Classroom

On October 27th of 2019, Joyce Kilmer park celebrated Mercado's second year anniversary. The Mercado brings much energy to the park. These events are mostly community-led projects that have been sponsored by Elijah’s Promise, New Brunswick Tomorrow, as well as coLAB Arts. Furthermore, multiple vendors who sell a myriad of culturally focused mexican products tend to provide an economic enclave for Latino communities. Moreover, there are multiple bands that fill up the park with the sound of hora de limpiar en los domingos (sound of cleaning during Sundays).Each of the vendors share a story on how each recipe came to be, as the people have migrated from all parts of the world so have their culinary practices making each vendor within El Mercado stand out in its own unique way. The food ranges from the Aztecan Mexican cuisine to the Mayan Hondurian and as well as Incan peruvian delicacies.All credits for this wonderful event can be given to the cosponsors of the event who wanted to have a day in which not only Latinx but all people can embrace the Latinx culture and practices, on a side note be sure to visit all the vendors for all the profits go to them !

More Info

Joyce Kilmer Park has a different cultural scene from other parks in the New Brunswick area. The park is easily accessible and is used for many recreational activities which include tables for family picnics, basketball courts, a baseball court, a softball field, a water park as well as a children's playground equipped with a jungle gym and many slides making this place an ideal location to bring the family as you would evidently see the ambient community atmosphere. Many cultural activities also take place here as well. 

Joyce Kilmer Park (Mercado Esperanza) 

In this tour, you will enjoy a tour of Latino and Caribbean history in North New Jersey. This heritage tour begins in Paterson and ends in New Brunswick. The true story of North New Jersey can only be understood by telling the story of Latino/Caribbean experiences. Finally, these designated places in the tour are nostalgic about the era before and after television, where everyone in the community continues to work together, talk to each other and afterwards, gather around these places to support and entertain themselves. Therefore, the results of their collective efforts despite discrimination and racism to succeed in their journey is worth exploring. We hope that you will enjoy the journey.

La Tia Delia’s Restaurant has been a staple of Market Street in Paterson long before the strip was designated Peru Square. The restaurant has been a prominent gathering place for Peruvian immigrants for decades. Since the waves of Peruvian immigration to New Jersey began in the 1960’s, a multitude of family owned shops, markets, and restaurants began to open up throughout the city. With roughly 75,870 people of Peruvian descent in New Jersey alone, the vicinity of Paterson serves as a cultural hub for Peruvian-American culture to flourish and prosper. The Peruvian community of Paterson is dispersed throughout the city and consists of several generations of families, all of which in someway interconnect through family, friendship, and/or their passion for food. Arguably, La Tia Delia’s provides the most authentic Peruvian food available in New Jersey, which is what initially led to the restaurant to become a principal Peruvian food destination in the city. More than a restaurant, it has become a gathering place for the community it helped establish. It has stood the test of time as generations were born literally and metaphorically into this new world, and continues to provide the tastes of a culture and life many left behind in pursuit of their American dreams.

La Tia Delia’s is a landmark restaurant of “Little Lima” on Market Street in Paterson, New Jersey. It has been a staple of the Peruvian community since initial migrations in the 1960’s. Throughout the decades the restaurant has been a gathering place for Peruvian immigrants to find community and solidarity in New Jersey. Known for its authenticity, the traditional Peruvian cuisine keeps the restaurant busy and always full. A hub for culture, La Tia Delia’s maintain the Peruvian lifestyle through the decorum, music, and lively atmosphere.

La Tia Delia

Ají Limón is a restaurant that adds Peruvian culture to the streets of Clifton, New Jersey. From the start, Peruvians and their migration led them to the one and only Paterson, New Jersey also known as “Little Lima”. Peruvians went from having only 11 people living in Paterson to now having Paterson be populated by 30,000+ Peruvians. This rise in population has allowed for their culture to continue to grow and expand within New Jersey. And it also is an important part of Peruvian history and culture in the U.S. which is: how Peruvians arrived to the states.Peruvians food ranges depends on the region. As such, There are a lot of debates on the authenticity of Peruvian food especially during the process and birth of a "National Gourmet Food”. There are a lot of different perspectives that are given to Peruvian cuisine. On one hand, Peruvian food is seen as fine dining and in some restaurants such as Baby Brasa located in New York, the prices are so high that not many Peruvians around Paterson are willing to pay for it. Compared to other places such as Ají Limón in Clifton, New Jersey, which sells the exact same food but at a much cheaper rate. Clearly, if you are in New York, the food prices you find there will be more expensive compared to Paterson, New Jersey. Yet, wherever you acquire Peruvian cuisine, there is no doubt that the food you taste will be one of the best due to all the variety there is. So, it is really interesting to be able to see the differences not only due to location but also because in other places it is said to be, “Lima’s refined cuisine” and in others it could easily be an everyday kind of food.Peruvian culture is more than just their food. Peru also has so many dances and this is all seen on their independence day, July 28th, at the Peruvian Parades in New Jersey where people sing, dance and eat. These parades are an opportunity for Peruvians to show off their culture by making Peruvian dishes and being able to share it not only with other Peruvians but also people from all kinds of different backgrounds. Ají Limón is important because of everything that it provides about Peruvian culture. It allows others to be able to get a taste of all that Peru has to offer. Peru is a country that has people of all different ethnic, racial and gendered backgrounds and that’s what makes Peru so great because it is not just one mold that people have to fit in but instead it is molded by its diversity.

The migration of Peruvians to New Jersey has changed the culture throughout the state to their businesses, to their religion and not to mention the Peruvian parades that take place in Paterson on July 28th. Although Peruvians are dispersed all over New Jersey they are mainly concentrated in Paterson and Clifton, New Jersey. Ají Limón, which is a Peruvian Restaurant located in Clifton, New Jersey, have been created not only to provide revenue for these businesses but also to give a little taste of what Peru is like.

Ají Limón

The arrival of the first Cubans to the United States was took place during the middle to late 1940s. Yolanda Prieto, author of The Cubans of Union City, had her very own experience of the Cuban migration when she arrived in 1968. There were many different progression of the Cuban population being driven into the US especially where the people knew where business would boom. Being able to get into the city in about 10 mins, not just Cubans, but, many immigrants found their way to Hudson County. Till this day Hudson County remains a melting pot of many countries and cultures.Although there isn't a direct connection with the founder of Mi Bandera restaurant/supermarket it makes a lot of sense as to the supermarket's location. When visiting Union City you can get a good sense of the people who live within these areas. There are many bodegas and minimarts all over Hudson County, but coming to Mi Bandera is a whole other cultural experience. Aisles of traditional foods and products come from various regions of the Americas.There are so many places to bring you back to your homeland but none like this one. Every weekend as a kid I would have had to go to Mi Bandera to get the specific cookies that I wanted because they had come from Argentina, my family's background. It drew in a lot of attention from many cultures around the area. Having such an establishment in the heart of a city causes the mixing of cultures and the sharing of ideas.

