Latest news with #Colón
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Congress wanted a report on sex abuse in youth sports — then they buried it
The problem of sexual abuse in youth sports is more like a DNA marker than an acknowledged crisis. Consider the fate of the official player in this game with the tools to address it: last year's report by the Commission on the Future of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee. In the dance of inaction that is our legislative branch these days, the recommendations of the commission have been benched by the very coaches who drafted them for their rosters. (In 2015, a Government Accountability Office audit of federal legislation governing sports abuse turned into a turgid book report that was universally ignored.) The latest blip confirming long-proposed reforms held in a permanent holding pattern was the April sacking of Ju'Riese Colón, CEO of the U.S. Center for SafeSport. Colón was the second boss of the agency, which was set up in 2018 to adjudicate claims of abuse by coaches in Olympic sports national governing bodies. Her predecessor, Shellie Pfohl, quit in the middle of her three-year contract. For Colón, the last straw was news that a SafeSport investigator, Jason Krasley, had been arrested twice at his previous job as a vice officer in Pennsylvania – once for stealing money from a drug bust and once for rape and sex trafficking. During the ritual expressions of disappointment and outrage from congressional oversight figures, there wasn't a peep of reference to the commission's 277-page report, 'Passing the Torch: Modernizing Olympic, Paralympic, & Grassroots Sports in America.' Following years of study, interviews, solicitation of public comments and hearings, the commission, which included famous former Olympic stars female and male, proposed an overhaul of America's youth sports system. Specifically, the commission urged Congress to gut the 1978 Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act to get the Olympic Committee out of the business of running youth sports programs at the grassroots level. Additionally, the commission recommended federal funding of the SafeSport center, which has been plagued by corruption and case backlogs, to get it out from under the malign financial support and influence of the Olympic bodies. A few major newspapers gave the report a couple of polite paragraphs last winter. For its part, the New York Times didn't even tell its readers that such a report had been published. In January 2024, a group of senators, led by Maria Cantwell, a Washington state Democrat who then chaired the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, upbraided Colón in a lengthy letter bemoaning the shortcomings of SafeSport. And on March 20, 2024, Sen. John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., who then chaired the Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety and Data Security, held a hearing entitled 'Promoting a Safe Environment in U.S. Athletics.' Colón testified. So did commission co-chair Dionne Koller, a sports law specialist at the University of Baltimore. However, notice of the hearing didn't even mention the commission report, released two weeks earlier. Reporting on all this congressional kabuki theater is the equivalent of what in swimming is called a trials and finals meet. It's a two-stage process, at least. I started with Cantwell. After all, she had sponsored the commission's enabling legislation and appointed some of its members, including co-chair Koller. (Koller hasn't spoken on the record about the commission's failure to penetrate public consciousness. Sources close to commission members have told me that they hope their report will have an impact across time and guide eventual toothful reforms.) Cantwell's office punted my query to Tricia Enright, a Commerce Committee staffer. She said the 'leads' on the youth sports safety issue were Sens. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and Jerry Moran, R-Kan. In 2019, as chair and ranking member (respectively) of the consumer protection subcommittee, they introduced the legislation for the commission. 'Our consumer team was consistently in touch with stakeholders on the progress of this bill,' Enright said. Blumenthal and Moran 'have been clear they are leading any legislation in the Senate for further reform – that bill has yet to be introduced.' I then went to Blumenthal, with the note that Cantwell was deferring to him on this issue. Blumenthal replied through communications director, Maria McElwain, who turned around these 150 words of insalata caprese: Keeping athletes safe is a nonnegotiable priority — and meeting that challenge requires a commitment from all stakeholders, including the National Governing Bodies. SafeSport is tasked with an immense, difficult, and delicate responsibility — to adjudicate cases of abuse and help correct decades of imbalance in a system that protected predators instead of athletes. SafeSport hasn't always gotten it right, and