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By Carlotta Mohamed

TimesLedger Newspapers

Queens Borough President Melinda Katz and City Councilman Peter Koo (D-Flushing) recognized Maria A. Grasso for her commitment to Queens and the Flushing community at the Queens Botanical Garden’s Rose Gala last week at 43-50 Main St. in Flushing.

Proceeds from the event help sustain Queens Botanical Garden’s colorful flowers, innovative programs, and environmental education workshops for the 35,000-plus schoolchildren and almost 225,000 people served by the garden last year, according to QBG.

Guests at the June 14 Rose Gala were joined by Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, state Assemblyman David Weprin (D-Fresh Meadows) and the city Department of Cultural Affairs Commissioner Tom FinkelPearl.

Grasso joined Flushing Bank in 2006 as the chief operating officer and was elected corporate secretary in 2007. She has been in the banking business for 30 years, beginning her career with Chase Manhattan. Prior to joining Flushing Bank, she held the title of senior vice president and division head of the Bank of New York for Long Island and Queens, overseeing an organization that served the personal and small business banking needs of customers throughout 102 branches.

Grasso is currently a member of the National Board of the American Kidney Fund, president of the Hofstra University Zarb Business School Alumni Association, a former chairwoman of United Way of Long Island’s board of directors, and a former chairwoman of the Retail Banking Division Committee for the New York Bankers Association.

She is also a part of charitable organizations that have benefited from her leadership and support. Grasso has volunteered for the March of Dimes, Long Island Care, Bias Help of Long Island, Women’s Fund of Long Island, the American Cancer Society, and Long Island Association for AIDS Care and Long Island Network of Community Services.

Grasso obtained a bachelor’s degree in finance from Hofstra University and an MBA in marketing from Adelphi University.

Reach reporter Carlotta Mohamed by e-mail at cmohamed@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4526.

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By Carlotta Mohamed

TimesLedger Newspapers

Marty Markowitz, the vice president of borough promotion and engagement at NYC & Co., kicked off the first day of the Flushing World Fair last Friday at the Sheraton LaGuardia East Hotel — located at 135-20 39th Ave.

The three-day expo from June 15-17 referenced the iconic 1964 World’s Fair through the prism of today’s contemporary global village of Flushing, featuring presentations by experts in tourism, international cuisine, social media, walking tours, business workshops, and the first Passport to Flushing, with special discounts provided by some of the area’s best local restaurants, cultural venues, and retailers.

“New York City has astonishing landmarks and attractions, unique and overwhelming energy and Flushing is a big part of it,” Markowitz, the former Brooklyn borough president, said. “I’m thrilled to experience the inaugural Passport to Flushing food and culture crawl. Let’s just say I love to eat — and combine that with culture — and it’s a win-win.”

City Councilman Peter Koo (D-Flushing) said the Flushing World Fair is a great opportunity for people from all over New York and beyond to discover the real Flushing.

“Whether you’re looking to try new and exotic foods or hoping to discover New York’s untold histories, our community has something for everyone,” Koo said.

The expo was organized by the Greater Flushing Chamber of Commerce and Asian Americans for Equality as part of the three-year district marketing campaign called Flushing Fantastic. The expo celebrated the end of the first year of Flushing Fantastic, which is funded by the New York City Department of Small Business Services Neighborhood 360° Program, according to John Choe, executive director of the Greater Flushing Chamber of Commerce. It was expected to draw more than 500 visitors.

“Flushing businesses offer an incredibly rich and diverse mix of culture from around the globe in one convenient location,” said Crystal Feng, program manager at Asian Americans for Equality. “We want to share this jewel of the city with the rest of the world and give local businesses the support they need to tell their engaging stories.”

Rob McKay, director of public relations for the Queens Tourism Council, led a diverse forum discussion on the future of Queens with speakers from area businesses. Throughout the day, they conducted workshops on tourism and social media for small businesses and entrepreneurs seeking to tap into the growing market for authentic experiences and unique products and services — ranging from Taiwanese tea tastings to delicious South Indian dosas served up at the Ganesh Temple in Flushing, the fourth largest commercial district in New York.

Helen You, chef and owner of Dumpling Galaxy — located at 42-35 Main St. in Flushing — started her business 10 years ago when she opened a small shop with one assistant making dumplings.

