Welcome to Sunset Park! This neighborhood in Brooklyn is home to many immigrants, especially Mexican and Chinese immigrants. It is full of rich history, dating back to the early 1900s and World War II.  We will now go on a tour of Sunset Park, stopping by at important sites in its history and reminiscing on the impact of these sites today. Come and join us as we start off this tour on a historical note.

Brooklyn Army Terminal

The first stop on our tour of Sunset Park is the Brooklyn Army Terminal, located on the Western coast of Brooklyn at 140 58th Street. This unassuming industrial complex has a very rich history that started in 1918 when it was created to function as a military depot and supply base. The complex’s location on the coast of the New York Harbor contributed to the success of this station as a military supply base. Building  B, the larger of the two buildings, contains a train line in its large atrium as well as a crane that helped dock and undock cargo to “loading areas” that look like balconies jutting out from the building. The smaller building was closer to the water and was connected to a port that contained 3 piers The Brooklyn Army Terminal served as the largest military supply base for the United States throughout World War II. During this period, the terminal employed over 56,000 people and was responsible for the shipment of 80% of American supplies and ammunition!

The inner atrium of Building B of the Brooklyn Army Terminal

The huge four-million square foot two building complex took a mere 17 months to build, consisting of girder-less construction with steel-based concrete. There are 96 elevators in the building to help navigate its 8 stories! This was the largest elevator installation of its time. The complex’s architect Cass Gilbert is renowned for the building’s highly efficient and visually appealing structure. Gilbert is also responsible for the Woolworth building, Broadway Chambers Building, the Essex County Courthouse, and many other Gothic-styled buildings. In 1981, New York City purchased the lot from the federal government, to repurpose the buildings for industrial and commercial use.

The large complex is still in use today.

The Brooklyn Army Terminal is currently the home for all kinds of commercial tenants, such as Urban Green Furniture, an eco-friendly furniture company that uses American based woods and paints their products with toxic-free paints. The complex has become a desirable base of operations for many businesses since the city has been renovating the buildings since 1984, making the interiors of the terminal modern and work-friendly. Over 70 businesses are hosted in the Brooklyn Army Terminal, and judging from the leasing advertisements seen at the terminal, there are many more to come.

NYU Lutheran Medical Center

The western waterfront of Brooklyn is the also the site of another major Sunset Park landmark.  After walking four blocks up 1st avenue from the Brooklyn Army Terminal, you’ll find yourself at the NYU Lutheran Medical Center. The famous Lutheran Hospital, now affiliated with NYU, has served as a site of spiritual and medical help since 1882. The health institution started out as the humble 9 bed Norwegian Lutheran Deaconesses’ Home and Hospital founded by Sister Elisabeth, a Norwegian nun. The hospital was originally a ministry for Norwegian immigrants of the area. This establishment reflects the influence that Scandinavians had on Sunset Park during its early settlements. This history also serves as an example of one of the ethnic enclaves that once predominated Sunset Park.

NYU Lutheran Medical Center – Emergency Entrance

The current NYU Lutheran Medical Center is a 404 bed hospital, continuing a faith-based tradition alongside all of its medical teachings. In 1967, the Sunset Park Family Health Center opened as part of Lutheran Hospital, and provides healthcare to multicultural families all around Sunset Park. These services include primary care, dentistry, women’s health, and specialty care for both adults and children. Now, the medical center serves a much more diverse population than the Norwegian-based clinic, so multilingual services are often provided. Lutheran Hospital is the largest Federally Qualified Health Center in New York State, over 30 school-based health centers, including the largest dental residency program in the nation, which was also started in 1967. The medical center has become a major health center not only for Sunset Park, but also many other nearby neighborhoods of Brooklyn such as Bay Ridge or Borough Park. The medical center is a very influential site of Sunset Park, but if you head toward 5th avenue and go through the underpass of the Belt Parkway and go down to 60th street, you’ll find another influential center that facilitates many neighborhood residents.

The Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church

The Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help located at 60th street and 6th ave is a massive and iconic architectural landmark of both Sunset and New York City. It’s so large in fact that it encompasses the whole block from 6th ave to 5th ave. The Basilica was founded by a group of Catholic priests known as the “Redemptorists.” The Redemptorists mission in life is to provide religious, charitable and social services to the poor. When they first arrived in New York City, they actually first assisted the Native Americans. Irish, predominantly Irish Catholic immigration prompted the Redemptorists to open up church in Sunset. In 1892, the Redemptorists bought the whole city block which it’s located on for just $40,000! A tiny price now, but a rather expensive one then.

This beautiful cathedral sits on the border of Sunset Park and Bay Ridge.

The original church however is not the one standing today. It was originally a wooden church, but in 1905, the Redemptorists saw a need for a larger church that would keep up with the growth of attendees. Completed in 1909, they built a church that would be an architectural masterpiece that exudes an appearance of wealth but whose purpose was to uplift the poor. Built in Romanesque architecture, it was named in honor of Virgin Mary. In fact, a unique tradition of this church is to end every Mass with a prayer for Mary. This tradition started on May 6th, 1894, when the priests distributed a leaflet containing prayer for Mary after Mass, not knowing they had started a tradition that will span more than a century. Originally dominated by Irish and Germans, it now serves mostly Hispanic and Chinese adherents. In fact, outside the Basilica, all the posters are written in English, Spanish, and Chinese.

The Basilica is a major social center for Sunset’s Catholic population. They have several organizations such Advocacy for the Disabled, the Catholic War Veterans, the Circle of Friends for Senior Citizens, and the Ladies Auxiliary of the Basilica. They hold many events throughout the year including events about Health and well being. In February they even had an information session about the Zika Virus from the Dept. of Health. Considering many of their followers are Hispanic, and since the Zika virus has affected mostly lation countries, you can tell how invested the Church is in maintaining the wellbeing of their community.

Juan’s Barber Shop

Fusion restaurants that combine the two dominant ethnic groups of the neighborhood.

After visiting the monumental Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, continue walking 8 blocks on 5th avenue towards 51st street. As you walk these 8 blocks, take in the atmosphere and details  of Sunset Park. It will tell you a lot! At first, you will notice a transition from an Asian dominant neighborhood to a Latino/Hispanic dominant neighborhood. This is evident from the switch from Chinese & Latin fusion restaurants such as Nuevo Palacio Chino on 56th street to Mexican bakery shops such as Café Con Pan Bakery Corp. at the corner of 54th street. This marks the beginning of the commercial area of Sunset Park. As you continue walking towards 51st street, you see a variety of streets vendors selling electronics, perfumes, and roasted peanuts. The smell of roasted peanuts and churros from the street vendor carts make it difficult to actually identify strong aromas coming from nearby restaurants.  Eventually, you will pass by a longtime social center in Sunset: Juan’s Barbershop.

Juan’s Barber Shop on 51st Street

Juan’s Barber Shop is located on 511 51st Street Brooklyn, NY 11220. As you pass by this barber shop, you hear boisterous laughter and chatter in Spanish, making it difficult to not enter. As I entered the barber shop, the chatter actually died out because of the appearance of an unfamiliar face. The owner, Juan, is in another state and will not be coming back anytime soon. Luckily, two Mexican barbers and one Dominican barber are more than happy to help out a tourist like myself. Keep in mind that the the popularity of this barber shop makes it difficult to just walk in and ask questions, rather you must wait to be helped. The Dominican barber Eleazer Gill, also known as Elias, gave me a run down about the history of Sunset Park and the importance of barbershops, particularly Juan’s Barber Shop. When asking questions, it may seem intimidating at first, but once you open up to the barbers, you realize that they are actually welcoming and love laughing and smiling.

Elias chose to become a barber at age 18 because he was inspired by his barber who was really good friends with him. Elias graduated high school and decided to become a barber because of the great income. Surprisingly, Elias told me that there were only five barbershops in the Sunset area about 20 years ago. Today, there are about at least a couple of barbershops every few blocks in Sunset Park. Juan’s Barber shop is a social center for barbers and customers alike, which highlights the importance of this institution in Sunset Park. Some customers actually just walk in to get news or talk to the professional barbers that not only know how to give an amazing cut, but to deliver news in an interesting way. The strong relationship between the barbers and the customers is apparent in the way that the barbers record their customers’ numbers in their contacts list.

