Photos Courtesy Salman Ahmed

Metro Village launched its inaugural Restaurant Week with a flavorful preview event on May 17, drawing dozens of local food lovers to the American Legion FH for “Taste of Metro Village.”

Hosted in partnership with the Queens Chamber of Commerce, the event featured a range of mouthwatering samples from neighborhood restaurants, spotlighting the area’s vibrant and growing dining scene.

Held from 3 to 5 p.m., the tasting event offered attendees a sneak peek at the culinary gems of Metro Village, with many businesses showcasing signature dishes. Organizers said the event successfully brought residents together in celebration of small businesses and local cuisine.

By MOHAMED FARGHALY

mfarghaly@queensledger.com

For Walter and Rebecca Ochoa, Father’s Day isn’t just a family celebration—it’s a moment to reflect on the meaningful work they share as partners in a mission-driven business that touches lives across Brooklyn and beyond.

Fourteen years ago, Walter Ochoa left his Wall Street job behind to open Right at Home Brooklyn, an in-home care agency serving seniors and adults with disabilities throughout New York City. At the time, his daughter Rebecca was just eight years old—watching her father build something deeply personal and impactful from the ground up.

“I used to work for big companies in Wall Street,” Walter said. “One day I decided that I really wanted to start my own business, and I didn’t have to look any further than the community.”

The company, which started in a small Brooklyn office, has grown into a trusted local presence, providing services ranging from companionship and personal care to skilled nursing and 24-hour support. For Walter, the work is about far more than just assistance—it’s about enabling people to age with dignity and independence.

“We are trying to make sure that people who want to stay home—we keep them with dignity and, why not, the happiness,” he said.

Their business is guided by a clear mission: to improve the quality of life for those they serve. “We believe there’s more to caring for people than just providing in-home assistance,” reads the company’s statement. “You deserve a care partner that understands the course of your journey and will help navigate the road ahead.”

Rebecca, now the agency’s compliance manager, officially joined the company full time after earning her degree in Health and Human Services from St. John’s University. She brings with her a detail-focused approach to care quality and regulatory compliance, as well as a deep-rooted sense of purpose.

“I’ve always known that I wanted to do something to give back to the community, especially in the medical healthcare side of things,” she said. “I made sure to tailor my education… and I’ve been working part-time in the office since I was 16.”

Walter credits Rebecca’s leadership and knowledge with strengthening the business. “Bringing Rebecca with her expertise has helped us a lot and gave us a different perspective of growing the business,” he said.

Working together has transformed their personal bond into a powerful professional partnership.

“At home, it’s my dad,” Rebecca said. “But being here in the office, I see him as a leader, a pillar… It’s really been like a blessing to be here and be able to see this all for myself.”

Their strengths complement each other: Walter describes himself as the “visionary,” focused on strategy and community engagement, while Rebecca excels at detail-driven work in compliance and hiring.

Walter’s journey from Guatemala to successful entrepreneur is central to the company’s story and his parenting philosophy. “I came here with 300 bucks in my pocket,” he said. “If you have a willingness to do something, it’s gonna be a reward at the end.”

Rebecca says that lesson stuck. “From a young age, he always instilled in me to have that confidence in myself… I felt what he was able to do, I can do that too.”

The Ochoas’ commitment to care goes beyond New York. As part of the broader Right at Home network, they also support global causes like the Free Wheelchair Mission, which has distributed over a million wheelchairs to people with disabilities in developing countries. The organization has raised over $400,000 to fund mobility devices across nations like Vietnam, Ecuador, and Costa Rica.

Closer to home, they also participate in local philanthropy and community events. Rebecca proudly notes her father’s presence in neighborhood parades and local committees: “People know who he is, and that’s something that I take great pride in. If someone says to me, ‘Oh, you’re Walter’s daughter,’ I’m like, yes I am.”

Walter’s youngest son, 15-year-old Walter Jr., will join the business this summer—another step in a growing family legacy.

Looking ahead to Father’s Day, Walter is reflective: “I do believe that being a father is something that you need to do every day of the year. Not just by talking but by leading by example.”