“When we started, we did better with responses from customers and expanded four years ago into a restaurant,” You said. “Flushing has a lot to offer, and if you want to open a business, you have to work hard.”

The weekend’s programming also featured several walking tours of Flushing, including an exploration of historic sites led by Jack Eichenbaum, the Queens Borough historian, and a tour of the neighborhood’s diverse and delicious cuisine led by Joe DiStefano, a Queens-based food writer and author of “111 Places in Queens That You Must Not Miss.”

Reach reporter Carlotta Mohamed by e-mail at cmohamed@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4526.

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By Merle Exit

TimesLedger Newspapers

There’s a new café on Metropolitan Avenue in Forest Hills with a French name of Poesie, where the style of cooking is not about the cream sauces. Instead, owner Alexandra Rodionova, an entrepreneur from Russia, is offering “healthy food.” The small bistro with both indoor and outdoor seating has an atmosphere that encourages relaxation. Bistro tables and chairs line the outside along with two Adirondack lounge chairs facing the street.

Alexandra earned her degree as a Specialist of Restaurant Business in Russia and was managing a similar place like this café, which led to her to dreaming of having her own here in the United States. Her dream became reality in March of 2017 as Poesie Cafe, an affordable place with great coffee-based drinks, delicious desserts and fresh squeezed juices. Rodionova later decided to incorporate a full breakfast menu, including poached eggs, omelets, oatmeal and Greek yogurt with fresh fruits and berries; along with some lunch items, like salads and healthy French sandwiches called tartines.

She and her husband have mixed their Russian and Indian cultures into cooking, experimenting with flavors. “It is difficult to stick to a specific type of cuisine,” said Rodionova. “We just cook what we like, what is tasty and definitely healthy. That is the main criteria. Unfortunately, many food industries are concentrated on serving cheap and often unhealthy food with the purpose of getting maximum profit. We try to think about a healthy and beneficial side of nutrition and provide it with an affordable price.”

Rodionova saw a food industry moving forward where customers are health conscious and value quality food. She talked about a special style of cooking known as Sous Vide, a French method of slow-cooking on a low temperature, storing the food in an air tightened vacuumed bag with spices and oil/butter into a water bath, which is similar to steaming, but different because of its elevation in rich flavor.

“Sous Vide is very popular in Europe,” said Rodionova. “Many Michelen star restaurants are using this method in their culinary. It was invented in 1970, probably as a modern way of cooking food slowly in its own juice like our grandmothers would cook food underground or in the clay ovens where the meal would stay hours or days at the low heat temperature. Nowadays it’s extremely popular for people who take care of their health.” Rodionova said that this method of cooking helps to save all the vitamins and opens the brightest sides of flavor. “It is impossible to over or undercook because of the newest software that controls temperature and timing of cooking. Your steak, for instance, comes out exactly medium rare or medium well. Its healthy, it’s safe and it’s delicious.”

Rodionova said that customers love their fresh juices and protein shakes due to the area being concentrated with different gyms, dance/yoga studios and various sport centers. “In the morning, fresh croissants and Danishes from the famous ‘Balthazar’ are desirable favorites.”

Herbal teas are offered via a French press placed at your table including a tea that features the taste of berries imported from Russia. “In eastern Europe this tree is very common. My grandma used to ask me to go to our yard and collect some berries. The berries would grow with sharp needles in between and would always poke my fingers. They are tiny and very juicy, however with a big seed which makes the actual berry impossible to enjoy. These berries can be frozen and lately used for drinks, teas and juices as immune system boosters, as well as a remedy for arthritis, diabetes, eczema, high blood pressure and many more.” She said that their guests enjoy this freshly brewed tea not only as a healthy item on the menu but also a hearty drink for both cold and hot weather.

Rodionova has made further use of the restaurant for activities and entertainment. “We are having kids art classes during June and planning to continue with some kids programs for the rest of the summer. Parents feel very appreciative that we doing something like this for the community. Early age kids (1-7 years old) learn about art and do art themselves. And a lot of parents get pleasantly surprised how their kids act and perform during art classes. So it’s a big plus for everybody.”

In addition, Poesie Café has planned some entertainment for adults to include live music, paint workshops, essential oil workshops and book presentations.

