1990-2000: Golden, Tim. “For Colombians in Queens, Time of Pain and Questions.” The New York Times. (January 31, 1990 , Wednesday, Late Edition – Final). LexisNexis Academic. Web. Date Accessed: 2012/04/01.
“For Colombians in Queens, Time of Pain and Questions,” is an article that starts with Colombians in Queens, specifically Jackson Heights, who lost Colombian neighbors in a plane crash. The article goes on to describe the Colombian community and how the people are perceived within Jackson Heights and in other parts of Queens. The Colombian people have often gathered not for occasions of joy, but of sorrow. Including the plane crash, there were numerous events within and outside of Colombia that has brought these people together to pay their respects to the ones who lost their lives. In addition, Colombian immigrants face tons of discrimination because their nation deals numerous drugs, cocaine being the most prominent drug. This has led to police cracking down on Colombian immigrants as they believe that they come here illegally to sell drugs. However, only a few Colombian immigrants are drug dealers. Regardless, this has created a negative stereotype for all Colombians. Whether it is out of sorrow or discrimination, Colombians tend to stick together in ethnic niches, especially in Jackson Heights, in order to support and protect one another.
2000-2010: Colangelo, Lisa L. “SCHOOL KIDS HOPE LETTER WILL ROCK HURLER’S WORLD.” Daily News (New York). (January 12, 2000 , Wednesday). LexisNexis Academic. Web. Date Accessed: 2012/04/01.
“School Kids Hope Letter will Rock Hurler’s World,” narrates the story about the kids of PS 69 who respond to the negative comments made by Atlanta Braves Pitcher John Rocker towards the subway line. John Rocker was specifically talking about the 7 train that passes right through Jackson Heights. To put it bluntly, John Rocker degraded the people on the 7 train because they were of different cultures, and then went on to question how they got into the United States. The kids of the elementary school who have parents who take the 7 train daily, and have taken the 7 train themselves, felt angry with the comments that Rocker made. In response, the school allowed them to send a letter and a book about Jackson Heights to Rocker asking him to visit there elementary school in order to learn more about the people of Jackson Heights. The goal was to help Rocker understand how diverse the community instead of just discriminating the people. This article reveals how diverse Jackson Heights actually is and that future generations may not be as separated as their first generation immigrant parents. School seems to allow the children of numerous cultures to view themselves as one united people by the neighborhood they live in, not by their native country.
2010-2012: Pesce, Nicole Lyn. “YOUR GUIDE TO JACKSON HEIGHTS.” Daily News (New York). (February 28, 2010 Sunday ). LexisNexis Academic. Web. Date Accessed: 2012/04/01.
“Your Guide to Jackson Heights,” gives people a look into the Little India that exists within Jackson Heights. On February 28th, the Hindu people in Jackson Heights threw the Spring Festival of Colors with tons of food, dancing, music, and colored powders and water to celebrate love and life. Jackson Heights is known to be the largest Indian market within New York City. There are Indian jewelry boutiques, sari shops, barber shops, Bollywood rental stores, and lastly and most importantly Indian food! Jackson Diner, located on 37-47 74th st, is New York City’s most famous Indian Restaurant. Although Indians seem to control a vast territory within Jackson Heights today, they were not the first to do so. The article states that Latin immigrants were the first to dominate the area until the Indian population arrived. This shows that Jackson Heights is an ever-changing neighborhood that will not be dominated by one group of people for long. It all depends on the type of immigrants decide to enter New York City in the future and how well they get along with those that have already established themselves here.
