iGreenWarriors: Powering Malaysia’s Youth-Led Climate Action

NY Weekly Staff on December 23, 2025

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – iGreenWarriors, the flagship environmental movement of JCI Entrepreneur Metropolitan (JCI E-Metro), has emerged as one of Malaysia’s rapidly growing youth-driven sustainability initiatives. Built on the mission to restore ecosystems, reduce carbon emissions, and empower communities with environmental literacy, the movement has expanded its impact from local neighbourhoods to nationwide and regional collaborations in a short period.

Established in 2024 and founded by Jason Teo, iGreenWarriors has mobilised thousands of volunteers across Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Perak, Terengganu, Melaka, Johor, and through regional partnerships in Thailand, making climate action more accessible to communities of all ages. Through large-scale tree-planting programmes, marine conservation clean-ups, circular economy workshops, ESG education, and biodiversity restoration activities, the movement has collectively planted over 300,000 trees, removed considerable amounts of waste from coastal areas, and activated schools, SMEs, local councils, and youth groups to contribute to tangible environmental transformation.

A key driver behind the movement’s notable expansion is the Green Entrepreneurs Programme, a platform designed to equip young Malaysians with the knowledge, skills, and opportunities to build sustainable, climate-focused enterprises. By nurturing youth innovation and entrepreneurial leadership, the programme aims to empower aspiring eco-entrepreneurs to design practical solutions, lead community projects, and actively contribute to Malaysia’s green economy transition.

The success of iGreenWarriors is also strongly anchored in the visionary support of Ms May Lee of the Lee Ting San Group of Companies, whose belief that climate change is a critical and urgent issue that must be addressed collectively has played a significant role in strengthening the movement’s momentum. Under her patronage and leadership support, the Lee Ting San Group of Companies has demonstrated a commitment to climate responsibility and is positioned to support iGreenWarriors in combating climate change, supporting youth-led solutions that aim to create long-term environmental and social value.

Through its collaborations, iGreenWarriors works closely with government bodies, environmental NGOs, universities, and corporate sustainability teams to foster long-term, measurable impact. These collaborations are guided by clear project frameworks, community engagement models, and basic impact tracking to maintain accountability, continuity, and long-term environmental value. Key initiatives include restoring degraded forest reserves, driving zero-waste education in schools, supporting community farms, empowering youth climate champions, and advancing nationwide carbon-reduction awareness programmes.

These impactful efforts led to significant accolades in 2025. iGreenWarriors was recognised as a Top 3 Global Project at the 2025 JCI World Congress, the only project from the Asia-Pacific region to achieve this distinction. In addition, the movement received the 2025 ESG PLUS Environmental Sustainability Award (Climate Action & Carbon Reduction), solidifying its position as a national leader in grassroots climate action and youth-driven Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) impact.

Looking ahead, iGreenWarriors remains committed to scaling its impact through stronger cross-sector partnerships, data-driven environmental outcomes, and inclusive youth participation. By strengthening monitoring frameworks, expanding regional collaboration across ASEAN, and embedding sustainability thinking into everyday decision-making, the movement aims to encourage lasting behavioral change and create meaningful social impact. As Malaysia accelerates its sustainability and climate agenda, iGreenWarriors stands ready to serve as a trusted youth-led platform, mobilizing diverse stakeholders and translating policy ambition into real-world action on the ground.

About JCI Entrepreneur Metropolitan

Founded in 2000, JCI Entrepreneur Metropolitan (JCI E-Metro) is Malaysia’s first JCI organisation dedicated specifically to nurturing entrepreneurs and young active citizens. With a strong legacy of leadership, innovation, and community impact, the organisation empowers members through sustainable, purpose-driven initiatives. In 2024, JCI Entrepreneur Metropolitan launched iGreenWarriors, a youth-led environmental movement championing climate action, circular economy education, and hands-on community engagement. Together, JCI Entrepreneur Metropolitan and iGreenWarriors mobilise government, corporations, and regional partners to promote action, amplify impact, and build a more sustainable, responsible, and inclusive future.

Ezekiel Mi-sha-el Kwadjo Agyeman Markin: A Cross-Cultural Pathway through Music, Education, and Modern Sound

NY Weekly Staff on December 23, 2025

On the modern music scene, the crossroads of heritage, education, and artistic experimentation has been a common ground for most young artists. The upcoming trend of producing self-taught, genre-bending music has eliminated traditional boundaries between hip hop, R&B, and international music. Among the newcomers to this landscape is a Ghanaian-Jamaican-American musician/producer whose path is a thoughtful combination of technical proficiency and cultural awareness. It is one of gradual development, continuous refinement, and an evolving vision that fuses the innovative ancestors of all continents.

Ezekiel Mi-sha-el Kwadjo Agyeman Markin, or Mi-sha-el (400), is an example of a musician who uses diverse influences as a point of departure for identity rather than a limitation. Born January 30, 1995, at the Jack D. Weiler Hospital, Bronx, New York City, Markin was raised in a nexus of diasporic cultures. His father hails from the traditional Cape Coast of Ghana, and his mother from Spanish Town, Jamaica, of Panamanian descent. Environmental influences would later inform both his worldview and sonic sensibility. It also helped him forge his layered sensibility, which fuses the rhythmic storytelling of hip-hop with the melodic frameworks of reggae, gospel, and R&B.

Markin started making music as a teenager growing up in New York City, where East Coast hip-hop and the world rhythms of Caribbean music inevitably intersected. His studies then branched out from performance to recording and production, which brought him into a profession that combined his artistic energies with intellectual discipline. It was this dedication to both study and art that led him to attend Kean University in Union, New Jersey, to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication Media with a Fine Arts minor.