I have been critical when I felt the Center was not taking strong enough action in response to athlete concerns. A lack of communication, particularly with survivors, paired with slow response and resolution times have led athletes to lose trust in the Center — and that lack of trust has a material impact on the Center's ability to do its job and keep abusers out of sport. That is why I am working with Congressional colleagues, athletes, survivors, and NGBs on reforms. I look forward to urgently proposing and enacting these changes. To follow up, I asked whether Blumenthal specifically supported the two pertinent recommendations of the congressional commission. If a response ever arrives, I'll let you know. Blumenthal is well-versed in the two-step of grandstanding without follow-through. (To be fair, so are many politicians of all parties.) He got elected to the Senate in 2010 over Linda McMahon, erstwhile CEO of Connecticut-based WWE, the pro wrestling company. Blumenthal had been the state's attorney general for years, and during the Senate race his office launched an investigation of WWE's abuse of independent contractor categories, a tactic that both blocks full benefits for employees and robs government coffers at all levels of payroll taxes. But as soon as he won the election, the WWE audit was dropped. If he's done anything about independent contractor abuse while serving in the Senate, I don't know about I do know is that in 2017, when Donald Trump nominated McMahon as head of the Small Business Administration, Blumenthal made sure he was photographed smiling with her at her confirmation hearings. McMahon's importance in 2010, it seems, had nothing to do with operating a scofflaw corporation; it was simply because she was a Republican opponent. McMahon has refused to go away; under Trump 2.0 she is what passes for secretary of education. On the problem of youth sports sexual abuse, Cantwell, Blumenthal, et al., are just the latest reminder that when it comes to stemming crimes committed in the name of the flag-waving USOPC and its feelgood TV content-producing national sport governing bodies, reticence about taking on the Olympic brand is bipartisan. In 2014, Rep. George Miller of California, House Democrats' self-appointed 'lead' on the issue, sent a letter to the FBI that might read today as if ChatGPT had written it. The bureau virtually laughed it off. After Miller retired, his successor, Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Calif., did exactly nothing before she, too, retired. The stopwatch on lane 3 tells us that Republicans don't appear to care at all about the existence of platforms for sexual predation on young people, fortified by the Olympic movement. In lane 4, Democrats are doing much better: At least they pretend they do.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
❌Racing bid for Forneris, but Colón turned it down, asking for double
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here. After what was the premature elimination of The Academy from the opening, Milito and company began planning the transfer first name on the list is Alan Forneris, midfielder from Colón, who would arrive as a bet from the sports management. Racing offered 1 million dollars plus the pass of Germán Conti for 80% of the pass of the Sabalero jewel. However, from the Santa Fe club they rejected the proposal because they want 2 million dollars for 80% of the pass and add a surplus value in case of a future sale.
The Hindu
20-05-2025
- Sport
- The Hindu
Bijay Chhetri becomes first Indian footballer to sign a permanent contract with Latin American side
Bijay Chhetri became the first Indian player to join a South American side permanently when he signed a full-time contract with Uruguayan club Colon FC. Colón is based in Montevideo and competes in the Segunda Division Profesional (second division) of Uruguay. The 23-year-old centre-back was on loan at the club from Chennaiyin FC last season and made his debut against La Luz in November 2024. He became the second Indian to play in Latin America after Romeo Fernandes, who turned out for Atlético Paranaense on loan in 2015. 'Some officials of Colon FC have also been really supportive of my growth since the day I arrived from Chennaiyin FC last year on a loan and subsequently earned a permanent transfer with the club in January. I would like to make a special mention to them,' Chhetri wrote on social media. ALSO READ: India beats Bangladesh on penalties to win SAFF U-19 Championship 2025 Chhetri, from Manipur, began his footballing career with Shillong Lajong in 2016 and made his senior debut with Indian Arrows in 2018. Since then, he has played for clubs such as Chennai City, Real Kashmir and Sreenidi Deccan before joining Chennaiyin FC this season — his maiden ISL club. At Colon, however, Chhetri played just 25 minutes last season and will look to improve on that this time around. Related Topics Chennaiyin FC / Manipur
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
