November 2017
Letter from the Executive Director
If the Pilgrims had been Italian, we'd be dining much better on Thursday...homemade pasta with pesto, mozzarella-in-carrozza, lasagna, cannoli, affogato. Yes, I risk offending devotees of Anglo-Saxon/New England cuisine, although I suspect they are few as evidenced by the lack of Queens restaurants specializing in green bean casseroles with limp onion topping. The point is that any cuisine is probably tastier than what we have inherited from those early settlers to Cape Cod. (Cod, another bland fish. Couldn't they have taken the lobsters from the bay and done them in a spicy fra diavolo sauce?)

Despite their food choices, we honor those refugees from England (and they were in fact refugees) not for their cooking abilities, but their forbearance under less then desirable conditions. They certainly were not perfect -- and this country's record toward natives to our land leaves a great deal to be desired -- but showing gratitude is noble. It's great to reflect on as we commence the holiday season.

It's hard these days to scan the headlines or peruse network feeds. Politically, there's a lot to be frightful for -- disenfranchisement of so many; meanness and bullying emanating from the highest levels of government; and a disintegration of social norms. So what can we be thankful for? Let's consider significant, life-affirming events that don't make the headlines and people who may not be considered "important."

A few weeks ago, JetBlue announced that an Entrepreneur Space client, Luv Michael, had become a partner in the BlueBud mentoring program. This will enable the organic, gluten-free granola makers to grow their business, but Luv Michael does not just make granola. The company trains, educates, and employs adults on the autism spectrum. Those who work for Luv Michael might not be considered "important," but in my mind, they are invaluable to our society.

I'm also thankful for my niece, Marla, who in fact cooks a terrific turkey with all the classic side dishes. Her green bean casserole has crispy onion topping! It will be enjoyed by our ever-growing brood, though I suspect we'll end up somewhere in Queens over the weekend to enjoy some more great food that has a little more spice!



Sincerely,

Seth 
Seth Bornstein
Executive Director
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Help for Doing Business with the Government: Learn how to get certified as a Minority/Woman Business Enterprise with New York City and New York State. Learn how to obtain government contracts and how to leverage the certification to get more private sector business. Free at the Entrepreneur Space, Thursday, Nov. 30, 10 am to noon.
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Women's Power Networking Breakfast: Technology and Your Business Food, fun, interesting people, and a presentation by Anita Srivastava, co-founder of FHL Enterprises, a women-owned technology and procurement company, and the director of product for Biscuit & Chai, a mobile and web app development company. Anita will discuss ways to advance a business in a tech-savvy world. Expect her to emphasize how mobile and web development will improve operational efficiency, increase customer engagement, and grow sales. Free at Queens Borough Hall, Thursday, Dec. 14, 8:30 am to 10:30 am. Free.  
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QEDC is raising the bar for local products via the Made in Queens brand, which is registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark office. If you manufacture in Queens, we can help you get MiQ® certification if your product meets the three pillars of this brand: unique, quality, and local. Adding the MiQ® logo to packaging will tell consumers your product is authentic and top-notch.
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Do you want to know what's going on in the world's most diverse borough this week?  Click here for all the action.
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Home Improvement Contractor Training.  This three-class, 15-hour course prepares participants to take the contractor licensing exam at NYC Department of Consumer Affairs. It also provides valuable information about running a small construction company in NYC. We offer it in English, Spanish, and Mandarin. The next English cycle starts in January.
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Queens Borough Hall
120-55 Queens Blvd., Ste. 309 Kew Gardens, NY 11424
718-263-0546   |   www.queensny.org
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