Mi Bandera is a supermarket/restaurant located in Union City, New Jersey.
This location was established in 1992 and is located on Bergenline Avenue. 
The current President of Mi Bandera Corp. is Abel Hernandez. Furthermore, the demographic of Union City, it is predominantly Latino. Mi Bandera supermarket is filled with products and people thus reflecting New Jersey's pluralistic society.

City Fresh Market: Mi Bandera

Celia Cruz was an Afro-Cuban singer and is also known as Cuba’s greatest singer and the Queen of Latin Music and Salsa. But this was not an easy journey for her. She was born in Havana, Cuba on October 1925. As she grew up she began realizing her talent for singing and wanted to pursue singing as a career. She faced a lot of opposition, especially from her father. Her father believed that such kind of a career was not suitable or respectable for women. Regardless, Celia Cruz pursued this career and performed with Cuba’s most well-known bands at the time. When the Castro Regime took power in Cuba, Celia Cruz was one of the few celebrities to speak up against him. Celia Cruz is exiled and eventually immigrates to the United States. Celia Cruz brings along her Latin Music and Salsa to the United States. Celia Cruz brought her unique sense of music, style and culture influenced American music and gave us insight into Hispanic and Latino culture. In addition to that, Celia Cruz has won many Grammy Awards as well as Latin Grammy Awards. In addition, she has also been involved with humanitarian work and has been in Hollywood’s Walk of Fame. She is extremely important to Hispanic and Latino culture because she was a symbol for hope and freedom for many Cuban exiles.  The Celia Cruz Park was founded in 2005 in Union City, New Jersey. This park was dedicated to honor Celia Cruz and the music and culture that she brought along with her to the United States. This park is significant to many Hispanic and Latino immigrants because, in a sense, this symbolizes a dedication to their culture of which Celia Cruz was an icon of. It is seen how Cuban communities have contributed so much to Union City as well as other neighboring communities. Cubans and other Latinos have brought their culture, food and music into the United States and have helped transform Union City into an embroidery hub and how they are credited with “reviving the city’s industry.” We also gain some insight into the Cuban immigrant lifestyle and how it was reassuring for many people to know how other Latino immigrants were also going through similar circumstances. This is important because we know that Celia Cruz was also an immigrant which gives us an insight into her life as well. Commemorating her by dedicating a park to Celia Cruz symbolizes hope and freedom for Cuban-Americans in the Castro Regime.  Over the years, Union City and neighboring communities has been a home to many Hispanic and Latino communities. Union City has been a home to a wide variety of people. Cuban immigration into the United States, particularly in Union City has contributed to the community in terms of culture, history, music, etc. The article states that Cuban-Americans flooded into the United States during the Castro Regime. Many of these Cubans quickly assimilated into the middle and upper middle class of the American Society. They were mostly well-educated professionals and had influence over a lot of cultural, social, and political aspects. It shows how Cubans brought along a lot of things with them and it can be seen from Celia Cruz’s music as well how her Latino music and heritage contributed to American Society which is why this park was built in dedication to her.

The Celia Cruz Park is a Park that was built in honor of the Cuban-American Salsa singer Celia Cruz and it is located in Union  City, New Jersey. The Celia Cruz park was built and gained significance after Celia Cruz’s death on July 16, 2003 after which the Celia Cruz Park was built as a tribute to her (June 4, 2004). On June 4, 2004, New Jersey held its Cuban Day Parade in which they in which they dedicated the park to Celia Cruz, and her widower Pedro Knight was also present there along with many Cuban-Americans. This is significant because Celia Cruz Park shows the large community of Cubans in New Jersey and allows us to gain insight into their culture. This parks is associated with Celia Cruz who an extremely famous and revered Cuban -American singer. The significance of the Celia Cruz park is that it shows how Celia Cruz has become an icon of Hispanic and Latino heritage through her Salsa music. Celia Cruz has become an icon of Hispanic and Latino culture and has allowed us to gain some insight into Hispanic and Latino culture, especially through her music. The Celia Cruz Park is also significant because the tribute to Celia Cruz gives us an insight into the Cuban American lives and heritage. 








Celia Cruz Park

Union City, NJ, is home to the second-largest population of Cuban immigrants in the United States. With such a large population of Cubans, influences from their home country can be seen throughout the city. A prime example of these influences is José Martí field, a park paying homage to the famed poet and Cuban national icon Jose Marti. Due to its proximity to New York City and having the features of an industrial town with many factories, Union City became a hotbed for immigrants. During the early 1920s, it had a primarily German and eastern European demographic; however, during the 1940s, the first Cubans began to arrive in the city. According to Yolanda Prieto, "Beginning in the middle of the 1960s, a stream of Cuban exiles began to join the group of Cuban families that had been living there since the 1940s" (Prieto 2009, 20). These newcomers to union city marked the first significant Latino presence in the city and in the state of New Jersey itself. This marks what Lorena Barbara of Harvard University calls the "first cohort of emigres" (Barberia 2002, 799). The second wave of immigrants came during the 1990s and sought to maintain their transnational ties more than the first wave. This second cohort assimilated at a slower rate than the first and tried to preserve their Cuban identity and culture more, as many of them planned to travel back. Because they wanted to maintain their ties to Cuba, they named many parts of the city after Cuban influences, such as Jose Marti field. José Martí was a famed writer, poet, and political figure in Cuba born in 1853; however, he gained legendary status during the beginnings of the Cuban revolution in the 1950s. John Kirk describes the portrayals of him in texts during the 1950s as being a "saintly, Christ-like figure" (Kirk 1979, 89). They showed Marti as having "superlative moral qualities" and urged people to act like him. He was seen as a hero to the revolutionaries due to the many writings advocating against the Spanish control of Cuba. Because of this, his face and likeness have put on buildings and money in Cuba, so it is only natural that Cuban immigrants wished to continue on his legacy by naming a field after him in Union City. Union City is home to a large population of Cuban immigrants, and Cuba's influence can be found throughout the city. This can be seen evidently in José Martí Field, a park located in the city. By naming and dedicating places in the city after Cuban heroes, it will preserve the importance of these people for generations to come.

