Milteri Tucker Concepcion approached NELP for legal assistance filing a trademark for her business, BOMBAZO. Born in Puerto Rico, Milteri moved to the Bronx after high school to pursue her passion for dance. She began her New York City career as a Hispanic folkloric dancer, combining the traditional Afro-Puerto Rican style of bomba with modern-day influences. By offering bomba dance classes and producing recitals for her students to showcase their work, Milteri sought to keep Puerto Rican heritage alive in her local Bronx community and empower young girls through the benefits of dance.

Bomba consists of a creative exchange between the drummer and dancer in which the dancer leads, producing a series of movements with her full, colorful skirt, while the drummer keeps up with a synchronized beat. As Milteri’s classes grew more popular, she began to receive numerous requests for the particular style of skirt that bomba dancers wear. Seizing the entrepreneurial opportunity, she started BOMBAZO in 2009 to combine her business endeavors: Bombazo Dance Company and Bombazo Wear by Milteri®.

In early 2012, Milteri reached out to NELP to assist her with employment and intellectual property matters. She knew she had a great product and a growing business, and she wanted to take prudent steps to protect her work. Through NELP, Milteri was able to secure pro bono legal assistance filing a trademark application to protect her brand. Her pro bono attorney, Michael Lavine from Kirkland & Ellis, praised Milteri: “Though very busy, Ms. Tucker has been a very focused, enthusiastic client and has been actively engaged in the process to obtain her trademark. Ms. Tucker indeed has a very entrepreneurial spirit.”

Since receiving legal assistance from NELP, Milteri has enjoyed great success in her business. Bombazo Wear by Milteri® has been featured in the Off Broadway Musical: Temple Of The Souls, the National Puerto Rican Day Parade, and the 2012 International New York Salsa Congress.