What’s Your Story? 2013 Welcoming Stories Potluck and Screening
Sunday, April 21, 2013, 4:30-7:00pm
Location: Immigrant Movement International
Address: 108-59 Roosevelt Avenue, Queens, NY 11368
Transportation: 7 train to the 103rd and Roosevelt Avenue stop
Free & Open to All, Please RSVP at http://whatsyourstory2013.eventbrite.com

NEW YORK, NY, April 14, 2013—New York City’s 10th Annual Immigrant Heritage Week, organized by NYC Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, Immigrant Movement International and First Person American present What’s Your Story? 2013 Welcoming Stories Potluck and Screening—a community event screening 9 short films that explore personal narratives from immigrants about the people who welcomed them and changed their lives forever. Immigrant Movement International, located in Queens, New York, will host What’s Your Story? 2013 Welcoming Stories Potluck and Screening on Sunday, April 21, 2013 at 4:30 PM.

What’s Your Story? 2013 Welcoming Stories Potluck and Screening will start at 4:30 PM with a potluck style “welcoming dinner” where attendees can meet others in the New York community and welcome each other with favorite dishes from their home country.

With the office of Immigrant Movement International serving as the family room, What’s Your Story? 2013 Welcoming Stories Potluck and Screening will show the tremendous impact small acts of kindness had during several immigrants’ lives. The films were created as part of the Welcoming Stories pilot series and the Newcomers High School Welcoming Stories Workshop. What’s Your Story? 2013 Welcoming Stories Potluck and Screening will include Yasmany’s story of discovering his American “swag,” Nika’s story about overcoming the difficulties of the American classroom, and Leila’s escaping an arranged marriage to pursue her own American dream. Attendees will also see how Newcomers High School students transformed from story tellers to activists in the short film Behind the Scenes of Newcomer High School Welcoming Stories.

A local hub for the immigrant community in Queens, New York, Immigrant Movement International will become a stage for storytelling and activism. The event will be an opportunity for the New York community to come together and celebrate its diversity, but it will also give attendees the chance to learn how they can be more welcoming and promote a culture of understanding in their own neighborhoods.

Please RSVP at http://whatsyourstory2013.eventbrite.com

ABOUT FIRST PERSON AMERICAN
First Person American focuses on stories of modern immigrants in the US, and explores what it means to be American through the lens of the immigrant in an expressive, personal and narrative style. First Person American aims to change the public’s perception of immigrants and to interject a new voice through deep and poignant portraits of people who immigrated to America. The mission of First Person American is to have a transformative effect on individual immigrant and non-immigrant lives and communities. First Person American is a recipient of the 2010 Sappi Ideas That Matter Grant, the 2011 Design Ignites Change Grant, the 2012 Facing History and Ourselves Award, and the 2013 Citizens Committee of New York Grant. For more information, please visit www.firstpersonamerican.org, follow us on Twitter@FPAmerican, and like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/firstpersonamerican.

ABOUT THE 10th ANNUAL IMMIGRANT HERITAGE WEEK
Immigrant Heritage Week is a citywide celebration, organized by NYC Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, that honors the experiences and contributions of the millions of immigrants who have shaped New York City for generations. The 10th Annual Immigrant Heritage Week will be held in New York City from April 17t to April 24 2013. For more information, visit www.nyc.gov/nycihw

ABOUT THE 10th ANNUAL IMMIGRANT MOVEMENT INTERNATIONAL
Tania Bruguera’s concept for Immigrant Movement International was inspired by the civil unrest in the suburbs of Paris in 2005 led by immigrants. Immigrant Movement International (IM International) launched in March 2011 in Corona, Queens, New York. Queens is a borough known for its vibrant immigrant population, with more than 45% of the population being foreign born, and with approximately 138 languages spoken. For more information, visit http://immigrant-movement.us

First Person American presents the What’s Your Story? 2012 Premiere – a collection of short films that explore personal immigration narratives from high school students

NEW YORK, NY, July 13, 2012—First Person American and the Human Rights class at Newcomers High School present What’s Your Story? 2012—a premiere showcasing short films that explore personal immigration narratives from high school students about the people that welcomed them and changed their lives forever. The National Park Service (NPS) will host the What’s Your Story? NYC Premiere on Friday, July 20, 2012 2–4pm, at the Ellis Island Immigration Museum, part of Statue of Liberty National Monument.