José Martí field is a sports and recreation park connected to the Jose Marti STEM Acadamy, a school located in Union City, NJ. The field is named after the famed Cuban poet José Martí. Martí is considered to be not only a poet but also a national hero in Cuban literature. The field provides a place for children and adults in Union City to play soccer and engage in other physical activities.

José Martí Field in Union City, NJ

People from the Caribbean are constantly migrating to the United States in hopes of a better life. Many of these immigrants who migrate to the United States tend to feel homesick because of the change in weather, social interaction, politics and culture. Tropical Sun provides a haven for these immigrants and locals as well. Moreover, Tropical Sun is a West Indian supermarket that provides people in the area with products from the Caribbean, Africa, and some Spanish speaking countries. The supermarket is located in the region of Essex County in North Jersey consisting of areas such as Newark, Bloomfield, Belleville, Montclair, Clifton, East Orange, etc. Daily, this supermarket has some of the healthiest non-GMO produces for sale such as Jamaican yellow yam, pumpkin, cassava, green plantains, sweet peppers, onions, etc. What differentiates Tropical Sun from many other supermarkets is it’s very own fish market in the building next to the supermarket. Freshly caught fish are brought in every couple of days for those fish lovers out there. The separation of the fish market and the supermarket helps prevent any lingering fishy smells on the products in the supermarket. To the Jamaican population, the overall West Indian and African populations are also very high in neighboring towns such as Belleville, Bloomfield, Irvington, and Newark. Having a very similar culture in regards to food, the high Latinx population also provides a lot of business for the supermarket. The high concentration of immigrants looking to purchase food native to their homeland is one of the main reasons why Tropical Sun is still in business to this day. The overall service they provide is not only directed to Caribbean folks but more so directed to the general public or anyone looking for an escape from traditional American food. Furthermore, Tropical Sun is providing this service to these people because it wants to make sure Caribbean immigrants can have access to the food they grew up eating. Tropical Sun does this by importing goods from all over the Caribbean. Tropical Sun is significantly important to immigrants and locals because it looks to help these people adjust to a new life in America. It does this by providing a place for people to go to and feel as if they were back in their country shopping for products to make their Sunday dinner. The effort to help homesick immigrants feel at home is one of the many jobs Tropical Sun has been exceptional at doing. They are constantly striving to offer great customer service as well as being one of the few international supermarkets that are always fully stocked with treats from your childhood growing up in the Islands. They provide a soft and friendly environment that reminds you of how welcoming people from the Caribbean are. Tropical Sun supermarket is a well-staffed and well-managed business that everyone in the local north jersey and Essex county should check out.

Tropical Sun is a West Indian supermarket located in East Orange, NJ on Main street.
This supermarket is a place where people can go to get their West Indian products.
The products are not only imported from the Caribbean but you can also find products from Spanish speaking countries. 

Tropical Sun is run by a Jamaican family who had a mission of bringing people together with the food of their homeland. This supermarket allows Jamaicans to feel at home, especially when they are inside looking at all the products they want to buy. Caribbean people are known for using home remedies and this supermarket provides it. The supermarket has a great Caribbean atmosphere for you and your family to experience on a lovely Sunday morning after church. 

Also, there is amazing fresh seafood every day to choose from. 

Tropical Sun Supermarket (Imported Caribbean and International Goods)

Perth Amboy has historical significance in the context of the American tradition, but as its demographics have changed, its history has begun to change as well. With the election of the New Jersey’s first Latina and Perth Amboy’s first female mayor, cultural celebrations and traditions have been encouraged and take place frequently throughout the year. Residents can flock to the Alexander F. Jankowski Community Center not just for municipal assistance, but also to celebrate their heritage.  To say that Perth Amboy is a historical city is an understatement. Perth Amboy was settled by Dutch colonists during the early colonial period, eventually rising to prominence and becoming the capital of New Jersey. Even though Perth Amboy is no longer the capital, the city hosts the state's sole Liberty Bell replica and its City Hall is the oldest municipal building in continuous use in the United States. But Perth Amboy is not just known for its colonial history; it has also made headlines for its election of the first Latina mayor in 2008. Since then, Mayor Wilda Diaz was reelected both in 2012 and 2016. The mayor's election was crucial in order for the town to move past its former mayor's financial and electoral corruption. What is particularly interesting about Mayor Wilda Diaz is that she comes from a banking background and decided to run for mayor when a local Puerto Rican organization was barred from having a festival to celebrate Puerto Rican independence. This small anecdote displays how central celebrations and remembrance of one's culture are to the current administration. Perth Amboy hosts immigrants from all parts of the world. Yet currently, the two largest immigrant groups are Puerto Ricans and Dominicans. Puerto Ricans are the second largest cultural group in Perth Amboy. At one point in time they were the largest, but were eclipsed by Dominicans in the last five to seven years. Puerto Ricans were known to have migrated from the island to the States in large quantities as early as the 1940s and 1950s, when the United States had a national labor shortage and laborers were being recruited (Jimenez-Wagenheim 2005). After the demand for labor settled down, some chose to stay and flocked to urban centers such as Camden, Perth Amboy, Paterson, Jersey City, and Newark (Jimenez-Wagenheim 2005). There was yet another migration wave that began in the 1970s and peaked in the 1980s (Acevedo 2004). U.S. Census data shows that this time, a great proportion of Puerto Rican's migration was to New Jersey (Muschkin and Myers 1985). This time, early migrants were likely to migrate as a conjugal unit if they were married (Muschkin and Myers 1985). The result of these migration waves is that Puerto Ricans are now considered the "oldest and largest Hispanic community in the state [of New Jersey]" (Jimenez-Wagenheim 2005). Dominicans, on the other hand, have only been traveling in large-scale migration waves since the mid-1960s. Their migration during this time was primarily caused by the fall of the Trujillo regime. The economic policies employed by the succeeding Balaguer government were crippling, leaving many unemployed, hungry, and in want of a new life (Hernandez 2004). Both the migration waves of the 1970s and 1980s consisted primarily of men, yet the economic backgrounds of migrants differed. Migrants coming during the 1970s were typically unemployed, but if they did have a job, it was typically a blue-collar one (Hernandez 2004). In the 1980s, there was a greater mix of blue-collar workers and professionals. This shift in the types of migrants arriving was caused by the collapse of public services in the Dominican Republic, devaluing of the Dominican peso, and a wide loss of stable jobs (Hernandez 2004). Migrants were motivated to come to the United States for financial reasons. Even as late as 2008, Dominicans surveyed in New York City express "wanting a better life" for their families and "seeking greater economic opportunities" as the primary reasons for migration (Duany 2008). Throughout the year, there are a number of cultural celebrations that highlight Hispanics take place at the Alexander F. Jankowski Community Center. For example, every year the city partners with a local Puerto Rican cultural organization to celebrate Three Kings Day. At this event there is music, food, and children receive a free gift. Sometimes the Community Center hosts bachata contests or karaoke contests, enabling residents to display their talents in whatever language they please to do so. Most participants sing songs in Spanish, given the concentration of Spanish-speaking residents in the city. But two more recent events highlight how the city holds onto its cultural ties and celebrates not only one specific nation or ethnicity, but rather the Hispanic community as a whole. After the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, the community center was used as a donation center where goods were gathered to send to Puerto Rico. As the donation drive went on, people of all different groups -- whites, African Americans, Mexicans, Peruvians, Dominicans, all took part in bringing in goods. The community came together to help all those affected. Even more recently, a new mural named "Growing Together" was unveiled. This mural features people of all different ages, sizes and colors working on a garden (representative of the community) altogether. In addition to being a space where cultural traditions can be celebrated, the Alexander F. Jankowski Community Center provides residents with a slew of municipal government services. The Office on Aging, Recreation Department, and Department of Human Services can be found inside. These departments are responsible for a number of city events ranging from a fishing derby contest to taking seniors on a trip to Atlantic City. Events such as the annual Passport Fair and citizenship classes have been hosted at the actual community center. Additionally, every year the Mayor's Community Dinners are hosted. This event consists of weekly dinners prepared at the community center by different city organizations for anyone in the community who is in need. As the weather gets colder, the center can frequently be found open for the homeless; this initiative is known as "Code Blue Shelters". In conclusion, the Alexander F. Jankowski Community Center is important to residents of Perth Amboy. Here they can find that they are part-taking in the current writing of Perth Amboy’s history. Although the immigrant population is diverse, kinship, cooperation, and kindness abound between them as the different groups have, and continue to, come together. Residents can partake in cultural traditions and celebrate who they are and where they’ve come from, but can also use the center to access different government services and programming.

