This scene shows a glimpse at the underground life of New York City. It shows something that is familiar to many immigrants who come looking for jobs. Instead of belonging to unions, immigrants are on their own and must accept any job they can find, such as the ones at this employment agency. The work most likely pays very little and offers few benefits. It violates some labor laws and is very unorganized, as can be seen in how the jobs are posted on small pieces of paper. Most people go on about their day and rarely think about this underground aspect of New York City. Immigrants ultimately operate the small businesses that can be seen on every block and work some of the most menial jobs. Immigrants are responsible for shaping certain aspects of New York City life. They keep their own culture from their homeland, but at the same time form a new culture that is specific to New York City and their neighborhoods. This photo is important to me because it is similar to my father’s story. My father immigrated to this country from Peru in the 1980s with only several dollars in his pocket. He was lucky to find a cheap apartment in the Bronx, as well as a job at a local movie theatre. The job was similar to the jobs listed by the employment agency in the photo, in that the job paid low wages. He was able to work full time while attending college and eventually quit his menial job after graduating. He became a university professor and used the income from his new job to buy us a new house upstate, and move our family out of the Bronx.