Allyson Escobar
passionately pursuing purpose.
Freelance journalist, writer, digital producer, and grad student in both print and digital media. I fancy a cup of coffee, wandering a new neighborhood, and telling stories that encourage and inspire.
PROJECTS
Mott Haven Herald
Immigrants receive a helping hand
A popular program for immigrants enters its twelfth year at St. Jerome’s Church
As immigrant students trickled into a classroom in the basement of St. Jerome Catholic Church on E. 138th Street, they sang “God Bless America,” ending with a resounding, “My home sweet home.” It was a weekly Thursday night citizenship class, one of several offered as part of a new, in-demand immigration program at St. Jerome H.A.N.D.S. Community Center.
Mott Haven Herald
Clinic offers rights training for immigrants (Mott Haven Herald)
On the 10th floor of Bronx Legal Services at 349 East 149th St., Segun Oguns was handed a 1-trip MetroCard and a red card, with three English/Spanish phrases he has the legal right to say in case Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or police officers were to show up at his door.
voicesofny.org
Bubble Tea Fest Celebrates Taiwan’s Food and Culture (Voices of NY)
It’s more than sweetened milk tea and an assortment of colorful, chewy tapioca pearls for attendees at the inaugural NYC Bubble Tea Festival in Times Square. The drink, originating in Taiwan during the 1980s, is a cultural phenomenon.
NBC
Women-Led Mosque Opens to Build Place Where 'Everyone Is Welcome' (NBC News)
"We need to have spaces that are safe for women — especially immigrants — to engage, where they're not being oppressed or judged. It's time for us to have either our own mosque, or to have a different configuration than the ones that exist," said Rabi'a Keeble, founder of the Qal'bu Maryam Women's Mosque in Berkeley, CA.
Los Angeles Times
Orange County's first modern streetcar plans to be the future of transit on track (Times OC)
Living carefree and car-free is what the Orange County Transportation Authority’s latest Measure M-funded project — called OC Streetcar — hopes to do for county residents, commuters and tourists.
LAweekly
Where to Find Authentic, Traditional Filipino Cuisine in Los Angeles (L.A. Weekly)
Filipino food is not only trendy in Los Angeles — it's tradition. L.A. has the country's largest population of people with roots in the Philippines, and our city's Filipino history traces back to the early 1900s, when a portion of downtown was even called Little Manila. Today, the Historic Filipinotown area near Westlake commemorates L.A.'s connection to immigrants from the Philippines, whose cultural impact can be experienced in the many Filipino restaurants throughout the city.
NBC
Actress Asia Jackson Wants to Take on 'Colorism,' Redefine Filipino Beauty (NBC Asian America)
Growing up half black and half Filipino, Asia Jackson was not always comfortable in her own skin.
KCET
Coffeehall Chinatown: Brewing Community and Rotating Roasters (KCET Food & Living)
Located at Mandarin Plaza in the heart of Los Angeles’ Chinatown, CoffeeHall is a “showroom” for local specialty coffee shops and roasters to bring the best of their product. The “pop-up” concept departs from the traditional café or chain, inviting shop owners to sell their coffee and showcase their process for a three-day residency to Chinatown locals and visitors.
LAweekly
Women Who Like Whiskey: There's a New Club For You (L.A. Weekly)
Hold the wine, please — an experimental whiskey appreciation club for women is growing in Los Angeles. Launched in March, Women Who Whiskey’s newest L.A. chapter has more than 1,500 registered members and boasts the club's largest branch in the world.
Asian Journal
LA Mayor, Homeland Security chief urge undocumented immigrants to step forward
Since President Barack Obama announced his executive action on immigration last November, hundreds of departments and organizations have been gearing up to implement the plans that are estimated to affect millions of undocumented residents living in the United States.
NBC
Running with Vision: Dr. Vincent Hau Gives Sight to the Blind
Dr. Vincent Hau remembers the first time he ran a timed marathon. He had been training for months and had completed shorter races in Tuscon, Big Sur, New York, and Chicago before attempting the 2014 Boston Marathon. Nearing the finish line of that race, Hau saw something he said he would never forget: a blind runner, weaving through other participants, being led by a guide.
icbyte.org
Going deeper: Chino Hills parish offers ministries to address post-Confirmation journey of young Catholics
One parish in the Diocese of San Bernardino aims to walk alongside newly baptized and confirmed Catholics in the post-Easter season of mystagogia – through formal classes, online education, service opportunities, evangelization programs, and retreats.
Los Angeles Times
Kids and mental health: CHOC builds the county's first inpatient facility for youths ages 3 to 18
About one in five youths nationwide will have a diagnosable mental health disorder by the age of 14, according to research from the Children's Hospital of Orange County. Of the 20% of O.C. youths reporting the need for help with mental health issues, less than a third get that help.
Los Angeles Times
Little Saigon tries shuttles to ease congestion and boost tourism (Daily Pilot)
"Being in such an impacted area, having the shuttle is a great need and benefit to business owners, shopkeepers and people who frequent this neighborhood. The businesses here are evolving into second-generation businesses, passed on through families — and I see all the crowds of shoppers and tourists here as major sign of growth and evolution, being here 30 years in the area."
KCET
SteelCraft: An Urban Eatery Restoring Community Over a Shared Meal (KCET Food and Living)
Driving down Long Beach Boulevard, on the corner of Bixby Road, one cannot miss SteelCraft. The open-air style urban eatery, built entirely of repurposed shipping containers from the nearby Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, is both colorful and inviting. “The concept started with the desire to create a gathering space here in the Bixby Knolls community, over really good food. It seems like a simple idea, but we wanted to create it in a brick and mortar, which really fit the distinct, diverse culture of our city.”