What’s Your Story? 2012 will premiere four short films: Welcoming Stories Behind the Scenes, a short film that shows how the students transformed from storyteller to activist, as well as three student-produced short films of Dino’s Welcoming Story, Masuma’s Welcoming Story, and Yasmany’s Welcoming Story. Additionally, Newcomers High School students will share how they became a welcoming person, and will give tips to guests on how to be more welcoming to immigrants in their local communities. Following the premiere, guests will be encouraged to stay and create a Welcoming Story with First Person American.

The films produced for What’s Your Story? 2012 were created as part of a Welcoming Stories Workshop that took place with Julie Mann’s Human Rights class at Newcomers High School—a 100% immigrant high school in Long Island City. The workshop was funded, in part, by the Facing History and Ourselves, Margot Stern Strom Teaching Award. Ms. Mann, the 2012 recipient of the Margot Stern Strom Teaching Award, has been a Facing History teacher for more than a decade, using the materials and pedagogies provided the organization.

The Welcoming Stories Workshop is an education outreach program created by First Person American that integrates storytelling, journalism, activism and video production to help immigrants gain a deeper understanding of immigrant assimilation. By partnering with the Human Rights class, First Person American gave students the opportunity to explore how sharing their immigration experiences can improve human rights for other immigrants. The Welcoming Stories Workshop culminated with a student assembly on June 1, 2012 at Newcomers High School.

With Ellis Island as a backdrop, What’s Your Story? 2012 will show the tremendous impact small acts of kindness had during Dino’s, Masuma’s, and Yasmany’s assimilation into American life and show how students transformed from storytellers to activists:

• Dino shares his story of coming to America from Montenegro in 2010.  Dino talks about having the opportunity to do something his father never did, the difficulty of leaving behind his younger brother, and his love of soccer.  Now as the captain of the Newcomers High School soccer team, Dino reflects on how his coach, Mr. Llull, helped him on and off the field.
• Masuma talks about leaving Bangladesh with her family when she was 15. Masuma’s initial excitement about coming to the United States was quickly replaced by fear once she realized how little she could communicate. Masuma shares her gratitude for her best friend, Anjum, who helped Masuma learn English and overcome her fears.
• Yasmany shares his story of coming to the United States from Cuba in 2008. Yasmany’s wild imagination allowed him to create a glamorous vision of himself in the United States. He reveals his initial disappointment about arriving in Miami. Yasmany divulges that a move to New York, and becoming best friends with two other immigrant students, Mike and Yandoli, allowed him to finally discover his American “swag”.
• The students of Julie Mann’s Human Rights class reflect on their experience during the Welcoming Stories Workshop. They share why it was important to tell their story, what they learned during the workshop, and how telling their story has empowered them to become a welcoming person.

“The NPS is eager to tell the comprehensive story of American Immigration and Migration on Ellis Island,” said John Hnedak, Deputy Superintendent for Statue of Liberty NM and Ellis Island. “Having focused on the Ellis Island years (1892-1954) since we opened the island to the public in 1990, we are now poised to greatly expand the stories we tell. In partnership with the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, we recently opened “Before Ellis Island”—the first phase of the new “Peopling of America” exhibit. The final phase of the project will be completed within the next year and feature dynamic exhibits on modern immigration and the idea and ideals of citizenship. The stories of the students of Newcomers High School are wonderful illustrations of the concepts embodied in these exhibits and living testimony to the importance of diversity in the shaping of this nation.”

What’s Your Story? 2012 Premiere

When: Friday, July 20, 2012
Where: The Ellis Island Immigration Museum, Theater 2
Time: 2PM–4PM
Tickets: http://whatsyourstory2012.eventbrite.com/
Watch the Trailer:

ABOUT FIRST PERSON AMERICAN

First Person American focuses on stories of modern immigrants in the US, and explores what it means to be American through the lens of the immigrant in an expressive, personal and narrative style. First Person American aims to change the public’s perception of immigrants and to interject a new voice through deep and poignant portraits of people who immigrated to America. The mission of First Person American is to have a transformative effect on individual immigrant and non-immigrant lives and communities. First Person American is a recipient of the 2010 Sappi Ideas That Matter Grant and the 2011 Design Ignites Change Grant. For more information, please visit www.firstpersonamerican.org, follow us on Twitter @FPAmerican, and like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/firstpersonamerican.

