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Legend has it that behikes would make the tincture today called mamajuana and it would be used for everything from indigestion, to kidney stones. This makes sense as the ingredients are recognized for their healing capabilities.

To grams, life in NYCHA was worth fighting for, failures and all. She loved living here, she wanted to end her life here. Over the 33 years that she lived here I fell in love with NYCHA too. But this love has been toxic for a while. Our apartment has tested positive for mold, and lead. I’ve been on allergy injections for three years to cope with the environmental toxins my apartment holds. My dog Brownie just started allergy injections for most of the same things. This didn’t happen overnight.

After dragging my spirit up this hill for two hours we reached a path that looked like it could lead to a cave. We followed it. It led us back to the main road, but helped us avoid a final hill. The next path we found led us up a bit but then split. There were small homes to the left and right. I didn't have the energy to be wrong again, so I suddenly decided to quit.

On my path to remembering who I am as a Taina I have made many stops. Determined to feed the hunger within my soul. Each stop, New York, Washington D.C., Hawaii... the Bronx, has fed me. But nothing has satiated me. I've arrived in each space seeking more, remaining restless. Turns out in birds this restlessness is referred to as zugunruhe.

When I decided to launch Ojala I had limited savings, and my network was in worst shape than me. I set off to identify resources and tools that would help me establish a business for as little as possible! This is a working list of my favorites.

Ritchie Torres' win is now being overshadowed by questions surrounding his ethics and intentions. These aren’t surprising given the donors his campaign attracted. Big money, developers, and the Real Estate Board of New York seemed to counter his message of progressiveness. For Bronx progressives the fear was that he would win, with the help of these donors then use his congressional seat to undermine the most vulnerable residents of the district.

On June 4th there was a clash between peaceful marchers and the NYPD in Mott Haven. After marching for blocks marchers were trapped on 136 Street. ...

I am so excited to announce that two of my poems have been selected by Alegria Publishing for inclusion in The LatinX Poetry Project.

The LatinX Poetry Project is a poetic anthology with over 45 new LatinX Poets from diverse backgrounds sharing their unique & heartfelt poetry inspired by immigration, social justice & feminism.

COVID 19 has monopolized our existence. There isn’t a moment that we aren’t bombarded with news surrounding the spread of the disease the toll it...

My emotions were reflecting my circumstances too strongly the last few days so I built walls around me. The walls aren't dark, or moldy as usually...

But that is the thing with gentification and gentrification, it makes things murky. It forces long time residents to accept that their neighborhood was overlooked on purpose. It encourages communities that once cleared rubble and made roads to compete with each other. It makes individuals question their abilities, not to succeed but to remain ethical.

Poem inspired by Mott Haven written by Ramona Ferreyra