ride along the Charles for the great views and fresh air. Before I moved to Boston, I took up powerlifting. I hired a coach based at Rx Strength Training in Somerville, but I now do most of my workouts at GymIt near BU since it’s in a more convenient location for me, while my coach works with me remotely.
What’s your community superpower?
Manny: Large-scale philanthropy! I was the Vice President External for the Midwest Association of Filipino Americans (www.wearemafa.org) from 2011 to 2012. As part of my role as VPE, I organized a school supply donation competition between the MAFA member organizations (all university-based Filipino clubs) called the Balikbayan Box Project. We sent a wide variety of items to the Philippines-- everything from pencils and books to old computers.
On Filipino Food...
What's your all time favorite Filipino dish?
Manny: I am thinking about this while my mouth waters… tinola!
What's your favorite Filipino recipe / dish to make?
Manny: Beef Kaldereta.
Photo provided by Manny De La Rosa / “Last Fall, we went on a triple date with my girlfriend and friends from Indianapolis who were visiting D.C.”
On staying in touch…
How can people stay in touch? (Social, email, website, whatever you’re comfortable with)
Manny: Instagram and Snapchat: mannydlr, and email: mcdelaro2@gmail.com
I will be starting a vlog and health/medical education channel on YouTube in the upcoming months, so stay tuned!
We’re always looking for BOSFilipinos blog writers! If you’d like to contribute, send us a note at info@bosfilipinos.com.
Filipinos In Boston: An Interview With Real Estate Broker Ronnie Puzon
By Trish Fontanilla
If you’ve gone to any of the Filipino Festivals in Malden, Ronnie’s name might sound familiar. That’s because he’s one of the founding partners, along with organizer Kristine Bautista!
Hope you all enjoy our interview with Ronnie, and special thanks to Ronnie for all he does for the Filipino community here in MA!
Photo provided by Ronnie Puzon
Where are you and your family from?
Ronnie: My mother is from Bicol and my father is from Ilocos, but my parents met in California. My mother was a nurse at the time and my father was in the Navy. When my father got stationed in Boston, my mother planted roots here and became a teacher. They lived in the Charlestown Navy Yard in Navy housing, and when that was closed down, they moved the families into the Charlestown projects. I would call the projects home for the next 15 years.
Where do you work and what do you do?
Ronnie: Right now, I am a Broker / Owner of RE/MAX Trinity in Malden, MA - a real estate agency and we currently have 20 agents. In addition to co-managing the office and agents with my partner, I also assist buyers and sellers with their real estate needs.
Can you tell us a little more about how you got into real estate?
Ronnie: Well I attended Northeastern University and graduated with a degree in Finance. The co-op programs led me to a career on Wall Street where I was an equity trader for 20 years. After retiring in 2012, I decided to pursue a second career in real estate. I first started to get into real estate 20 years ago as an investor. It started out as a sort of hobby. I now rent a number of my apartments to low-income families, and I also help to educate my investors on using real estate as a retirement vehicle.
What are some of your hobbies outside of work?
Ronnie: I love to travel. My bucket list would be to travel to every country in the world. I have only been to 63 countries, so I may be running out of time! I also run and train for marathons. I have completed the 6 World Marathon Majors (Boston, New York, Chicago, Berlin, London and Tokyo). And since every true Filipino has at least 1 or 5 side hustles, I’m also into real estate and trading stocks and options.
If anyone ever wants to talk about any of the above, drop me an email!
Photo provided by Ronnie Puzon. // This picture is of Ronnie with his wife Malinda and his daughter Serena in Venice.
On Boston…
How long have you been in Boston?
Ronnie: I was born and raised in Boston. I worked in New York City for about 6 years, then came back to Boston. I just couldn’t stay away.
What are your favorite Boston spots?
Ronnie: I like to spend a lot of time in the Seaport District and the North End.
What’s your community superpower?
Ronnie: I like to give back to the community. Although I have not worked for a non-profit, I am involved at the local level with the Malden Rotary (President), Malden YMCA (Board Member), and Asian Real Estate Association of America - AREAA (past Board Member). Internationally, I am involved with Habitat for Humanity where I have been a part of a team that’s build houses in 10 countries.