Juan’s Barber Shop is actually one of the oldest barber shops in Sunset Park that started about 50 years ago. Many Hispanics, Arabs, Trinidadians, Dominicans, Puerto Ricans, and Mexicans come daily to get a haircut. The establishment of this barber shop 50 years ago, the professional cuts, and the affordable prices, are major factors that make Juan’s the best place to get a haircut. Elias actually lives in Bay Ridge and his Mexican barber friends live in Staten Island and Sunset Park. When asked why his friend comes all the way to Bay Ridge from Staten Island when he could work in another barbershop, I was answered with a candid answer that this barbershop feels like home. I was surprised to know that customers also come from other boroughs to this specific barbershop to get a haircut. This just shows that not only is the haircut important, but the barber shop itself. The concentration of Hispanics in this area of Sunset attracted Elias to work here because he knows that Hispanics love their haircuts and this would be a good source of income. It is also in an ideal location surrounded by Ricos Tacos and the commercial region of Sunset Park. This helps grab attraction and direct people towards the barbershop. If you ever pass by Sunset Park, remember to pass by Juan’s Barber Shop to get a fresh haircut at an affordable price.

Sunset Park

One of the many entrances to Sunset Park

After you get your haircut, walk down on 5th Avenue until you reach 43rd Street. On your right will be Sunset Park, the park for which this whole part of Brooklyn is named. Established in 1895, Sunset Park offers many facilities such as a recreation center, a sand volleyball court, basketball courts and even an outdoor pool. This pool was open to the public in 1936, and during the summer, it is open to swimmers and those who want a tan. There are also other programs such as learn-to-swim programs, free after-school swimming instructions, and adult lap times. This pool is also home to the Brooklyn Swim Team, which is a competitive travel team. In the winter months, the recreation center is the place to be with a computer center, a library, a dance studio, and a workout room with free weights and equipment.

The Manhattan Skyline can be seen in the distance

If you’re in the mood for something more relaxing, you can picnic on the grass field which has a beautiful view of the Manhattan skyline. Not only do you see Manhattan, but there is also a view of a few Brooklyn neighborhoods, the Statue of Liberty, and the shores of New Jersey and Staten Island. What better way to spend an evening watching the sun set in the very own Sunset Park.

Sunset Park is an important part of the neighborhood because it offers an area to socialize with others while engaging in some sort of activity, whether it be physical or just watching the sunset. It is a place big enough for people to have their own individual getaway while maintaining a connection to others who also enjoy the services of Sunset Park. The park has stood its grounds for well over a hundred years, making Sunset Park an attraction in West Brooklyn even with an influx of immigrants.

Sunset Park Courthouse

After such a relaxing time at Sunset Park, it is now time for something historical. A left at 43rd Street toward 4th Avenue would bring you to the former Sunset Park Courthouse. This historical landmark of Sunset Park was made in 1931 for $475,000 by the Mortimer Metcalfe, who was the same architect who assisted with the construction of the Grand Central Terminal twenty years before. This courthouse is easily distinguishable with its remarkably designed columns, limestone detailing, and moldings. The courthouse not only housed the municipal and magistrates’ courts, but it also housed nonprofit agencies like the Sunset Park Senior Care Center. After a renovation of the building in 1996 and a brief stint by the New York Police Department using the courthouse as a processing center for applicants, the former Sunset Park Courthouse became a New York City landmark in 2001.

Former Sunset Park Courthouse

Before the Sunset Park Courthouse was built, the Brooklyn City Hall (now the Brooklyn Borough Hall) was used for most court sessions. There was a growing number of civil court cases, and Borough Hall needed to expand so that all these court cases were handled. Eleven courthouses were built in the 1930s including the Sunset Park Courthouse, and most were designed in the Classical Revival Style that can be characterized by columns, detailed molding, long flights of stairs, and a prominent entrance. Even a lot was put into this extravagant design, the court system in New York City became more centralized, rendering the Sunset Park Courthouse obsolete in 1962.

The former Sunset Park Courthouse is a significant landmark in the neighborhood because it provides some rich history to Sunset Park. It is made by a famous architect who helped build one of the most populated transportation centers of the world. It also reflects a time in history when the judicial system needed to expand and Classical Revival was the style of building courthouses. In addition to its historical value, the former Sunset Park Courthouse also provides some aesthetic interest as an official New York City Landmark.

P.S.024

Murals along the wall of the P.S. 24 playground.

As you continue walking on fourth avenue from 42nd street towards 38th street, you pass a number of fast food restaurants such as Burger King and McDonalds. If you are feeling tired, you can stop at one of these restaurants to grab a bite! The first thing that you notice is paintings on the walls of the playground of P.S. 024.  The paintings that depict different races and ethnicities playing and having fun in nature just represents the diversity of the student body found in P.S. 024. The same wall murals can be found inside on the walls of the library, which helps highlight the importance of diversity and acceptance in P.S. 024. I was surprised to learn that the wall murals were painted by the Groundswell Mural Project to represent the struggles of the immigrant population in Sunset Park. Another amazing feature that is unique to this school is the dual language classes that teach in both Spanish and English. Most of the school is populated with Spanish speaking students which is reasonable for the establishment of a dual language program. This program promotes students to interact with their peers and teachers in both languages to sharpen their proficiency in Spanish and English.

P.S. 24 Main Entrance

In terms of enrichment, members from BAX (Brooklyn Arts Exchange), S’Cool Sounds, and the New Victory Theater work with students to teach them about art, movement, dance, and theater. These partnerships also provide students with the opportunity to attend live theaters which is important in terms of teaching the student population about the importance of art and music. This shows that P.S. 024 is an important institution in not only strengthening students academically, but culturally as well. The Sport and Arts in Schools Foundation also funds weekend programs that affect hundreds of students that come every Saturday for art, sports, and tutoring. In 1999, The PAZ After-School partnered with both The Morningside Center for Teaching Social Responsibility and P.S 024 received funding from The After School Corporation (TASC). This allowed P.S. 024 to run after school programs on the weekdays from 3:00- 5:00 PM to help students in terms of teaching them about health, art, and sports. The importance of P.S. 024 is not only limited to the students, but also plays a crucial role in the lives of parents and families alike. Lutheran Family Services works with P.S. 024 to provide ESL classes and GED classes to parents that are seeking help. This shows the importance of this public school in helping shape the leaders of the Sunset Park community through the academic, cultural, athletic, and artistic opportunities that it presents.

Alku & Alku Toinen

As we end our tour and walk along 40th street and 7th ave, it can be easy to pass through some rather unremarkable looking houses and buildings. Among these seemingly unremarkable buildings  is the Alku & Alku Toinen cooperative buildings. What you wouldn’t know is that these buildings have a remarkable history and significance. Housing cooperatives are places of residential living that are owned by the inhabitants of the building collectively. Each inhabitant owns their own apartment unit within the housing, but they cannot rent the apartment out to other people. Once they move, the apartment unit returns to the Co-op who gives it to another family in need of affordable housing. In housing co-ops, members vote on the annual budget which determines the housing charges and how much is spent on maintaining the building. Because of their non-profit and communal nature, housing co-ops provide essential affordable housing.

Co-op apartments started by Finnish families in 1916.

Now you are probably thinking, so what’s special about Alku & Alku Toinen? Well, they are the first cooperative buildings in the United States history and they started in none other than Sunset Park! In fact, the concept was so new at the time that were classified as cooperative farms rather than housing by the Department of Agriculture. The Alku Coops were founded by the Finnish Building Association in 1916 by sixteen families. Alku in Finnish  meaning “beginning” and “toinen” meaning two, representative of what the Finnish families thought of as a new beginning in America, one where they can live decently and affordably. Sunset was actually known as Finntown at that time because of its large Finnish immigrant population.

Ten years after the establishment of Alku & Alku Toinen, 50 Co-op apartment buildings popped up in Sunset alone. Originally serving the Finnish community, today it serves the current demographics of Chinese and Hispanics who just as the Finnish of the past, were attracted by the affordable and quality housing standard the Alku and Alku Toinen co-ops presents.

Like all good things, this tour must come to an end. But if you do not want this tour to end, and you want to experience the enriching culture of Sunset Park everyday by living here, the Alku and Alku Toinen co-ops building is a great place to consider. That ends our tour through Sunset Park in Brooklyn. We hope you learned a lot about the great history of this neighborhood. It was a pleasure guiding you, and I hope you come back and visit again.

Continue reading →

By Michel Fallah, Eytan Galanter, Arun Sivan

Welcome to our Flatbush walking tour! This neighborhood has experienced vast changes over the course of its history beginning with Dutch settlement to a white and Jewish majority and now a home to the one of the largest populations of Haitians in the country. This ethnic group has moved into the area in masses beginning in the 1970s through the 90s. With political and economic disadvantage, Haitians have struggled in creating a rich presence in the neighborhood and focused their attention on forming organizations which help their families back home. And so we begin our tour at the Haitian Centers Council Inc. to highlight the political strife of the Flatbush Haitians.

Haitian Centers Council Inc.

