  Albert Pujols and Mike Isik Mike Isik, a New Jersey native, is one of the go to guys, for when ballers want to get iced out. Throughout the years Isik has developed a great reputation amongst some of the biggest names in professional sports and the music industry. He's who players reach out to when they want to get a special piece, for their special someone. Lets meet Mike Isik.
Q: How did you get your start in the jewelry industry? A: My father started the business in 1994 and I eventually took over in 2000. Q: What was the most difficult part? A: Transitioning to social media. I was always one who never wanted people to know my or my clients business. But today everyone wants to know who you’re working with. So it’s time to show them who I really am. Q:When did you start working with celebrities and athletes? A: I first started with the music industry in 1999. Then expanded to athletes in 2002. Q: What has that been like for you, to work with so many high-end clients? A: I can’t even explain it. It’s been amazing. I've met and became friends with so many people. I’ve got invited to so many special events, birthdays, weddings. Q: What does it mean to you to be able to be part of a players special moment, when they ask you for a custom engagement ring? A: For someone that can go anywhere in the world to buy their engagement ring or any piece of jewelry and they choose me. It means a lot. I thank them in believing and trusting me. Q: Out of all the athletes you've worked with, is there anyone you consider a friend? A:This is a tough one. I’ve made a lot of friends. I consider everyone who I work with a friend. The list is too long and I hope they don’t get mad if they see this article, but there are a few I’ve gotten very close with that I consider family. I’ve known these two for 18 years now. They have helped me so much in my career and changed my life, Albert Pujols and Placido Polanco. You can see Isik's work on his Instagram page: @isikjewlery
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 Jennifer Mercedes, Host and Producer at La Vida Baseball Fresh out of college, Jennifer Mercedes was offered the opportunity to produce and host her own baseball video series. She snatched it, and La Chica Deportes was born. Nine years in, she’s done it all: secured sponsorships, interviewed baseball greats, and brought fans closer to the athletes they love on and off the field. Here, she talks about what it’s like to be “the only woman on the field or the only girl in a clubhouse,” how she snags exclusive sideline interviews, and what her move to La Vida Baseball means for the type of sports stories she wants to tell.
Follow Jennifer on Twitter @chica_deportes and IG @lachicadeportes. If you loved this episode, listen to Martina Castro and Suzy Exposito for more on journalism and storytelling. Show your love and become a Latina to Latina Patreon supporter! Listen to the podcast here! By: Guillermina Esquivel I know someone who did not get to see his daughter for 15 summers. Visa not available, no money for flight, no money for a babysitter, no room in his shared living space. This, for so many Dominican baseball players, is their cruel reality. By the time my friend got to spend a summer with his daughter in the United States, she was a teenager. Baseball is their Faustian bargain, and they choose to play. It shouldn’t come as a surprise, then, that Latino players, almost universally, are ready to play ball. This should be a far more significant point than is currently recognized by the public or acknowledged by their union brethren. A massive segment of players whose voices matter the same as those in the union are being drowned out by higher-profile players who simply are willing to speak louder. Anyone who has an exorbitant contract needs to sit this one out, you are outnumbered. There are 1200 members in MLBPA and I am pretty sure that many are ready to play AND get paid. The average salary is approximately $4M and the league minimum was set to increase from $555,000 to $563,500 this year. Not all players have the luxury of taking care of just themselves or immediate family; Sometimes their counterparts have at least 25 family members whom they will take care of. Alot of it can be blamed on the corruption in their respective countries but that's a topic for another day. Access to a quality education that affords them the knowledge of financial literacy is nonexistent and that is vital in preventing them from becoming part of the 78% who wind up broke just two years after retirement. Maybe just maybe being a little informed could help them avoid predatory lenders who give them loans for 10% of their lifetime contracts. So many arrive to the majors already in debt. Most of these players do not have an education past elementary school level and only recently academies in the Dominican began to offer a high school diploma. Anyone with common sense would question how that was even possible when there is a tremendous gap between the level of schooling acquired and getting a diploma. Makes one question if the program implemented is a complete farce. Is anyone surprised why their Latino counterparts aren't as vocal as American players? Is there just no empathy or any desire to be an ally? A single, monolithic experience does not exist. It is unfortunate that those who stand up for these players tend to be reporters or someone that works closely with these players instead of some of their own colleagues.  NEW YORK , Jan. 23, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Anheuser-Busch InBev today announced a landmark partnership between the iconic Dominican pilsner Presidente Beer and Alex Rodriguez, with the baseball legend and entrepreneur joining as Chairman of Presidente USA.