He also offers heartfelt advice to others navigating elder care, especially during emotional times like holidays. “Ask for help… there’s a lot of resources in the community,” he said. “You only can do so much. Pay attention to how your parents are doing—physically, mentally, emotionally.”

Rebecca agrees. “Sometimes they’re a little too stubborn to admit it… but accepting support improves quality of life and gives peace of mind to families.”

At Right at Home Brooklyn, the Ochoas are proving that care is more than a service—it’s a calling.

By MOHAMED FARGHALY

mfarghaly@queensledger.com

Justin Brannan, chair of the New York City Council Finance Committee and a former small business owner and musician, announced his run for New York City Comptroller, promising a new era of fiscal accountability, ethics reform, and transparency.

Brannan’s campaign centers on protecting taxpayer dollars, rooting out corruption, and ensuring equitable city services for all neighborhoods. Drawing from his years overseeing the city’s $100 billion budget, he aims to use the comptroller’s office as a “fiscal firewall” to safeguard working families and vulnerable New Yorkers.

“I have zero tolerance for fraud and waste and corruption,” Brannan said. “Public service is a public trust, and our government should be working for the people and not the well connected.” One of his signature proposals is an anti-corruption “bad actors” list—publicly naming city contractors who have records of labor violations, fraud investigations, or poor performance and barring them from future contracts.

Brannan described the current system as a “Tale of Two Cities” where large, politically connected companies receive rapid payments while many nonprofits that provide vital services are left waiting for funding. “We’ve got hundreds of nonprofits across the city that are owed millions of dollars.”

Before entering public office, Brannan spent years as a professional musician in a band, an experience that, he says, helped shape his understanding of hard work and teamwork. “I never in a million years thought I would be involved in politics,” he admitted. Yet since being elected to the City Council in 2017 for District 47, Brannan has built a reputation for fierce independence, including publicly calling on Mayor Eric Adams to resign despite having endorsed him initially.

On what makes a good comptroller, Brannan emphasized independence and results. “You need someone who has a record of showing independence and fighting on behalf of taxpayers,” he said. “I’ve always been accountable only to the voters. That’s your job as a politician.”

The 2025 New York City Comptroller election is scheduled for November 4. Incumbent Comptroller Brad Lander, who is eligible for a second term, is stepping back to pursue a mayoral run.

Brannan praised Comptroller Brad Lander for his management of the city’s pension funds, acknowledging that Lander “has done a good job managing and growing the pension funds,” a core responsibility of the office. However, he said he would expand oversight by creating a public integrity unit and new avenues for whistleblowers and residents to report waste and corruption.

“I want to put up dashboards that average New Yorkers can understand, so they know where their tax dollars go,” Brannan explained. “I want New Yorkers to have a government that works for them—not corrupt insiders and politically connected contractors.”

As chair of the Finance Committee, Brannan has led fights to protect funding for essential city services, including parks, sanitation, libraries, schools, early childhood education, and housing vouchers. He recalled battling mayoral budget cuts and successfully clawing back over a billion dollars in funding for vital programs.

“People pay taxes and want to see a return on their investment,” Brannan said. “Basic city services—garbage pickup, school resources, pothole repairs—matter. There are neighborhoods getting the full loaf of bread while others fight over crumbs. That’s wrong.”

Brannan also addressed the complicated relationship between the city and state budgets, noting the state’s outsized control. “We fund more than half of the state budget but get treated like any other county,” he said. He pointed to frustration around the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, where a senator from Buffalo has more say over the city’s subway lines than local representatives.

Looking ahead, Brannan said the comptroller’s office must be a “tool to advance equity” through efficient, transparent government spending. “You can’t have racial or borough equity unless the city spends its money fairly and efficiently,” he said.

Brannan’s campaign is ultimately about preserving New York City as a place for working families. “This city will never survive as a playground for the rich. It’s got to remain a palace for working people,” he said. “Working families are the bedrock of our economy, and if we lose them to other cities, we lose the whole ball game.”

