Preliminary findings

Immigrant needs are at the center of the imagination that residents have for community spaces. These can take many different forms, but at their center, all of these are in search of support systems and community services that will help with the many obstacles immigrants face when in a new country: English lessons, tax assistance, housing and legal counseling, job search, healthcare access, worker’s rights, etc.

“A community center that provides help with housing issues, health insurance, etc. Where there are people who speak your language and some feel welcome.”

Olga Hernandez

There is a strong desire to provide better living conditions for the children and future generations of Sunset Park. Whether it’s in the search for afterschool programs, play spaces, or recreational activities, children were at the center of these desires. Many parents strongly stated that providing a better quality of life was the first and foremost priority, above all else, and that this was the reason they immigrated from their countries. The desire to give their children what their parents didn’t (or couldn’t) give them underlies all these statements.

Even when parents desired some resource or service for adults, it would be in order to better provide for their children, stating things like “I want to learn to read and write so I can help my children with schoolwork”, or “I did all of this for them, so I can give them more than what my parents gave me”.

“A recreation center for kids, and arts center would be great because there are not a lot of summer programs. Storytelling time and other activities. I imagine tables, children sitting and professionals teaching. All of this to connect with their emotions, providing dance classes. They should have everything they need to reach their potential.”

Silvia & Veronica

School and learning support is a strong concern in the neighborhood. Parents have a lot of concerns about their children receiving high quality education as a means of social mobility, which is why after school programs and learning centers are heavily featured in the desires of the neighborhood.

”A space for kids to gather after school, for homework support and during school breaks“

Lisette Arnaud-Heri

There is a vision for better public facilities and street aesthetics in the neighborhood. Many participants imagine green, open spaces, public playgrounds, spaces for recreation. Children are usually at the center of this envisioning: parents and families see a strong need for community spaces where children can play, learn, make, dance, run. In the general population, there is a need for spaces where people can be, where they can feel comforted, safe and welcomed. This becomes especially important with immigrant communities, where people often feel invisible and left out.

Adult literacy and English proficiency is a frequent concern among the participants, as many of them didn’t receive the necessary proper education and now have trouble accessing public resources and services and navigating life in the U.S. in general (filing taxes, finding jobs, applying for citizenship/residency, etc).

“A recreational park for children. An open space with places to sit and with plenty of green. With activities for children.”

Gladys

“Give classes to immigrant people to learn english that struggle for free.”

People in Sunset Park acknowledge that there is a problem with teen and youth involvement in street crime. There is a need for spaces that help keep youths “off the streets”, and an idea that the creation of community spaces where they can go to spend time with their peers and their community might help with curving this trend.

Anonymous “It’s good to have a space where kids can go, so they stay out of the streets. A space like a library.”

Anonymous