Theme #2: Use of Color/Symbols
Figure 4 & 5 : Ecuadorian Deli/Restaurant
Behind the businesses use of bilingual signs there is the presence of theme colors that hold a symbolic meaning that is used to communicate a deeper connection between the business’s visual presentation and the cultural backgrounds that local residents relate in a deeper cultural value. . For example in figure 4 & 5 we see an Ecuadorian restaurant and deli that is proud of its Ecuadorian roots that is decorated with both the colors and flag of Ecuador located at Roosevelt Ave. The bright use of colors yellow, blue and red conveys a visual representation that helps customers recognize the cultural and national focus of the small business. It can then be inferred that the owner’s use of colors served as the businesses pride in culture food as the colors shows the respect for the countries origin of culinary food and it being local to Ecuadorian individuals. This leads to infer there is a high diversity of Ecuadorian culture being present in the area of Corona Queens.
Figure 6 : Mexican Cart/Mexican Restaurant
A large pattern that is presented between both Roosevelt and Corona is the use of symbols that the local businesses use to represent the relationship they have to their home country but to connect with their community. The use of flags are symbols that are used to market to the people in the community from that specific country. Not only is there the large density of Corona being heavily populated with Ecuadorian culture but also Mexican culture having a large presence that is present through various symbols such as the color and flag being flown above the Mexican food cart. For example in (Figure 5) we see the “Mexican flag on the far left side above the cart, and on the flag is Mexico’s national emblem eagle holding a snake in its beaks” . We can infer that the use of these symbols are a way to cater the audience’s attention as the symbols serve as a way to embrace Mexican food culture as the symbols portray’s Mexico’s nationality and patriotism. Along with the carts color, it is decorated with the Mexican national colors with Mexican food dishes embedded on the cart. This leads that the cart holds a traditional, symbolic value to Mexican cultural food and representing Mexico’s patriotism.