With a sharp eye on current national politics, Brannan vowed to use the comptroller’s office to fight back against federal policies that threaten New York. “Elected officials have a responsibility to defend our city and bring down the cost of living for New Yorkers,” he said.

Brooklyn FC goalkeeper Alexa Goldberg showed poise and promise in her professional debut on Saturday, May 24, at Maimonides Park in Coney Island, holding top-tanked Carolina Ascent scoreless. Photo: Michael F. McLaughlin

By NICHOLAS GORDON

In what has been a tale of two seasons, the Brooklyn Football Club (10-9-9) earned a 0-0 draw against top-ranked Carolina Ascent FC (13-5-9) in a match that was a tale of two halves, on Saturday, May 24, at Maimonides Park in Coney Island. Approximately 1,500 fans were in attendance.

After weathering the storm of Carolina’s high-pressure first half, Brooklyn dominated the second half, racking up thirteen corner kicks and creating a flurry of goal-scoring chances. Though they were unable to convert a goal for their efforts, Brooklyn’s second half performance evinced the kind of talent and grit that had them as league leaders for the first half of the season.

Brooklyn defender Leah Scarpelli said that coming into the match the team’s confidence was as high as it’s ever been. “Yes, Carolina is on top of the table numbers-wise, but we know we’re just as good as them at every position,” Scarpelli said in the post-match press conference. “We didn’t get the result that we wanted, but I think we showed up today, and we were the better team today.”

Despite Carolina’s overall edge in possession of the ball, Brooklyn created the best scoring opportunities. In the 36th minute, defender Kelsey Hill headed a strong shot on goal from a cross on a free kick by midfielder Jessica Garziano. Carolina’s keeper Samantha Murphy made a diving stop on the goal line to keep the match scoreless. 

Two minutes later, on a heads up play in a quick transition, Brooklyn midfielder Samantha Kroeger launched a shot from forty yards out that sailed over the deep-playing Murphy’s head but just missed the mark, landing on the top netting.  

At the start of the second half, Brooklyn forward Mackenzie Pluck cracked a shot from thirty yards out that bounced off the crossbar, setting the tone for the mostly one-sided Brooklyn attack that would last for the duration of the match. 

Brooklyn forward Mackenzie George was ubiquitous in that attack, giving Carolina’s defenders fits with her quickness as she zipped around the box on the hunt for a goal that proved elusive. George finished the season with four goals and five assists, among the league leaders.

Brooklyn goalkeeper Alexa Goldberg made her professional debut with a performance marked by poise and promise. Throughout the hectic first half, Goldberg deftly handled numerous backpasses in traffic, smoothly distributing balls to her backline as they recentered with possession.

“Those exact scenarios are what I think of myself as a specialist in,” Goldberg said. “I love being able to get a ball at my feet and find an open player. It’s something I work on a lot. Fortunately, I have the personnel on this team to help me make those plays.”

Brooklyn forward Mackenzie George was ubiquitous in the second half attack.
Photo: Michael F. McLaughlin

Currently sitting in sixth place in a league of eight teams, with their playoff hopes dashed, Brooklyn FC has had an up-and-down season on par with the Coney Island roller coasters whirling around just beyond their home field.

Before the season started last September, the team learned that due to turf issues on their pitch at Maimonides Park, they would instead be playing their home matches at Rocco B. Commisso Soccer Stadium in Upper Manhattan for the remainder of the calendar year. Despite this last-minute shift, Brooklyn FC delivered a terrific first half of the season, finishing in first place with a comfortable six-point lead on the table.

Returning to their home pitch in Coney Island after the lengthy winter break, Brooklyn FC – the borough’s first professional women’s soccer club – appeared poised to continue their stellar play with the support of their Brooklyn fan base.

The whys and the wherefores for what happened next are anyone’s guess: Brooklyn went winless in its next eleven matches, slipping through the league standings, and “parting ways” with their head coach Jessica Silva along the way. Suddenly, goals were hard to come by, while many were conceded.

But if it’s been a mercurial ride for Brooklyn FC in the USL Super League’s inaugural season, resilience and togetherness have been the squad’s calling card throughout.