In his study at Kean University, Markin’s academic rigor was an extension of his artistic honesty. He was inducted into Phi Kappa Phi, an academic honor society that recognizes merit in all fields of study. He was also inducted into Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., a historically African American fraternity that excels in developing leadership, community service, and cultural awareness. Through such cross-fertilization, Markin broadened his understanding of cultural identity and artistic obligation, creating a vision that integrated intellectual inquiry with creative expression.

In addition to his education, Markin pursued technical specialty training that grounded his artistic development in technical expertise. Such training benefited him by establishing his work pattern and his methodology for producing, enabling him to manage, both creatively and structurally, the construction of music projects on his own.

Markin’s production work under the Mi-sha-el (400) demonstrates a progressive but steady development. His initial releases reflect an initial interest in combining introspective lyrics and avant-garde soundscaping. From there, the interest evolved into three extended plays: Parles-tu français, Chronicles 12:17, and Cane Corso. Each EP is a unique foray into tone and narrative. Parles-tu français, playing with rhythm and dual-language wordplay, reflecting his affection for cultural integration. Chronicles 12:17 adopts an introspective tone, combining biblical imagery with modern street lore. Cane Corso, his latest effort, is a sharper, more polished work that ties together his experience into a focused effort. Overall, these discs show technical proficiency and growing confidence as a reader.

As Markin’s discography grows, his aesthetic and production ethic place him at the forefront of an emerging wave of independent musicians redefining the role of the producer. Instead of divorcing authorship from production, he blends them so that every aspect of his music resonates with personal and cultural signification. Music as both art and archive, a document of influence and identity, would be an implication of his care for structure, tone, and thematic consistency.

Markin has frequently referenced artists such as The Notorious B.I.G., The Beatles, The Wailers, Michael Jackson, Eazy-E, Journey, Johnny Cash, MF Doom, KRS-One, BeBe and CeCe Winans, Celine Dion, Tevin Campbell, and Daddy Lumba as influences. These are artists who cut across genre, continent, and generation, providing him with a blueprint to experiment with the union of melody, rhythm, and lyricism. From The Notorious B.I.G., he borrowed the importance of storytelling; from The Beatles, the genre diversity of creativity; and from Michael Jackson, the performing austerity that synthesizes visual and sonic art. Daddy Lumba’s influence, especially, goes straight back to Markin’s Ghanaian heritage, confirming his passion for fusing Western and African sensibilities.

Markin’s words to date contribute to a broader discussion about the globalization of music production. The growing accessibility of technology has made it easier for artists to work transnationally and across genres, and graduate programs in communication and media have provided space for hybrid identities to emerge. Markin’s combination of scholarship, professional experience, and cultural mobility undermines this generation. His victory, as it is being made, predicts an establishment grounded in determination and learning rather than going viral.

Over the last few years, Markin’s efforts in international stories have gone beyond working in cooperation with music. During his years at Kean University, he met Ndaba Mandela, grandson of Nelson Mandela, at Human Rights Week. He departed a little closer to an awareness of legacy, struggle, and the global implications of a family legacy. Ndaba Mandela’s personal experiences of his grandfather’s incarceration and of his grandmother’s work as a lawyer spoke directly to Markin’s own philosophy of resilience through education and art. He better grasped that music could be a social commentary and an expression of self.

Markin continues to develop his sound, however, while facing university and professional challenges. Moving to Ghana, specifically to the Shai Hills, is a deliberate return to his roots. It aligns with his goal of fusing old African sonic spheres with New York City’s urban life today, creating a transatlantic conversation through art.

Ezekiel Mi-sha-el Kwadjo Agyeman Markin’s career shows the way gravity of scholarship, multicultural heritage, and deliberate craftsmanship can co-exist in today’s transmuting world of music. His evolution into Mi-sha-el (400) is a continuous blend of influences from outside genre or geography. Through practice, study, and respect for heritage, he is a new type of artist who views music as sound, but also as a commonly shared language with a legacy and creativity.

Exploring Emotion Through Photography and Poetry: Paul Aaron Domenick’s The Peculiarities of Red Chairs

NY Weekly Staff on December 23, 2025

By: Ashley C. Luttrell

For most of his life, Paul Aaron Domenick did what many trauma survivors do: he pushed the pain down and tried to outrun it. A midlife crisis at forty, and eventually rehab, forced him to face the truth: this wasn’t just “bad memories,” but trauma shaping his entire life.

The Peculiarities of Red Chairs: A Decade of Healing My Trauma with Photography and Poetry is the record of what happened next. Part art book, part memoir of recovery, it follows a ten–year journey in which images and words became not just creative outlets, but lifelines.

Seeing What Words Can’t Say

Trauma often lives in the body as sensations and flashes rather than full memories. That’s why talking about it can feel impossible. Domenick’s therapist understood this when she advocated for him to use his camera in a residential trauma and addiction program. The lens became a bridge between his inner world and the outside one.

In the book’s chapters on color and monochrome photography, everyday scenes — a chair, a room, a fragment of light — become charged with feeling. The camera slows him down, giving enough distance to witness his pain without being overwhelmed. Instead of explaining his history, he frames it.

Photography here isn’t about perfection or social media. It’s about control and safety: deciding what to focus on, what to blur, and when to step back.

When the Heart Speaks in Lines and Stanzas

Alongside the photographs, Domenick’s poetry runs through the book like a second heartbeat. He began writing seriously around the same time he picked up the camera, discovering that language could do what silence never could: name the unspeakable.

The poems that accompany each section — from candid shots to composites, slow exposures, diptychs, still lifes, and portraits — aren’t decorative captions. They’re emotional x-rays. Some pieces confront abuse and shame head-on; others circle grief, faith, love, queerness, and recovery with a quiet tenderness. Together, the poems and images create a dialogue between the thinking mind and the body’s buried knowledge.

