5 characteristics of modern day filipino heroes

Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Jarnell Stokes was recruited early on in his basketball career to follow in the footsteps of some of the NBA’s greatest players. After a career altering injury in 2018, he had to pivot – embracing his Memphis roots and a deep mindfulness. Stokes is now a successful crypto investor, entrepreneur, published author, and movie producer. And he’s just getting started. Brendan Doherty: Let’s start early - how did growing up in Memphis in the ‘90s shape who you are today? Jarnell Stokes: Memphis is an extremely authentic place when it comes to diversity, it’s a booming place. I call it the new Harlem. Much like Harlem in the 1920s, Memphis is seeing many African American artists and creatives rising up. I feel that heritage is engraved in me and has made me a tough-minded individual. The thing that stands out in my mind is the music - hearing the trombones and the tubas, the flutes, the drum line filling. That's what I … [Read more...] about Icon: NBA Pro Turns Injury Into Wins Across Crypto, Hollywood, & Mindfulness

Fresh from winning the “most important title in her career,” Alex Eala earned praise from no less than tennis superstar Rafael Nadal under whose academy the 15-year-old rising star is honing her skills. Eala recently won the first of three legs of the International Tennis Federation W15 Manacor tournament being played at the Rafael Nadal Academy (RNA) grounds where she pulled off a three-set upset over 28-year-old Yvonne Cavalle (5-7, 6-1, 6-2). “Congratulations,” said the RNA on its website. “She has won the most important title of her career a few months after turning pro.” Nadal lauded her on his Instagram page, posting her picture with caption “We are all very happy for you. Keep up the good work and attitude. Vamos.” Eala on Friday dropped her second round match against Spaniard Alba Carrillo Marin, 6-2, 6-3, in the second leg of the $15,000 tourney. Still, it was a remarkable breakthrough win for Eala, who is now being coached at the RNA by Gabriel Urpi—the coach who … [Read more...] about Mental toughness is Eala’s chief asset, says former PH Davis Cup skipper

Earlier this year, an Arizona woman whom we’ll call Kelly was completing the paperwork required to get facial feminization surgery. She was diagnosed with gender dysphoria in her teens, and after years of struggling with depression, she decided as a 20-something to transition. Then reality hit fast: The process is expensive, lengthy, and rarely covered by insurance. “So I did what lots of trans people do,” she tells Fast Company . “I got a job at Starbucks.” advertisement advertisement Starbucks has covered some types of gender-reassignment surgery since 2012. But in a radical move in 2018, it worked with the World Professional Association for Transgender Health to unveil a supplemental insurance plan that added coverage of procedures “previously considered cosmetic,” such as breast reduction, forehead contouring, calf implants, and hair transplants. With the requisite medical signoffs, Starbucks workers could get many of these procedures with zero … [Read more...] about Workers who joined Starbucks for transgender health benefits worry they are now at risk

The rise of remote work has drastically changed the relationship between companies and their employees. advertisement advertisement What began two years ago as a sudden shift to a work-from-home model has changed collaboration, coordination, and communication permanently. As companies work to find the right balance between flexible work and optimum productivity, the “hybrid” work model is being codified in company policies. The stakes are high: The terms of the new hybrid work contract have a direct bearing on companies’ ability to keep employees happy, and to attract new ones. According to a recent Gallup survey , nearly 60% of employees who can work from home would prefer a hybrid work schedule going forward. At the same time, roughly 60% said they want more structure from their employers when it comes to deciding hybrid work schedules. Less clear for employers, though, is how frequently employees might come into the office. Every company … [Read more...] about What the future of hybrid work will (and won’t) look like, according to 27 business leaders

One of the reasons I'm so passionate about entrepreneurship is that it allows anyone to chart their own destiny. If you have a good idea and the willingness to pursue it, you're on your way to supporting yourself and adding value to our economy. Which is why, as my company gathered stories from LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs for Pride Month, I was happy to hear that the spirit of self-determination is alive and well. "Ever since I was a child, I've always wanted to be my own boss," says RJ Silver, owner of Sad Boy Designs. "The only thing that ever struck my interest was art, and I wanted to find the best way to display my talents. Today, I'm a graphic designer, and I create multiple things ranging from small keychains to large car decals." We need more, not less, of stories like this. That's one reason Hello Alice regularly surveys the more than 800,000 small business owners on our platform to understand their quantitative and qualitative experiences and advance targeted … [Read more...] about 4 Challenges–and Triumphs–of LGBTQ+ Entrepreneurs in 2022

As recently as 2015, there were more artists living in New York City than ever before (about 55,000). But from January 2021 to January 2022, rents surged 33%, pushing artists farther and farther out of the city’s creative neighborhoods. advertisement advertisement Then came Silver Art Project. Founded in 2018, the nonprofit runs an art residency on the 28th floor of 4 World Trade Center . Like other organizations with similar goals, Silver Art’s mission is to support artists who are being priced out of the city. Silver Art provides free studios and mentorship to a select cohort of artists; to date, more than 50—ranging from painters and visual artists to photographers and sculptors—have participated. This month marks the end of the second residency, which included 25 artists. While Silver Art is in the process of reviewing more than 1,200 applications for its upcoming cohort, I spoke with four artists who just spent a year working at 4 WTC. Most … [Read more...] about ‘You’re on top of the world’: Inside 4 artists’ studios on the 28th floor of the World Trade Center

The Associated Press MADRID (AP) — The Latest on the NATO summit in Madrid: ___ Italian Premier Mario Draghi says plans for an increased U.S. military presence in Europe don’t amount to a military escalation within NATO. Draghi says the increase announced Wednesday by the White House would amount to just 70 additional U.S. troops on Italian soil and an air defense system that had already been planned. But he added at the NATO summit in Madrid: “You have to be ready.” Draghi said overall Italy is committing 10,000 troops to NATO. That includes 2,000 divided among the Italian command of NATO in Bulgaria, its presence in Romania and staffing of air patrols over the Baltics. Another 8,000 are on standby in Italy “if eventually necessary.” ___ — Turkey lifts objections to Sweden, Finland joining NATO ahead of alliance summit — Biden, NATO to beef up force posture amid Russian aggression — Macron says Russia can’t win in Ukraine — The AP Interview: Spanish PM … [Read more...] about Live updates | Italy sees no NATO military escalation