To many people, the mentioning of Jamaica has many negative connotations.  It is often seen as a place to be avoided due to the rowdiness, heckling vendors, and overall “ghetto” appearance.  However, Jamaica most certainly has more to offer than simply just loud shoppers and obnoxious teens.  It is a thriving neighborhood which harbors many institutions that seek to better service the area and the people who frequent it.

 

Located in the heart of the neighborhood, the Jamaica Performing Arts Center is a large source of culture and class in the area. Hosting a variety of eclectic acts and shows every day, the Jamaica PAC, as local residents call it, brings in people from all over the city to see their shows and appreciate the art which goes on in their establishment. They have all sorts of talented people coming to perform quite often, and even are a popular location for charitable events to take place. Jamaica as a whole truly benefits from having such an establishment in it.

While it is impossible to predict just what you will see in the Jamaica Performing Arts Center, one thing that you can be certain of is that the performance you will see will be conducted by talented and revered professionals. Hosting events from orchestral concerts to dance lessons and recitals, the Jamaica Performing Arts Center is an eclectic source for people to express themselves through a variety of media. Those who are performing come from not just around the city, but from all around the world. Through cultural diffusion, a sense of class and finesse is established and proliferated throughout the neighborhood, truly benefiting the quality of life.

Not only does the Jamaica Performing Arts Center hold events for recreation, but it also hosts events for the good of everybody. Non profit organizations are free to rent out the massive hall for their charitable events for very reasonable prices. The only money which they Jamaica Performing Arts Centers asks for is to pay its employees when it comes to these kinds of events. They never dip into the proceeds which the foundations receive, as they believe in the greater good for all, even if it means not being able to get some profit on occasion. Such an establishment truly cares for the greater good of the neighborhood and all of the people that may find themselves in need, and truly helps establish a solid moral and cultural foundation for the youth of Jamaica.

What better way to bring some fun to a neighborhood than a family friendly movie theater? The Mulitplex Cinemas located in the center of Jamaica does just that. It is located conveniently next to a host of subway stops and bus stations, allowing for easy transit and minimal walking to need to occur. A large movie theater such as this one helps bring in a diverse population from a variety of areas that want to watch movies that may not be available for showing in smaller theaters. This helps makes Jamaica a bit of a nicer neighborhood, as it is always nice to have a diverse populace encompassing the area.

The size of Jamaica’s Multiplex Cinemas really sets it apart from other movie theaters and establishments. Housed in a large edifice, the Multiplex Cinemas can hold a large amount of savvy movie-goers, eager to catch the newest films on screen with their friends and family. This makes it a common go to place for students of CUNY York College, located within 5 minutes or so of walking at a leisurely pace. This is especially true now, during finals season, as many students feel the need to de-stress before devoting themselves to 40 days and nights in the figurative desert that is their books and studying.

Not only is this establishment a desirable place to visit due to its size and friendly reputation, but it is also and easy place to get to, as it is essentially a mecca for public transportation users. Located next to a train station which houses subways lines such as E, J, and Z, as well as a ton of busses ranging from the Q25 all the way to numbers above Q100, there are a variety of ways to arrive at your destination, without having to walk very far at all due to the proximity of the Multiplex Cinemas to the public transportation stops.

The King Manor Museum is the antique home of Rufus King, a framer and signer of the Constitution, and  his son John King.  Both father and son were very intelligent politicians of the late 18th and 19th centuries and were also brazen proponents for the abolition of slavery.  Rufus King was once quoted saying “I have yet to learn that one man can make a slave of another. If one man cannot do so, no number of individuals can have any better right to do it”.  True visionaries of their time, both men served time in the Senate and did their best to stop any form of injustice against African Americans that they could.

Today the home is open to the public to walk through freely, or take guided tours if they like. Seated in the heart of a largely black and immigrant community, the Museum seeks to educate people of all ages about history that may otherwise be forgotten. Some of the activities held at the Museum include tours of the site, lectures, outreach programs, and interactive exhibits.  The King Manor is a huge testament to the history of many of the inhabitants of the area and allows them to revisit their pasts.

There is also a “Passive Lawn” just outside the Manor where people may sit peacefully without being distracted.  Playing sports on this field is prohibited, so anyone may be able sit at one of several tables and enjoy a minute away from the hustle and bustle of the usual crowd on Jamaica Avenue.

Interview

This an interview with an artist responsible for the Project Pick Me Up mural in Jamaica Center on Archer Avenue.  He discusses how through art, he seeks to raise awareness and even change the mindsets of those who have very stagnant and detrimental views.  He is one of many people in this neighborhood that wish to break out of the visage that Jamaica used to be, and to propel it into the shining and more auspicious future that it could so easily attain.