ABOUT NEWCOMERS HIGH SCHOOL

Newcomers High School was created to provide immigrant students with an academic program geared to achieve excellence by responding to their unique needs. In accomplishing this goal, our school has designed a rigorous instructional program, while at the same time providing our students and their parents with a supportive environment in their new country. The school serves 915 students 9–12 grade and is located in Long Island City, NY.

ABOUT MS. JULIE MANN’S HUMAN RIGHTS CLASS

Julie Mann leads the Human Rights class at Newcomers High School. Students learn about human rights and how to help support these rights through their own tangible actions. Students learn about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and apply its principals to current situations. In recent years, the focus has been on human rights abuses against immigrants in the United States. Ms. Mann works in partnership with many human rights organizations such as Facing History and Ourselves, The Anti-Defamation League, Not in our Town, and most recently, First Person American. For more information, please visit www.niot.org/nios/newcomers and www.mannhumanrights.blogspot.com.

ABOUT FACING HISTORY AND OURSELVES

Facing History and Ourselves is an international educational and professional development organization whose mission is to engage students of diverse backgrounds in an examination of racism, prejudice, and antisemitism in order to promote the development of a more humane and informed citizenry. By studying the historical development of the Holocaust and other examples of genocide and mass violence, students make the essential connection between history and the moral choices they confront in their own lives. Facing History has provided in-depth seminars for more than 29,000 educators, and its active teacher network reaches nearly two million students annually. For more information, visit www.facinghistory.org.

ABOUT STATUE OF LIBERTY NATIONAL MONUMENT AND ELLIS ISLAND a

The Ellis Island Immigration Museum is part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument and is one of the country’s most popular historic sites.  Opened on January 1, 1892, Ellis Island became the nation’s premier federal immigration station. In operation until 1954, more than 12 million immigrants were processed at the station. The main building was restored after 30 years of abandonment and opened as a museum on September 10, 1990. It has been estimated that more than 40 percent of America’s population today can trace their ancestry through Ellis Island.

ABOUT THE STATUE OF LIBERTY-ELLIS FOUNDATION INC.

The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, Inc. is a non-profit organization founded in 1982 to raise funds for and oversee the historic restorations of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, working in partnership with the National Park Service/U.S. Department of the Interior. In addition to restoring the monuments, the Foundation created a museum in the Statue’s base and the world-class Ellis Island Immigration Museum, The American Immigrant Wall of Honor®, the American Family Immigration History Center® and its newest project The Peopling of America® Center scheduled for completion in 2013. Its endowment has funded over 200 projects at the islands.

Bloomberg, a grandson of Russian immigrants, established the week to celebrate the experiences and contributions of immigrants to New York City and the vibrant life stories New Yorkers have to tell.

This year, you can visit the StoryCorps booth in Foley Square from April 11-17 to share your story of coming to America. StoryCorps is a national, nonprofit organization with a mission to provide Americans of all backgrounds and beliefs with the opportunity to record, share, and preserve the stories of our lives.

The StoryCorps interviews will provide a unique opportunity for New Yorkers to tell their stories of immigration, and reflect on their families’ journeys and dreams. StoryCorps will record 48 interviews during immigrant Heritage Week at the Foley Square StoryBooth and at the Queens, Brooklyn and New York Public Libraries. These stories, which aim to help build cross-cultural bridges of communication, understanding, and respect among New Yorkers, will be captured in a Digital Tapestry online to display the diverse history of our City’s residents. To make a booth reservation, call 646-723-7027 and mention “Immigrant Heritage Week”. Don’t miss this opportunity to share your story!

In addition, this year the Immigrant Heritage Week will feature One NYC One Nation, a civic engagement initiative for immigrant New Yorkers intended to improve the relationship between city government and immigrants who are often unaware of city services available to them.The programs will focus on various issues involving civic engagement, such as becoming more invovled with their children’s schools, participating in city-run English study programs, help with opening bank accounts, college readiness seminars and financial literary sessions.