You don’t have to share Domenick’s exact experiences to feel that jolt of recognition: someone is finally saying what I’ve never been able to put into words.

Art as an Invitation, Not a Prescription

Domenick never claims that photography and poetry are magic cures. He worked with therapists, entered rehab, and did the hard clinical work of recovery. What his book shows, though, is how creative practice can support that work — offering non-verbal expression, a sense of agency, connection to others, and glimpses of a calmer nervous system.

There is also a quiet message for LGBTQ+ readers and anyone who has felt “too broken” to be seen. By placing his traumas, addictions, and identities in full view — in bold images and carefully honed lines — Domenick rejects the shame that keeps so many survivors silent.

A Book to Sit With

The Peculiarities of Red Chairs is not a quick scroll or a one-evening read. It’s the kind of book you leave out and return to, one image or stanza at a time, letting it echo against your own memories.

Whether you are in recovery, supporting someone who is, or simply curious about how art and healing intersect, this decade-long project offers both comfort and challenge.

Can photography and poetry heal trauma? On their own, maybe not. But in Paul Aaron Domenick’s hands, they become something just as vital: a way back to feeling, to meaning, and, slowly, to a life lived on purpose.

Disclaimer: The views and experiences shared in this article reflect the personal journey of the author and should not be considered as professional advice or a universal solution. While photography and poetry may play a meaningful role in healing for some individuals, they are not a substitute for professional therapy or medical treatment. Every person’s path to recovery is unique, and it is important to seek guidance from qualified professionals for personalized care.

How FTTO Enhances Workplace Productivity and Network Stability

NY Weekly Staff on December 23, 2025

In the modern corporate landscape, connectivity is no longer a backend utility; it is the central nervous system of business operations. As enterprises accelerate their digital transformation, the demands on Local Area Networks (LANs) have reached a critical point. The transition toward high-density cloud computing, 4K video conferencing, and real-time collaborative environments has exposed the physical limitations of traditional copper-based infrastructures.

In response, Fiber to the Office (FTTO) has emerged as a potentially transformative architectural shift. By extending optical fiber from the core network directly to the work area, FTTO addresses many of the performance gaps of legacy systems while providing a sustainable, scalable foundation for anticipated digital growth in the coming years. This article examines the technical merits of FTTO, its potential impact on operational efficiency, and the strategic role of Passive Optical Network (PON) technologies in the modern workplace.

Understanding the FTTO Architecture: A Paradigm Shift

Traditional LAN designs typically rely on a hierarchical structure: a fiber backbone connecting a central data center to floor-level telecommunications rooms, where active switches distribute signals via copper (Category 6/6A) cables to end-users. While functional, this model faces several challenges regarding cable bulk, distance limitations (90 meters for copper), and the high energy costs of maintaining multiple active equipment rooms.

Fiber to the Office (FTTO) simplifies this by adopting a decentralized, passive approach. It leverages the principles of Passive Optical Networks (PON) to bring fiber-optic efficiency directly to the desk or zone.

Core Components of the FTTO Ecosystem

  • Optical Line Terminal (OLT): Positioned at the central equipment room, the OLT acts as the “brain” of the network, managing data traffic and coordinating signals across the entire facility.
  • Passive Optical Distribution Network (ODN): Utilizing optical splitters, this layer requires no power and involves no active components, which significantly lowers the risk of hardware failure between the core and the endpoint.
  • Optical Network Units/Terminals (ONU/ONT): These compact devices are deployed at the user’s desk or within a specific work zone. They convert the optical signal into Ethernet for end-user devices, often providing integrated Wi-Fi and Power over Ethernet (PoE) capabilities.

By replacing bulky copper bundles with thin, high-capacity fiber, FTTO allows for a “collapsed backbone” design, freeing up valuable office real estate that was previously occupied by large wiring closets.

Technical Superiority and the Impact on Productivity

The primary driver for FTTO adoption is the potential improvement in user experience. In a landscape where “network lag” can result in lost revenue, the stability of fiber may provide a competitive edge.

  1. Eliminating Bandwidth Bottlenecks: Copper cabling is subject to physical laws that limit its bandwidth over distance. As data rates climb toward 10Gbps and beyond, copper generates significant heat and is susceptible to crosstalk. Fiber-optic cables, however, offer virtually unlimited bandwidth potential. FTTO helps ensure that data-heavy applications—such as cloud-based ERP systems, CRM platforms, and high-definition video streams—operate with minimal latency, directly reducing employee frustration and downtime.
  2. Immunity to Interference: Modern offices are saturated with Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) from fluorescent lighting, heavy machinery, and dense wireless signals. Unlike copper, fiber is made of glass and is entirely immune to EMI. This helps maintain the network signal’s “cleanliness” across long distances, providing a level of stability that may be critical for real-time financial trading, medical imaging, or industrial design.
  3. Future-Proofing for Wi-Fi 7 and Beyond: As wireless standards evolve, the “backhaul” (the wired connection feeding the Wi-Fi access point) becomes the bottleneck. Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 require multi-gigabit speeds that could push traditional copper to its limits. FTTO offers a native fiber interface that can scale from 1Gbps to 10Gbps (via XGS-PON) or even 50G-PON without needing to replace the physical cabling, helping the office infrastructure remain relevant for the next 15–20 years.

Operational Stability and Green Initiatives

Beyond speed, FTTO provides a strategic advantage in terms of Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and environmental sustainability.