Mathieu Eugene reading a speech at the Haitian City Council

The present status of Haitians in Flatbush is tied intimately to their history. The majority of the Haitian people that came to live in Flatbush came after the 1990’s. These people were less educated and had less funds than the first wave of the more affluent Haitian immigrants. Upward mobility for Haitians across the economic ladder was stratified due to acute labor market polarization. This means that lower end jobs and higher end jobs were available; however, there were no jobs for the middle class.

Since most Haitians came to the country with little to their name, they were forced to take up jobs on the lower end of the economic spectrum. Consequently, this caused most Haitians to take up janitorial, domestic/personal service, and elderly care positions which did not offer sufficient money to improve their standard of living. Because Haitians had economic struggles, they had enormous troubles with political representation.

Despite Haitians making up a large majority of the inhabitants of the neighborhood of Flatbush, they were severely underrepresented in district governments, thus causing a lack of Haitian-community improvement efforts. This lack of political representation led to the formation of the Haitian-American Political Action Group, a lobbyist group that formed in 1994. Constant lobbying efforts by the Haitian-American Political Action Group led to massive upheavals among district government representatives. In the early 1990s, the political group was highly critical of Representative Major Owens, a man who they claimed was completely out of touch with the needs of the Haitian community.

City Councellor Mathieu Eugene

Today, City Councellor Mathieu Eugene aptly represents Haitian interests and his office is located at this site. This is huge for a community that lacked representation for so long. I am sure that you can all appreciate this comparison between times, and how important it is to have a figure that represents your best interest in your local government.

Now that we’ve seen the Haitian Centers Council, let’s move on to our next stop, a place which claims a rich history, the Flatbush Town Hall! First we are going to head west on Linden Blvd and take a left onto Bedford Ave. We then continue south on Bedford Ave until we reach Snyder Ave, where we take a right and reach our destination.

Flatbush Town Hall

Currently one of the most prominent landmarks standing in Flatbush, this town hall functioned in full political capacity from 1894-1915 after which a demolition was planned. Luckily the National Register of Historic Places deemed the building a landmark and stopped all plans of demolition. This building is one of the few landmarks from the late 1800’s. A building that withstood the tests of time if you will.

Flatbush Town Hall

The interesting thing about this landmark is that it harkens back to a time when Flatbush wasn’t really a part of New York. During the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, Flatbush was really just a town with its own municipality, police force, and banking system, and even a completely separate irrigation system from the rest of New York. Even now the infrastructure of Flatbush is oddly unconnected to the rest of the borough it is in, almost like an enclave within the city.

During the time when the Town Hall was erected, the government of Flatbush consisted of a Sheriff, two leaders of the floor, and eight members of the community that these two people picked to help them. The voting process was rather simple. The whole town gathered in the Town Hall and what we now call a Town Hall vote would take place.

Kings Theatre

A left on Flatbush Avenue and two blocks down, you will find yourself at one of the biggest feats of entertainment in Brooklyn. This would be Loew’s Kings Theatre which opened on September 7th, 1929. Magnificently designed by the renowned architectural company Rapp & Rapp, the theatre drew great appeal in its time. With 3,200 seats, it was the largest theatre made in Brooklyn. It had become a main attraction in the Brooklyn arts scheme as a whole and in the shopping district along Flatbush Avenue.

However, this was the same year that the stock market crashed on October 29. Banks were closing and having that extra money to attend a film screening was out of the question. The solution was to only present featured films at the theatre to counteract the effects of the depression and decline of vaudeville, which is stage play with interspersed songs. Even so, it faced steady decline from the 50s until its closing on August 30th, 1977. With the rise of multiplexes and blockbusters, the theatre could no longer compete and make enough profit to cover expenses.

Kings Theatre when first opened (left). Kings Theatre after its closing in 1977 (right).

Beginning in 2006, the New York City Economic Development Corporation along with the Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz have worked to have the Kings Theatre restored. On February 3rd, 2010, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Brooklyn Borough President Markowitz had announced official plans for the theatre to reopen. The ACE Theatrical Group,

LLC was contracted as the developer choosing the Martinez + Johnson Architecture firm and planning to modernize the technology for displaying modern shows while preserving some of the original architectural features. A five year lease with The Kings Theatre Redevelopment Corporation was signed on January 23rd, 2013.

King’s Theatre Today

Inside the renovated King’s Theatre

The project amounted to 95$ million dollars with its vintage carpets, seating, and historic lighting. This recreation of the old theatre shows gentrification of the area. With its new and expanded facilities and staging capabilities, the theatre will revitalize Brooklyn entertainment and increase job opportunities in the Flatbush business district.

Holy Cross Cemetery

We will now walk down Tilden Avenue until we reach the Holy Cross Cemetery. One of the parts of Haitian life that we have not yet covered is the aspect of spirituality. The majority of Haitians follow Roman Catholicism, although a sizeable minority practice Haitian Vodou, and different forms of Protestantism. No matter the religion, the vast majority of Haitians, living both in Haiti and in the States, take their spirituality very seriously and going to church has become a sort of social event.

As previously stated, Catholicism is the dominant religion in Haiti. Much like the rest of Latin America, Haiti was colonized by Roman Catholic European super powers like Spain and, in Haiti’s case, France. Catholicism had become so intertwined in the lives of Haitian citizens during colonial times that Roman Catholicism was officially stated to be Haiti’s national religion in the Haitian constitution until 1987, when Vodou joined. As Haitians began to immigrate to Flatbush in the late 20th century, they brought their deep seeded beliefs.

The Holy Cross Cemetery is an example of the religious majority in Flatbush. This cemetery is one of the largest signs of Roman Catholicism in the area, and it has been standing here since the early 1800’s. Its beautiful architectural style, yet completely unperturbed history indicate a deep seated respect for life, death, and religion.

Several notable figures are buried here such as Louie Capone, an infamous mobster that is unrelated to Al Capone. In fact this cemetery has the dubious distinction of being home to more organized criminals than any other cemetery in New York. The Cemetery itself is rather beautiful and its architecture is  Gothic. It serves as another foray into the past, rooted into the grounds of the present.

But now let’s stop being morbid and move on in our tour!

Flatbush Gardens

Now, let’s walk down Brooklyn Avenue and make a right onto Foster Avenue. Before introducing this site, you all must understand one of the issues that currently haunt the Haitian community. The issue in question is that of gentrification. Gentrification has slowly been eroding at the very essence of the community. The pay for people working the afore-mentioned sort of jobs that Haitians primarily work in has stratified due to poor economic growth; however, the price of residency is only soaring. Furthermore there is a new sense of racial bias that can be seen in the housing on Flatbush. Even store prices are rising dramatically. According to one woman, a sandwich at her Bodega used to cost her around 2.00$ and now it costs her 5.50$ This is only anecdotal evidence of course, but evidence none the less.

This site, Flatbush Gardens, is notorious in the area for unfair pricing and terrible management. According to multiple sources on Google and an interview with a Haitian from Flatbush, the establishment prices multiple families out and consistently treats people of color negatively. This is just one of the many places that is representative of a bigger problem. One that is both pivotal to prevent and incredibly difficult to stop.

Now folks, we are going to do something waaaaay more uplifting. Food!

Kreyol Flavor

Making our way toward the Flatbush Junction and walking down Flatbush Avenue, we will see one of the few Haitian restaurants existing in Brooklyn. Kreyol Flavor is a small business owned by a man named Cursy Surin. In a neighborhood lacking many signs of the newer Haitian majority, Kreyol Flavor opened its doors on May 6, 2014. Although recent, it has become a common place for Haitians of the Flatbush community to gather and have homestyle lunches. They serve traditional dishes with rice, beans, fried plantains, and choice of meat.

Many of the customers visit during their lunch break, which is when the restaurant is most crowded. Upon entering, there is the Haitian flag propped up against the window and Haitian employees waiting to serve. The interior decor reflects Haitian culture with a straw voodoo doll and painting of the recent 2010 earthquake which struck Haiti. Vodou is a common practice among Haitians and it is fairly easy to find a voodoo priest in the Flatbush area. The 2010 earthquake hit 7.0 on the Richter scale leaving the country in complete devastation and Haitian relatives in Flatbush with immense grief for loved ones back home.

That same year, Fritznel Milfort was caught in the middle of the earthquake while on a relief mission and immediately formed an organization in Flatbush known as the Canteens for the Children of Haiti. Roman Catholic and Protestant Churches in predominantly Haitian neighborhoods provided supplies en masse to charitable organizations working directly with Haiti relief. It’s quite evident that this tragedy strengthened the bond of the Haitian community of Flatbush.