The program also seeks to identify a new wave of leaders in immigrant communities who have ideas for reshaping their neighborhoods to better suit the changing populations. The mayor’s office is teaming up with the Coro New York Leadership Center to offer small grants to 20 immigrants, who will receive leadership training and help in creating community development projects. The hope is to cultivate a group of potential leaders to represent communities whose voices are seldom heard.

What were some things you needed help navigating when you first arrived to the United States?

For more details visit,
Immigrant Heritage Week 2011
One NYC One Nation Initiative
StoryCorps Immigrant Heritage Week

Limón died of cancer in 1972, but his company continued, becoming the first modern dance company to survive its founder’s death. Now led by Carla Maxwell, who worked closely with Limón before becoming artistic director in 1978, the company celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2006. The company expanded its reach during the 1980’s and 1990’s. In 1985, the Limón Institute was formed as a component of the José Limón Dance Foundation to oversee the licensing of Limón dances and to offer classes in Limón Technique. In 1994, the company established a formal presence in San Jose, California, performing annually and conducting education and outreach activities. When on tour, the company conducts programs including master classes teaching Limón style and repertory, workshops, lectures and pre and post performance talks that educate participants in Limón history and tradition. The achievements of the Limón Dance Foundation include inaugurating the U.S. State Department’s International Exchange Program with a tour to South America in 1954. The company became the first dance company to perform at Lincoln Center, in Philharmonic Hall. In 2008, the José Limón Foundation received the National Medal of Arts, and was recognized for its innovative contributions to American modern dance for over half a century.

Jose Limon Celebration Day
Monday, September 27, 2010
Experience the life of one of America’s greatest choreographers, Mexican-born José Arcadio Limón . The day includes an interactive telling of Limon’s life story developed specifically for young audiences, a repeated biographical film showing, and participating workshops that highlight his unique dance vocabulary and techniques.
www.flushingtownhall.org
Flushing Town Hall, 137-35 Northern Boulevard, 2-5 p.m., free

Reading Carlos Monsiváis in New York
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Carlos Monsiváis was one of Mexico’s most important public intellectuals. For more than 40 years, he served as an indispensable chronicler of Mexican arts, culture and politics. When he died on June 19, 2010, he left an enormous legacy as a writer, critic and patron of popular arts. This homage to Monsiváis will feature a round table discussion with Rafael Barajas “El Fisgón” (Cartoonist for La Jornada), Jean Franco (Professor Emeritus, Columbia University), Rubén Gallo (Professor, Princeton University), Carmen Boullosa (New York-based Mexican Writer). This event will be in Spanish and followed by a reception. This presentation is co-sponsored by Fordham University’s Latin American and Latino Studies Institute (LALSI).
http://www.fordham.edu
Fordham University, Lincoln Center Campus, 113 W 60th St, 7 p.m., free admission, email mahieux@fordham.edu

Tambuco Percussion Ensemble
Thursday, September 30, 2010
This avant-garde drumming group, and a three-time Grammy nominee, Tambuco is renowned for its wide-ranging repertoire and creative interpretations, spanning structuralist percussion music, drumming, and avant-garde sound interpretation. Formed in 1993 by four musicians, Tambuco has recorded and performed with the Kronos Quartet, Michael Nyman, Orquesta Filarmónica de la Ciudad de México, and many others.
http://www.symphonyspace.org
Symphony Space, 2537 Broadway at 94th, 7:30 p.m., $15-34

The Parade is an annual celebration of the great achievements of German immigrants in the United States, and German-American culture and traditions. It is named in honor of General Baron Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben, a Prussian officer who was sent to the US in 1777 to assist the newly formed Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War against the British. Von Steuben met with General George Washington in Valley Forge, PA, in 1778, trained the troops and helped lead them to victory, thus winning independence for the U.S. After the war von Steuben retired to New York, until his death in 1794.

