The person I’ve chosen to spotlight from my neighborhood- Washington Heights- is Jose Valdez. He is the owner of a prominent multiservices business agency in the heart of the Washington Heights. Located at 161st street and Broadway, he is a great person to interview to know just how much the neighborhood has changed. Since I have decided to focus on Hispanic business owners and what they have to say about the changing demographics in the area, I would love to talk to him about how he started his business, what has changed since then, and how he has had to adapt because of the nearing gentrification process that will eventually occur. He is also involved in the community and is an advocator to more Hispanic local leaders. I am extremely interested in investigating this further, because it seems like the once Hispanic-American population that was so prominent in Washington Heights is constantly dwindling. There have been rent hikes in the area, business closings for more “hipster” places to reopen in those once family owned restaurants, as well as a new population of different races moving into the neighborhood. As a Hispanic-American, I want to investigate this further in order to get down to the real reason this is happening. I would like to get Jose Valdez’s take on this,as he has seen many changes in Washington Heights throughout the years. Some of the multimedia I plan on including will have video footage of our interview as well as the neighborhood,and a podcast/voice over about how Washington Heights is changing and how this is affecting the Hispanic population in this area.
Writing New York: Posts from the Boroughs and Beyond
Department of Journalism, Baruch College, City University of New York
Catherine, I am not exactly sure what you mean by a multiservice business agency. I like the idea of the asking him questions about the shifting demographics in Washington Heights.
The business is named Valdez Enterprises/JLU Business Taxes INC, and it’s known as a multiservices business agency because they specialize in incorporating new businesses (setting up the corporation, applying for all business licenses, track their finances, etc…), do personal and state business taxes, accounting and insurance services, money transfers (like Western Union) and offer immigration services among other things as well. It’s a multiservice agency in that sense, hope that gave a better understanding!