Jackson Heights is as hot as a melting pot could get—it’s practically boiling in there! Waves of immigrants after waves of immigrants gradually shaped Jackson Heights into what it is today. According to the 2005-2009 five year average U.S. Census, about sixty percent of Jackson Heights’ residents are foreign-born. There is a positive trend of immigrant population in Jackson Heights in each successive Census. On top of that, more than half of the immigrants have owned or still own a small business in the area, which could explain the large variety of diversity in each block of the neighborhood.
Diversity of Stores in a Block
Colombian, Chinese, Indian, Korean, Mexican, Dominican, Pakistani — you name it, and there’s probably a community of that ethnicity. However, ethnic enclaves do exist, even with the large-scale fusing of cultures. This isn’t necessarily a negative thing, in fact, it is quite amazing in how it preserves culture providing a “remedy” for the homesick. A shining example of such an enclave within Jackson Heights is the area known as “Little India”.
One of the many features of Jackson Heights is the grand diversity of the region that blend culture and race together. Little India is a focal feature of the neighborhood that contributes to this melting pot of people. The people of Little India primarily come from Indian, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. This diverse group comes together in a blend of religion, film, and music.
– Chapter One –
The First Step
– Chapter Two –
The Story Untold
– Chapter Three –
The Cultural Mélange