Brooklyn College

In order to reach our Brooklyn College, we have to head northwest on Flatbush Avenue towards East 34th street. Once there, we turn left onto Avenue H, then a right onto Campus Road. After walking a short distance, we turn left once again towards Bedford Avenue. After traveling around 0.2 miles, we turn right towards Bedford Avenue. We then follow Bedford Avenue until we reach Brooklyn College.

Brooklyn College is rather important for the Haitian community living here. It has long been a symbol of educational opportunity for immigrants of a multitude of backgrounds since the early 1930’s. Known as the “poor man’s Harvard,” Brooklyn College is known for providing an excellent education at an affordable cost. This is  something that people who want to advance economically find extremely helpful.

These manageable tuition rates and standards for academic excellence draw immigrants from all backgrounds to enroll. This includes Haitian immigrants that are drawn to America due to promises of better living conditions and dreams of providing better lives for their children.

Historically, the influx of Haitian immigrants into Flatbush during the 1990’s caused the uptick of Haitians in the Brooklyn College community. Over the years, Haitian prominence in Brooklyn College has been a major catalyst in creating and popularizing the Haitian Creole courses offered to students looking to learn about the wonderfully diverse and prominent culture of the Caribbean.

The course is offered in four tiers: Tier I Introductory Courses include basic culture and civilization courses and two core courses that provide a basis for future electives, Tier II Genre Courses include courses titled Thematic Readings in five major literary genres (poetry, the novel, short fiction, theater, and the essay), Tier III Multidisciplinary Courses expand the study of literature beyond the traditional fields, focusing on special areas of interest in the contemporary world; women; autobiography; moral and religious concerns; historical and social concerns; and the arts, and Tier IV, Pivotal and Monographic Courses, offer the intensive study of a major author or body of literary works at an advanced level.

In addition to the Haitian Creole course, Brooklyn College has showcased its proud Haitian community through the Haitian American Students Association, a club that embraces and shares Haitian culture to both students of Haitian descent and students interested in learning more about Haitian customs and values.

This institution is currently setting the stage for young Haitians to overcome their economic obstacles and the political burdens that were placed on the community and thrive in the future to come.

NYC Police Department 70th Precinct

In order to reach our final destination, we begin by going north on Bedford Avenue. We then take a sharp left on Campus Road and continue on Campus Road for around 0.2 miles. Next, we take a left onto Avenue H and take the pedestrian tunnel until we reach Ocean Parkway. We take a right onto Ocean Parkway and continue on it until we reach Newkirk Avenue. Newkirk leads us to Lawrence Avenue where our final destination resides.

This site is important because it shows a major problem that the Haitian community faced and continues to face to this day. That issue is discrimination.

Discrimination has always been an issue for Haitians settled in America. Haitians were disliked not only for their color but also for their perceived identity as job thieves. Police brutality is also a prominent issue for Haitians settled in Flatbush.

Abner Louima

Former Officer Justin Volpe who sodomized Abner Louima.

After several accounts of violence displayed against Haitians in Brooklyn by members of the police force, the Haitian community finally reached its breaking point when Abner Louima, a Haitian immigrant and father of two, was arrested, stripped, and sodomized by two officers of the 70th Precinct in August of 1997. Haitians came together to protest not only the actions of the two police officers that brutalized one of their countrymen, but also against the large amount of racism that was prevalent in the police force under Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s leadership.

Protestors March on the 70th Precinct

Today, statistics have shown that people of color have been stopped and frisked at an alarmingly high rate; the natives of Flatbush know this all too well. Racial discrimination and profiling by members of the NYPD continues to be a pressing issue for the Haitian community in Flatbush.

Thank you for coming on our tour. It was a pleasure telling everyone the issues surrounding the Haitian community, and I hope the stragglers find their way home.

We bid you all adieu! 

References

“About Us.” Canteens for the Children of Haiti. Canteens for the Children of Haiti, Inc.., 2015. Web. 21 Mar. 2016.

Baillou, Charles. “Angry Haitians march at the 70th Precinct in Brooklyn. (Cover story).” New York Amsterdam News 21 Aug. 1997: 1. Academic Search Complete. Web. 17 Mar. 2016.

Barron, James. “Haitians in New York Eager to Help, but Struggle With How.” Www.nytimes.com. New York Times, 13 Jan. 2010. Web. 17 Mar. 2016. <http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/14/nyregion/14nychaiti.html>.

“History Behind Kings Theatre.” Kings Theatre. ACE Theatrical Group, LLC, 2014. Web. 06 Apr. 2016. <http://www.kingstheatre.com/info/history>.

Motyka, Joan. “IN YOU’RE THINKING OF LIVING IN FLATBUSH.” The New York Times. The New York Times, 29 Jan. 1983. Web. 21 Mar. 2016.

“NYC DCP Census Fact Finder.” NYC.gov. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2016.

Pierre, Garry Pierre. “NEIGHBORHOOD REPORT: FLATBUSH; Haitians Seek New Influence In Local Politics.” Www.nytimes.com. New York Times, 7 Aug. 1994. Web. 17 Mar. 2016. <http://www.nytimes.com/1994/08/07/nyregion/neighborhood-report-flatbush-haiti ans-seek-new-influence-in-local-politics.html>.

Semple, Kirk. “Haitians in U.S. Brace for Deportations to Resume.” The New York Times. The New York Times, 19 Dec. 2010. Web. 21 Mar. 2016.

Semple, Kirk, Julia Preston, and Deborah Sontag. “Worry Rises Among Haitians as U.S. Plans to Resume Deportations.” New York Times 20 Dec. 2010: 20. Academic Search Complete. Web. 17 Mar. 2016.

Sontag, Deborah. “Haitian Migrants Settle In, Looking Back.” The New York Times. The New York Times, 02 June 1994. Web. 21 Mar. 2016.

“The Newest New Yorkers – 2013 Edition.” NYC Population. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Mar. 2016.

Wah, Tatiana, and François Pierre-Louis. “Evolution of Haitian Immigrant Organizations & Community Development in New York City”. Journal of Haitian Studies 10.1 (2004): 146–164. Web. 17 March 2016.

Ann Kochupurackal, Milan Mathew, Radhika Patel, Devina Persaud

Welcome ladies and gents, to Flushing, home of the Flushing High School Devils, the New York Mets, and a melting pot of diverse cultures. Whether you’re looking for the most authentic Asian cuisine, an ancient herbal remedy or an impossible-to-find Japanese comic book, Flushing is the place to go. So grab your chopsticks, put ‘em in your back pocket, and let’s go for a ‘wok!’

Queens Public Library at Flushing

Right on the intersection of Main Street and Kissena Boulevard, two of the busiest streets in Flushing, lies the Queens Borough Public Library branch at Flushing, the first library in Queens. It was first established in 1858 on a subscription basis, but became a free circulation library in 1869. The Flushing library led way for the creation of other libraries like Steinway, Hollis, Queens Village, Richmond Hill, Ozone Park, Long Island City, and Astoria – currently called the nucleus of the present Queens Library system – all of which eventually joined together with a charter into the Queens Borough Public Library in 1901. Flushing Library, however, joined only two years later. The current building was under construction from 1996 to 1998, and officially opened at 41-17 Main St, Flushing, NY 11355.

If you look around the perimeter of the library on a weekday afternoon, the area would be buzzing with children and adults of all ages. The library is located in a prime transportation area – the 7 train stops nearby, and more than 5 buses stop in the vicinity. This allows the library to always have a constant stream of people going in and out. Flushing Library in particular is home to young children because it has the largest children’s room in the Queens Library System. Adolescents appreciate the space because it is in the proximity of many schools. And adults enjoy the Flushing library because of all of the services it provides.

You would think that a library would only consist of books, magazines, and more books. Yes, Flushing library holds over 50,000 books, videos, periodicals, and other library materials open to the public. Not a big fan of books though? No worries! Flushing library, as well as the other libraries in the system, host a myriad of cultural activities and programs that cater to the needs of a diverse population.  The library hosts adult literacy programs, environmental conservation programs, and New Americans Programs (which assists new immigrants in adapting to life in America and programs that celebrate the culture of the diverse ethnic groups in Queens). Flushing library in particular has collections of books and videos in many languages, including Bengali, Chinese, French, Gujarati, Hindi, Italian, Korean, Portuguese, Punjabi, Russian,Spanish, and Urdu. These programs and resources make the library very significant to the Flushing community because makes it easier for immigrants (like the Chinese) to assimilate, and provides a place for people to meet and work in the middle of the busy neighborhood.

The Queens Library system has become one of the largest public library systems in the United States, comprising some 62 branches throughout the borough. It serves the Queens’ population of 2.2 million and is an important part to all of the communities it is located in.