Reducing Active Points of Failure

In a traditional LAN, every active switch on every floor represents a potential point of failure. These switches require power, cooling, and regular manual maintenance. By utilizing passive splitters in an FTTO model, the number of active devices is reduced by up to 80%. This “passive” nature may increase the Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF), leading to a potentially more resilient environment where IT teams spend less time troubleshooting hardware and more time on strategic initiatives.

Energy Efficiency and Space Optimization

Sustainability is now a core KPI for many global enterprises. FTTO contributes to “Green Building” certifications (such as LEED) by:

  • Reducing Power Consumption: Lowering the number of active switches helps reduce the overall energy footprint of the network.
  • Minimizing HVAC Loads: Fewer active devices mean less heat generation, which reduces the demand on office cooling systems.
  • Resource Conservation: Fiber-optic cables are smaller and lighter than copper, requiring less plastic and metal for the same (or better) performance.

Strategic Implementation Scenarios

The versatility of FTTO allows it to be adapted across diverse business sectors, each with unique connectivity requirements:

  • Smart Campuses and Education: FTTO supports high-density connectivity across vast areas, enabling thousands of students and faculty members to benefit from consistent speeds for e-learning and research.
  • Healthcare Facilities: In environments where EMI can interfere with sensitive medical equipment, the non-conductive nature of fiber is essential. FTTO facilitates the transmission of large diagnostic files without risk to patient monitoring systems.
  • Hospitality and Multi-Tenant Buildings: Hotels and flexible workspaces benefit from the ease of management. Individual ONUs can be provisioned or restricted centrally, allowing for secure, isolated networks for different guests or tenants.

Advancing FTTO with Modern PON Solutions

To achieve the full benefits of this architecture, enterprises are increasingly turning to specialized PON manufacturers who provide integrated, end-to-end solutions. Industry leaders like VSOL have developed specific portfolios designed to bridge the gap between carrier-grade fiber technology and enterprise-grade usability.

A modern approach involves the deployment of Smart Mini FTTO solutions, which emphasize compact, high-efficiency hardware. For instance, rather than using bulky, industrial-sized equipment, businesses might now utilize “Mini OLTs” that fit into standard racks or small cabinets, making them ideal for small to medium-sized office floors.

On the endpoint side, the evolution of the Optical Network Unit (ONU) has been pivotal. Modern devices, such as those in VSOL’s comprehensive range, now offer:

  • Integrated Wi-Fi 6/7: Providing seamless wireless coverage directly from the fiber endpoint.
  • PoE Support: Allowing the fiber network to power IP phones and security cameras directly at the desk.
  • Centralized Management: Enabling IT administrators to monitor and configure every desk-side device from a single cloud-based dashboard.

This integrated approach simplifies the transition from legacy LANs, allowing businesses to scale their network capacity by simply upgrading the OLT and ONU modules while leaving the permanent fiber infrastructure intact.

Summary: Investing in a Fiber-First Future

The transition from traditional copper LANs to Fiber to the Office is more than a technical upgrade; it is a strategic investment in business continuity and employee productivity. By reducing the distance and bandwidth constraints of copper, FTTO provides a stable, high-performance environment that can adapt to the fluid needs of the modern workforce.

As enterprises continue to rely on data-intensive applications and sustainable operational models, the role of passive optical networking will only likely grow. Solutions that prioritize easy deployment, such as the compact OLT and ONU ecosystems provided by innovators like VSOL, are making the transition to fiber more accessible than ever. For the forward-thinking organization, FTTO presents a potential path toward a more efficient, resilient, and future-ready digital workspace.

When Cats Leap and Unicorns Twirl: How Once Upon a Dance is Rewriting Ballet’s Fairy Tales

NY Weekly Staff on December 23, 2025

By: Matthew Kayser

Ballet has long enchanted audiences with its grace and grandeur, but the stories behind the steps haven’t always aged gracefully. Too often, the heroines fall, fade, or get rescued by a prince. For Author and Publisher Terrel of Once Upon a Dance, that just won’t do.

Teaming up with her daughter, professional dancer Ballerina Konora, Terrel has created a collection of 43 interactive storybooks that reimagine the world of dance through movement, magic, and meaningful storytelling. Their whimsical tales feature cats, unicorns, dragons, and bunnies, but beneath the sparkle lies a powerful mission: to reshape the narrative for young readers, especially girls, and inspire a deeper connection to self, story, and stage.

The Books She Wished She Had

Born from a pandemic pivot, Once Upon a Dance grew out of Terrel’s decades of experience teaching dance, early childhood education, and arts instruction. Her dream was to create something she wished she’d had as both a young dancer and a mother: books that nurtured joy, movement, and emotional wellness, while also gently introducing ballet technique.

With titles that invite leaping cats and twirling unicorns, the books are as playful as they are purposeful. Each one is infused with affirming themes such as perseverance, self-acceptance, and the importance of helping others. The stories are told through engaging character arcs and are designed to get readers up and moving, bringing dance off the stage and into the living room.

As Peter Boal, Artistic Director of Pacific Northwest Ballet, put it: “This whimsical tale of discovery is so full of joy and wonder. It also opens a door to dance in the most charming and accessible way.”

When Cats Leap and Unicorns Twirl: How Once Upon a Dance Is Rewriting Ballet’s Fairy Tales

Photo Courtesy: Terrel Konora / Ballerina Konora

Rewriting Ballet’s Fairy Tales

What began as a creative outlet soon became something more: a quiet revolution in storytelling. Terrel, a Pacific Northwest Ballet board member, began to reflect on the stories she’d watched from the audience through a new lens. Why were so many classical ballets centered around tragedy, broken hearts, or damsels in distress?

The answer, she believes, lies in who’s telling the stories. While women dominate ballet as performers and audiences, the traditional fairy tales and choreography have often been written by men. Through Once Upon a Dance, Terrel is offering an alternative: empowering, emotionally rich stories where girls are strong, choices matter, and movement becomes a medium for growth.