Long associated with Miami sports, Presidente Beer is taking the next step in its legacy by partnering with Rodriguez, who will bring a new energy to the brand by transcending the role of spokesperson and truly helping direct the brand's efforts toward the rich, Dominican culture that Presidente represents. Rodriguez, the son of Dominican immigrants, first picked up a baseball on the fields of Washington Heights, New York, before rising to the pinnacle of America's pastime. His journey embodies the pride and passion that has driven Presidente Beer forward since its inception in 1935. "Growing up as a Dominican-American in the US, Presidente was not only a beer, it was part of our community. It connected my parents to their home and was a part of every major community event, big or small," said Rodriguez. "It is truly an honor to get behind a brand with such a deep connection to my heritage and culture, and I cannot wait to help build its future." Acquired by Anheuser-Busch in 2012, Presidente beer is a powerful symbol of Dominican culture both stateside and abroad, known as a true taste of the Caribbean. "We could not be more excited about this partnership with Alex Rodriguez, who is himself an incredible ambassador for the Dominican culture. Presidente is the number one Dominican beer brand in the world with tremendous growth potential here in the US on the back of this unique partnership," said Ricardo Marques, Group VP Marketing for Value and Core, Anheuser-Busch. As Chairman of Presidente USA, Rodriguez will help grow the Presidente brand presence in the U.S. in 2020 and beyond, including the release of new products and materials. About Anheuser-Busch InBev About Anheuser-Busch InBev Anheuser-Busch InBev is a publicly traded company (Euronext: ABI) based in Leuven, Belgium, with secondary listings on the Mexico (MEXBOL: ANB) and South Africa (JSE: ANH) stock exchanges and with American Depositary Receipts on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: BUD). Our Dream is to bring people together for a better world. Beer, the original social network, has been bringing people together for thousands of years. We are committed to building great brands that stand the test of time and to brewing the best beers using the finest natural ingredients. Our diverse portfolio of well over 500 beer brands includes global brands Budweiser®, Corona® and Stella Artois®; multi-country brands Beck's®, Castle®, Castle Lite®, Hoegaarden® and Leffe®; and local champions such as Aguila®, Antarctica®, Bud Light®, Brahma®, Cass®, Cristal®, Harbin®, Jupiler®, Michelob Ultra®, Modelo Especial®, Quilmes®, Victoria®, Sedrin®, and Skol®. Our brewing heritage dates back more than 600 years, spanning continents and generations. From our European roots at the Den Hoorn brewery in Leuven, Belgium. To the pioneering spirit of the Anheuser & Co brewery in St. Louis, US. To the creation of the Castle Brewery in South Africa during the Johannesburg gold rush. To Bohemia, the first brewery in Brazil. Geographically diversified with a balanced exposure to developed and developing markets, we leverage the collective strengths of approximately 175,000 employees based in nearly 50 countries worldwide. For 2018, AB InBev's reported revenue was 54.6 billion USD (excluding JVs and associates)  Con una gran concurrencia se celebró este domingo 25 la 6ta copa de softball Interligas Cibao Meat Products. En este encuentro competitivo pero amistoso, participaron el Centro Deportivo y Cultural Dominicano campeones 2014, con el equipo del Salami Campesino; LaLiga Norberto de la Cruz, Con el Salami Don Filo, campeones 2015 y 2017; liga de Manzanilleros campeones 2016;Asociaciónde SanJoséde Ocoa como los “Bravosde Ocoa”campeones 2018; y este año debuto la liga de la Asociación de Montecristeños residentes en USA, “AMORE.”
