Making It Here

Hard seltzer is one of the fastest-growing areas of the beverage industry. But within that, there’s still room for brands that bring something new to the table. Lunar does this with flavors like yuzu, lychee, and Korean plum, and with packaging that makes its Asian roots impossible to miss.

The company was founded by Sean Ro and Kevin Wong, who built the business with a lean team and a clear vision. And now, Lunar’s award winning drinks can be found in places like Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, and Target.

In this episode Sean shares the realities of fundraising, the importance of staying authentic, and the lessons he carried from working in tech into the beverage world.

Learn more: https://www.drinklunar.com/ 

Find Lunar near you: https://www.drinklunar.com/pages/find-in-store 

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Pollinators play a critical role in our food system, but their decline has immediate consequences for food security, public health, and the resilience of ecosystems.

The Bee Conservancy was created in response to that reality. What started as a grassroots effort has grown into programs that bring pollinator gardens across the city, provide seeds and support to urban farmers, and engage residents in community science to track bee populations. 

Today, I’m joined by The Bee Conservancy’s Rebecca Louie, to hear about how the organization has expanded since she joined in 2019, the partnerships that have brought unexpected resources to the table, and the importance of asking for help. Her perspective offers lessons for anyone starting out in the nonprofit world, or simply looking for meaningful ways to contribute.

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It’s been just about a year since a once-empty storefront in the 74th Street Roosevelt Avenue subway station in Jackson Heights, became a space for retelling stories. It now houses Los Herederos, a nonprofit blending radio, archives, and public programs to document communities across Queens.
The idea took shape in 2015 with a bilingual multimedia project, but the team quickly realized the need for something larger. They built Los Herederos to serve the whole of Queens through film, photography, radio, and exhibitions to tell stories across communities, and to create an archive that would preserve those histories long term.

Today, Naomi Sturm, Founding Executive Director, shares lessons on starting small, defining your mission, and navigating the reality of shrinking arts funding.

Read our full story: https://epicenter-nyc.com/a-radio-station-inside-the-jackson-heights-subway-station-turns-1-year-old/

 

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Opening a brick-and-mortar business in New York City takes more than just a good idea. It takes funding, strategy, establishing connections and a clear sense of purpose. That’s what Adrian Cepeda brought when he founded The World’s Borough Bookshop in Jackson Heights two years ago. His mission? To highlight BIPOC, immigrant, and first-gen authors, who represent the diverse voices of his neighborhood.

With the help of a $20,000 grant from the “Queens Tech and Innovation Challenge” and momentum from his TikTok account, BookPapi, the shop has become more than a place to buy books. It’s a community hub, hosting story-times, open mics, and workshops.

Today, Adrian shares what it really takes to launch a business, how public funding and digital platforms like tiktok helped him get it off the ground, and why representation and community are at the center.

Check out our event: Making It Here: How to enter and navigate the ever-changing workplace

Learn more about The World's Borough Bookshop

Find Bookpapi on TikTok

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In New York City, the cost of access often determines who gets to step into the spotlight. Dance classes can run hundreds or even thousands of dollars, pricing out kids who could benefit from them most. That’s where Cultured Movement comes in. It’s a low-cost, culturally rooted dance program that centers confidence, and connection… not perfection. Founded by Sherema Fleming, a Bronx-born nurse, dancer, and baker who’s spent more than a decade making stages feel within reach for kids across the city.

Today, we sit down with Sherema to learn more about how she’s working to make dance more accessible, and how a vegan pastry hustle helps keep it all going.

Read more: https://epicenter-nyc.com/you-wont-pay-1000-for-a-dance-class-here/

The youth summer dance program will culminate in a showcase on Aug. 23 at the Ailey Studios on 405 W. 55th Street from 3 to 5 p.m.

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In New York City, turning a creative idea into a business takes more than talent. It often means juggling multiple roles: artist, vendor, marketer… and figuring out how to make a living while staying true to your vision.

It’s a balancing act that Nicolás Gabot, the founder of Brooklyn Art Factory, has been navigating for years. He’s the founder of Brooklyn Art Factory, known for handcrafted wooden signs inspired by subway station designs and customized with the names of New York neighborhoods. His work resonates with people who want to see their communities represented.

Today, I sit down with Nicolás to learn more about the inspiration behind his work, how he rebuilt after losing everything in his New York City studio to flooding and theft, and what he’s learned along the way. Our conversation is one about persistence, problem-solving, and the often overlooked labor behind creative work.

Learn more: https://epicenter-nyc.com/all-signs-point-to-the-brooklyn-art-factory/

https://www.brooklynartfactory.com/ 

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We’re pulling back the curtain on Epicenter-NYC, introducing the team, sharing how we approach community journalism, and reflecting on what it means to serve our neighbors. We also say goodbye to Adriana Proaño, a founding team member who’s been at the heart of this work.

Plus, a big update: we’re relaunching this show as Making It Here, featuring stories of New Yorkers building something meaningful in their communities.

Donate here: https://epicenternyc.fundjournalism.org/donate/ 

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On July 4th, the Big Beautiful Bill was signed into law, and with it, sweeping changes to food assistance programs that support millions of Americans. Advocates say it includes the largest cuts to SNAP in U.S. history. But this isn’t just about food budgets. Many warn of deeper ripple effects: on children’s health, educational outcomes, and the long-term stability of vulnerable households.

To understand how these changes will affect New Yorkers, I spoke with two people on the front lines of food policy: Krista Hesdorfer from Hunger Solutions New York, and Debipriya Chatterjee, a Senior Economist at the Community Service Society of New York. These conversations were recorded just before the bill was signed, but remain deeply relevant as we look ahead to how this law will be implemented.

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In today’s global spice trade, farmers often have little control, and consumers end up with bland, aging products on their shelves. The process is opaque, dominated by large companies and layers of middlemen. The team behind Burlap & Barrel is working to change that. From wild cumin gathered in Afghanistan to cinnamon bark in Vietnam, their business is built on direct partnerships with farmers, fair pricing, and respect for tradition.

Ethan Frisch and Ori Zohar launched Burlap & Barrel out of a one-bedroom apartment in Queens, and their mission has grown to include smallholder farmers in more than 30 countries. Today, we sit down with Ethan and Ori to learn more about what inspired them to take on the spice industry and what it takes to stay connected to farmers in a changing global market.

Browse Burlap & Barrel’s spice collections online here. First orders of $49 or more ship free. 

Contact them on their website here.

Read more here.

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Voter turnout in New York City’s mayoral primary was significantly higher than it was four years ago, but the mood on the ground wasn’t one of excitement. It was frustration.

Over the past week, I’ve talked to voters across four boroughs along with Mariana Navarrete Villegas and Amanda DeJesus from the Epicenter team. What we heard again and again was this: people are fed up… with rising rents, poor city services, and broken promises. But they’re not giving up. They’re still voting.

And while the primary narrows the field; it doesn’t finish the race. The general election is Tuesday, November 4th. Early voting runs October 25th through November 2nd. To check your registration, find your polling place, or request a mail ballot, go to nycvotes.org. And for more election news visit epicenter-nyc.com/politics.

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