The Alexander F. Jankowski Community Center is located off of one of Perth Amboy’s busiest streets on 1 Olive Street. This community center houses the offices for several of Perth Amboy’s city government departments and it is also where many community events occur. Throughout the year, members of different ethnicities in Perth Amboy use the center to host cultural events. The City of Perth Amboy also hosts many cultural events for its residents and elderly population to celebrate diversity and residents’ cultural backgrounds and traditions. Keeping cultural traditions and celebrating where residents come from and their different stories is one of the goals of the town’s mayor; this goal has been embraced and carried out by her staff, which can be seen in the projects they undertake and the way they treat all visitors. 

Alexander F. Jankowski Community Center: Latinxs in Perth Amboy, NJ

Part of Rutgers University Latino Stories of New Brunswick and Vicinity, choosing "Don Quixote with a Flower" was difficult given that my peers and fellow colleagues chose (and may have been better off for doing so) restaurants, churches, schools, and other public places with a straightforward history and evident reasons as to why they appeared in the first place. That is not the case with this statue. This statue sits beautifully outside of James Dickson Carr Library in Piscataway, New Jersey on Livingston Campus of Rutgers University. Most likely an homage to Cervantes and Spanish literature itself, it is a fitting art piece to ornament the entrance of a library and place of learning. However, after receiving this assignment (to choose a monument, landmark, place, etc. and relate it to Latino/Caribbean culture studies) it came to my attention that this is the only art piece installed outside on Rutgers Campus featuring a Hispanic muse/artist. Of the 42 monuments, statues, memorials, and art pieces featured on the Public Sculpture website, "Don Quixote with a Flower" is the only piece with very loose ties to Latino/Caribbean culture. While not directly being a monument of Latino/Caribbean culture or history, I think this connects to how Latino/Caribbean history and culture is often overlooked or seen as unvaluable, even in a place as diverse as a college campus. As of 2018, Rutgers University has 12.2% Hispanic/Latino population. That is dwarfed by its predominantly White and Asian population, (37.6 percent and 26.2 percent, respectively). However, the residents of New Brunswick have misleading numbers on the Census. At first glance, 66.19% percent of people identify as "White". But after seeing the population by race, of the 56 thousand living in New Brunswick, 53% of the population identify with "Hispanic". Such a large population deserves more recognition, representation and resources not only throughout the neighborhood, but on the college campus. Some might say the murals in Lucy Stone Hall are unaccounted for in this argument, however, seeing as they're inside a building, they inevitably receive less traffic and observation. The murals are incredible, but the majority population should be seeing more art representing them than a few walls inside a building on one campus. Students and passersby should be able to see an art piece on every campus of Rutgers on a walk to work, to class, or to the library. White students at Rutgers are able to see incredible pieces created and installed by German, Polish, and Russian artists, so why can't students of color?

Officially named “Don Quixote with a Flower,” it is one of the many art pieces installed on the New Brunswick branch of Rutgers University. 

Installed in 2012, it sits at about 6 feet tall and is all-natural copper except for a painted metal flower in his hand. In 1976 Silis created a gypsum Don Quixote, later replicated in bronze (shown here), and in 1989 a smaller copy of the statue became the emblem of the Tarkovsky Prize.

After some research, I found that none of the sculptures on all four campuses of Rutgers New Brunswick feature a Hispanic or Latin artist or muse. I think this connects to how Latino/Caribbean/Hispanic history and culture is often overlooked or seen as unvaluable, even in a place as diverse as a college campus.

Don Quixote is a character from literary classic "El Ingenioso Hidalgo Don Quijote de la Mancha" by Miguel de Cervantes. Published in two parts, in 1605 and 1615, Don Quixote is the most influential work of literature from the Spanish Golden Age and the entire Spanish literary canon. 

After the bible, it is the most translated book in the world and is considered the “1st modern novel”.

It is important to highlight why this is the only monument/art piece installed on campus that can represent "Hispanicism", and while it is a start, it is so non-representative of the population of not only Rutgers University, but New Brunswick and vicinity.