A primera hora jugaron los equipos de Los Bravos de Ocoa y AMORE, donde los ocoeños resultaron ganadores. Luego se enfrentó el equipo de los Manzanilleroscon el CentroDeportivo y Cultural, resultando ganador el Centro Deportivo.Mas tarde la liga Norberto dela cruz perdió frente a los Ocoeños. Al final se enfrentaron por la copa el equipo de los Bravos de Ocoa, campeones del 2018 y el Centro Deportivo y Cultural,campeones 2014. La 6ta Copa Interliga Cibao Meat Products, la gano el equipo Campesino del Centro Deportivocultural Dominicanocon anotación de 11 carrerasa 3. Felicitamos a su manager,el señor Carlos Leerban, el único manager en ganandose las copas de estos torneos. Jhosel Rosario fue el pitcher ganador y el pelotero más valioso lo fue Junior Cruz.Ambos recibieron canastas con todos los productos de CibaoMeat Products. Con esta victoria el Centro Deportivo y Cultural Dominicano, empata con laliga Norberto de la Cruz ya que ambos han ganado dos de las copas Interligas de Cibao MeatProducts. Los Bravos de Ocoa quedaron en segundo lugar, el tercer lugarla liga Norberto de la cruz, enel cuarto lugar la liga Manzanilleray en el 5to lugar la Asociación de Montecristeños (AMORE) El evento tuvo lugar en el Franz Sigel Park localizado en Grand Concourse y la calle 153 en el Bronx, NY.La copa este año fue dedicada a Euclides Solano por su destacada participación como softbolista de Molinete y Chata. La presidente de Cibao Meat Lutzi Vieluf Isidor le hizo entrega de una placa de reconocimiento. La Primera bola fue lanzada por el Director Regional de Deporte Escolar el Dr. Atlas Osiris Sosa, recibida por el Sr.Polín Peñay al bate el gerente general de Cibao Meat, Arq. Julio Gaspar Isidor. El público disfruto de una tarde fresca,de buenos juegos y de la degustación de los productos de Cibao Meat. Como siempre estaba presente allí la ruleta del salami, donde los participantes pudieron ganar como premio salami y otros artículos promocionales de lacompañía. Aquí se introdujo al público el nuevo Queso Jeo de Cibao Meat, el cual fue probado y aprobado por los asistentes  Agosto 19, 2019 ¡Más pelotas para todos! El proyecto, continua on-track tras el anuncio de donación de $ 2K por cada jonrón en el Derby inaugural de T-Mobile Little League Home Run Derby a Little League® Baseball and Softball, comprometiéndose a alcanzar al menos $ 1 MILLÓN en donaciones totales en su primer año de asociación. Todo ese dinero financiará subvenciones de participación para hacer que los programas sean más accesibles para niños y familias. El compromiso de Un-carrier incluye los $ 642K donados durante el Home Run Derby en la MLB All-Star Week, así como los $ 100K que T-Mobile y el CEO John Legere donaron en abril para apoyar a las ligas en recuperación en Puerto Rico. Anunciado en abril, el T-Mobile Little League Home Run Derby les brinda a los jóvenes jugadores de base y softball la oportunidad de competir y mostrar sus habilidades de pelota larga. Ahora, los ocho mejores clasificados en el béisbol y el softbol compitieron por los mejores títulos en el histórico Bowman Field en Williamsport, PA, pasado sábado 17 de agosto. “La Liga Pequeña es una gran tradición estadounidense, y todos los niños de todo el país merecen la oportunidad de jugar. Es por eso que T-Mobile se compromete a dar no menos de $ 1 millón a Little League para garantizar que más niños tengan acceso al juego que les encanta ", dijo el CEO de T-Mobile, John Legere. "Espero algunos materiales importantes para destacar durante el primer Campeonato Derby Home Run Derby de T-Mobile, porque estos bateadores juveniles podrían aumentar el total aún más. LA COBERTURA DE TELEMUNDO DEPORTES DE LA COPA AMÉRICA 2019 COMIENZA ESTE VIERNES 14 DE JUNIO, EN VIVO A LAS 7 P.M.Carlos Hermosillo, Miguel Gurwitz y Claudio Borghi presentarán la cobertura en VIVO desde Río de Janeiro Toda la acción estará disponible a través de las aplicaciones de Telemundo Deportes En Vivo y NBC Sports MIAMI - 12 de junio de 2019 - Telemundo Deportes comienza su cobertura exclusiva en español de la Copa América 2019 desde Brasil este viernes 14 de junio con un programa previo al partido inaugural entre Brasil y Bolivia, a partir de las 7 p.m. (hora del este). Luego, a las 8 p.m. (hora del este) el encuentro se transmitirá en vivo por Telemundo y a través de las aplicaciones de Telemundo Deportes En Vivo y NBC Sports. Un programa posterior al juego ofrecerá los análisis en profundidad del equipo de expertos de Telemundo Deportes encabezado por Miguel Gurwitz, Carlos Hermosillo y Claudio Borghi, en vivo desde Río de Janeiro. \ El anfitrión, Brasil, inicia el torneo tras anotarse dos victorias recientes sobre Qatar y Japón en partidos amistosos y sin la súper estrella del equipo, Neymar, quien estará fuera de la Copa América debido a una lesión. Andrés Cantor, de Telemundo Deportes, narrará la acción en vivo desde el estadio de Morumbi, en São Paulo, junto a Juan Pablo Sorín y Manuel Sol, y contará con los análisis adicionales del exárbitro Marco Antonio Rodríguez, que se unirá al grupo, en vivo, desde Telemundo Center. La cobertura de Telemundo continúa el sábado a partir de las 2:30 p.m. (hora del Este) con Venezuela enfrentando a Perú tras su victoria reciente sobre Estados Unidos, seguido por el debut de la Argentina de Messi contra la Colombia de James