For more than 50 years, the German-American Steuben Parade has grown into a colorful and fun annual event with hundreds of music and dance groups, Karneval groups, folks in Tracht (the traditional, historic garb worn in many German regions), the marksmen and all the other marchers on Fifth Avenue.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is in New York for the General Assembly of the United Nations, will kick off 2010 Steuben Parade. The parade will pay tribute to children’s book author, Dr. Seuss, as well as German-American Yankee legends “Babe” Ruth and Lou Gehrig. It will also remember the late Yankee owner George Steinbrenner, a proud German-American and former Grand Marshal of the parade. This year’s Grand Marshals are German-Americans “Dr. Ruth” Westheimer and Dr. Michael Möller, CEO of the world-famous Hofbräuhaus in München/Germany

After the Parade, all are invited to celebrate Oktoberfest in Central Park. This biggest Oktoberfest in New York City features German beer, food and entertainment from Germany and the United States. This year’s lineup includes music by Alpine Squeeze, entertainment by the music and dance groups from the Parade, a special performance by MELINA, and an appearance by Miss German America Stephanie Russell-Kraft. You can try your hand at “stein holding” in honor of Masskrugstemmen (the national championship of stein holding) that will take place around 5 PM. The winner of this nationwide Bavarian strong-man contest will win a trip to Munich.

So, bring your friends and family and enjoy a great Steuben Parade weekend celebrating German-American heritage, history, tradition and friendship.

Steuben Parade Day
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Mass: 9:30 AM at St. Patrick´s Cathedral held by Archbishop Timothy Dolan in German and English
Parade: Noon on Fifth Avenue and 68th Street
Oktoberfest: starts immediately after the parade in Central Park

For more information on the German-American Steuben parade, visit www.germanparadenyc.org

This year it began on September 16, and will end this Sunday, September 26, 2010. The festivities run every day from noon to midnight, with a Grand Procession parade at 2 p.m. on Saturday, September 25, and the closing ceremonies including a celebratory High Mass and a religious procession on Sunday, September 26 (The official Feast Day). The closing procession will carry the shrine to San Gennaro through the streets of Little Italy.

The festival spans eight blocks, from Houston Street to Canal Street, and features food indigenous to Campania, Italy, including zeppole (dough fritters dipped in powdered sugar), sausages served with peppers and onions, braccioli (pork or beef, wrapped around an herbed cheese filling), grilled sweetbreads (thymus gland), and various Italian-American pastas and pizzas.

“This Feast of San Gennaro holds a special place in the place of Italian people everywhere,” says Joseph Mattone, President of Figli di San Gennaro, Inc. “It is a festive period of faith and redemption, a time for remembrance and reconciliation, and a time for celebration. The delicious food, the free musical entertainment that reflects Italian-American culture and heritage are all there. The Feast brings the world to Little Italy and Little Italy to the world.”

So if you’re in the city this weekend, go to the San Gennaro festival in Little Italy and mangia, mangia!

For more information on the Feast of San Gennaro, visit http://sangennaro.org/

Hispanic Heritage Month Festival

One of the events we’re looking forward to is the corn cooking demonstration with Mexican chef and food historian Zarela Martinez. Maize, or corn, is Mexico’s lifeblood, as the country’s history and identity are entwined with it. The mainstay of the Mexican diet was, and still is, the tortilla, made from corn. The tradition continues today with little change. The kernels are cooked with lime to remove the husk and then ground on a stone slab with a grinding stone. The dough is formed into little round balls and then patted out by hand into thin round cakes or wrapped in a corn husk, the tamale, to then fill and eat. The versatility of the tortilla as a wrapper in endless. They are used for tacos and enchiladas, among native Mexicans, tortillas are commonly used as eating utensils, as a plate as in a tostada, and much more. We’re looking forward to learning (and tasting!) more this week.