New World Mall

After reading and enjoying the cultural activities at the Flushing Library, the New World Mall is the place to be to socialize and get all of your shopping needs taken care of. Located between 41st Avenue and the congested street of Roosevelt Avenue, approximately 3 blocks away from the library, the Mall offers more than just what a traditional mall offers. Because of its location in the heart of downtown Flushing, the mall attracts thousands of residents within Flushing and beyond. 

Back in the late 20th century, the plot of land that the mall is currently on was actually part of Caldor, Inc, a discount department chain founded in 1951 by Carl Bennett and his wife. The company suffered from bankruptcy and was liquidated in early 1999. For several years afterwards, many attempts at a new retail store in the area failed. However, the New World Group, a company owned by several prominent Chinese businessmen, began a project in 2009 that would take about 2 years to create to create the largest indoor Asian mall in the Northeast.

Need to buy some electronics? Check. Some exotic herbal teas and remedies? Check. Need to do all of that with a freshly manicured set of nails? Check. NWM features 108 shops, all of which offer a variety of Asian and non-Asian retailers, which is why it appeals to such a broad range of demographics. It also has a food court with several ethnic restaurants and cafes, like Kung Fu Tea (very good bubble tea, I must say), Zheng Zhou Noodles, and more of largest Chinese dim sum restaurants in the Tri-State area. The food here comes in large servings, and is definitely a bang for your buck. (On a side note, there’s no cell phone service in the food court, so it’s just you and your food – and anybody else you deem worthy to partake in a meal with – for a good period of time). There’s also a karaoke lounge and underground valet parking garage present on the premises. The mall also has a supermarket called J-Mart Supermarket on the first and second levels. J-Mart has everything you need all in one place – seafood, meats, produce, and grains. It features a large selection of groceries ranging from American, Chinese, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Filipino, and Vietnamese. This selection is a reflection of the neighborhood outside of the mall, which is very diverse in Asian cultures.

New World Mall, known as the largest east coast Asian mall, allows residents and customers to fulfill all of their errands and shopping needs in one place. It’s amazing how all of the amenities of this mall fit into such a small plot of land, in one of the most congested areas in Queens and can serve about 1,500 patrons. With most of the signs written in an Asian language, it’s quite hard getting around for a non-Asian. However it fulfills its purpose as a place, like the Flushing library, where people can congregate, socialize, and get things done.

Once you’re full of dim sum and your nails are all manicured, it’s time to do even more shopping in the jam-packed land of Flushing!

Hong Kong Supermarket

The third stop on our walking tour is the bustling Hong Kong supermarket. Walking a few blocks down Main Street towards 37th Avenue, you will see a transition from an Americanized Flushing to a truly Chinese Flushing. The Hong Kong supermarket is a national chain, founded in 1981 with its flagship store located in Monterey Park, California where it is still among the popular Asian supermarkets and has its headquarters, here in New York City. Today they have 13 branches, which is not only well-known among Chinese- American consumers but also non-Chinese consumers.

This supermarket serves as a way for Chinese-Americans get goods that are mostly available in China and other Asian countries.  When I first entered the supermarket I was welcomed by fish sellers yelling in Chinese telling me to buy their variety of fish. As I delved deeper into the supermarket, there were a variety of fruits and vegetables that I was unfamiliar with. There were no English signs in sight, everything was written in Chinese, Korean and Japanese. There were many other products that were on sale that wouldn’t be found in any other American supermarket. There were bins filled with lychee, bumpy bitter melon and hollow-stemmed water spinach. There were walls lined with rows of dry goods, among them Thai, Japanese, and chinese condiments, spices and sauces, wonton, wrappers and candies as well as Western-table essentials, like peanut butter, milk, and orange juice. Not only were traditional foods available, there was a whole aisle devoted to housewares such as rice cookers, plastic and ceramic plates and bowls, teapots and saute pans. What really caught my eye was the refrigerated section which had frozen dumplings. As a souvenir from the trip I had bought a pack of frozen dumplings, which turned out to be really tasty.

When my group and I went to visit the supermarket after school one day, we were pleased to see many house-wives and their children doing the grocery shopping for the week. The children running to their moms with pocky sticks asking for an after school snack, while the women were picking out dragon fruits, bok choy etc.

The Hong Kong Supermarket serves as a home away from home to these Chinese immigrants. Since culture is mostly communicated through food and different cuisines the Hong Kong supermarket serves as a medium for non Chinese people to understand Chinese culture and explore new food options. Along with that, it allows for the Chinese to stay in touch with their roots and make traditional foods in their home and extend those recipes to their children. While smelling a little fishy let’s head on over to the Flushing Meeting House!

Flushing Meeting House

After visiting the rich cultural foods from the Hong Kong Supermarket, continue down Main Street and make a right at Northern Boulevard to visit the fourth stop on this tour: the Flushing Meeting House. It was first established in 1695 as a place of worship for Quakers and it is used to this day. In fact, this meeting house is the country’s second oldest house of worship in continuous use. Although there is an acceptance of Quakers in Flushing now, it wasn’t like that when the neighborhood was first established.

Before America won its independence from Britain, New York was a Dutch colony, which was originally called New Netherlands. The Quakers, also known as the members of the Society of Friends, came to Flushing to flee from religious persecution in England. However, Peter Stuyvesant, the director general of New Netherland, saw these members as radicals and alienated them from the rest of the colony. With the help of the colonists living in the area, the Quakers in the end received a well-deserved welcoming to the colony. In 1650, a letter called the Flushing Remonstrance was signed by 30 citizens of Flushing, not Quakers themselves. This letter told the authorities that the colonists refused to collectively punish, banish or persecute the Quakers and they reminded Stuyvesant that under colonial law, freedom of religion extended to all.

Once the Quakers received the freedom to practice their own religion, they started working on helping others experience that same freedom. In 1718, a Flushing Quaker by the name of William Burling wrote one of the first pamphlets criticizing slavery. Although he didn’t call for the extreme of condemning slavery, he urged his readers to question it. By 1776, when America was fighting a revolution for freedom, the Quakers in New York had already condemned slavery even though the entire state had legalized slavery until 1827.

The Quaker’s friendliness towards the African American slaves didn’t come only through condemnation of the act of slavery. In 1800, the Quakers in North Carolina joined the New York Quakers in opposing slavery and sold their slaves up North so that these New York Quakers could free them. This sale soon became smuggling, which later became a part of the Underground Railroad. Most of the Underground Railroad stops in the New York area were in Manhattan, but recent research turned up evidence that many slaves were also smuggled into Quaker homes in Flushing. These slaves were later brought into Whitestone and crossed the East River to the Bronx so that they can eventually end up in Canada.

This is an important stop on this walking tour because it shows the origins of the Flushing neighborhood before more Asians came to it. The meeting house is established as a National Historic Landmark, an Individual New York City Landmark, and it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It shows the history members of the Society of Friends have made while struggling against religious intolerance, slavery, and injustice. If you want to learn more about the Quaker’s history or religion, become a Quaker for a day! There are meetings for worship every Sunday at 11:00 a.m. and the house is open for tours every Sunday.

Flushing Town Hall

The fifth stop on our walking tour, just around the corner from the Flushing Meeting House is the Flushing Town Hall. If you make a left on Linden Place, the marvelous structure is on the right side of the street. Located just on Northern Boulevard, the town hall is the official government building of Flushing. The beautiful landmark, noted as a New York City Landmark in 1968, is a 2-story brick building. Many may notice that the architecture of the town hall does not “match” well with the other architecture of the area. That is because its design stemmed from the Germans, using a style referred to as the “Rundbogenstil” style. It was originally constructed in 1862.

Historically, the Flushing Town Hall has served a variety of purposes throughout its existence. During the civil war, conscripts from Long Island were sworn into the Union Army right at the Town Hall’s assembly hall, while the ground floor was home to the civic offices. During the late 19th century, the town hall then began to be used for some opera and travelling theatrical performances. Not too long after, the town hall was used, yet again, for another purpose. From 1902 to the early 1960s, it functioned at the main courthouse of the area, and with the extension that was constructed in 1904, it also served as a jail (whoa, there!).

While it is clear that the Town Hall has always been a hub of activity, it did suffer considerable neglect, and subsequent damage, from the late 1960s to the late 1980s. However, after a hunt in 1990 by the Queens Borough President for a good nonprofit to manage the town hall for a longer period, the FCCA, or the Flushing Council on Culture and Arts was selected to restore the landmark, which they did by developing an amazing center for the visual and performing arts.

Today, the Town Hall includes an approximate 300-seat concert hall, gallery, classroom, and garden for outdoor events. In fact, the venue is so stunning and full of culture, that it is often used for weddings and other major occasions. Who knows, maybe one day when passing through this bustling part of Flushing, you may photobomb a couple or two!

