Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with Osvaldo "Ozzie" Martinez 🇩🇴
At IMPACCT Brooklyn, we’re proud to highlight Ozzie, whose passion for tenant rights is helping our neighbors protect their homes. Through programs like Partners In Preservation and the Anti-Harassment Tenant Protection Program, Ozzie is making a real difference—ensuring that tenants know their rights and have access to the resources they need to stay in their homes.
For Ozzie, rice and beans weren’t just a meal—they were a tradition. "Growing up, it was on my dinner table almost every night," Ozzie shares, reflecting on his childhood in a Dominican household. But it wasn’t until he recreated his grandmother’s recipe for friends that he realized the beauty of Hispanic diversity: "I was in awe when my friends said, ‘That’s not how we make it!’ It hit me that no two rice and beans are alike, just like our Hispanic experiences."
Ozzie’s roots run deep — his journey begins in the Lower East Side, a neighborhood rich in Hispanic culture where surviving meant staying together. "We used words we understood and ate the food we thought was good." His family’s recipe, though simple, carries a story that only a few can tell—and one that he’s honored to share with us this month.
As Ozzie says, "Food is identity. Where you come from shapes how your recipe is made." He’s reminding us all that while we may share some ingredients, each of our stories, flavors, and experiences is uniquely our own.
Ozzie's Family Rice & Beans Recipe:
Sofrito (Red Onion, Green and Red Peppers, Cilantro, Garlic, Vegetable Oil, Vinegar – Blend in food processor)
Tomato Sauce or Paste
Chicken Bouillon or Stock
Sazon seasoning (Optional)
Oregano, Salt, Black Pepper
Beans, Rice
COOK/ COCINERO:
Gather a large cast-iron pot, and heat oil, on medium-low.
Thank you, Ozzie, for everything you do to empower our Brooklyn family!