In the recent month, Legislator David Tubiolo (Yonkers & Mount Vernon), Aurea Roman owner of ‘How Sweet It Is’ and community activist Kim Martinez hosted the first ‘Coquito & Flan Tasting Benefit’. The proceeds from the benefit solely go to the victims of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, through the organization of ‘Hispanic Federation/Unidos’.
Hurricane Maria is considered the worst natural disaster on record for the island of Puerto Rico. The tenth-most intense Atlantic hurricane on record and the most intense tropical cyclone worldwide of 2017, Maria was the second Category 5 hurricane, and the deadliest storm of the hyperactive 2017 Atlantic hurricane season. There was nearly $92 billion in damage and 112 confirmed fatalities up to 1,133 reported.
Roughly 1/3 of the residents of Puerto Rico – 1.2 million people – are still without electricity. Some residents still don’t have access to clean water, even where water service has been restored, many communities still have a ‘boil water’ advisory in place. Other areas are still purchasing bottled water to get the clean water they need.
“Raising money for the victims of Hurricane Maria is the least we can do. The participants, organizers, judges, audience and I couldn’t stand by and watch the devastation and after-math continue. We channeled our frustration and concern into a positive benefit through the culture of Puerto Rico,” said Legislator & Sponsor David Tubiolo.
The 3 Judges were Thomas Quinones, Hector Lopez and Iliana Ortiz. There were 6 contestants in the Coquito competition and 3 in the Flan competition.
Thomas Quinones grew up in Spanish Harlem (El Barrio) at the intersection of E. 116th Street and Lexington Avenue, his father is from Rinco and mother from Fajardo. He is a Judge for the City of Yonkers being the first person of Hispanic background to be appointed and win re-election. He was a Family Court Support Magistrate by New York City’s chief Administrative Judge (1996).
Hector Lopez grew up in Slobum Housing Project in Southwest Yonkers, his father is from Arecibo and mother from Caguas. He is a Sergeant in for Westchester County Department of Correction Officers (WCDOC) and is the President of the Westchester Hispanic Law Enforcement Association (WHLEA), Vice-President of the Yonkers Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Chair of the Yonkers Hispanic Cultural Foundation.
Iliana Ortiz was born in San German in Puerto Rico and moved to Spanish Harlem (El Barrio) at the intersection of E. 105th Street and 1st Avenue, her father is from San Herman and mother is from Mayaguez.
Aurea Roman grew up in the Bainbridge neighborhood in the Bronx, NY, and her father is from Humacao. She opened ‘How Sweet It Is’ as a classic candy & bakery shop, providing all the opportunity of assorted sweets.
Kim Martinez grew up in the neighborhood of Mount Hop in the Bronx, NY at the intersections of Tremont Avenue and Grand Concourse. Her family is from Maricao.
The Judges chose Diana Torres as the winner for the Coqutio contest and Yvette Hernandez-Ramos as the winner of the Flan contest.
The ‘People’s Choice’ awarded the following as winners for the Coquito contest, Edward Martinez (1st Place), Jose Morales (2nd Place) and Rosemary Colon (3rd Place).
The ‘People’s Choice’ awarded the following as winners for the Flan contest, Yvette Hernandez-Ramos (1st Place), Kimberly DeJesus-Seda (2ndPlace) and Santiago Caceres (3rd Place).
Almost $2,000 in proceeds were raised.