‘Are you a US Citizen?' TX hospital patients questioned, state says millions spent on undocumented
Under President Donald Trump's renewed administration, Texas has emerged as a key frontline in the push for aggressive immigration enforcement and widespread deportations. Texas residents – regardless of immigration status – feel the ripple effects in the economy, schools, healthcare systems, courts and public safety services. To better understand these challenges, KXAN spent the first 100 days of Trump's second term producing 'Undocumented,' a comprehensive project diving into the real-life consequences of related policies and proposals. AUSTIN (KXAN) — A soon-to-be mother didn't go to the emergency room for a concern weeks before giving birth. Instead, her first stop was a community reproductive health clinic in northeast Austin. Elena Colón said it's not uncommon now for clients with similar stories to turn up at the Luz de Atabey Midwifery Project, or LAMP, clinic with an emergency. She explained that since Texas hospitals started asking patients if they are a U.S citizen last fall, many are 'delaying care' or even 'avoiding emergency treatment.' EN ESPAÑOL: '¿Es usted ciudadano de los EE. UU.?' Pacientes de hospitales de TX cuestionados, el estado dice que se gastaron millones en indocumentados 'We try to make sure they understand the importance of seeking care when it's urgent, but the fear of having their immigration status questioned is real,' said Colón, the executive director of LAMP. The non-profit works to remove barriers to care and wellness among Black, Indigenous, people of color, immigrants, refugees and LGBTQ+ community members. Colón said along with handouts on prenatal and postpartum warning signs and clear instructions on how to access emergency care, they're also giving out 'Know Your Rights' information. 'It's just a very stressful time, especially for immigrant families,' Colón explained. Hospitals across Texas were directed to start collecting data on patients' immigration status in an executive order Gov. Greg Abbott signed on Aug. 8, 2024. Executive Order No. GA-46 required hospitals to start collecting information 'regarding patients who are not lawfully present in the United States,' beginning Nov. 1, 2024, including the number of patients and the cost of care provided to those patients. More than 30,000 undocumented patients sought medical care in Texas in November, state data shows The Texas Health and Human Services Commission, or HHSC, which is collecting the reports, released data in late April showing that in November 2024, hospitals had more than 30,000 undocumented patient visits statewide — about 2.5% of all patients. According to the data KXAN analyzed, hospitals spent almost $119 million on care for undocumented patients in that month alone. KXAN's analysis also shows, of the more than 1.2 million emergency department patients and hospital inpatients across Texas in November, a total of 30,265 self-identified as being in the country unlawfully – 2.47% of the total. Almost 1 million patients said they were either a U.S. citizen or in the country lawfully, 81.56% of the statewide total. While hospitals in Texas are required to ask each patient their immigration status, patients are not required to answer. About 195,000 patients — 15.96% — did not answer the question. This chart shows the number of patients at Texas hospitals and emergency rooms in November 2024, broken down by immigration status. The vast majority of patients self-reported as either U.S. citizens or being in the country legally. Source: Texas Health and Human Services Commission. (KXAN Interactive/Christopher Adams) The number of patients who reported they were undocumented is not uniform across the state. Hospitals in Webb County, home to the city of Laredo in South Texas, had the highest share of undocumented patients. Almost 15% of patients in the county self-identified as not being in the country legally. In neighboring Maverick County, 11.4% of patients were undocumented. Six other counties saw their share of undocumented patients above 5%, including Hartley and Moore counties in the Panhandle, as well as Dallas and Travis counties. Among the counties that had data, 49 reported no patients who were in the country unlawfully. This map shows the number of undocumented patients at hospitals in each county in Texas, as well as the total costs of providing care to those patients. Source: Texas Health and Human Services Commission. (KXAN Interactive/Christopher Adams) 'Now, Texas has reliable data on the dramatic financial impact that illegal immigration is having on our hospital system. Because of President Trump's swift action in securing the southern border, illegal crossings have dropped to record lows. Texas is hopeful that his efforts to remove those who entered unlawfully may also cause these healthcare costs to decline,' said Andrew Mahaleris, Abbott's press secretary. Hospitals are required to report the data to HHSC each quarter. Future reports will include full quarterly data, with the next one due in June. Annual reports will begin in January. The governor said the executive order was in response to then-President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris' 'open border policies.' 