She calls it “storybook activism.” By questioning what stories are being told, and how, Terrel hopes to inspire a shift not just in children’s literature, but in the culture of dance itself.

A Charitable Leap

Unlike many commercial book ventures, Once Upon a Dance is rooted in generosity. Every book is tied to a charity partner, and 100% of royalties through the end of this decade are donated to causes that support animals, dance organizations, people in need, and the planet.

It’s a mission that blends Terrel’s values with her craft. As she puts it, movement and connection are vital, not just for physical wellness, but for building empathy in a fractured world. In that sense, the books serve as more than bedtime stories or dance lessons; they’re tools for healing, connection, and kindness.

And readers have taken notice. Once Upon a Dance has earned 14 first-place book awards, 60 total literary honors, and over 3,000 five-star reviews. It was also recently named “Best in Show” at the 2025 Writely Literary Awards and received a coveted Kirkus Starred Review.

One review sums it up best: “This amazing book … is nothing short of splendid.” —Readers’ Favorite

When Cats Leap and Unicorns Twirl: How Once Upon a Dance Is Rewriting Ballet’s Fairy Tales

Photo Courtesy: Terrel Konora / Ballerina Konora

Movement as an Antidote

In an age where screens dominate and isolation is rising, Once Upon a Dance offers a joyful remedy. These stories invite kids to get up, move, imagine, and engage with themselves and those around them. They bring back the magic of creative play, but with deeper layers of meaning that stay long after the last plié.

From the earliest titles to the upcoming release Bellyrina: A Tutu Tail from the Belly of the Beast, the Once Upon a Dance library celebrates resilience, joy, and imagination. It’s not just about perfect posture or technical precision; it’s about showing up, trying again, and twirling your way through challenges.

As unicorns twirl and cats leap, Terrel and Ballerina Konora continue to craft new tales for a new generation that value empowerment, expression, and empathy above all.

From Struggle to Mission: How Latifa Seini Is Building a Marketplace With Purpose

NY Weekly Staff on December 23, 2025

Latifa Seini did not set out to build just another online marketplace. She set out to build something that could have made a difference for her own business journey.

Born and raised in Ghana, Seini is the Founder and CEO of Lembrih Marketplace, a mission-driven e-commerce platform that aims to support Black and African vendors who may otherwise struggle to gain visibility on larger, mainstream platforms. Her journey into entrepreneurship is shaped by lived experience, resilience, and a deep commitment to ethical commerce.

Before launching Lembrih, Seini founded Flaunt Ankara, a small African print business that served hundreds of loyal customers. Like many independent creators, she encountered challenges on larger platforms such as Etsy and Amazon, where high fees and algorithm-driven discovery often hinder culturally rich brands. These struggles ultimately inspired her to create a platform built with vendors like herself in mind.

Today, Lembrih Marketplace aims to address some of these challenges. Vendors are offered 30 days commission-free, followed by a simple and transparent pricing structure of $10 per month plus a 10 percent commission, or a 15 percent commission with no subscription. This model is designed to help small-batch creators scale without undue pressure on their profit margins.

What sets Lembrih apart is its generosity-centered approach. For every purchase made on the platform, $1 is allocated to charitable causes, helping to create a cycle of commerce and community impact. The name “Lembrih,” meaning “black” in the Gonja language of Ghana, reflects the platform’s cultural roots and aspirations for a global impact.

Seini’s professional background extends beyond entrepreneurship. She works in IT training and enablement, where she leads leadership development initiatives and future-focused programs around AI. This experience influences the way Lembrih is being developed, with technology that scales while keeping people at the center.

The idea for Lembrih became even more pressing for Seini as she witnessed humanitarian crises across Africa, in regions like Sudan and the Congo. While personal donations were meaningful, she recognized that long-term impact could be created through helping African and Black vendors build sustainable businesses that could offer economic stability over time.

“I realized my greatest contribution wasn’t just giving money,” she explains. “It was helping people build businesses that could support themselves and their families in the long term.”

This insight became Lembrih’s guiding principle: empowering entrepreneurs while generating economic and social impact. For Seini, commerce is a tool for change. By supporting African and Black vendors, she hopes to contribute to the creation of sustainable income, the strengthening of communities, and the fostering of opportunities that could extend across generations.

Seini has also cultivated a strong online presence to amplify this mission. Through social media, she shares her journey and connects with like-minded business owners. Her content is authentic and community-oriented, fostering engagement and trust—reflecting the same values she has embedded in Lembrih.

Currently, Lembrih is in its Kickstarter pre-launch phase, encouraging support from conscious consumers, artisans, and those interested in ethical shopping to help bring the platform fully to life. Through this community-driven effort, Seini hopes to build a global marketplace rooted in culture, fairness, and shared abundance.

In a world where marketplaces often prioritize scale over sustainability, speed over culture, and profit over people, Lembrih represents something truly different: a human-centered approach to commerce that values community and connection. For Latifa Seini, it is a personal mission, a professional vision, and an invitation to those who believe business can and should serve a higher, more meaningful purpose.

Lembrih is not just a marketplace. It is a movement toward ethical commerce, where every vendor matters and every story deserves to be seen.

Institutional and Community Collaborations Strengthening Healthcare Access – The Role of Clinique Omicron in Quebec

NY Weekly Staff on December 23, 2025

Across Canada, healthcare delivery often depends not only on public infrastructure but also on coordinated efforts between medical institutions, non-profits, and private organizations. These collaborations can determine whether communities, especially those in remote or underserved regions, receive timely care. In Quebec, where rural and northern populations face consistent barriers to health services, partnerships have become essential for addressing service gaps. These partnerships bring together clinical expertise, logistical capacity, and local mobilization to ensure that specialized and general care are not limited to urban areas.

