Peopling of NYC 2012

Summary of Queens, Doorstep to the Whole Wide World

Shepard, Richard F. “Queens, Doorstep to the Whole Wide World.” The New York Times 3 May 1991: 1.

This article is about the ethnic diversity of Jackson Heights. It talks about the different businesses in Jackson Heights and the different languages that are spoken there. The people that have established communities in Jackson Heights include Colombians, Koreans, Indians, Uruguayans, etc. There is a wide range of ethnic food, “from the parilladas of the Rio de la Plata to the masala dosai that recalls life on the Ganges.” In the grocery stores there are Colombian yams right next to Chinese noodles and pears, which exemplifies the “togetherness” of Jackson Heights. Ethnic single-mindedness is also present in Jackson Heights, can be observed in the Indian bazaar on 74^th street.  The article also mentions that Jackson Heights used to be a mainly Italian neighborhood and has changed much over the years.

 Summary of Jackson Heights is the Heart of Melting Pot Dreams fulfilled in the city’s most diverse community. 

Jr., Warren Woodberry. “Jackson Heights is the Heart of Melting Pot Dreams fulfilled in the city’s most diverse community. .” The Daily News 26 May 2002: 6.

The article describes Jackson Heights as the most diverse community in the city and a place where there are many opportunities. It is a place where new immigrants have started businesses and raise their families. The people of Jackson Heights represent more than 70 countries and speak more than 40 languages. The position of Jackson Heights in Queens is also very convenient, it only tales 20 minutes to get to Manhattan or Flushing via the 7 train. The Grand Central Parkway can be accessed to get to LaGuardia airport and the Brooklyn/Queens Expressway provides a way to Brooklyn. One can just walk down a street in Jackson Heights and sample food from all around the world. The article also informs readers about the history of Jackson Heights. It was named after John Jackson, a president of the private company that built a turnpike between a ferry landing at Long Island City and Flushing in 1867. The community is called Jackson “Heights” because the land itself is on high ground. Before World War II no Jews or African Americans were allowed to live in Jackson Heights. Things have drastically changed from those times, and today Jackson Heights embraces all people.  It is the city’s second largest gay and lesbian community.

 Summary of The Heights of flavor. Himalayan Yak serves up authentic Tibetan and Nepali fare on Roosevelt Ave

Lee, Patty. “The Heights of flavor. Himalayan Yak serves up authentic Tibetan and Nepali fare on Roosevelt Ave .” New York Daily News 4 December 2011: 8.

This article is about the Himalayan Yak, a Nepali restaurant on 74^th street. Jackson Heights has a large Nepali and Tibetan community now, whereas when Dorjee Tsepak, the manager of the Himalayan Yak, first immigrated here there were not many Nepali and Tibetan people. What set the Himalayan Yak a part from other Nepali restaurants are its authenticity and its focus on everyday simple Nepali food.  The menu of the restaurant is divided geographically with options from Nepali, Tibetan and Indian “kitchens.”  As the Nepai, Tibetan, and Indian communities grew in Jackson Heights, so did the business of the Himalayan Yak. Many people also come from out of state to sample the wide array of food offered.  This article exemplifies that Jackson Heights is a dynamic neighborhood, whose immigrant populations have changed much over the years.

This article by Warren Woodberry summarizes some of the feelings that shoppers, and storeowners have that live along the 82^nd st store strip. There are about 120 shops in these two blocks alone and you can find a wide variety of services. They range from restaurants, banks, to pharmacies. Although business was booming, after Sept 11, the storeowners have taken a hit to their profits, and a few of them have had to close down their shops. Despite these setbacks to many merchants, the 82^nd st strip of stores is still the destination of many of the inhabitants of the neighborhood who choose to shop there because everything is at their fingertips.

Woodberry, Warren. “Shop ‘til you drop, on just two blocks Everything in store along 82^nd St. strip.” Daily News (New York) 10 August 2003: Print.

After reading this article I was shocked to hear that Jackson Heights was the center of drug importation and distribution in the northeastern United States. Ian Fisher says that hundreds of millions of dollars in cash and cocaine flow around Jackson Heights because of the fact that Jackson Heights is so vibrant and constantly changing. It is said that many of the immigrants are here to “plunder” and deal with drugs. The city has been on a series of raids over the past couple of years and have found a high level of drug activity in places like Jackson Heights, and in Long Island.