'I think there would be every reason why the state of Texas would have the right to sue the United States government, because it is the United States government's responsibility to pay for any of the costs concerning illegal immigration, and Texas and Texas health care facilities should not bear that burden,' Abbott re-iterated to KXAN in April. 'We're not ready to give up': Central Texas Mom fights for daughter's citizenship The Texas Hospital Association, or THA, said hospitals have complied with the executive order by meeting deadlines and working with the state on clarifications along the way. 'The fact that hospitals are required to collect this data should not be a deterrent for people in need of care. Hospitals remain open and ready to serve Texans' acute care needs,' said Carrie Williams, chief communications officer with THA in a statement after the data was released. 'With 24/7 life-saving care, hospitals are required by law to treat anyone who comes through the door, regardless of ability to pay, regardless of their demographics.' Hospitals must inform patients that responding to the question will not affect their care. Still, immigrant advocate groups are concerned about the executive order's impact. The Texas Civil Rights Project, or TCRP, has been educating people about their rights. 'People are fearful,' senior TCRP attorney Kassi Gonzalez said. 'We have worked to put out resources to let people know in the community that they have a right to decline to answer this question about their citizenship status.' Shannon Jamrog, a U.S. citizen, told KXAN she clicked 'No Response' when she saw the question pop up at Dell Children's Medical Center in northwest Austin. She had rushed her son to the ER in March after he fell off his bike and hurt his wrist. 'I just feel it's uncalled for. I don't understand the point of it. I don't understand why any child needs to have that answered to receive care,' Jamrog said. The Central Texas mother shared a screenshot of the citizenship status question asked during the check-in process, which talked about the executive order requirement and asked, 'Are you a United States citizen or lawfully in the United States?' A box right under the brief explanation lists three response options: 'Yes — No — No Response,' which must be selected before moving on to the next step of the check-in process. 'You seek emergency care for your child and have them have their citizenship questioned when they walk in the door, it takes you back,' Jamrog said. 'Why does that matter? Who are you going to tell?' KXAN investigators repeatedly asked Dell Children's about the screenshot and the data that the hospital is collecting but was directed to THA. Other hospitals, including St. David's HealthCare and Ascension Texas in Central Texas, also did not respond or have a comment, except Baylor Scott and White Health. A spokesperson with Baylor Scott and White said it complies with all federal, state and local regulations and requirements and 'providing patients safe, quality care is always their priority.' At a recent hearing at the Capitol, THA told state lawmakers it had concerns related to proposed legislation that would make the governor's executive order law. House Bill 2587 would solidify the data collection and the rules surrounding it beyond the executive order and require hospitals to submit the data electronically. 'We would like the legislation to affirmatively state that we are not required to verify patients answers and then, due to the threat of potential security concerns among hospitals that treat a high number of undocumented persons, we will respectfully request that individual hospitals reports not be — be exempt from public information disclosure so they will not be targeted,' said Heather De La Garza-Barone, associate general counsel with THA during a House Public Health Committee hearing in April. The bill's author, state Rep. Mike Olcott, R-Fort Worth, emphasized care would not be affected but that the legislation is necessary. 'Since 2005, we've had 181 small rural hospitals close primarily due to uncompensated care,' Olcott explained. 'I know there's multiple reasons for that, and the goal of this is simply to know what percentage of that uncompensated care are due to people that are here illegally. I think that helps us make informed decisions on future legislation.' Texas lawmakers debate bills to curb illegal immigration While HHSC said hospitals are not reporting any individual information to the agency, some wondered if that would always be the case. 'There's no positive duty to disclose that information to ICE, but neither is there any guarantee that it couldn't happen,' said Trudy Taylor Smith, senior administrator of policy and advocacy with Children's Defense Fund-Texas, who testified against the bill. Smith added it would limit access to health care for children in immigrant and mixed-status families by creating fear that discourages parents from getting emergency medical care. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a similar provision into Florida law in May 2023, as part of a sweeping immigration bill. Hospitals in the Sunshine State were required to start asking patients their immigration status in June of that year. The state's Agency for Health Care Administration, or AHCA, has since released two reports, one with data for the second half of 2023, and another spanning the whole of 2024. In both years, less than 1% of patients self-identified as undocumented. This chart shows the number of patients at Florida hospitals and emergency rooms in 2024, broken down by immigration status. The vast majority of patients self-reported as either U.S. citizens or being in the country legally. Source: Florida Agency for Health Care Administration. (KXAN Interactive/Christopher Adams) Last year, about 26,000 people admitted to the hospital in Florida said they were undocumented, while 68,000 patients in the emergency department were not lawfully present in the U.S. In total, of the more than 12.4 million patients statewide, only 0.76% indicated they were undocumented, while 92.5% said they were either a U.S. citizen or in the country lawfully. About 6.7% of patients declined to answer the question. Miami-Dade County had the highest share of undocumented patients — 2.34% of patients there self-reported they were in the country illegally. Only three other counties — Lee, Manatee and Broward — had a share of patients who were undocumented above 1%. Meanwhile two counties — Madison and Washington, in the state's panhandle — reported 0% of patients were not in the country lawfully. This map shows the number of undocumented patients at hospitals in each county in Florida, as well as the total costs of providing care to those patients. Source: Florida Agency for Health Care Administration. (KXAN Interactive/Christopher Adams) Similar to the Texas' executive order, hospitals in Florida are required to report the associated costs of providing health care to undocumented patients. According to the state's report, Florida hospitals spent more than $659.9 million on 'providing care to illegal aliens across the state.' 'The Agency remains dedicated to fulfilling Governor DeSantis' commitment to protecting taxpayer dollars from being used on individuals who are not lawfully present in the United States,' AHCA Deputy Secretary Kim Smoak said in a press release when the 2024 report was published. 'The data confirms that the financial burden of illegal immigration continues to strain Florida's health care system. We will continue working to ensure that hospitals and health care providers deliver quality services to U.S. citizens.' The data shows the $659.9 million spent on undocumented patients is a tiny share of Florida's health care costs overall. In 2024, the state hospitals spent more than $86.8 billion on patient care. KXAN reached out to the AHCA multiple times to ask how the state plans to use the data and if any changes to health care access will be made. We did not receive a response. Democratic Texas State Representative Suleman Lalani, a doctor in the Houston area, has been watching the Florida data and, in an op-ed in the Dallas Morning News after Texas' executive order, shared concerns. Lalani said he's asking lawmakers this session why the state isn't spending more on preventative care so people have access to health and mental care before it turns into an emergency. He said the executive order only alienates the vulnerable. 'Texans are not coming forward so out of fear, they're not taking care of their illnesses, they're not managing their chronic problems, and it is becoming an emergency overall,' Lalani said, adding that it's also leading to depression and anxiety. Austin Public Health echoed those concerns, telling KXAN that ensuring accessible and affordable health care is 'essential for both community health and the sustainability of our health systems.' 'Whenever individuals postpone treatment, conditions often worsen, leading to more severe health issues that require costly or emergency interventions. This not only increases health care expenses but also strains our emergency departments,' said APH in an email. Health advocates also fear that psychological illnesses can present in children of undocumented parents, too. Dr. Damir Utrzan, a licensed family therapist, said while children may not always have the cognitive capacity to verbalize how they feel, it doesn't mean they don't have a grasp of what is happening around them. 'The reality is children who are exposed to adversity, more often than not, are aware of what's going on,' Utrzan said. 