Shakira
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
After a four-year absence from New York stages, superstar Shakira returns to the Big Apple with her latest hits, “She Wolf” and “Waka Waka,” and never-tiring hips.
http://www.thegarden.com/events/shakira-910.html
Madison Square Garden, 8 p.m., $10-$150

Zarela’s Mexican Corn Kitchen
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Mexican chef and food historian Zarela Martinez explores the relationship between Mexico’s indigenous cultures and corn with this lecture and cooking demonstration. A tasting of four featured dishes, catered by Zarela’s Restaurant, will follow the demonstration.
http://www.nmai.si.edu
Smithsonian National Museum, 1 Bowling Green, 6 p.m., free admission with reservation: NMAI-NYprograms@si.edu

Issac Delgado
Friday, September 24, 2010
Cuban salsa singer Issac Delgado presents his new album, “L-O-V-E,” which fuses Afro-Caribbean rhythms with elements of bolero and jazz as he re-creates of Spanish hits recorded by Nat (King) Cole in Latin America.
http://www.nysec.org
Concert Hall, New York Society for Ethical Culture, 2 W. 64th St., 8 p.m., $35-$55.

Ely Guerra
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Mexican alt-rock icon Ely Guerra returns to NYC with her newest album, ‘Hombre Invisible,’ she’s collaborated with 30 Seconds to Mars and La Ley, been on the cover of Time with Julieta Venegas and has become an alt-rock icon in Latin America.
http://www.lprnyc.com
Poisson Rouge, 158 Bleecker Street, 7 p.m., $25

Hispanic Heritage Month was started in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage week, which was approved by President Lyndon Johnson. In 1988, the week’s celebration was expanded into a month and enacted into law. The law states that September 15 was chosen as the first day of Hispanic Heritage Month because it coincided with the anniversary of independence day of five Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua, which all declared independence in 1821.

Keep checking back with us as we will be bringing you the highlights of National Hispanic Heritage Month throughout the city. Here is some of our picks for this week:

New York Authentic Mexican Restaurant Week
Ongoing, Sept 16–29
There are way too many Mexican restaurants in New York to sample in one lifetime, so set aside this week to taste prix-fixe menus at 24 of the City’s best, including Mercadito, Toloache and Hecho en Dumbo. See the complete list of participating restaurants on the Celebrate Mexico Now site. For more info on menus (and tequila pairings), contact your restaurant of choice directly.

Hispanic Heritage Month Festival
Saturday, September 18, 2010
People Magazine en Español takes its fifth annual Hispanic Heritage Month festival indoors in Times Square. The all-day event features performances by Mexican pop singer Dulce Maria , New York Dominicana Kat DeLuna, the Mariachi Academy of New York and merengue star Sergio Vargas.
http://www.peopleenespanol.com/pespanol/festival/
1 p.m.– 9 p.m. New York Marriott Marquis, 1535 Broadway. Free.

Natalia Lafourcade
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Part of the next generation of Mexican female singer-songwriters, singer-songwriter Natalia Lafourcade started out as the lead singer of Natalia y la Fourquetina and went on to win a Latin Grammy in 2006 for their album, Casa. Come listen to her own brand of alternative rock fused with the rich and enchanting sounds of bossa nova and folk.
http://www.joespub.com/
8 p.m., Joe’s Pub, 425 Lafayette St. $25.

Moona Luna
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Families can jam to a concert by the Spanish-speaking children’s band Moona Luna, a new bilingual musical project for children by Sandra Lilia Velázquez, front woman for local ranchera-rock band Pistolera. The bilingual group plays family-friendly songs and provides educational and catchy songs that both parents and kids will enjoy.
http://www.elmuseo.org/en/calendar/date_all_all
Noon, El Museo del Barrio, Fifth Ave. at 104th St. Free.

Emtomo-Cuisine: An Insect Pairing Dinner
Saturday, September 18, 2010
You read this right: a four-course dinner based on worms grown by artist Monica Martinez, and prepared by visual artist and chef Philip Ross. The meal is paired with Mezcal San Honesto and accompanied by salsas by La Fundidora. As part of the dinner, Martinez will discuss her Worms project, on view at Eyelevel BQE Gallery, and the producers of Mezcal San Honesto will explain their artisanal process.
RSVP: eyelevelbqe@gmail.com
6 p.m., Brooklyn Kitchen, 100 Frost St., Brooklyn. $85.

Check back next week, and follow us on Twitter, for more happenings.

South Asian Street Festival in Queens, NY. (Photo: Cristina DC Pastor)

NEW YORK–Under the arching branches of a maple tree, Asian musicians sung indigenous songs, as vendors and activists sold a motley of merchandise and promoted an array of political causes.