Quebec’s health network serves a large population, but the spread across different regions can lead to variations in care availability. Residents of specific northern and Indigenous communities travel hours or use telehealth for primary services. Closing this gap takes positive cooperation between private providers, the government, and humanitarian groups. In recent years, collaborative partnerships have increasingly concentrated on integrating preventive care, specialized interventions, and workforce placement strategies into community-based delivery models.

Clinique Omicron, established in 2022 in Brossard, Quebec, has created a model based on partnerships with institutions and communities to address access issues. Instead of working independently, the company partners with existing agencies to introduce medical resources and expertise into regions with the most severe shortages. This model goes beyond standard clinical practice, emphasizing coordinated care and resource use across the province.

One notable aspect of Omicron’s strategy is its collaboration with Biron Groupe Santé, which is a large Quebec-based diagnostic and laboratory services provider. Through this partnership, Omicron connects patients to specialty testing and screening, which can be life-changing for early disease diagnosis. These services are essential for populations without immediate access to diagnostic facilities, helping to obviate lengthy travel times and speed up treatment timelines.

The clinic’s partnership with the Canadian Red Cross is another example of its community-driven operations. The Red Cross has a long tradition of promoting healthcare in emergency and remote environments, and Omicron’s participation in this network has provided health interventions with logistical and human resource support. Mobilizing medical staff for vaccine campaigns or coordinating supplies during public health emergencies, such collaboration ensures care continuity.

Apart from its collaborations with non-profit organizations, Omicron also has professional relationships with the Heart Institute, which focuses on cardiovascular health. This association provides cardiac screening and follow-up care to patients in small communities, without them having to go to large city hospitals for each visit. Early treatment of cardiovascular disorders is critical in rural settings, where specialized cardiology services are unavailable.

Omicron also collaborates directly with local staffing organizations, which have been a decisive element in providing people to fill vacancies in Quebec’s healthcare network. Hiring qualified medical personnel for northern and rural communities has been an ongoing issue, and numerous facilities supplement their staff with temporary placements to manage patient needs. By communicating with staffing networks, Omicron has successfully facilitated short- and long-term workforce integration.

The clinic’s reach into northern Quebec and underserved communities demonstrates the outreach of such partnerships. Infrastructure for local health in many of these regions is underdeveloped, so collaborative delivery models are critical. Integrating institutional alliances with community-level engagement, Omicron helps maintain health services that might otherwise be disrupted by resource limitations or geographic isolation.

The public visibility of these initiatives has come about through provincial health bodies and media coverage. Quebec-based news outlets have included references to the clinic’s role in vaccination campaigns, support for the workforce, and special care programs. Although recognition cannot be a measure of health outcomes, such publicity can spur more institutional collaboration and information exchange.

Medical partnership models also affect long-term community outcomes. By supporting prevention programs and providing ongoing access to generalist and specialist care, they help reduce hospitalization rates for preventable illnesses. This is especially significant in areas where traveling to large hospitals can delay treatment and exacerbate medical problems.

The approach used by Omicron is part of broader healthcare initiatives fostered in Quebec, as regional authorities prioritize prevention, early intervention, and community-oriented care. In its partnerships with medical, humanitarian, and recruitment organizations, the clinic is part of an extended provincial initiative to align healthcare provision with geographic and demographic conditions.

As of 2025, Omicron remains active in Brossard, Saint-Hubert, and Montreal while continuing its outreach and service commitments in more remote communities. Its alliances with Biron Groupe Santé, the Canadian Red Cross, the Heart Institute, and regional staffing agencies provide the basis for this strategy. Although work continues to reconcile urban and rural healthcare capacity, the organization’s network model is one solution for bridging these systemic deficits.

Clinique Omicron Inc., incorporated on November 27, 2022, under the Business Corporations Act of Quebec, has established itself as a partner in the province’s overall healthcare environment. Its blend of institutional affiliation, humanitarian coordination, and strategic presence of service demonstrates a working strategy to increase access while operating within the context of existing healthcare systems.

Architectural Designer Wanfang Long: Designing with Purpose, Technology, and Social Impact

NY Weekly Staff on December 23, 2025

By: Ryan Thompson

December 22, 2025

Wanfang Long has long had a clear ambition: to design buildings that bring meaning and potential positive impact to people’s lives. That early inspiration has since evolved into a career characterized by a commitment to design excellence, technological innovation, and community engagement.

Wanfang earned her Bachelor of Architecture with a minor in Interior Architecture from the University of Oregon, where she began building a strong foundation in design thinking and professional practice. She later pursued a Master of Science in Advanced Architectural Design at the University of Pennsylvania, where she deepened her expertise in cutting-edge digital technologies, computational design, and advanced digital fabrication methods.

Her professional journey began early. While still an undergraduate student, Wanfang interned at two architectural firms in Eugene, Oregon. At GMA Architects, she contributed to medical and office projects, developing innovative façade design iterations. At Pivot Architecture, she supported feasibility studies and space planning for the University of Oregon testing center, analyzed advanced design strategies for the Springfield Track hydraulic facilities, and produced multiple acoustic wall design schemes for a pediatric clinic in Eugene.

Following her Bachelor of Architecture education, Wanfang practiced architecture in Los Angeles County, gaining comprehensive experience across all phases of architectural delivery, from planning and schematic design through design development and construction documentation. During this time, she worked on over 20 residential and clinical projects, including a 155,000-square-foot recreational facility designed to promote an enjoyable spatial experience.

