By: Kamelia Kilawan
On the intersection of Lefferts Boulevard and Liberty Avenue in south Queens, lies a cross-cultural mixing unlike any part of New York City.
South Richmond Hill is a crossroads to Guyanese, Trinidadian, Punjabi, and Hispanic flavors…you might chance upon any one of these ethnicities in a nearby roti shop, sari store, mandir, hair salon, or mom and pop restaurant.
The area, accessible by the A train to Lefferts Boulevard, has long been described by local residents as “Little Guyana” although it holds a variety of races who live together. According to recent Census data, nearly 20,000 residents in the area identify themselves as “Asian Indian.” Last June The New York Times profiled five emerging immigrant enclaves in the city, Guyanese in south Richmond Hill being one of them.
But the feature mused over one tiny fact.
Nearly 140,000 city residents identify themselves as Guyanese, though the difference in ancestral origin for many residents of south Richmond Hill is an important factor in the way the neighborhood has become shaped.
In New York City, those who have migrated to South Richmond Hill feel a sense of belonging to both their Indian and Caribbean heritage—casting them as double immigrants, their forefathers from India, across the sea as indentured servants to the Caribbean, and now an immigrant community in New York City.
What an intense change and adaptation for this neighborhood and its people. The neighborhood landscape is reflective of this blending of cultures, while its Indo-Caribbean community lives side by side with new ethnic groups including those of purely Indian origin and Hispanic counterparts.
I hope to reflect this wonderful kernel of truth, demonstrating that South Richmond Hill has become a crossroads for those with Indian and Caribbean roots and those who experience the impact of this rising community—through the creativity of new businesses, the culture of recreation, the foundation of temples as community centers, and the overall lifestyle of people within the area.
Your line about the Census reminds me of how they don’t take caution to differentiate between race and ethnicity. That alone, must cause all sorts of issues in this neighborhood. Are there any gaps in city programs which also fail to take note of these important identifying characteristics? If not within the neighborhood, then compared to the rest of the city?