Poesie Café is located at 102-10 Metropolitan Ave. in Forest Hills.

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By Naeisha Rose

TimesLedger Newspapers

A series of free informational “Know Your Rights” workshops and confidential legal clinics for immigrants were announced last week and scheduled to run from June 25 to June 29 in five of the most diverse neighborhoods in Queens, delivering advice from Borough President Melinda Katz’s Immigration Task Force.

Katz’s office recommends making an appointment for the workshops and clinics, but walk-ins are welcome to receive private consultation from immigration lawyers, experts, and advocates on the rights of immigrants under the law, too.

“Our country’s increasingly dehumanizing immigration laws and procedures are tearing families apart, even in a sanctuary city like New York,” Katz said. “ Broad raids and sweeps of immigration enforcement, even of those without a criminal record, have successfully spread fear and imposed a chilling effect on everyday activities and responsibilities.”

The weeklong series, which is the first of its kind, is scheduled to take place in Jackson Heights (June 25), Jamaica (June 26), Flushing (June 27), Elmhurst (June 28) and Sunnyside (June 29), according to Katz’s office.

“In partnership with a host of organizations and colleagues in local government, we are pleased to hold the first — but certainly not the last — Know Your Rights Week for Immigrants, designed to connect our various communities to committed legal experts, advocates and other resources,” Katz said.

The Legal Aid Society will be at the Jackson Heights Library — located at 35-51 81 St. — and will have services on-site interpreting information for individuals facing deportation proceedings in English, French, Spanish and more languages from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., according to the Know Your Rights Community Calendar.

“In these times, it’s crucial that immigrant New Yorkers have easy access to comprehensive legal services to seek a broad range of relief,” said Leena Khandwala, an immigration attorney at The Legal Aid Society.

The second event will be at Queens Legal Services — located at 89-00 Sutphin Blvd. in Jamaica — from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and will include a clinic on naturalization issues in English, Korean, Spanish and other languages, according to the calendar.

The MinKwon Center for Community Action — located on the third floor at 136-19 41 Ave. in Flushing — will cover topics June 27 related to the federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Information will be in English, Chinese (Mandarin), Japanese, Korean and Spanish.

The centerpiece of the weeklong event will be held June 28 at Queens Center Mall — located at 90-15 Queens Blvd. in Elmhurst — and will feature 30 organizations with resources in English, Bengali, Chinese (Mandarin), Croatian, Korean, Russian, Spanish, and Tagalog on the second floor of the Macy’s store from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. and on the third floor of the store from 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. It will connect individuals to legal experts, non-profits, government agencies, and local businesses that serve the immigrant community.

This resource fair will also include issues related to housing and employment for immigrants, according to Katz’s office.

The last event will be held by Catholic Migration Services June 29 in Room 203 at 47-01 Queens Blvd. in Sunnyside and will include one-on-one sessions for those facing deportation or seeking asylum in English and other languages, according to the calendar.

City Councilman Daniel Dromm (D-Jackson Heights) is one of the many elected officials throughout Queens who is supportive of the weeklong event.

“Katz’s Know Your Rights workshops will empower immigrant families,” Dromm said. “My district is home to one of the largest and most diverse immigrant communities in the state. I am pleased that the borough president is making every effort to protect our immigrants from harassment, discrimination and violence.”

Reach reporter Naeisha Rose by e-mail at nrose@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4573.

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By Bill Parry

TimesLedger Newspapers

The Woodside Library will be receiving a multimillion-dollar renovation with funding allocated by the City Council in its recently passed 2019 budget. The branch, located at 54-22 Skillman Ave., has not undergone any significant capital renovation in more than 20 years.

“Libraries change lives,” City Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer (D-Sunnyside) said. “The $6.5 million for a completely renovated Woodside Library is a big deal for the children, seniors and everyday Woodsiders who use this essentially important community resource. Every Woodside resident deserves to have a modern, state-of-the-art library. This funding, with the help of Congressman Joseph Crowley (D-Jackson Heights) and Council Speaker Corey Johnson, is a game changer for the people who use this every day.”

Crowley, who grew up in Woodside and still owns a home in the neighborhood, called the funding an “enormous” investment in the community.