“I wouldn’t say it’s been one thing specifically, it’s just the name of the game sometimes,” Scarpelli said, reflecting on their less successful second half of the season. “Seasons can go one way, and then go another way a few games later. But I think what’s most important is that no matter the score of the game at the end, we stick together. Just knowing that as a team, win, lose, or draw, we are one.”

Heading into the offseason, another important thing for Brooklyn will be finding their new head coach. The club’s sporting director, Kevin Tenjo, has been filling in that role since Silva’s departure.

“We’re looking for a coach that represents Brooklyn FC in the best way possible,” Tenjo said.  “We’re looking for a coach that feeds our identity, our philosophy, and our culture.”

It’s a community-first team philosophy that includes the tagline, “Grow the game, uplift Brooklyn, and inspire a brighter future through soccer excellence.”

Goldberg believes that with the team’s culture and foundation in place, Brooklyn will come out strong at the start of next season.

“I think this season the team laid the groundwork for the culture of the club and what it means to be part of a startup,” Goldberg said. “All the girls fought tirelessly for each other this year, and going forward that’s going to be the standard.”

Brooklyn FC’s starting eleven at their home field, Maimonides Park in Coney Island, before their match against Carolina Ascent FC on May 24. The team is holding a jersey to honor their equipment manager, Frank, who has been struggling with health issues recently.
Back row (left to right): Leah Scarpelli, Jessica Garziano, Alexa Goldberg, Allison Pantuso, Kelsey Hill, Caroline Kelly; Front row (left to right): Mackenzie George, Hope Breslin, Sam Kroeger, Mackenzie Pluck, Ginger Fontenot
Photo: Michael F. McLaughlin

The Center for Communications hosted a Media Career Summit in partnership with BRIC on June 10 from 8:30 am to 5 pm. The event took place at BRIC house at 647 Fulton street Brooklyn. The Media Career Summit is a chance to give students and recent graduates the opportunity to connect and learn from people in the media industry. The event started with a complimentary breakfast of mini croissants, muffins, coffee and fruit followed with an opportunity to network with peers. Afterwards everyone is led into a theater to listen to opening remarks given by the Associate director of Bric Arts Media Robb Gilmore and the Executive Director of the center for communications J. Max Robins. 

Robbins talks about how these seminars are made to help people get their foot in the door when in the media industry. “My advice for anyone starting out their career journey in the media business is to be passionate, work very hard, you’re going to hear a lot of no’s don’t take them personally, and just keep doing it, keep going,” Robins said.

“To see us play a fundamental role in such a diverse, smart group of young people get the opportunity to jump start their careers and when we hear that they made that connection lead to an interview or a job, I’m over the moon with that,” Robins continued.

A panel was held after the opening remarks called ‘Your Blueprint to Opportunity’. The four people on the panel were the Vice President of Mattel David Rosenblum,  a talent recruiter from CNN worldwide Ramon Escober, SVP & GM lifestyle group Ronak Patel from Hearst magazine and the CEO of Culture House Carri Twigg. The panel went on to discuss the work environment that students and recent grads would be going into as well as give advice and answer any questions from the crowd. Each of the panelists talked about how your individual experiences and things that make you different are the key to success. After that was finished we were informed by the speaker that we would be split into two groups based off of the sticker on our badges and would either network first or attend a workshop.

The Workshops provided were how to overcome imposter syndrome or how to perfect your elevator pitch. The elevator pitch seminar hosted by Alexandra Merceron taught participants how to have a clear and precise intro when meeting a potential employer or a new connection. Merceron explained that having a clear and concise pitch helps you come across as confident, leaves a lasting impression and can help you gain a job or have a connection to one in the future. 

The networking portion of the event had representatives from companies such as Warner Brothers, Mattel, Hearst media, BRIC, Rubinstein communications, REEL Works, DGA Training program, and Hollywood and Radio Television Society. Each table had one or two representatives from the company to answer any questions as well as hand out pamphlets and business cards. Gilmore, who was representing BRIC, gave advice for young creatives that want to break into the industry;  “ I think especially when you’re young and you’re creative, you wait for opportunity you should create opportunity. So I think the best thing is if you see somewhere you want to go you gotta do your study, see where they’re lacking, and make your offer.”