Fisher, Ian. “Jackson Heights Streets Familiar to Drug Cartels.” The New York Times 11 May 1993: Print.

This article by Sam Levin talks about a new tour that encompasses the whole immigrant experience both new and old. The tour goes from Little Italy, to Chinatown, the East Side, and then to Jackson Heights. According to Levin, immigration of 100 is to the East Side, as Jackson Heights is to immigration now. Jackson Heights defines the immigration today of New York and by taking this tour, you have the chance to taste various ethnic foods along the way. It will teach you a great deal about immigration in general, and how it has evolved. The tour will show you how Jackson Heights, is home to the second great wave of immigration.

Levin, Sam. “In Immigrant steps. Walking tour links history with Present.” Daily News (New York) 26 June 2011: Print.

We’re very excited to announce the second annual Macaulay Eportfolio Expo! This year’s expo will take place on Wednesday, May 2, 2012 from 6-8 p.m. at the Macaulay Building. Last year’s event was a great opportunity for students to show work that they are passionate about, and to learn from each other. This year’s promises to be even better. We invite all MHC students and organizations to submit their sites. Enter here (entries are due by April 23) and check out our current entries here

Even if you entered last year, you are welcome to come back and show us your progress.

Article: “Ethnic Food? It’s a tour thing” by Clare Trapasso. Source:New York Daily News

Summary:

This article discusses the different types of food-eateries that have cropped up throughout Jackson Heights and how the differences in foods relates to the abundance of immigrants within the neighborhood. It then discusses how people are attempting to capitalize on the different cuisines. The methods of money-making off of this are numerous, but mostly people are turning to doing food tours of Jackson Heights. The tours help promote ethnic foods and also give people authentic foods. As Myra Alperson quotes in the article, “I’d rather take people to the neighborhoods where immigrants live, where they make the food and where they’re eating it.”

Daily News (New York), March 6, 2012 Tuesday, QUEENS NEWS; Pg. 6, 400 words, BY CLARE TRAPASSO NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

“Art imitate life and life loved it” by Seth Kugel

Summary:

This article discusses the film Maria Full of Grace when it premiered in 2004 at a movie theater in Jackson Heights. The film, which follows a young pregnant Colombian woman on her pilgrimage as a drug mule to the United States, is set in the Colombian district of Jackson Heights. People who lived in Jackson Heights couldn’t help but notice the blurred edges between reality and art in the picture. Jackson Heights residents in little Colombia know that this is a thousand true stories rolled into one. The article also covers the people’s reactions to seeing real vendors in Jackson Heights; vendors like one old woman who sells wafers, appear in the movie. It also discusses how the movie brought attention to a man who can help with bringing people to and bringing bodies back to Colombia for burial. All in all, the article speaks of the lines that are drawn between the movie and how things really work.

The New York Times, July 25, 2004 Sunday, Section 14; Column 3; The City Weekly Desk; NEIGHBORHOOD REPORT: JACKSON HEIGHTS; Pg. 5, 409 words, By SETH KUGEL

“Colombian Group’s Biz is commercial success it’s the voice of the community”

By Blanca M Qntanilla

September 6, 1995 Daily News

This article talks about how the Colombian businessmen were being unfairly targeted with sanitation fines. The businessmen are claiming harassment, saying that the fines (which can be as high as $2,500) are unfounded and not entirely their fault. After complaining to Humberto Suarez-Motta, the president of the Association of Colombo-American Entrepreneurs, it wasa said that the community board claimed there was no targeting involved and that the fines were deserved. The article then continues to speak of the rich Colombian heritage in the area, speaking of the density of Colombians in Elmhurst and Jackson Heights. There are many businesses along Roosevelt ave, northern blvd.,and other places that are contributing to the Colombians growing presence in Jackson Heights. That is why the Association of Colombo-American Entrepreneurs is going to give them a big leg up and help them protect themselves and their businesses.

Daily News (New York), September 06, 1995, Wednesday, 696 words, By BLANCA M. QUINTANILLA

This week’s article by Susan Slyomovics, delves into the the Muslim world emerging on New York City soil.