Rodríguez. Andrés Cantor, Manuel Sol y Juan Pablo Sorín narrarán la acción desde el estadio Arena Fonte Nova, en la ciudad de Salvador. El fin de semana de inicio del torneo cierra el domingo con dos partidos a ser transmitidos en vivo a partir de las 2:30 p.m. (hora del Este). Al encuentro entre Paraguay y el país invitado, Qatar –ganador de la Copa Asiática–, le seguirá de Uruguay –campeón de la Copa América en 15 ocasiones – contra Ecuador. Este verano, Telemundo Deportes está presentando la cobertura exclusiva en español de la Copa Mundial Femenina Francia 2019 y la Copa América Brasil 2019, con una amplia cobertura multimedia de más de 750 horas de programación deportiva EN VIVO, incluyendo 78 partidos en 31 días en dos continentes a través de la Cadena Telemundo, su canal de cable Universo y las aplicaciones de Telemundo Deportes y NBC Sports en español.  La Vida Baseball
BY ANDY MARTINEZ There was a lot on Marlins pitcher Sandy Alcántara’s plate as he worked his way to the majors. Like any other minor leaguer, he had training sessions, games and bus rides for road trips. Unlike other minor leaguers, though, he also had another commitment. Alcántara and his fellow Latino players with the Class AA Springfield Cardinals had regular English lessons. The hard-throwing righthander and his teammates would take a bus to their classes. One day, though, Alcántara and his teammates got in a bit of trouble. Read More: https://www.lavidabaseball.com/sandy-alcantara-marlins/ Groundbreaking Project Examines Systemic Causes and Solutions
WASHINGTON, April 23, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- On Thursday, April 25, 2019, Nameless premieres at Landmark's E Street Cinema. The three-part film series about child sex trafficking in the District of Columbia includes expert testimony from 15 interviewees, including Commander Duncan Bedlion, Youth and Family Services Division, Metropolitan Police Department and Dr. Katherine Deye, Freddie Mac Foundation Child and Adolescent Protection Center, Children's National Health System. Nameless offers insights and strategies of on-the-ground service providers and experts, identifies gaps that still need to be addressed, and explores prevention and intervention approaches. "The District has a strong, coordinated response to child sex trafficking that includes all of the agencies involved with the care of these children," says Rachel Friedman, Executive Producer and Deputy Director of Men Can Stop Rape. "This film will raise awareness about how the community can help prevent children from being harmed." According to the U.S. Department of Justice, "Child sex trafficking refers to the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, obtaining, patronizing, or soliciting of a minor for the purpose of a commercial sex act. Offenders of this crime who are commonly referred to as traffickers, or pimps, target vulnerable children and gain control over them using a variety of manipulative methods." The film series includes episodes on how the trafficking occurs, who is most impacted and vulnerable to being trafficked, and what the community can do to stop and prevent children from being trafficked. According to the human rights organization, Rights4Girls, child sex trafficking survivors are disproportionately girls of color. Risk and protective factors that make children more vulnerable to sexual exploitation include a history of sexual and/or physical abuse, community or family instability, child welfare involvement, housing instability, and disconnection from the education system. "Between higher than-average experiences of homelessness, poverty, and social isolation, children in foster care are more vulnerable to being sex trafficked than children who aren't in care," says Aubrey Edwards-Luce, Esq., MSW, Senior Policy Attorney for DC's Children's Law Center. "We hope that by shedding light on these increased risk factors in DC, we can work together to fight this crisis." The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention cites that, "there are no Federal, national estimates of the extent and prevalence of CSEC [Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children] in the United States due to a variety of issues including general underreporting of the crime and the difficulties associated with identifying and measuring victims and perpetrators." Nameless is a project of the DC Coalition to End Sexual Violence (DCCESV) – a partnership between Men Can Stop Rape and DC Rape Crisis Center. DCCESV is a community of service providers and allied professionals that seeks to enhance the capacity of organizations and agencies to strategically partner and effectively address the needs of sexual violence victim-survivors in the District through education, training and technical assistance, advocacy, and policy. Visit www.dccesv.org and learn more about sex trafficking resources in the District at www.askdc.org or Men Can Stop Rape at www.mcsr.org. NEW YORK, N.Y. – Major League Baseball (MLB) umpires will offer up more than 400 items that include priceless autographed sports memorabilia, one-of-a-kind VIP experiences and VIP ticket packages during its 11th Annual UMPS CARE Charities Online Auction. The auction is currently underway at www.mlb.com/UmpsCare and closes at 10 p.m. EDT on Monday, April 29.