The event had another panel called ‘Your road map to Early-Career success’ with the senior marketing manager pitch paramount brand studio at paramount advertising, chief program manager of BRIC Deron Johnson, Associate commissioner education workforce and policy for NYC mayors office of Media and Entertainment Alia Jones-Harvey, and Senior manager and emerging talent at Mattel Seema Yedavalli. The seminar focused on ways that we can become successful in the field we end up in while emphasizing that pivoting will happen but that’s expected. Being able to remain curious about new things is critical to your success. Another point that was brought up was to uplift those that are around you and that your peers are not your adversaries but your allies and we should help each other. While answering questions one thing that was brought up is how to deal with hiring managers not giving you a response after applying for a position. One response from Johnson was to not expect a response to keep yourself from burning out. 

“To see us play a fundamental role in such a diverse smart group of young people get the opportunity to jump start their careers and when we hear that they made that connection lead to an interview or a job im over the moon with that” Robins said.

SOFIA MONTAGNA

On Tuesday, June 17th, city council members and community leaders gathered to celebrate the progress made towards efforts to transform the Variety Boys & Girls Club of Queens into the largest Boys and Girls Club in the country. Speakers included New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, CEO of the Variety Boys & Girls Club Costa Constantinides, and New York City Council members Tiffany Caban and Julie Won.

The current clubhouse was built in 1955, located on 21 St. & 30^th Road in Astoria, is 27,000 square feet, with a pool, gym, theatre, a teaching kitchen, maker space and a half-dozen classrooms. The club provides afterschool programs, predominantly free of charge, for 4,000 kids a year. In the past few years, the city council has given the Variety Boys & Girls Club of Queens $7.5 million in capital funding to help them transform their clubhouse. Construction for this $290M project is scheduled to begin at the end of the year.

When renovations are complete, the 120,000-square-foot club will include the first planetarium in Queens, a six-lane pool, a 200-seat theater, a 1,000-seat arena, a top-notch Bio Bus lab, and 236 units of housing. Of those 236 units of housing, 69 units will be set aside for kids aging out of foster care. To move youth to the ‘next’ level, club officials said the non-profit incubator and retail space on 21^st Street will be part of a club program for our teen ‘club kids’ to take entrepreneurship to the next level.

The club will have the capacity to serve 16,000 kids annually. “Just to give you an idea of scope; statewide, there are only about 65,000 young people who attend Boys and Girls Clubs,” Constantinides commented. “That means, in the entirety of New York State, one out of four young people who walk through a door at a Boys and Girls Club will be walking through a boys club right here in Queens.”

Costa Constantinides says they are ready to break ground later this year.

Furthermore, Constantinides said, “Young people are going to be able to come in for free because we’re a free after-school program. They’re going to get a hot meal, they’re going to get help with their homework and through Power Hour, and then they’re going to be able to chase their dreams and their passions.”

The Variety Boys and Girls Club is $5 million away from its goal in its capital campaign. Constantinides says that only 10% of the project is public money. Raising the remaining $5 million needed will require a combination of both private and public funding from a variety of sources.

“When we invest in places like this, we are planting the seeds of success for generations of families,” Adrienne Adams said.

Adrienne Adams tells event attendees, “We are planting the seeds of success for generations of families.”

Councilwoman Tiffany Caban told event attendees, “It is all about opportunity, right? And opportunity is what this project embodies, an opportunity for every child, no matter their interests, no matter their ability, no matter what they are experiencing at home. For me, that is what the work is about.”

Councilwoman Julie Won added, “Costa truly understands that real safety and real community comes from making sure that our children and our youth have somewhere to go that is safe, and understanding how we can’t have income barriers for activities like Little Rock.”

From left to right: Councilwoman Tiffany Caban, Costa Constantinides, Adrienne Adams, and Bishop Mitchell Taylor. Constantinides and Adams are holding up gifts the kids sent for the speakers at the event.