"Don Quixote with a Flower" Statue

Lincoln Elementary School in New Brunswick, New Jersey may not seem different than the average American elementary school to the untrained eye. Located on Bartlett Street, less than five minutes away from the College Avenue Student Center, countless students here at Rutgers walk past this building on a daily basis and don’t blink twice. Many don’t even immediately process that it’s a school. The school doesn’t have a playground, just a stark Blacktop with a few basketball hoops. Yet what most don’t realize is that this school serves not as a monument of Latino and Caribbean repression, rather it serves as a monument to the hard work and dedication that the Latino community in New Brunswick puts into its school system. New Brunswick is 53% Latino according to Datausa.io, and the median household income is drastically lower than the national median income ($38,413 compared to $57,652). This ratio exceeds that of Middlesex County, Newark, New Jersey itself and the United States as a whole. The poverty rate rose by nearly ten percent and the median income dropped by over twenty percent over a five year period. New Brunswick was also heavily impacted by the recession under the Bush administration and has not recovered as uniformly as other parts of the country. The issue is systematic and demonstrates the inequality that is prevalent in society. Though the most common country of origin is India, the Dominican Republic and Mexico are the second and third most common respectively. All of these statistics and more are vital in demonstrating the underlying factors contributing to the poverty of New Brunswick. They characterize a city of hard workers that do their best to provide their youth with a proper education. Lincoln Elementary has is a school system that despite barely managing to accommodate its student body due to societal and economic constraints, perseveres and does its best to provide its student body with opportunities for the future. This is undeniably due to the devoted faculty that works at the school. Niche ranked both the academics and teaching of Lincoln Elementary School as an A-. Seventy-five percent of students are at least proficient in math and ninety percent are proficient in reading. This is all in spite of the fact that Niche rated New Brunswick a C for quality of living and at a C+ in diversity. The school has also flourished thanks in part due to the sense of camaraderie the community fosters. On thanksgiving, the state troopers and PTO band together and provide turkeys for families of students that are unable to afford it themselves.Small acts of kindness like these are abundant and imbue the students of Lincoln Elementary with love and empathy for the people around them. Lincoln Elementary also teaches its students to to be proud of their roots, hosting a "Hispanic Heritage Celebration," for their students. Though this is a seemingly insignificant gesture, by doing this the school is sending the message that it's okay to be different. Our history isn't what holds us back, it's what keeps us strong, makes us special and empowers us. Lincoln Elementary goes the extra mile. It challenges the norm. It gives back to the community. That's why it succeeds. If you are a Rutgers student, join the Big Buddy club, a club of students that volunteer at Lincoln Elementary during school hours. They serve as assistants to the teacher and typically help kids that are behind with reading or writing. They are also planning a "Rutgers Day" at Lincoln Elementary to encourage higher education to the student body.

Lincoln Elementary School is an elementary school located on Bartlett Street in New Brunswick New Jersey, sandwiched between two of the liveliest streets at Rutgers, Easton avenue and College Avenue.  Established in 1910, Lincoln Elementary serves as the foundation for the Latino community in New Brunswick. Some classes even consist of entirely Latino students and are taught in Spanish.The faculty that works there is open-minded, devoted and caring, and the school encourages engagement with the community of New Brunswick, from the Police to Rutgers itself. The school also wears its largely Latino identity with pride, celebrating the Hispanic Heritage that the majority of its students have. The school is severely underfunded, resulting in some teachers paying for their own materials without promise of reimbursement, and the surrounding neighborhood is impoverished and unemployment rates here are well above average. 

Lincoln Elementary School

Mexican Americans struggle with an identity crisis. They are often deemed too Americanized to be Mexican, and at the same time, they struggle to be accepted by American Culture. However, this ambiguity in identity allows exploration of both cultures. Eventually, Mexican Americans created their own communities where they can promote their own culture. One of the largest communities in New Jersey is in New Brunswick, and La Catrina, a local Mexican American restaurant, helps in preserving and promoting the ambiguous culture. While growing up, Mexican Americans were disconnected from their Mexican heritage and sought assimilation as a way to conform to U.S. standards. However, as social mobility occurred and the new generation of Mexican Americans moved into new neighborhoods, a curiosity to learn more about traditional Hispanic culture arose. The new generation of Mexican Americans, called Chicanos, wanted to challenge the way in which the United States viewed their culture. In order to do so, they promoted the Day of the Dead. They became immersed in the artwork and proudly displayed skeletons for all to see. Like the Chicano artists, La Catrina’s artwork of skeletons helps to further clash against traditional American culture. It reminds those sitting in the restaurant of the hardships faced by many in feeling accepted by a culture. The Day of the Dead is celebrated in Mexico is to give respect to elders. Rather than mourning the death of loved ones, in Mexican culture, their lives and legacies are celebrated. When artist Jose Guadalupe Posada created the artwork La Catrina, it reminded Mexicans to stay connected with their roots. During the time of colonization, many felt the need to assimilate into European culture. However, Posada made La Catrina in an effort to exemplify everyone will end up in the same position – dead. Posada’s La Catrina was drawn in a satirical fashion and wore European clothing in order to represent the desire Mexicans felt to be in the same position as Europeans, which may only be possible in death. In the case of La Catrina in present-day New Brunswick, the skeletons in the restaurant symbolize the represent the legacies left behind by other Mexican American businesses in the New Brunswick area. Even for those that may have failed, it is most important to learn from their positives and negatives. In the case of the flamboyant costumes worn by the skeletons, those may represent the desire to change recipes and please the American pallet. However, changing the dishes then diminishes La Catrina’s Mexican American identity. Ultimately, by remaining authentic, it is possible to leave a legacy to the next generation of Mexican American businesses. At first, New Brunswick was a predominantly ethnically homogeneous group with very few people of Latino origin. However, Latinos are the fastest-growing population in the New Brunswick area, today. Particularly, among the Latino group, Mexicans are the most prominent in today’s culture accounting for more than a quarter of New Brunswick’s total population. Through migration to New Brunswick, the traditional Mexican culture was introduced. A place like La Catrina, which is named after satirical skeleton drawings during the Day of the Dead, promotes Mexican culture in New Brunswick. Still, a potential challenge of gentrification in New Brunswick is occurring. Due to the rising prices of rent and the influx of large businesses, there is a concern that a small restaurant such as La Catrina may struggle. This is even apparent in La Catrina's recently increased prices. Nevertheless, a strong tight-knit Mexican community in New Brunswick may be the wildcard that helps small Mexican businesses like La Catrina to prevail. La Catrina is important to history as it represents the future. Many communities are becoming ethnically diverse due to globalization and La Catrina demonstrates that boundaries created between the diaspora and the home country can be broken. A transnational identity is possible to achieve.

La Catrina, located at 144 Easton Avenue, New Brunswick, New Jersey, embodies a successful blend of the two cultures. Eating Mexican food, listening to the reggaeton and salsa playing in the background, and conversing with the owner gives you a feel of Mexican culture. Likewise, the internal decorations depict the cultural significance of the Day of the Dead. At the same time, the restaurant competes against others in an ever intense market in search of accomplishing its American Dream while catering to a U.S. market. Nevertheless, La Catrina demonstrates that although its location constitutes a diasporic identity, its culture represents a transnational one.