'By not being honest with them [at] a developmental age, that only serves to perpetuate some of the uncertainty.' Utrzan is a former refugee himself. His family fled the civil war in Bosnia and came to the U.S. in 2000. His professional experience is extensive: conducting asylum evaluations of detainees in ICE custody while working at Northwestern University's Center for International Human Rights; working at the Center for Victims of Torture in Minnesota, specializing in psychopathology, developmental trauma and torture rehabilitation; and consulting with the American Bar Association and the American Immigration Lawyers Association to draft affidavits and subpoenas during the detention of minors at the southern border. 'I'm just waiting': Texas immigrant among millions in years-long legal, administrative backlog If traumatic experiences aren't addressed early, they can 'become encoded in your DNA and get passed on,' Utrzan said. If left untreated, those internalized experiences can manifest outwardly in antisocial tendencies later in life. He gave the example of a young man from Guatemala who fled violence nine years ago. Utrzan performed a psychological evaluation on him at the time. Almost a decade later, the man is still awaiting asylum, and his lawyer recently reached out to Utrzan again for a reevaluation. 'Throughout that time, he was using drugs. He got arrested. We talked about how that unprocessed trauma and the inability to cope with contextual external circumstances leads people to self-medicate, so good people make bad decisions,' Utrzan said. 'But in the eyes of the law, or immigration law at least, it calls into question their moral character, which is one of the conditions of asylum or immigration in the U.S.' Central Health, Travis County's hospital district, told KXAN investigators that health care is a fundamental human right. 'Together with our partners, we're dismantling barriers to care, not building them,' a spokesperson for Central Health said. 'We fight relentlessly so that every community member receives the quality health care they deserve, creating a stronger, healthier Travis County for all. Because when everyone has access to care, our entire community thrives.' Texas has the highest uninsured rate in the nation at 17% — more than double the national average. Five million Texans had no insurance as of 2022, THA reported. In 2023, it said hospitals provided more than $8.1 billion in 'charity care' for uninsured people, with more than $3 billion not reimbursed. Most uninsured Texans are citizens, however. Texas 2036, a non-partisan public policy organization, said, looking at available data, out of about the 5 million people who are uninsured across the state — an estimated 15% are undocumented. 'Immigration status, in and of itself, prevents you from being able to access insurance. But what we also see is that friends and relatives of individuals who are undocumented sometimes choose not to take advantage of programs that they are eligible for,' said Charles Miller, director of health and economic mobility policy with Texas 2036. Miller pointed to recent research by the non-profit, which identified people avoiding signing up for programs out of a fear or 'concern that their friend, household member, neighbor, would have extra attention drawn to them.' He said they've been trying to push education and telling people that if they are eligible, they should seek resources. He explained, currently, about 2 million Texans are eligible for free coverage through the Affordable Care Act or children's programs like Medicaid or CHIP. Cost of care is why LAMP provides no-cost or low-cost care to up to 130 people a year through its pop-up clinic, telehealth and home visits. The non-profit explained it's now also making sure clients know they are safe during a time when they are fearful about their immigration status, emphasizing that no one is turned away. 'We prioritize creating a space where everyone who accesses our services feels safe and supported,' Colón said. 'Part of this is sharing clear information about their rights, including those related to immigration status, health, privacy and more.' Investigative Photojournalist Richie Bowes, Graphic Artist Wendy Gonzalez, Director of Investigations & Innovation Josh Hinkle, Investigative Photojournalist Chris Nelson, Digital Special Projects Developer Robert Sims, and Digital Director Kate Winkle contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Boston Globe
07-05-2025
- General
- Boston Globe
A love of cooking, passed from mother to daughter