In my opinion, what is most impressive here isn’t even the countless opportunities the FCCA has to offer, but the enrichment that the center as a whole has provided to the community. Flushing, and even NYC as we know it, has evolved to be a hub of business, transaction, and not necessarily where one is able to stop and appreciate the history of something. However, the Town Hall, having lived through many landmark events such as the Civil War, has continued to preserve its history, and provide opportunities for the public to experience this as well. When visiting the Flushing Town Hall, you can experience a jazz performance, world music, puppetry, dance, school programs, interactive workshops, and much more! The Town Hall continues to serve as a unifying, central part of Flushing which can bring people together, not only teaching them about what Flushing has been through in the past, but it can also allow them to build new memories.

If you would like to visit the Town Hall, maybe you would like to consider attending an event, some of which include the Monthly Jazz Jam, the upcoming “Tango, Soul, & Passion: Piano Music from Japan & the Americas”, the “Ba Ban Chinese Music Society: Along the Yangtze River”, and many, many more! Tickets are available at the box office at the Town Hall, with student ticket prices available if you purchase them in advance. Worried about getting there? No problem! The Town Hall is easy to get to by subway, or car (there is free parking for patrons!), so there is no reason not to go!

Flushing High School

The sixth stop on our adventurous tour will be the Flushing High School right off Northern Boulevard and Union street, towards 35th Street. Flushing High School is the home of the Devils. It was founded in 1875 and it is considered the oldest public school in the city. By, 1891, the school was growing and more room was needed and the current structure was built. In 1899 there were only six graduates with a faculty of seven. The school has won a reputation and a place of honor in the borough, the city and state.

Flushing High School is home to 2,186 student. The school is made up of 52% Hispanic students, 23% African American students, 20% Asian students ad about 4% white students. It was designated as a landmark by the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission in 1991.

Since this school is set in a predominantly immigrant community, the school offers many extra curricular programs like ESL classes. These classes help students whose second language is English, and help them become more proficient. Along with that the school offers many programs that allow students to have exposure to possible career options. For example, they have the Thurgood Marshall Academy for Legal Studies, Academy of Business and Entrepreneurial Studies, and Environmental Maritime Math and Science Institute. These programs allow students to learn more in depth about law, business and medicine, for possible career options like lawyers, entrepreneurs and doctors. 

Bowne House Museum

Once you visit the Flushing High School Devils, return back to Northern Boulevard, head east along the boulevard, and turn right on Bowne Street. After walking one block down Bowne Street, the Bowne House Museum will be on the left side of the street. This museum is preserved to honor John Bowne, one of the early New Netherland colonists, since the settlement was originally his house. He was mostly known for his courageous defense against religious persecution.

When the director general Peter Stuyvesant banned colonists from associating with the Quakers and prohibited Quakers from practicing their religion, John Bowne openly defied the ban and allowed the Quakers to hold their services in his home. He was also one of the colonists that signed the Flushing Remonstrance. for his defiance, Bowne was arrested and imprisoned in 1662. To make matters worse, when he refused to pay the fine or plead guilty for his “crime,” Stuyvesant exiled him to Holland, where Bowne successfully argued his case to the Dutch West India Company (the company which sponsored the colonial settlement of New Netherlands). Stuyvesant was then ordered to permit the Quakers to worship freely. After winning his case, Bowne returned back to Flushing victorious in 1664 and the principle of religious freedom was established in the colony. His and other Flushing residents’ actions in defense of the Quakers’ religious freedom helped establish principles that evolved into the Bill of Rights of the United States Constitution.

In 1946, a group of local Flushing residents founded the Bowne House Historical Society for the sole purpose of purchasing Bowne’s house and opening it as a museum. The house has been operating as a museum since 1947. This colonist is important to this tour because not only did he carry a huge impact on Flushing history, but he also shows his influence on the Flushing neighborhood. The street the house is located on is named after him and there are two public schools in Flushing (one elementary school and one high school) that also honor his name. If you would like to learn more about John Bowne or his courageous fight for religious freedom in the New York Colony, contact the Bowne House Historical Society to book a tour around the house!

Chinese Community Center

The last stop of the walking tour is the Chinese Community Center of Flushing. In order to get to the CCCF, continue heading south on Bowne Street towards 38th Avenue for around ten blocks, turn right on Cherry Avenue, and turn left onto Union Street. The center will be on your left.  As the farthest and last stop on our walking tour, this is arguably one of the most historically, and socio-economically important sites on the tour. The CCCF of New York City is a local, grassroots organization composed of many dedicated individuals, volunteers, and community leaders, all with the common goal of improving the community of the greater New York Metropolitan Area. Before I go any further into explaining the significance of this organization, I would like to emphasize here that although it is the Chinese Community Center of Flushing, their programs and staff are not limited to the Chinese-American, or even Asian-American population of Flushing, but instead the population as a whole.

The CCCF was founded in 2011 by Howard Sang, a community activist and now-chairman of the organization. The Board of Directors, along with their team of educators, physicians, and many more enthusiastic members all contribute to an enriching, resourceful center where the people of Flushing can to for help.

The services of the CCCF are extensive (and when I say that, I mean that). The broad categories of programs are: youth programs, adult education, social services, senior social adult day care, chinese culture program, and table tennis. While the tour is not long enough to go into detail on all of the components of each program, I will highlight some of what I see as the most useful programs they have to offer. For the young adults, there is free SAT Prep, where educators prep high school students, instilling “confidence and awareness”, preparing them through classroom instruction and practice exams. Upon learning of this opportunity, I was, in fact, very jealous that I did not grow up in Flushing. Living on Long Island, I never had such an opportunity, was instead of force thousands of dollars for an SAT tutor, which not only put financial stress of my family, but was also taught by an undergraduate student, not even a certified-teacher like at the CCCF! In terms of their social services, seniors are provided with free health screening by trained clinicians, who offer services such as free sugar and blood tests. As a matter of fact, volunteer physicians also often come to the center to give our free flu vaccines. I find this very impactful to the community, because often in large communities such as Flushing, it is easy for the senior citizens to get “swallowed up” for a lack of a better term, their care neglected. However, the CCCF makes their welfare a priority, revealing the emphasis their culture puts on the care for the elderly.

I won’t elaborate more on the services offered, because those are easily accessible on their website. But, what I will say is, the CCCF is a prime example of a genuine, non-profit organization that only seeks to provide aid and relief to a large community that may not get it otherwise. Upon hearing about the CCCF, one may turn away, saying that they are restricted to serving only the Chinese-American population of Flushing, but this is not the case. Their great efforts are accessible to anyone in need, and this not only provides solidarity of the Flushing community, but it also demonstrates their commitment to community and charity.

So, if you live in Flushing, make sure to visit. If you don’t live in Flushing, still visit. I hope that you will all be as surprised, inspired, and in awe, like I was. Be it the supermarkets or the Bowne house, Flushing is a niche in Queens, NYC that is home to innumerable cultures, languages, and minds. However, this busy neighborhood stands to prove that despite the overwhelming size, ever-busy streets, and language barriers, all it takes is a group of people who love their city, appreciate its culture, and will contribute in their own way to retain its value, for a city to become great. Although one may think directly of produce and fresh seafood when they hear Flushing, our research, and this tour, shows the hidden gems of Flushing, and all its little treasures to the cultural mosaic New Yorker’s are proud to call our city, New York City.

Works Cited

“Current Queens County, New York Population, Demographics and Stats in 2016, 2015.” SuburbanStats.org. US Census Bureau, 2016. Web. 01 Apr. 2016.

Dworkowitz, Alexander. “Flushing: Likely Stop on Underground Railroad.”Times Ledger. Community News Group, 28 Feb. 2002. Web. 01 Apr. 2016.

“Flushing Quaker Meeting House.” Flushing Quaker Meeting House. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Apr. 2016.

“Flushing Town Hall.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 02 Apr. 2016.

“Flushing High School – Insideschools.org.” Flushing High School -Insideschools.org. Insideschools, 2016. Web. 01 Apr. 2016.

“History: Early History and Organization.” Queens Library. N.p., 2016. Web. 02 Apr. 2016.

“Hong Kong Supermarket.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 2015. Web. 01 Apr. 2016.

“New World Mall – New York’s Largest Asian Indoor Mall.” New World Mall – New York’s

Largest Asian Indoor Mall. New World Group, n.d. Web. 01 Apr. 2016.

Ravo, Nick. “Caldor, in Bankruptcy, to Shut Its Stores.” The New York Times. The New York Times, 22 Jan. 1999. Web. 01 Apr. 2016.

Strausbaugh, John. “The Melting Pot on a High Boil in Flushing.” New York Times. The New York Times Company, 2 May 2008. Web. 17 Mar. 2016.