“Our city’s libraries are vital to enriching our communities, but many of our branches do not receive the funding they need to help our children and students grow,” Crowley said. “The millions of dollars in funding we are announcing today will help ensure the Queens library continues to instill compassion, wisdom, and open-mindedness in our children for years to come. This is one of the most important investments we can make for our community.”

The funding is part of the nearly $100 million that will be allocated to fund libraries throughout the city that was allocated in the 2019 budget and it is the largest allocation of funding for a single community library in the city in this year’s budget.

“Council member Van Bramer and Congressman Crowley have made an excellent investment not only in this branch and our customers, but in the entire community, and we are grateful for their continued steadfast support,” Queens Library President and CEO Dennis Walcott. “We look forward to working with our government partners to deliver an inspiring space where the public can learn, discover and grow.”

Reach reporter Bill Parry by e-mail at bparry@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4538.

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By Naeisha Rose

TimesLedger Newspapers

U.S. Rep. Nydia Velázquez (D-Brooklyn) introduced a bill last week with U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand that would create a panel reminiscent of the one assembled in the wake of the attacks on the World Trade Center on Sept.11, 2001 to review the death toll and federal response in Puerto Rico after Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017.

The bill would create a commission charged with examining the federal government’s preparedness and response to the tragedy that has been estimated to kill over 4,000 in Puerto Rico, according to her office.

Puerto Rican-born Velázquez, who represents parts of Queens, including Maspeth, Woodside, and Ridgewood, which has the largest Puerto Rican population in the borough, according to City Data, was not pleased with the federal government for underreporting the death toll as 64.

“We now know from a number of studies and media reports that the death toll in Puerto Rico is likely staggeringly higher than the official count,” said. Velázquez. “Our legislation would look at how the Trump administration’s feeble response to this disaster was shaped by the artificially low death toll, the inadequacy of the steps taken by the federal government in advance of the hurricanes and, equally important, what went wrong with the federal response in the weeks after the storms made landfall.”

A week before the panel was announced on June 14, Velázquez introduced the COUNT Victims Act, which would authorize $2 million for the Federal Emergency Management Agency to contract with the National Academy of Medicine to conduct a study on how to accurately and efficiently assess mortality after a natural disaster.

An inaccurate death toll count could lead to less federal aid and a lighter response to a natural disaster, according to Velázquez.

The bill was introduced in both chambers of Congress and Gillibrand pledged to stand by the Puerto Rican citizens.

“Hurricanes Irma and Maria were two of the worst disasters our country has ever experienced and they devastated Puerto Rico, yet the federal government failed in its response to these historic storms,” said Gillibrand. “Congress needs to investigate the government’s response and recovery efforts during and after last year’s hurricanes.”

Under the bill, the National Commission of the Federal Response to Natural Disasters in Puerto Rico Act, the commission would consider a broad array of factors that impacted the disaster response, including the death toll accuracy and methodology, the federal preparedness guidelines issued ahead of the 2017 hurricane season, the vulnerability of Puerto Rico’s economic situation, the adequacy of the island’s telecommunications and the capacity of the federal government to quickly mobilize and respond to disasters and emergencies in the commonwealth country, according to Velázquez’s office.

The commission would be tasked with examining any potential disparities in the federal response to Puerto Rico compared to mainland states in America, according to Velázquez’s office, which cited reports that depict a slower and less effective response vs. places like Texas. Her office cited an instance nine days after Hurricane Maria where only 1.6 million meals were delivered to the island compared to 5.1 million to Texas after Hurricane Harvey.

“Thousands of our fellow American citizens perished in this catastrophe. We need an independent, nonpartisan panel to fully investigate and bring all the facts to light,” said Velázquez.

Reach reporter Naeisha Rose by e-mail at nrose@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4573.

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By Jay Sobhraj

TimesLedger Newspapers

As city and state leaders prepare to take up the challenge of evaluating and possibly changing the admissions process for New York City’s specialized high schools, it is essential they consider the great strides already being made from the ground up to expand access to these excellent institutions.

There is no question that parents, community leaders, education officials and local leaders ought to be searching for creative and effective ways to bring more children into pipeline that feeds these schools.

As has been noted frequently in recent weeks, black and Latino students make up roughly 10 percent of the student body at schools like Stuyvesant, Bronx Science and Brooklyn Tech, even as they comprise about 70 percent of the general New York City public school population.