At the July 25 South Asian Arts and Activism street fair in Queens, immigrants from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bhutan gathered to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Chhaya, a grassroots organization for South Asian communities with immigration and housing concerns.  New York’s dynamic South Asian community is estimated to be around 280,000 strong, representing more than 30 percent of the city’s total Asian population.

Amid the ear-splitting music, the aroma of curry-puff samosas, and a rainbow of sari scarves fluttering from a clothing kiosk, South Asians found themselves relishing their shared culture.

“It’s all about having fun,” beamed a relaxed looking Seema Agnani, executive director and founder of Chhaya. Her group advocates for low-income South Asian homeowners facing foreclosures and mortgage troubles. This is the group’s first time to celebrate, she told Fi2W. “Hopefully, we’ll be around another 10 years.”

Fair-goers occupied one block of 77th Street in Jackson Heights strolling, watching the musical program, or making small talk with fellow immigrants from the Indian subcontinent while they sipped from cans of ice-cold coconut juice.

Tibetan musicans performing at the South Asian Street Festival in Queens, NY. (Photo: Cristina DC Pastor)

“I’m here with a couple of friends, just checking out the music – and the food,” chortled student Nikita Dass.

An Ecuadoran father and daughter were on their way home, but got lured by the blaring music and the red and yellow balloons. They took a detour to a table serving watermelon chunks and enjoyed a classic summer moment.

But some of the booths were manned by organizers who were there to talk about issues more serious than good food. Student Tenzing Sherpa was standing behind a booth for Adhikaar, a non-profit for Nepali immigrants.

“Many of the people we serve are domestic workers,” he told Fi2W and others who dropped by for a leaflet or a quick question. “Nepali immigrants also come to us for English classes and other services.”

Turning Point, an organization serving South Asian victims of domestic violence. (Photo: Cristina DC Pastor)

The battle against domestic violence was front and center with booths run by Turning Point for Women and Families and the New York Asian Women’s Center (NYAWC).

“Violence against Muslim women is on the rise, unfortunately,” declared Turning Point volunteer Rabya Rafiq. “We’re here to let the community know that help is available.” The group offers counseling, crisis intervention, and support groups for abused women.

Fronthy Nguyen, outreach coordinator of the NYAWC, said some battered Asian women are culturally hindered from seeking help due to feelings of shame. But she said NYAWC has confidential hotlines women can call, and emergency centers that offer a safe place when lives are threatened.

The Bangladeshi band, Grammyo, played country music with a spiritual theme, and was followed by a Tibetan duo singing in their native language.  Costumed women performed a traditional dance, young men showed off their breakdancing skills, and a much-awaited Bollywood dance number courtesy of SALGA (South Asian Lesbian & Gay Association) pumped up the crowd. At one point, the crowd suddenly erupted into a bhangra dancing mass, and 77th Street was transformed into a scene out of Slumdog Millionaire.

Each year around Independence Day, Carnegie Corporation of New York, in partnership with The New York Times, salutes our founder Andrew Carnegie’s legacy, by celebrating an ideal he held so dearly: citizenship.

On this particular day, The Carnegie Corporation honors women and men whose love for this country, like that of Mr. Carnegie himself, led them to pursue a pathway to citizenship.  It is a pathway that may be both lengthy and complex, but for many immigrants, the process is a road they are determined to follow.

Like their fellow citizens, those men and women who have become Americans by Choice, have made, and continue to make, our nation strong and vibrant. The Carnegie Corporation is committed to helping immigrants become integrated into the civic fabric of our nation because enlightened citizenship is the everlasting strength of our democracy. Carnegie Corporation’s president, Vartan Gregorian, an immigrant, reminds us of that our country is an extraordinary and daring idea that is still being tested and must be nurtured: “Here, in America, we are trying to form a nation that transcends its limits and where the people transcend their differences in order to share a common purpose and common ideals.  And here, in America, we must all understand that participating in our civic life, the rich and vibrant life of our nation, is not just a right but also an obligation.  And perhaps most important of all, it means being a citizen.”

More at http://carnegie.org/programs/democracy-and-civic-integration/immigrants-the-pride-of-america/