With the birth of the Muslim World Day Parade, Islamic followers living in New York City have a chance to express their religion to others. Similar to other ethnic related parades, such as the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, people are given a taste of the Islamic culture through floats, banners, and the people marching in the parade. However, the Muslim World Day Parade is quite different from other parades. Instead of a celebration, the Muslim World Day Parade starts off with a mass prayer between Lexington Avenue and Thirty-third street, which acts as an outdoor mosque for the Islamic people. In addition, the banners don’t say advertisements, or “Happy St. Patrick’s Day,” but instead read out certain parts of the Qur’an to spread their religious views to others. One quote reads “The Qur’an is the guidance for all mankind,” which I would perceive as a sort of recruiting method to their faith. Also, you do not find women in exciting costumes, displayed on floats, or dancers of any sort, and it’s simply because their religion doesn’t condone these activities for the woman is sacred. Lastly, the floats are model replicas of famous mosques around the world. The Muslim perspective on the parade reveals a great deal about their culture.

If the parade doesn’t display the prominent Islamic communities found throughout New York City, then the newly emerging mosques will. First of all, mosques were not easy to find in the past because few to no Muslims ever lived in New York. So the urge to build mosques is understandable for Muslims because their religion calls for a place of worship to pray multiple times a day. The fascinating part though, is that Muslims are taking old storefronts and changing them in order to fit the needs of a mosque. Whether its through architectural changes, decorations, etc, old businesses of any kind are being transformed into these mosques. Even an old movie theater was transformed into a mosque. Not only do these mosques give Muslims a place to worship and pray, but it also strengthens the Muslim community.

The emergence of the Muslim people proves that the people that live in a neighborhood really make a difference. Immigrants before the Muslims had storefronts and businesses, but when Muslims arrived they turned these storefronts into houses of worship. The culture of the people living in the community have a huge effects on the the visuals, the food, the language, the businesses, and basically everything that makes up a neighborhood. Time will only tell to see if the next generation of immigrants will decide to the use the mosques as they were intended or for some other purpose.

1) 1990-2000:

GOLDMAN, ARI. “For Immigrants, a Four-Language Church.” The New York Times. The New York Times. Web. 04 Apr. 2012. <http://www.nytimes.com/1989/11/23/nyregion/for-immigrants-a-four-language-church.html?src=pm>.

Although this article was published in 1989, I figured it was close enough to 190 to use for this summary. The focus of this article is the Community United Methodist Church at 81-10 35th avenue. What’s interesting about it is that prayers are said in four different languages; it’s provides multiethnic services, which speaks to Jackson Heights’ theme of “unity while preserving identity.” The article goes on to describe which ethnic groups specifically attend this church, and how it is managed.

2) 2000-2010:

WOODBERRY, WARREN. “Bustling 74th St. Is a Multiethnic Mart.” New York Daily News. Web. 03 Apr. 2012. <http://articles.nydailynews.com/2003-10-26/local/18237032_1_indian-owned-shops-indian-area>.

This article exemplifies Jackson Height’s strong sense of ethnic identity and diversity, specifically on 74th street, the gateway to “Little India.” The multiethnic business market that defines the area is filled with hundreds of stores of Indian, Pakistani, and Bangladesh themes. Many residents praise the ethnically varied stores of their district, some because specific shops target their demographic, and some because of the idea that multiculturalism “Is part of being a New Yorker. You sample different ethnic restaurants…” The rest of the article expounds a bit on the sense of community created in these close quarters, and some details of managing a business on 74th street.

3) 2010-2012:

Heights of Diversity: Daily News (New York), August 25, 2011 Thursday, QUEENS NEWS; Pg. 40, 385 words, BY SAM LEVIN DAILY NEWS WRITER With Nicole Lyn Pesce

Sam Levin’s article is demographic-oriented, with an overview of the population breakdown. According to the 2000 Census data, tract 281 (3 blocks in JAckson Heights) is composed of 31% whites, 2% blacks, 11% Asians and 54% Hispanic, a statistic which nicely illustrates Jackson Height’s diversity. Immigrants from 51 different countries speaking 21 different languages populate the area, and more than 70% of the population speak languages other than English, including Spanish, French, Hindi, etc… This article also mentions that Jackson Height’s is appealing to immigrants because of the established multiethnic identities that make them feel at home.

If you can’t go to India, India will bring itself to you–in the form of Jackson Heights.  Being as diverse as it is, the neighborhood of Jackson Heights allows you to experience authentic cuisine without leaving New York City.  For example, authentic tastes, smells, and spices are present through the neighborhood for its inhabitants to have a little taste of India here in Northeastern America.  Furthermore, the Indian garment industry has made an impact in Little India as well; it has such a strong stance that it is where Indian women in the states shop for clothing and jewelry before getting married.

