Ambar Castillo

New York, Washington, D.C., United States

award-winning reporter @epicenter_nyc @rns tea/hola: [email protected] prev @statnews @KSJatMIT @Poynter @WCP @HuntsPointNews @StoryCorps @newmarkjschool

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Articles

“Born into the plant life”: Puerto Rican cuisine on a wellness mission

2 days ago | epicenter-nyc.com | Ambar Castillo

Long before kale chips became trendy or oat milk lined grocery shelves, a small vegetarian restaurant in Bayamón, Puerto Rico, was serving plant-based versions of traditional Caribbean dishes. The restaurant, Comida Vegetariana, was opened in the early 90s by Karla Salinari’s aunt and uncle as a continuation of a lifestyle that had taken root in the family decades earlier. “I jokingly say to my community: I didn’t choose the plant life — the plant life chose me,” said Salinari.
We asked a therapist how to stay calm and strong right now

3 days ago | epicenter-nyc.com | Ambar Castillo

In just three months, the Trump administration’s policies have triggered widespread alarm among people of color, with diversity initiatives dismantled, deportations escalating, and federal jobs and funding abruptly cut. While these stressors aren’t new, they’re compounded by institutional support being pulled back. Meanwhile, access to culturally competent mental health care remains uneven.
From salsa to savasana: the yoga studio offering local vibes in East Harlem

1 week ago | epicenter-nyc.com | Ambar Castillo

Jazmin Tejada’s journey with yoga didn’t begin with love at first pose. “I absolutely hated it,” she said of the first yoga class she took out of curiosity in her early twenties. A lifelong athlete and professional salsa dancer, Tejada was used to fast, expressive movement. Yoga felt slow and stifling. “This is really boring,” she remembered thinking. Nearly two decades later, Tejada owns one of the only BIPOC-owned yoga studios in Harlem — and the only one in East Harlem, where she grew up.
Helping to ease prom FOMO, one dress at a time

1 week ago | epicenter-nyc.com | Ambar Castillo

When Amanda Aponte was a high school senior, prom was everything. As part of the planning committee, she had been counting down to the night for months. But her most vivid memory is of a floor-length golden halter dress with floral appliqués — a style she first spotted on actress Jessica Alba at a red carpet event. Nearly 18 years later, Aponte is helping teens create their own golden moments— despite the rising costs of prom dresses and the crushing burden of NYC rents.
Building a blueprint for the non-corporate life

2 weeks ago | epicenter-nyc.com | Ambar Castillo

Ayanna Dutton and Delaila Catalino didn’t have a polished plan when they launched Non-Corporate Girls — just grit, a Google Doc, and the sense that there had to be a better way. They met backstage at Fashion Week more than a decade ago, when Dutton was working in fashion, and Catalino in beauty. Someone made an inappropriate remark. “[Delaila] and I looked at each other — you know, when you make eyes with someone across the room — we got it,” Dutton said. “We were the only people of color.
An app to help moms navigate food benefits

2 weeks ago | epicenter-nyc.com | Ambar Castillo

Growing up in the South Bronx, Dani Lopez learned early on how to find the library, read a bus schedule, and get help when the grown-ups didn’t know where to turn. It came with the territory: she was the oldest of two and the child of a single immigrant mom who received benefits from WIC, the federal nutrition program for women, infants, and children. “I was always translating between English and Spanish, but more than that — I also just became a really good translator of systems,” she said.
Moodie Vibes: The scents of self-care

3 weeks ago | epicenter-nyc.com | Ambar Castillo

For Aminta Freeman, what started as an experiment in self-care — blending oils to find a fragrance that suited her mood — turned into a business that promotes wellness for other moms. The Brooklyn-raised Guatemalan American was trying to find her way through the upheaval of a divorce, the stress of a demanding government job, and the relentless uncertainty of the pandemic.
NYCHA seniors lose heat, hot water and elevator access for longer stretches - Epicenter NYC

3 weeks ago | epicenter-nyc.com | Ambar Castillo

Last September, 69-year-old Sonia Madrano was heading back to her apartment when the elevator in her senior-only NYCHA development suddenly stopped. It next took a short drop and then got stuck between two floors. She still recalls the terror of being trapped inside those 12 minutes. “It was a terrible experience that had never before happened to me, and that I hope will never happen again,” Madrano said in Spanish.
How a love for craft turned into a globally sourced, sustainable jewelry brand

1 month ago | epicenter-nyc.com | Ambar Castillo

Nashira Arnó never set out to become a jewelry designer. But what began as a side project in 2016 fashioned itself into a thriving business that blends sustainability, craftsmanship, and deep cultural roots. Her brand uses 90% recycled materials and hires artisans from different corners of the world to make her designs, including a family-owned collective in Thailand. Arnó’s path to designing sculptural jewelry wasn’t linear.
How menopause is getting the Harlem treatment

1 month ago | epicenter-nyc.com | Ambar Castillo

Menopause is one of those IYKYK (if you know, you know) topics. Tammeca Rochester is trying to change that, especially for women of color. “So many things that are happening to you at 40, whether you want to pivot in your career, [or] you’re taking care of two generations,” said Rochester, who founded and runs Harlem Cycle. She refers to the stress of being in a “sandwich generation” — middle-aged adults raising children while caring for elderly parents.