“The Bowne Family Biographies.” The Bowne House Historical Society. The Bowne HouseHistorical Society, n.d. Web. 01 Apr. 2016.

By: Daniella Jakubowitz, Sabrina Mammen, Rabia Mehmood, Divya Roy, Sharon Santhosh

Welcome to Jackson Heights, a neighborhood that is a bustling melange of various ethnicities and nationalities. Come experience the sights and sounds of this historic Queens neighborhood, as it continues to expand and grow in diversity. You won’t be disappointed with the bold flavors and captivating smells of delicious Mexican and Ecuadorian foods. Stick around and go for a stroll in the lovely Jackson Heights parks and experience all that this great community has to offer!

GUYACO’S
81-42 Baxter Avenue

Tired after you’re long commute into Jackson Heights? Can’t find a place to satisfy your hunger? Well, look no further! Come on down to Guyaco’s Ecuadorian Restaurant located on 81-42 Baxter Avenue. The store proudly displays its red, blue and yellow and embodies all that Ecuadorian cuisine has to offer. Run by Ecuadorian co-owner Carlos, the restaurant has been a huge part of the Jackson Heights community for almost 10 years.

Immediately upon entering the quaint and comforting setting, one can’t help but be overwhelmed by the sights and smells of the freshly cooked empanadas and beautifully plated flans. The establishment specializes in meat dishes such as Carne en palito, which is a thin skewer of beef served with ripe plantain or chorizos, and a variety of seafood such as shrimp served in a garlic butter sauce called Langostiono. Rice platters and endless Hispanic treats continue to be served on a daily basis, and display the bold flavors of different regions in Ecuador. The flavor explosion doesn’t stop there, as more dishes such as Arroz con pollo and Cevice continue to be best sellers.

After a hearty entree, you’ll never leave without dessert, as Guyaco’s serves up freshly fried Choclo, an Andean corn snack and of course the famous Ecuadorian flans. Canelazo is a popular drink among Ecuadorian immigrants in Jackson Heights, as it combines the flavors of sugar, lemon, cinnamon, and Aguaridiente into a warmly served drink.

Carlos and his brother are extremely proud of the success of their business, especially after having faced many financial and language obstacles caused by their immigrant experience. They have worked hard to make Guyaco’s a successful business that strives to serve their community better. Guyaco’s savory dishes and home cooked meals evokes memories of Ecuador for many immigrants settling in Jackson Heights and has been a source of comfort for many who miss home. Open from 10 am- 9pm, the small restaurant serves almost 100 people per day and proudly serves up the ethnic delights of many Ecuadorian immigrants.

DELGADO TRAVEL
83-16 Northern Blvd

After you’ve eaten an empanada or two at Guyaco’s, get ready to walk down one block and turn left. While walking down Roosevelt Avenue, between 79th and 80th streets, you will find a spot, while seemingly mundane, that plays a key role in the lives of Latino immigrants of Jackson Heights: Delgado Travel. This agency has been a family-owned business for over 40 years. They have even expanded to other areas in New York, New Jersey, and Illinois. Their services include money transfer, money exchange, travel tickets, international calls, prepaid minutes, courier services to Ecuador and Mexico, newspapers, and radios.

Many hispanic immigrants, are simply earning money to support their families back home. Their overarching goal is actually not to stay here in the United States. Rather, they aim to move back home permanently with enough money to continue supporting their loved ones.

For example, Carlos, our friend from down on 81st-42nd street, works towards this main goal: to earn enough money working at his brother’s restaurant so that he can go back home to Ecuador and live with his family forever. Agencies like Delgado Travel help make these ventures possible when such immigrants are ready to leave.

The agency’s Spanish title already gives immigrants a sense of trust and comfort when seeking help to travel. Overall, Delgado Travel encourages immigrants to pursue their goals, whether it is to work hard to be able to visit home, or to move back permanently.

ZONI LANGUAGE CENTER
78-14 Roosevelt Ave

Our next stop, a block away, is probably one of the most pivotal for the neighborhood inhabitants, situated right between 78th and 79th. This is Jackson Height’s very own Zoni Language Center. The Zoni language Center is a widely known resource in areas including other parts of New York City, Miami Beach, London and Vancouver. They really provide assistance in helping their clients speak English very fluently and Jackson Heights is probably one of the most optimal place for this. With people ranging from all over the world including South Asia, China and Latin America. Zoni is a perfect medium for these immigrants to initiate the better life they were hoping for.

They have selection of more than 20 courses, including ESL, Business English, TOEFL, Premium Intensive English, American Culture through media, Survival English and many more with affordable prices which is what really attracts these immigrants. Their flexible scheduling allows students to meet either in the morning, afternoon or evening depending on their availability which is a significant attribute in that a majority of their student population are newly landed immigrants and they work multiple jobs so they are very understanding to the community needs.

Not surprisingly a lot of their student population include Hispanics, Chinese, and Indians. For newly landed immigrants, even in they know English it might be hard to use it in day to day communication and for that reason Zoni serves as a helping hand in getting these immigrants independent and on their feet. When interviewing the Ecuadorians of Jackson Heights, many mentioned that the Zoni Language center is a place they go to attain a GED, etc. so that they can look for a better way of living. Many Ecuadorian men choose to come to the language center rather than woman because men usually run and work more for the household compared to women. Women usually opt to work in native restaurants/shops, babysit, and in worse case scenarios work as prostitutes.

COMMUNITY METHODIST CHURCH
81-10 35th Ave, Jackson

Now we will be traveling away from the bustling and hustling of the busy streets along Roosevelt Avenue and head back the way we came by about three blocks and take a left on 81st Street! Two blocks down sits a place that holds a lot of meaning to neighborhood immigrants, the Community United Methodist Church.

This local church serves as a mediator for Christians who are from different backgrounds. The mission of the church is to create a community that lives together in harmony and peace. The Church offers services in English, Chinese, Spanish, and Korean. The church started in 1916 when Jackson Heights was still an emerging community and the members decided that a place of worship was necessary. The first worship services were at the Southwest corner of Polk Avenue and 25th Street, which is now a Capitol One bank. Then, in 1919 the Queensboro Corporation offered to give the land that we are standing on right now, as long as the church maintained partnership with the corporation to serve the community. During 1960s, there was a large European American attendance, but as the community started to evolve, the first Chinese, Spanish and Korean services started to take root.

Church in 1938

The church also provides additional services for its members and non-members who are struggling in their own ways. They reach out to the community by placing summer programs for kids, bible study groups, youth targeting retreats, etc. They also accommodate weddings, concerts, luncheons, and charity events.

Although a majority of Ecuadorians are Catholic and you can find multiple religious vendors that appeal to the Catholic population in Jackson Heights, many try to assimilate with the American culture by attending Protestant churches such as this Methodist Church. The inaccessibility to Catholic churches in the neighborhood also promoted these immigrants to attend Protestant churches. As a result, generations of Ecuadorian immigrants in Jackson Heights have been found attending churches such as the Community Methodist Church. It has come to be blended into their lives and traditions.

Present day

DUNOLLY AND TRAVERS PARK
34th Ave, Jackson Heights

We are currently walking through the residential area of Jackson Heights towards Travers Park. The majority of 34th and 35th avenue and most of the side streets between Northern Boulevard and 37th Avenue are residential. Latinos make up more than 50% of the population in these areas; Argentineans, Colombians, Mexicans, and Ecuadorians making up the largest ethnic groups. The Queensboro Corporation had the idea to create garden apartment buildings to give a greater aesthetic value to the area. The actual apartment building covered less than half of the property’s land.

Copyright (C), Multiple Listing Service of Long Island, Inc, 2004

Keep to the right side. The buildings were built around interior gardens that receive plenty of sunlight and air, giving the urban lifestyle a taste of greener park life. The beautifully landscaped gardens were grown within the walls of the apartments which made them more quiet and secluded. There are multiple garden apartments throughout the residential area.

The specific streets in which we are walking down contain the Dunolly Gardens Co-ops, which are in a prime square block in Jackson Heights Historic District. The Dunolly Gardens is a full block long and, as you can tell, has a more modern look than the other buildings from its time. It replaced the original Jackson Heights golf course.

Let’s keep walking straight for about two more minutes until we reach the park. Try to stay close together so everyone can hear. Traver’s Park was built in 1938 and it is the last project that Andrew J. Thomas, a self-taught American architect, completed. The idea of the garden apartment community was to lure in the middle class out of Manhattan and into these buildings. There were many attractions near these apartments that made them more inviting including restaurants, groceries, and parks.