La Catrina

The city of New Brunswick is home to some very well known sites such as Rutgers University and the headquarters of Johnson &amp; Johnson but it is mainly popular for having such a diverse ethnic community. Hispanic and/or Latino people contribute to this diversity tremendously by making up over fifty percent of the population currently living in New Brunswick. Of the people that identify as Hispanic or Latino at least fifty percent of them are Mexican (“Story Map Journal,” 2019). Considering the large population of Mexican residents, the restaurant Esquina Latina is a significant cultural site because it helps to make people more aware of Cuban food and culture which is not as prominent in this community. Due to the abundance of ethnic restaurants, it may be a common belief that food is not a significant component of Latin American culture. However, for many people of Cuban descent, authentic cultural food is important for establishing identity. Esquina Latina is important for establishing these identities because it offers a "positive nostalgia," connecting individuals to shared experiences of traditional cuisines and to the history of the country (Alfonso, 2012). It is also important for others who may not have a Cuban background to become more knowledgeable about how Cuban culture is different from other Latin American or Caribbean cultures. Not only is Esquina Latina centered around the Spanish speaking country of Cuba but it is also owned and run by Latino people. Hispanics entering the entrepreneur field have been growing rapidly and positively contributing to the United States economy (Suarez, 2019). Research shows that Latino-owned businesses make up 8.3% of all businesses in the United States have generated 345 billion dollars in sales in 2007 alone (Suarez, 2019). Locations like Esquina Latina are essential to the nation and individuals as well. The opening of Latino-owned businesses can be an escape from things like labor market discrimination due to ethnic background or a lack of education, or lower wages at other jobs. This is especially important in areas like New Brunswick that contain a large amount of Latino people. Additionally, local businesses help out the community they inhabit. A study found that immigrant businesses creates jobs, diversity, and promote active engagement in the communities they serve (Schuch, 2015). Esquina Latina promotes diversity through showcasing Cuban culture in a largely Mexican area while still trying to incorporate other Latin American cultures as well. The restaurant also promotes active engagement by providing easily accessible, positive and friendly experiences with the locals and tourists. Esquina Latina is important for diversifying and contributing to the community as well as exposing the people to a good example of Cuban culture and cuisine.

Esquina Latina is a restaurant and lounge located on Liberty Street in a popular area of New Brunswick, New Jersey.  The restaurant is located 10-15 minutes away from the College Avenue campus of Rutgers University.  The site was opened in August of 2015 and is predominately Cuban but incorporates a mix of many other Latin cultures.  This restaurant is meant to represent Latinos and Hispanics in the New Brunswick area, a location with an already large Hispanic community.  The location is off of the popular roadway/ highway NJ 18 Service Road and is publicly accessible from 11:30am until 11:00pm. 


Esquina Latina Restaurant & Lounge

Bravo is a chain supermarket and its origin is traced back to Krasdale, a New York centered grocery distribution group open since 1908. Krasdale was the product of a trend of smaller local grocery stores combining to compete with larger food chains. Bravo Supermarket was created in the 1960's as a branch of Krasdale to be located in more urban areas where access to supermarkets would other wise be harder.The success of Bravo allowed for its expansion around New York and eventually to North New Jersey where we find the New Brunswick Bravo Supermarket. What made this successful was the idea of individually owned stores. Being owned by locals meant a better understanding of what people needed in that community. This allows for continued support from people who know that they can depend on their local Bravo market. In theory this makes every Bravo market just a little bit unique. With products determined by the majority of the community, one Bravo market might house different cultural products than the next.Of course, Krasdale is the house brand name and anyone can find what they need like they would at another market, but the local owner will also stock up for the needs of the community. Since 2010 Latino/Hispanic people have made up 49.9 percent of the New Brunswick population making New Brunswick's Bravo supermarket a reliable source for the growing Latino/Hispanic population. One major representation of New Brunswick in this Bravo are the Latino bilingual workers there that speak both English and Spanish.In all, Bravo supermarket is a success in catering and supporting a local identity. It is culturally significant to have access to this supermarket because it helps support the community. So where new Brunswick has a majority of Latino people, they know they can count on the local owner of Bravo Supermarket, and feel more at home in a society that sees them as “others”.

Bravo Supermarket is a food market found in New Brunswick New Jersey, a chain store that has been in business since the 1960s. Where each Bravo supermarket is independently owned and locally run, it makes every store an unique indicator for the culture of its immediate area. Despite the chain aspect of Bravo you can be sure to find what you need there; along with the influence of the growing Latino community in New Brunswick New Jersey.

Bravo Supermarket 

The presence of so many Hispanics in New Brunswick is accommodated in one regard by the culturally significant site, Parroquia Nuestra Señora del Carmen. Located in a city which is primarily known for its being the site of Rutgers University, this church exists unassumingly and serves to 3,000 families of New Brunswick (<a href="http://www.olmtcarmelonline.com/descripcion.html" target="_blank">http://www.olmtcarmelonline.com/descripcion.html</a>). It is a small building, with not much more space than about basketball court inside the actual church. The church stands between a small business and the rear side of a parking deck. It definitely is of humble means, and in that sense is reflective of the type of the people who worship there. I find it valuable to note that the administration of the church is completely Hispanic, which is very unique because the large majority of catholic churches in the U.S. that do have Hispanic services are at best only partially run by Hispanics. The Catholic church and its traditions are of large cultural importance to many Hispanics in the United States. This church is likely one of its kind, because “its liturgy is completely in Spanish” (Rabinowitz). As religion is an important part of Hispanic culture, this site provides a place that makes many of its parishioners feel as if they were in their native countries. In addition to being a house of worship and prayer, Parroquia Nuestra Señora del Carmen is a place where families gather, friends catch up, and kids meet and play with other kids from the community. It undoubtedly acts as a site of community gathering and community blossoming (Ospino). After mass, for example, there are often a couple of carrito vendors, selling churros and pan dulce mexicano. Even when the vendors are not selling much food, the passersby and mass-goers greet them and sometimes chat for a little bit. There's also someone from the church who helps direct traffic along Morris Street. The church's community gathering and blossoming often comes in the form of the country specific masses and celebrations that are held on particular Holy days or Feast days. I heard the priest make an announcement at the end of mass about there being a get together and mass for the patron saint of Nicaragua later today and a get together and special midnight mass next week for Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, a very important symbol of Mexican Catholics. Another notable aspect of the sense of community produced at and through Nuestra Señora is the choir. There is a kids choir, who does the music at the 9:15am mass. The contribution of these young people to the church creates a feeling of youthfulness among the the members of this community and frequently leaves them with smiles on their faces as they sing along to the songs. As it has arguably been for the past 40+ years, Our Lady of Mount Carmel RC Church / Parroquia Nuestra Señora del Carmen continues to be an important cultural site to many Hispanics in New Brunswick.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel is a Roman Catholic church on Morris St. in New Brunswick, right off of George Street. It’s located directly behind the 7-Eleven and the Rockoff Hall apartments. This congregation became a reality in 1977, and it has “always been known as a National Hispanic Parish.” (www.olmtcarmelonline.com/english.html) The parishioners are currently some of the most important people to this site, who are mostly Hispanic, with the primary ethnicities being Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, Dominicans, and Ecuadorians. The significance of Parroquia Nuestra Señora del Carmen is the fact that it is a center of Hispanic culture that comes together at once a week for mass, and once every now and then for very big moments such as baptisms and weddings. This church is publicly accessible, but it’s definitely not the easiest of places to find. Mass is celebrated there 7 days a week, and completely in Spanish. (Rabinowitz)This site promotes community through its ministries and is visible in the group effort that is made by parishioners weekly in order to set up for and celebrate a Sunday mass. This church is run entirely by Hispanics, and its masses are celebrated solely in Spanish.