And when you’re done exploring India, make a left and right turn and go explore Ecuador and Peru as well…can you get any more diverse?

Barger, Jennifer. “Cash and Curry; In New York’s Jackson Heights Neighborhood, South Asian Shopping and Noshing Is a Naan Event.” The Washington Post 23 Mar. 2005, Final ed. Print.

URBAN TACTICS; The Jackson Heights Gold Rush (2000-2010)

By: Katherine Zoepf

New York Times, Section 14; Column 1; The City Weekly Desk; Pg. 4, March 23, 2003, Sunday; Late Edition – Final

On the intersection of 74th street and 37th road in Jackson Heights, there can be found what locals call, the Indian mall. Located here is the most eye-catching gold jewelry shops around. The Jackson Heights gold rush is a special time when these jewelry shops brace themselves for the army of brides and their families ready to buy quality traditional 22-karat gold jewelry.  This occasion takes form during the end of the winter when South Asian weddings are most prevalent. Aside from the locals that shop there, many people come from outside the city to buy their gold jewelry. The reason why these Jewelers are so renowned is because they have some of the best suppliers from all over the world, rivaling gold jewelry shops that can be found in most South Asian cities. The article comes to a close with the mention of the changes in tradition and the minimized importance of the gold jewelry itself. Weddings occur here in America as opposed to taking place within the homelands of the people. As a result, the effect and the practical purpose of the gold jewelry becomes undermined as the traditions stray further and further away from what they used to be. However, despite the changes, the gold rush is still a frequent occurrence in Jackson Heights.

If You’re Thinking of Living In/Jackson Heights, Queens;Diversity Stokes a Planned Community (1990-2000)

By: Janice Fioravante

The New York Times, Section 9;  Page 3;  Column 2;  Real Estate Desk, December 1, 1996 Sunday, Late Edition – Final

This article focuses on many interesting facts about Jackson Heights for the purpose of informing people interested in living in Jackson Heights. It mentions the founding of Jackson Heights as a community and its development as a diverse and crowded neighborhood. The information provided deals with renting and housing prices, the education system of the district, and the cultural hot spots like the Jackson Diner and La Portena. Jackson Heights origins date back to 1909 when Queensboro Corporation bought out local farms and changed the land in order to create a livable, urban middle class neighborhood. The article reports that during the 90s, schools in Jackson Heights, despite being overcrowded, performed well above standard levels. Janice mentions the Renaissance School where the arts is a big focus, unlike other schools at the time who neglected arts due to lower budgets. Also, at the end of the article, Janice mentions a quote from a captain of the police department that crime rates had gone down. All of these facts would be enticing for anyone in the 90’s looking for a diverse neighborhood to live in.

In Jackson Heights, Movers Respect Turf Rules (2010-2012)

By: Sarah Maslin Nir

The New York Times, Section A; Column 0; Metropolitan Desk; Pg. 24, March 26, 2012, Monday, Late Edition – Final

In this article, Sarah describes the life of two groups of “movers” from 90th street and 103rd street. A mover is someone who is hired to transport and move things from one place or another. In Jackson Heights, these two groups have agreed to respect their boundaries and lay off each others’ turf. They agreed that with the economy of today, competition between the two would be disastrous. Although the two are hostile towards one another, they are only verbally hostile. As a matter of fact, these groups are very caring of their respective community. When misfortune was brought upon a member of their community, all the movers banded together to raise money in efforts to support the whoever it was that was in a slump. The job is very tedious, and often times very dangerous, but the movers do what they have to do. As a matter of fact, many of these movers have second jobs in order to sustain their lives. This is accredited to the economic slump that is currently in place.

As Kasinitz wrote in his article, Jackson Heights is practically a haven to the gay community that lives there.  The article I read by Dunlap discussed the gay community’s outrage after Julio Rivera’s murder and their feelings that the courts did not do his case justice.  While reading this article I understood how much of an influence the gay community in Jackson Heights is: some people wanted to hold a protest after the tragic event.  Overall, gays in the neighborhood have made a stance and made news with their activism and persistence in standing up for justice.

Dunlap, David W. “NEIGHBORHOOD REPORT: JACKSON HEIGHTS; Still Waiting for Justice in Gay-Bias Killing.” The New York Times 19 May 1996, sec. 13: 8. Print.