On Filipino Food...
What's your all time favorite Filipino dish?
Ronnie: I love all Filipino food. Whenever I get a chance to go to a cookout or party with Filipino food, I jump at the chance. I loved my mom's pancit and egg rolls. I wish I had the recipes.
What's your favorite Filipino recipe / dish to make?
Ronnie: Unfortunately, I do not cook.
Photo provided by Ronnie Puzon // This picture is from his recent build with Habitat for Humanity in a village in Lesotho, Africa.
On staying in touch…
How can people stay in touch? (Social, email, website, whatever you’re comfortable with)
Ronnie: Please feel free to drop me an email with questions on anything. I like to try to help people out and connect them if I can. I also love meeting people. My email is rpuzon@aol.com, and you can also add me on Facebook or Linkedin.
We’re always looking for BOSFilipinos blog writers! If you’d like to contribute, send us a note at info@bosfilipinos.com.
Filipinos in Boston: An Interview with Lead Bartender Justin Ang
By Trish Fontanilla
About a week and a half ago I went to check my Instagram feed, and my inbox was flooded with pictures of purple colored drinks. I had gotten messages from the Filipino community and beyond, “Did you know the lead bartender at Baldwin Bar is Filipino?!” Well of course, I had to find out who that was and feature them on the BF blog for what might be the drink of the summer.
Hope you enjoy this profile on Justin Ang!
Provided by Justin Ang / Justin and his mom
Where are you and your family from?
Justin: My family is from Manila, Philippines. I'm Filipino / Chinese, but I was born in 1989 and lived in Manila for 20 years until my mom, my brother, and I moved to America in 2008.
Where do you work and what do you do?
Justin: I'm the Lead Bartender at The Baldwin Bar in Woburn, MA. I bartend at both bars (The Baldwin Bar downstairs, and Baldwin & Sons Trading Co. upstairs). I'm also in charge of cutting down a block of ice for the bar program.
How did you get into bartending?
Justin: When I decided to leave college, I was already working in a Chinese restaurant called Lilac Blossom as a server and I liked it a lot. It was a very educational experience for me. Being a shy guy in a new home, not only did it help me hone my English speaking skills, I also got confident being around people. One day, out of curiosity, I asked my fellow bartender to teach me how to make cocktails. I fell in love with it! It's so much fun mixing different ingredients, and the possibilities are endless! Being a fast learner, I became a bartender slinging Chinese Mai Tais and Scorpion Bowls, and the rest is history.
Provided by Justin Ang / Photo credit": Ran Duan (Instagram @cocktail_lens @thebaldwinbar )
On Boston…
How long have you been in Boston?
Justin: I used to live in NH for 9 years. Now I live in the outskirts of Boston, but I've been living in MA for a year and a half now.
What are your favorite Boston spots (food, parks, spaces, etc!)
Justin: Hojoko, Eastern Standard, Drink, Yvonne's, Lone Star, The Automatic, State Park, The Abbey, Gustazo, Shine Square Pub.
Provided by Justin Ang
On Filipino Food...
What's your all time favorite Filipino dish? (Feel free to link up some recipes, otherwise I’ll find them around the web)
Justin: A good Bistek, extra onions please! I also love Filipino breakfast food (longganisa, tocino, etc), served with scrambled eggs, banana ketchup, and Sinangag!
What's your favorite Filipino recipe / dish to make?
Justin: I don't really cook much, although my girlfriend Sarah is slowly teaching me how. However I do have to admit, I do make a good Sinangag!
Provided by Justin Ang / Photo credit": Ran Duan (Instagram @cocktail_lens @thebaldwinbar )
On staying in touch…
Do you have any upcoming events / programs / work things that you’d like to mention?
Justin: Just come by The Baldwin Bar, eat some spicy Sichuan food, and pair it with our delicious cocktails 👌
How can people stay in touch? (Social, email, website, whatever you’re comfortable with)
Justin: Instagram: @ang_justin @thebaldwinbar
We’re always looking for BOSFilipinos blog writers! If you’d like to contribute, send us a note at info@bosfilipinos.com.