Our Lady of Mount Carmel RC Church / Parroquia Nuestra Señora del Carmen

On October 27th of 2019, Joyce Kilmer park celebrated Mercado's second year anniversary. The Mercado brings much energy to the park. These events are mostly community-led projects that have been sponsored by Elijah’s Promise, New Brunswick Tomorrow, as well as coLAB Arts. Furthermore, multiple vendors who sell a myriad of culturally focused mexican products tend to provide an economic enclave for Latino communities. Moreover, there are multiple bands that fill up the park with the sound of hora de limpiar en los domingos (sound of cleaning during Sundays). Each of the vendors share a story on how each recipe came to be, as the people have migrated from all parts of the world so have their culinary practices making each vendor within El Mercado stand out in its own unique way. The food ranges from the Aztecan Mexican cuisine to the Mayan Hondurian and as well as Incan peruvian delicacies. All credits for this wonderful event can be given to the cosponsors of the event who wanted to have a day in which not only Latinx but all people can embrace the Latinx culture and practices, on a side note be sure to visit all the vendors for all the profits go to them !

Raíces means roots. Raíces Cultural Center has put down its roots in the Hub City of New Brunswick, creating a home for the cultural arts and sustainable ecology in Central NJ.Raíces Cultural Center is a non- profit organization in New Brunswick dedicated to the investigation, celebration, education, and preservation of Caribbean cultures in the northern New Jersey area.Raíces has many activities. It has an ecology and sustainable practices portion of its programming. This includes gardening and seeding workshops, a seed library, and seed co-op. They also have a Folkloric Music and Dance Ensemble that performs traditional Bomba and Plena and other Caribbean and South American dance traditions. Through dance, folkloric music, history, performances, and sustainable ecology, Raíces seeks to create a harmonious balance with nature while preserving the cultural heritage of Caribbean communities. Raíces also seeks to empower local communities through accessible, affordable cultural programming as well as through dissemination of Caribbean culture through art, history, and ecology. Raíces' Folkloric Ensemble embodies its sense of community, a connection to history and heritage. They perform the folkloric traditions like Rhumba, báta, bomba, plena, són, comparsa, seis, and aguinaldo. They also educate their audiences on the traditions and historical context behind the music. Often these narratives relate to the spiritual indigenous inheritances, the heritage of colonialism, the trans -Atlantic slave trade, and connections to African and Caribbean people in the diaspora.Raíces expresses love for its community through service, its performances, its sustainable ecology programming, passion for Puerto Rican, Cuban, and all Caribbean cultures.  Like Puerto Rican music, Puerto Rican spiritual traditions have a myriad of influences. In addition to Catholicism imported from Spain, the tradition of Santeria and a version of Afro -Christian Catholicism combine with Indigenous practices, and a variety of African belief systems. The Puerto Rican heritage, like many Caribbean peoples, is comprised of this array of multiple influences; from the indigenous Taíno people who occupied the island before the conquest by Europeans from Spain, to the Spanish population who devastated the indigenous Taíno, and also from enslaved persons who were brought from Africa. This cultural complexity is amplified when considering that Puerto Ricans are also American citizens, so when they emigrate, they experience cultural tensions from yet another perspective. Art and connection to traditional culture is a way to celebrate and preserve cultural heritage while creating new connections and community cohesion through shared values. “Music is a story of survival and determination” says musician Joe Bataán. In many ways, the Folkloric traditions celebrate shared values with a sense of community and in another way, they explain and recount a painful history of colonization and its subsequent political, social and economic unrest. This history is something that can not be forgotten. The history is able to be disseminated through the music.

Raíces means Roots

Raíces Cultural Center is a New Jersey Nonprofit Corporation that works to preserve Puerto Rican, Cuban, and other Caribbean cultures as reflected in music, art, dance, history and the natural arts. Raíces Cultural Center’s principal goal is the investigation, compilation, documentation, preservation, and dissemination of traditional Caribbean culture through art, history, and ecology.

Raíces Cultural Center

As of the NJSDC 2000 Census Publication, the population of Latinos has increased by 377,330 in New Jersey. Formerly representing 739,861 in 1990 to 1,117,191 in 2000, the substantial increase in the Latino population accounts for approximately 55% of New Jersey’s total population growth. It is important to note the demographics for which populations have settled down in order to fully grasp the dynamism of how, and where, their struggles and endeavors were formed. For instance, New Jersey had the 7th largest Hispanic population in the nation in 2000, next only to California, Texas, New York, Florida, Illinois and Arizona (NJSDC 2000 CENSUS PUBLICATION). This reflects the state’s popularity as a destination for foreign immigrants. The notable migration of the Latino population to the New Brunswick, NJ area is important to signify as it allows us to better understand the hardships and events the community had gone through at the time. Although more recognition is deserved, with such a large Latino population encompassing the New Brunswick area, it is nice that the reliance of the community it further acclaimed by looking at the mural painted on a local street in the area.By promoting local talent and engaging the public, murals build a sense of community and create lasting effects on local neighborhoods. Murals are a platform for artists to exhibit their talents, while depicting stories and narratives of different lives and events. Programs that fund the creation of these murals connect the process of muralism with art education, restorative justice, and behavioral health programs. These programs serve as a creative outlet for inmates at area prisons and detention centers, and those suffering from trauma, mental illness, and addiction. Murals create a prolific channel for individuals to freely express themselves as well as a community and what they have gone through.The ‘Dreams of Our Children’ mural itself aims to represent the stories of the Latino community living in the Esperanza Neighborhood in New Brunswick. After gaining the approval of the building owner to use the side of the building, a graduate of Rutgers University Mason Gross School of the Arts, Lenny Correa, drew this mural from inspiration after speaking with residents in the Esperanza Neighborhood. He, and the Ezperanza residents, came up with stories of great determination and perseverance. The mural, also known as "Una Gota Rompe La Piedra" or "A Drop Breaks the Stone,” depicts bright costumes which are popular in the heritage of the migrant community as residents spoke of the ties to their families and parents expressed that their dreams "are the dreams of our kids." The agency who funded this project wished to depict the inner beauty the area and project the colorful culture of the neighborhood onto a physical representation of a vibrant Latino communal district. The mural highlights the nice commercial area and attracts people to come and enjoy the restaurants and stores.