Advertisement It makes sense, too. None of us would be in this kitchen today without Rivera. Get Winter Soup Club A six-week series featuring soup recipes and cozy vibes, plus side dishes and toppings, to get us all through the winter. Enter Email Sign Up Motherhood is what brought her, husband Miguel, and their three small children to the United States in 1992 from Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico. Pregnant with their fourth, Rivera developed placenta previa, requiring medical care she couldn't get at home. 'I came here and went straight from the airplane to the hospital,' she says. Six months later, a healthy boy named Eliezer was born. Amarilys, the third child after siblings Miguel and Brenda, was in first grade at the time. She spoke no English when she arrived. No one in the family did. They eventually settled in Belmont. 'When Amarylis was not in school, she was going into the kitchen with me, watching me cook,' Rivera remembers. 'When we were together, all the family, with the uncles, aunts, and everyone coming, I had the big pot and we would cook a lot every time.' No matter what else was on the menu, there was a constant: arroz con habichuelas, or rice and beans. 'Every time, it was rice or rice and beans with something else.' Advertisement Gladys Rivera's rice and beans, prepared at La Padrona. When executive chef Amarilys Colón was growing up, the dish was always on the table. Lane Turner/Globe Staff For Colón, the dish is a tie to both childhood and her Puerto Rican heritage. 'Everybody always wanted to be in the kitchen, and I'll always remember the loud, fun chaos. We have a big family in Puerto Rico, and we'd have big get-togethers at my grandmother's house,' she says. 'When I was little, I wanted to be next to my mom all the time, so I got the first smells all the time, the first tastes of everything. It was always centered around rice, pork — we call it pernil — and a lot of root veggies.' When Colón was growing up, rice and beans were on the table so often she can remember asking her mother to please make something else for a change. Now it's just the opposite: ' Can you make the rice and beans? For me, it's 100 percent about staying connected to my roots. If we make a batch of beans, the aromas remind me of my grandmother, my aunts and uncles, certain experiences,' she says. 'I come from something pretty cool.' Food was always important to the chef, and central to family life, but it wasn't until she was in her mid-20s that she decided she wanted to make it her career. 'Something in me clicked and I wanted to get closer to food, whatever that meant. I didn't know what that meant at that point,' she says. Advertisement She was working as a manager at Starbucks, making good money. 'I remember having a conversation with my mom, like, 'Mom, I'm going to take a huge pay cut and I'm going to be a line cook.'' Colón laughs. 'She thought I was crazy.' But Rivera adds, 'I said, whatever she wanted, because she is like that.' Determined. 'She worked so hard — hard . She did everything by herself. If she likes something, she goes through it: I want that, I'm going to do that.' La Padrona executive chef Amarilys Colón tastes beans made by her mother, Gladys Rivera. Lane Turner/Globe Staff Colón began working at Vicki Lee's in Belmont, a front of the house management job, with the condition that she would get into the kitchen any chance she got. She cooked for catering events and eventually got prep time in the kitchen; if she came in early enough, chef Jason Reed would call her into the back to fillet fish with him. She sought out stages, or kitchen internships, wherever she could. She had started working part-time at Figs in Beacon Hill when one of the regulars at Vicki Lee's offered to connect her with a high-profile local chef she knew. Colón said yes. That chef was Jody Adams, of restaurants including Trade, Porto, and, as of last May, She needed some help at Porto, so Colón started there. 'It was my first official, guns-blazing kitchen experience, in 2017 or 2018,' Colón says. 'I started as a line cook. They put me on the hardest station. It was pasta. That's where I got all my burns, all my cuts, all my beautiful scars. I took the T in and I'd listen to music to hype me up. I'd think: I'm going to nail tonight's service. I have to do it.' Advertisement She did it, working her way up to sous chef, then executive sous chef. And then came La Padrona. 'She came, and she was so green, but clearly there is a fire in her and a determination. She went through a really rough up and down at Porto and just kept working,' Adams says of Colón. 'My job now in all of the restaurants is to meet, eat, and mentor. And to really push our chefs to be the best they can be in paying attention to the details of what they do — what's really successful, but also where their challenges are.' Back in the kitchen at La Padrona, Rivera stirs the pot of beans, rice ready and waiting. Each turn of the spoon brings with it a waft of aromas: the smoky browned ham; the spice blend sazón, bright orange with annatto; sofrito, the mixture of peppers, herbs, and garlic that is a backbone of Puerto Rican cuisine. Whatever else goes into the dish, its flavor is always there, underlying and propping up the other ingredients. 'She is my biggest supporter, my rock, and while she knows what I do, she rarely gets to see it up close,' Colón says of her mother. Having her here in the kitchen is special. 'It was a moment of pride, love, and gratitude, showing her where I am now, and how far her unwavering support and love have carried me.' Advertisement Then we sit down to eat. Devra First can be reached at