Driven by a desire to continue advancing her technical and digital design capabilities, Wanfang returned to academia at the University of Pennsylvania. During her graduate studies, she and her teammate successfully completed an innovative minimum surface façade prototype challenge, utilizing robotic arms for large-scale 3D printing. This achievement demonstrated her exceptional ability to merge research, technology, and architectural innovation.

After completing her graduate degree, Wanfang continued her professional practice in Pennsylvania, contributing to more than 20 projects, including the adaptive reuse of a 12,000-square-foot dormitory at Bryn Athyn College. She is currently an architectural designer at Design Develop, an AIA Design Award–winning firm, where she engages with a diverse range of project types, including commercial, cultural, civic, educational, clinical, and hospitality architecture.

At Design Develop, Wanfang has played a key role, serving as lead designer on multiple high-profile projects such as the UO Café, Basecamp Community Center, high-end apartment developments, prestigious private school theaters, and advanced therapy clinics. Her work has helped foster client relationships, generate significant industry attention, and reinforce the firm’s reputation for socially responsive design.

Among her most impactful contributions are two recent nonprofit projects that demonstrate architecture’s potential to transform communities. For the UO Café, located in a historically under-resourced neighborhood affected by urban blight, homelessness, and drug activity, Wanfang led schematic design, visualization, and community presentations. The project introduces a community-focused café with cooking classrooms, a makerspace, and a greenhouse, creating an inclusive public environment that fosters social connection, economic revitalization, increased job opportunities, and access to fresh, organic food. The café’s success has received widespread community support, boosted the organization’s fundraising efforts, and marked a notable milestone for the client.

Architectural Designer Wanfang Long: Designing with Purpose, Technology, and Social Impact

Photo Courtesy: Wanfang Long, Design Develop LLC

Recently, the design of the project won the Rome Silver Design Awards, receiving international recognition for its excellence and innovation in architecture and interior design. The competition highlights achievements in the architectural and interior design sectors, with a special focus on the built environment. The awards were judged by a panel of experts, including Tiago Russo, CEO & Founder of Leading Craft Design, a renowned studio specializing in high-end experiential and immersive design. Russo’s work spans luxury industries such as spirits, cosmetics, automotive, and watch markets, with notable collaborations with global brands like The Macallan, Dewar’s, The Dalmore, Bacardi, Louis Vuitton, Patek Philippe, and McLaren.

Architectural Designer Wanfang Long: Designing with Purpose, Technology, and Social Impact

Photo Courtesy: Wanfang Long, Design Develop LLC

Recognized as Revelation Designer of the Year (2014) and known for luxury packaging and product design excellence, the award highlights work that advances both design innovation and social engagement.

The Basecamp project incorporates an innovative rainscreen façade system that aligns with the mission of sustainability. The basecamp also advances environmental education by reconnecting youth and adults, particularly Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities, with land, food systems, and ecological knowledge. The project supports sustainable funding models, agritourism initiatives, and culturally meaningful educational experiences that build long-term organizational capacity while empowering future generations with skills, confidence, and leadership.

For Wanfang, architecture is more than design, it is a tool for equity, sustainability, and human connection. Contributing to spaces that uplift individuals and transform communities lies at the core of her practice and reflects her enduring purpose as an architectural designer.

What You Should Know Before Trusting Someone With a Wrongful Death Case

NY Weekly Staff on December 23, 2025

Losing a loved one suddenly and tragically due to someone else’s negligence is arguably the most painful experience a person can face. While grieving, surviving family members are often forced to confront the added burden of a complex legal process to hold the responsible party accountable. Choosing the right legal counsel during this sensitive time is one of the most critical decisions a family will make, setting the tone for both the emotional and financial outcome of the case.

Because wrongful death claims involve complicated calculations of future loss (like lost income and companionship) and are inherently emotional , they demand specialized legal experience. The attorney must be sensitive to the family’s grief while aggressively building a case that stands up to well-funded corporate or insurance defenses.

Before entrusting this life-altering case to any firm, families must conduct thorough due diligence and ask targeted, searching questions. Knowing the answers to these crucial inquiries provides confidence that your chosen representative is prepared to handle the unique challenges of the claim, answering the core question of questions to ask a wrongful death lawyer.

Importance of Early Communication

One of the first critical questions to ask a potential attorney regards communication frequency and methods. Families in wrongful death cases are dealing with unprecedented stress and need constant updates and clear explanations, not silence. Ask specifically who will be your main point of contact—the lead partner, an associate, or a paralegal.

You must also inquire about their policy regarding legal consultations before the case is even filed. A compassionate and ethical firm should offer a free, initial consultation where they clearly explain the statute of limitations, the firm’s investigative process, and the specific state laws governing who is allowed to file the claim.

Furthermore, ask about their philosophy on managing the emotional aspect of the case. While an attorney’s job is legal, they should demonstrate an understanding of the trauma involved and commit to shielding the family from unnecessary legal burdens, allowing them the necessary space to grieve.

How Case Experience Affects Strategy

It is essential to ask about the firm’s direct experience with the specific type of negligence that caused the death, not just their general personal injury history. If the death was caused by a medical error, you need a firm specializing in medical malpractice, not just car accidents. Ask about their success rate with similar, high-value wrongful death cases.

Inquire about their trial record and whether they are prepared to take the case to court if a settlement offer is inadequate. Many firms primarily settle cases, but wrongful death claims often require the willingness to go before a jury to achieve full value. Knowing they possess trial experience demonstrates financial leverage against the defendant.

You should also ask about the experts they typically use. Wrongful death cases require specialized witnesses, such as forensic accountants to calculate lost future income and vocational experts to determine the value of lost household services. A strong attorney should have established relationships with top-tier, credible experts in these fields.