Some of the items up for bid include signed baseballs, jerseys and bats; opportunities to watch batting practice FROM THE FIELD at many MLB ballparks; hotel stays with game tickets; opportunities to have lunch with a Major League Baseball umpire; more than 50 suites or ticket blocks from Minor League Baseball clubs for fans to watch the future stars of Major League Baseball, and great UMPS CARE Charities logo apparel to show your support. There are signed jerseys, bats, baseballs and other items from current stars and past greats of the game including José Abreu (bat), Nolan Arenado (baseball), Cody Bellinger (baseball), Miguel Cabrera (baseball), Aroldis Chapman (baseball), Bobby Cox (hat), Lorenzo Cain (cleat), Jacob deGrom (baseball), Carlos González (baseball), Luis Gonzalez (baseball), Matt Harvey (baseball), Félix Hernández (baseball), DJ LeMahieu (baseball), Andrew McCutchen (baseball), Terry Pendleton (bat), Gaylord Perry(baseball), Cal Ripken (baseball), Vin Scully (baseball), Ichiro Suzuki (baseball), Alan Trammell (bat), Joe Torre (jersey, baseball), Justin Turner (baseball), and Ben Zobrist (bat). “The online auction is one of the biggest fundraising initiatives for UMPS CARE Charities and has grown tremendously since our first auction in 2009,” said Gary Darling, who served as an MLB umpire for nearly three decades and now serves as Board President for UMPS CARE Charities. “The auction has something for everyone, from autographed memorabilia to once-in-a-lifetime experiences, so we encourage fans to tell all of their friends and family to check out the available items on MLB.com and bid generously to help support a great cause.” Auction items from other athletes and celebrities outside of baseball also are available from the likes of Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb (signed football), actor Will Ferrell (signed baseball), ESPN baseball analyst Jessica Mendoza (signed baseball), actor/comedian Bill Murray (signed baseball), former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo (signed Cowboys jersey), Clemson head football coach Dabo Swinney (signed football), (signed baseball) and two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson (signed baseball). All proceeds from the online auction support UMPS CARE Charities youth programs, which connect children and families in the communities in which the umpires work all season through the game they love. UMPS CARE provides once-in-a-lifetime Major League Baseball experiences for critically ill kids, at-risk youth and military families, Build-A-Bear Workshop® experiences for children battling serious illnesses at more than 15 pediatric hospitals in the United States and Canada, college scholarships for deserving young adults who were adopted as children, and financial assistance for families in the baseball community in need. UMPS CARE Charities is the official charity of Major League Baseball umpires. For more information or to make a bid, visit www.mlb.com/UmpsCare. The auction is currently underway and closes at 10 p.m. EDT on Monday, April 29. UMPS CARE Charities is a 501(c)(3) non-profit established by Major League Baseball (MLB) umpires to provide financial, in-kind and emotional support for America’s youth and families in need. Through its youth-based programs, professional baseball umpires enrich the lives of at-risk youth and children coping with serious illness by providing memorable baseball experiences, supporting pediatric medical care, and raising funds for college scholarships for children adopted later in life. UMPS CARE Charities provides benefactors with “Major League” support by remaining true to its established creed, “Helping People is an Easy Call.” For more information visit www.UmpsCare.com. ### |
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