A photo of Danielle and her Dad. Photo provided by Danielle Jae Marcott

“I landed in New York for the first-time… and driving from the airport, the song that was playing on the radio was ‘Jackie Blue’ by the Ozark Mountain Daredevils, which was odd…I haven’t heard it on the radio since.

That was the memory shared by Danielle Jae Marcott, a 22-year-old Filipino American teaching assistant that spoke to me over the phone from the comfort of her Woodside apartment, reminiscing on one of her fondest moments moving to New York.

In Cebu, Philippines, back in 2011, Danielle’s father lost his battle with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). He died in their home with Danielle nearby. Amid the pain of losing a father and a husband, Danielle’s mother decided they needed a change of scenery. She moved to New York in January of 2013. Continue reading →