Rather than exacerbate divisions or impose quotas, what we ought to be focused on is providing better opportunities for all students.

Many critics of the current system point to the fact that more well-to-do families pay thousands of dollars per year on test prep classes that give students the upper hand in passing the Specialized High School Admittance Test, the key to entrance for these schools.

This is indeed a problem. Here in Queens, the effects have been clear: Bright and capable students whose families struggled economically have historically been at a disadvantage, unable to benefit from classes geared specifically to help them pass the test.

Ten years ago, the Jay and Sylvia Sobhraj Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to improving the lives of families in Jamaica and across the borough, partnered with the America Sevashram Sangha temple to create a free prep class open to any student who wanted to take the SHSAT.

The program then expanded to include SAT prep for college-bound high school juniors and seniors as well.

Since its inception in 2008, over 180 SHSAT students received free test prep through the program, the vast majority of them black and Latino. Of those students, an astonishing 40 percent passed the SHSAT. The other 60 percent of participants leveraged this to gain entry to honors programs in their high schools.

Some 600 students took the SAT prep classes we also provide at no cost to them, with many of them winning acceptance to top colleges, including Cornell University, the University of Southern California, Fordham University, NYU, Georgetown University and many others.

By opening the classes to students free of charge, such non-profits and other educational programs can better level the playing field and prove that in New York City, zip code does not have to mean destiny and the impacts of racial segregation can begin to be addressed by proactively recruiting students from all backgrounds to participate.

The Sobhraj Foundation, founded by immigrants from Guyana, also hired top-notch teachers who expanded the classes beyond just test prep to better develop reading and writing skills, which serve students not just in gaining admission to specialized schools but help them thrive once they are there.

As Aristole said: “The roots of education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet.” Hard work by teachers, parents, students, administrators, and non-profit volunteers has resulted in success across the board.

If the city and state need to look to a model of success moving forward, one can be found here in southeast Queens. By going into the community and offering to equip students with the tools they need, regardless of income or background, we have shown that we can achieve a more equitable educational landscape while maintaining high standards and providing greater access to the best education possible.

Jay Sobhraj is a principal at Zara Realty, a Jamaica, Queens-based management company with more 2.6 million square feet of residential property in Jamaica and the surrounding communities.

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By Carlotta Mohamed

TimesLedger Newspapers

The New York Lawyers for the Public Interest in partnership with Catholic Migration Services reopened their immigration hotline this month to help eligible immigrants receive assistance with their naturalization applications, said Annamaria Santamaria, program associate of Pro Bono Programs at NYLPI.

Interested individuals can call the hotline at (212) 225-4400 until July 20 to be screened by a volunteer and attend a naturalization clinic where they can receive free legal help July 2 at LaGuardia Community College — located at 31-10 Thomson Ave. in Long Island City.

“Typically most of our clients are Brooklyn-based,” said Chloe Moore, coordinator at Catholic Migration Services. “We’re able to help people from all over New York City, but we would like to better serve our Queens population providing assistance at the naturalization clinic at LaGuardia College.”

In partnership with Catholic Migration Services — a not-for-profit that assists immigrants with immigration legal services, housing legal services, and immigrant workers’ rights legal services — and multiple participating law firms, NYLPI has served close to 600 clients over the past three years, according to Santamaria.

NYLPI is a not-for-profit civil rights law firm specializing in the areas of disability rights, access to healthcare and environmental justice. It matches community organizations and non-profits with pro-bono attorneys from law firms and corporate legal departments across New York City, according to its website.

NYLPI and CMS host four naturalization workshops a year. The first workshop this year was held in April, Santamaria said.

“We plan to host a few more workshops before the year is over,” said Santamaria. “And we want to encourage as many folks as possible to come out for the upcoming workshop.”

According to Moore, the most basic requirements include: permanent lawful residents must be at least 18 years old with a green card for at least five years, paying taxes, and living in the state or district where they are applying for at least three months.

At the clinic in July, an attorney will meet with the clients one-on-one and assist them with the application, which will be sent to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, according to Santamaria. The attorneys can also help clients fill out fee waiver forms and give resources to study for the naturalization test.

Reach reporter Carlotta Mohamed by e-mail at cmohamed@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4526.

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