Why Transparency Matters During Representation

A major question every family must ask concerns the financial structure of the relationship. Ask for a clear, written explanation of their contingency fee percentage and, crucially, how case expenses are handled. Expenses like court fees, depositions, and expert witness costs can be substantial and can drastically affect the family’s final recovery amount.

It is vital to confirm that the lawyer will be fully transparent throughout the discovery process, particularly regarding settlement offers. Ask for assurance that every settlement offer, regardless of how low the firm thinks it is, will be immediately conveyed to the family for their final approval or rejection.

Additionally, inquire about the structure of the final distribution after a verdict or settlement. The attorney must clearly explain how statutory beneficiaries (who are legally entitled to receive funds) are determined and how issues like minor children’s trusts or existing medical liens will be resolved before the final check is cut.

How Expectations Should Be Set Early

Setting realistic expectations early is a hallmark of an ethical and effective legal team. Ask the attorney to clearly define the differences between the three main categories of compensation sought: economic damages (lost wages), non-economic damages (grief and loss of companionship), and punitive damages (if applicable).

You must also ask for a frank assessment of the potential timeline, recognizing that these cases rarely resolve quickly due to the complexity of the damages involved. A good lawyer will explain the various stages—investigation, discovery, mediation, and trial—and provide an estimated range for each phase.

Finally, families should ask about the firm’s capacity. Will the case receive the necessary attention, or will it be juggled among dozens of other files? Confidence in your legal representative stems from assurance that your case is prioritized and that the firm has the manpower and resources to see the complex matter through to its conclusion.

Why Asking the Right Questions Matters

A wrongful death case is much more than a financial transaction; it is a search for justice and accountability for the loss of a life. The attorney you choose serves as both your legal shield and your advocate in this pursuit.

By asking a wrongful death lawyer detailed questions about their experience, communication protocols, and financial transparency, you are protecting the integrity of the case and ensuring the best possible outcome for the surviving family members.

Choosing counsel is an act of trust, and that trust must be built on clear, verifiable answers. Only a firm that is entirely open about their process and their history can provide the confidence and peace of mind necessary to navigate this complex legal journey.

 

Disclaimer: The content in this article is provided for general knowledge. It does not constitute legal advice, and readers should seek advice from qualified legal professionals regarding particular cases or situations.

How to Delegate and Build a Leadership Support System That Actually Works

NY Weekly Staff on December 23, 2025

If you’ve ever found yourself buried under a pile of tasks that never seems to shrink, you’re not alone. Many leaders reach a point where they realize they’re doing too much. Not because they love being overwhelmed, but because delegation can sometimes feel more difficult than just getting it done themselves. The truth is, real leadership isn’t about carrying everything on your own. It’s about building a support system that can help free you up to do your best work.

Let’s talk about how to actually do that in a way that could avoid falling apart after a week.

Start By Getting Brutally Honest About What You’re Doing

A lot of people think they know how they spend their time, but when they sit down and list out their daily tasks, the reality often hits them. There are usually small things that can eat up big chunks of mental energy. It helps to grab a notebook and write down what you’ve handled over the last few days. Emails. Scheduling. Approvals. Random admin jobs that were never part of your original job description.

Once you see everything in one place, you might notice patterns. These patterns can serve as your first clue about what might be delegated without your world collapsing.

Decide What Only You Can Do

This is where leaders sometimes freeze. They assume everything needs their involvement. However, it’s likely that only a few responsibilities actually require your expertise. Strategy. Vision. High-level decisions. Relationship building.

Everything else may fall into the category of tasks that someone else could manage with the right instructions. The moment you realize that, the idea of delegating might start to feel a lot less intimidating.

Choose the Right People and Set Them Up to Win

Handing off tasks isn’t necessarily difficult. Building a support system that can work is something else. It starts with picking people who naturally take initiative and communicate well. Maybe it’s someone already on your team. Maybe it’s a new hire. Maybe it’s a combination of roles that fill different gaps.

Choosing the right people is only half the battle. Many leaders eventually discover that what they truly need is someone who can take ownership of the day-to-day details without constant direction. This is where an executive assistant might become a game changer, because the right person doesn’t just handle tasks. They help you run a more coordinated system behind the scenes. Over time, this could create a more efficient operation, one where your attention can be freed up for strategy instead of scheduling and follow-up requests.

Standardize What You Can So Your Team Can Move Faster

Leaders who delegate well usually document the things they do repeatedly. It might be a short checklist for how you want weekly reports done. It might be a template for responding to common emails. It might be a project workflow that spells out who needs to do what.

Systems may sound boring, but they can save time and reduce confusion. And the best part is that once these systems exist, your team could run with them without interrupting you for tiny decisions.

Trust the People You Hire to Actually Help You

Delegation only works if you let go. If you hand a task to someone and then redo it later, that’s not delegation. That’s micromanaging in disguise. The goal is to give people room to grow into the role. Mistakes will happen in the beginning. That doesn’t mean you chose the wrong person. It means you’re building something new.

Try treating it like a partnership. You share your expectations, they tell you what they need from you, and you adjust together. Over time, you’ll likely see how capable your team really is.

Review and Refine Your Support System Often

Your needs might shift as your responsibilities change. A system that worked last year could feel clunky today. That’s normal. Set aside time every so often to check in with your support team. Ask what’s working. Ask what feels messy. Make adjustments as needed so the entire structure stays strong.

Good support isn’t static. It can evolve with you.

The most effective leaders tend to be the ones who build support around them so they can stay focused on what truly matters. Delegation isn’t a sign of weakness. It’s a practical decision that may give you more space to lead with clarity.

When you build a system that works, you don’t just lighten your workload. You can create a healthier, more sustainable way to show up as the leader you want to be.

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