We have just arrived at one of the most famous parks in Jackson Heights, Travers Park. Feel free to take a seat on the benches. This park was named after Jackson Height’s community leader, Thomas J. Travers. It was established in 1949 and later reconstructed in 1995. Travers Park is located in the heart of the residential area and is the neighborhood’s largest recreational space. There are basketball courts, tennis courts, benches, spray showers, playgrounds and fresh greenery. The park is used as a social area where all the different ethnic groups living in the area gather together to hang out with each other.

If you take a moment to listen to the sounds around you, you will notice the laughter of the children, the balls bouncing, and the teenagers and adults conversing mainly in Spanish and English. If you look a little to your left you can see a soccer game that looks like it just started to get a bit heated. Boys and girls at the park can be seen sporting jerseys from multiple different Hispanic countries including Mexico and Ecuador. As you can see, the park is both aesthetically pleasing as well as fun for all ages. You can stroll around the park for a little, watching one of the sports games, breathe in the air, or just relax before we move on to our next stop.

If you happen to be sitting on one of the park benches on August 10th and look a block ahead, you may catch a glimpse of the annual Ecuadorian Parade. Every summer, the annual Ecuadorian Parade runs through the Northern Boulevard to 90th Street, filling the air with Ecuadorian culture. Ecuadorians from Jackson Heights and sometimes all of New York come and take part in the festivities. The parade livens up the streets with floats, historic cars, dancers and musicians who celebrate Ecuadorian culture. The parade celebrates the National Holiday in Ecuador during which they gained independence from Spain in 1822. Politicians including U.S. Senator Chuck Shumer and Judge Carmen R. Velazquez, the first Ecuadorian judge in NY State, usually sponsor the festivities.

Jessica Lucero and Lizeth Lucero, 4, at the Ecuadorian parade Sunday. Photo by Ken Maldonado

P.S. 69 ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
77-02 37th Ave

After your lovely stroll through Travers Park, keep walking down 35th avenue and you’ll arrive at our next stop- Jackson Height’s very own elementary school- P.S. 69! P.S. 69, operating in New York City’s Geographic #30 School District, has served the children of Jackson Heights for decades with its mission to provide equality in education. With its president, Martha Vasquez, the school has made it an important goal to provide both parental and student support to enable children to reach their full potential. The school takes special note of appreciating and respecting all the different ethnicities and nationalities that are found within the student community.

The school is currently serving 1235 children in grades pre-k to 5th grade. Many of those who are in attendance take part in the school’s special academic programs including literacy, computer classes, music classes, and school for performing arts. Along with academic programs, PS 69 also offers a number of non-academic activities including vocal ensembles, ballroom dancing, guitar groups, and theatre residencies.

Ms. USA visits PS 69

In order to provide the students with a more wider array of activities, the school has partnered with athletic organizations such as Public School Athletic League and Charter School Athletic Association. Students also qualify for free or reduced meal services, which is a great help for those immigrant families struggling to feed their children.

PS 69 Elementary School functions with the knowledge that many of its students come from differing backgrounds, as we see that almost 88% of the children are Asian or Hispanic. Furthermore, the minority enrollment is 100%, which is more than the state average of 54%. The vision of P.S. 69, a global school community is, with parental support, to promote academic excellence, embrace cultural awareness, and develop tolerance, respect and civic responsibility in a safe and healthy collaborative environment.

ECUADORIAN INTERNATIONAL CENTER
37-47 76th St

Let us now walk to the Ecuadorian International Center. After taking a left onto 76th street a block down, you will arrive at a quaint little establishment camouflaged by other small signs and ads. Established in 1999, this organization works to ease the plight of new Ecuadorians and to break down the economic and political barriers that often hinder Ecuadorians from getting involved in their community and procuring livelihood. Barriers such as unemployment, insufficient documentation, poor living accommodations, and the financial burden of a family are a few among the many faced. It is hard for many people of such backgrounds in a new country, especially when anti-immigrant sentiments are present and discourage them from working hard and succeeding.

Through this organization, Latino immigrants of New York City are encouraged in areas of job development, public health education, adult literacy, Citizenship education, and legal assistance. If a certain immigrant is in need of documentation papers, work permits, or GED/HSE, the organization provides support and resources to empower them to do so. While the lives of immigrants are many times inundated with the stresses of maintaining a stable new life, this organization seeks to make their lives easier.

JACKSON HEIGHTS TRAIN STATION/ 7 SUBWAY LINE
Roosevelt Avenue

For our next and final stop, you will have to walk down 76th street turn left turn onto Roosevelt Avenue, where you will arrive at key historical site of Jackson Heights- the train station. This bustling spot, filled with the din of chatter between travelers and the honks of cars squeezing through narrow roads, proved to be a catalyst for demographic change in the area by the 1960s.

Initially, residents of Jackson Heights travelled via the New York and Queens County Railroad Jackson Avenue trolleys. 1915 marked the start of the 7 train, a key development that would change the way people travelled to and from Jackson Heights. This train was the first passenger train from Grand Central Station through the 42nd street tunnel to arrive at Jackson Avenue. Tickets for trains saw dramatic increases through the 1920s, and by the 1960s as mentioned earlier, different people started pouring into Jackson Heights.

For many immigrants, especially those who found their way into the country illegally, driving and personal transportation was not an option. Many times such transportation was too costly to pay for combined with the costs of basic living necessities. The subway system and public transportation of and around Jackson Heights was easily accessible, and shone as a key resource for immigrant livelihood.

Jackson Heights, a prosperous and commercial hub, offered many jobs that immigrants were ready to take. With the development of this public transportation, they now could. Step off of the 7 train and onto 82nd street, and you will be immersed in the smell of baked goods, the noises of people shuffling between roads and across streets, and of course all types of conversations in Spanish. Many immigrants were of Latino descent including Ecuadorian, Peruvian, Argentinian, Mexican, and slew of other Latino ethnicities. All of these different people found their way into Jackson Heights with the development of public transportation.

After speaking with some Ecuadorian immigrants, we realized that many initially settled in New Jersey. In fact, some simply came here for work. This alone expresses the importance that public transportation held in the lives of such immigrants. As Jackson Heights offers many opportunities for jobs and businesses, immigrants are prompted to travel far from their homes and back in order to procure livelihood. The efficient and cost effective option of public transportation like this subway station made it possible for immigrants to find a place to start their small businesses and make a name for themselves in this foreign country.

References

“10 Things To Do And See In Jackson Heights.” The Culture Trip. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2016.

“About.” New Immigrant Community Empowerment. Web. 17 Mar. 2016.

“A Walk Through Queens . See the Sites | Thirteen/WNET.” A Walk Through Queens . See the Sites | Thirteen/WNET. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2016.

Barken, Elliott Robert. “Immigrants in American History.” Google Books. ABC-CLIO, n.d. Web. 19 Mar. 2016.

“Dunolly Gardens Co-op • Jackson Heights Gardens.” JACKSON HEIGHTS GARDENS Real Estate Resource RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2016.

“Ecuadorian International Center, Inc.” Ecuadorian International Center, Inc. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Mar. 2016.

” Ecuadorian Street Foods You Must Try – Visiting Ecuador.” Laylitas Travels. N.p., 25 June 2014. Web. 24 Mar. 2016

Fernandez, Manny, Annie Correal, and Angelica Medaglia. “In Queens, No Breach of an Ecuadorian-Colombian Border.” New York Times 09 Mar. 2008: 35. Academic Search Complete. Web. 15 Mar. 2016.

Flores, José Miguel. “Globalization And Urban Opportunities In The Immigrant Cityscape.” Florida Journal Of International Law 17.3 (2005): 719-751. Academic Search Complete. Web. 19 Mar. 2016.

“JACKSON HEIGHTS CO-OPS.” Jackson Heights Landmarks. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2016.

“Jackson Heights Religious Institutions.” Four Diverse Communities. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2016

Jokisch, Brad. “Ecuador: Diversity in Migration.” Migrationpolicy.org. N.p., 01 Feb. 2007. Web. 15 Mar. 2016.

Motel, Seth. “Hispanics of Ecuadorian Origin in the United States, 2010.” Pew Research Centers Hispanic Trends Project RSS. N.p., 27 June 2012. Web. 15 Mar. 2016.

“Nonprofit (Jackson Heights, Queens): Ecuadorian International Center,.” Idealist.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Mar. 2016.

“NYC DCP Census Fact Finder.” NYC.gov. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2016.

Pallares, Amalia. “Ecuadorian Immigrants And Symbolic Nationalism In Chicago.” Lat Stud Latino Studies 3.3 (2005): 347-71. Web.

“Welcome.” – P.S. 069 Jackson Heights. New York City Department of Education, n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2016

By Taylor Castro, Lillian Lieu, Navin Rana, and Elaine Wong

To start on our virtual walking tour, please click on continue reading.

Continue reading →