Officially displayed in its final form in 2018, "Dreams of Our Children" is a mural on the building at the intersection of Jersey Avenue and French Street, across from both the Walgreen shopping center and the War Memorial Park in New Brunswick, New Jersey. The mural displays a mother standing with her arm around her daughter’s shoulder, along with a father watching over his son in a toy car. It celebrates the vibrancy and resilience of Latino immigrant families, particularly through the lens of Oaxacan Mexican culture. The two-story high mural is painted brightly with colors of yellow, red, and blue, with the intent to further beautify the area, by representing the numerous colors of the culture. The tenacity of the Latino population that migrated to the area in the 1990s, is honored through this visual representation. 

"Dreams of Our Children" Mural

The Puerto Rican Action Board is a human services organization with a broad variety of offerings. The Board began in 1971 as a group of Puerto Rican and Latino giving English classes and helping newly arrived Latinos achieve high school equivalency. 3 years later the organization began running state-funded ESL and GED programs. This helpful group eventually became the first full-time bilingual or multicultural Daycare Center in New Jersey. This model has held true to present day, the organization offers youth, family, and community services to 30,000 people in Central Jersey. The Puerto Rican Action Board is a pioneer to serving a newly developing community in New Jersey. The Puerto Rican Action Board has been the Ideal Community Action Agency for New Jersey, all the offerings they bring to under served communities are a great benefit to everyone in the area. The growing Latino and Caribbean communities in the New York area have been growing rapidly for half a century. Since the Second World War in 1945 until 1955 more than seven hundred thousand Puerto Ricans arrived in the U.S. This increase of uneducated immigrants resulted in a necessity to help these people adjust. In order to usher a new population of Americans and offer these people the best opportunity to succeed in a new environment. Puerto Rico during the same time as the opening of the Puerto Rican Action Board, was demonstrating on their civil rights and having a surge of nationalism. A rise in nationalism created a sense of togetherness of those who identify as Puerto Rican. These factors contributed to the survival and continued success of the Puerto Rican Action Board. The newly migrated Puerto Ricans to the United States required the involvement of the Puerto Rican Action Board to become educated. This Increase in the education level of this new population allowed them to contribute at a higher level to the economy. Today, New Brunswick has a large community that identify as Latino or Caribbean. Puerto Ricans were the first Latino ethnic group to arrive in New Brunswick in 1948. In 1980 the population of Puerto Ricans in New Brunswick was 3,277, 8% of the total population, in 2016 that population had declined. The Puerto Rican Action Board today is something more than a service organization dedicated to a specific ethnic group. Today, they service all demographics for a variety of purposes. The Tragedy of Hurricane Maria was an example of one of the purposes the Puerto Rican Action Board can fulfill. During the recovery after Hurricane Maria Juntos Together joined forces with the Puerto Rican Action board. The Board raised money to offer first responder relief to the people of Puerto Rico. This project meant a lot to the people involved, Puerto Rico was destroyed and the volunteers were able to assist in the reconstruction of a beautiful nation. The Puerto Rican Action Board offers a variety of services that offers the new population qualifications common in America. The Early Childhood Services enable children from six weeks to five years old develop skills towards becoming responsible community members. The Goals of the Early Childhood Services are to involve parents, to develop students, and meet early childhood standards. The Youth Programs at the Puerto Rican Action Board are intended to further their skills and talents. The goals for the Youth Program include improvement of grades by at least one grade level, develop positive attitudes and behaviors and skills, and assist in the graduation of those in the program. The Board also offers housing solutions to members of the community to benefit from energy conservation services. Family services offered by the PRAB help families to develop and strengthen their involvement in the community.

The Puerto Rican Action Board is a community organization offering assistance to diverse central New Jersey residents. The organization began in 1971 as a group of volunteers offering English classes to those who would need it. The organization began by teaching English to the recently arrived Latino community and has now evolved to helping all diverse. This is an important site of growth in New Jersey for the Latino community and now other members of the New Brunswick community are finding assistance through this organization. This site is located in New Brunswick on Jersey Avenue, New Brunswick is a hub for the Latino community, which makes the site very accessible.


Puerto Rican Action Board

The Latino Leadership Alliance is a driving force for the welfare and social mobility of Latino people in the State of New Jersey. While it was only established 20 years ago, it has made great strides in pursuing the interests of New Jersey's more than 2 million residents. Today the organization unites the voices of these 2 million citizens it represents and speaks on their behalf on the issues involving the state. This organization utilizes political action to accomplish the goals they have set forth. Using methods such as political endorsements, the LLANJ helps garner support for politicians that it believes will better lives of Latino citizens of New Jersey. This is done on every political level, ranging from local to federal elections. Most recently, their political might was used to endorse Bob Hugin, a republican, for the Congressional senate. This ultimately meant they revoked their support from the democrat Bob Menendez, who the LLANJ supported in the past three previous elections. This altered the race and gave Hugin a favorable position. This was due to Hugin's vocal support on immigration reform as well as his pledge to improve medical coverage for seniors. He has been very adamant that he will fight his party leader to do what is right. The Latino Leadership Alliance's cornerstone principles involve, but are not limited to, the belief in opportunities for all and education for every child. This organization seeks to keeping a vigilant eye on the educational standards of New Jersey attempt to ensure all Latino citizens have equal educational opportunities and social mobility. It uses its voice to speak out when it feels educational levels are subpar and uses it's political might to push for further educational opportunities. This organization understands the importance of education in uplifting people, and seeks to further the latino voice by maintaining high education standards. Using tools like social media and community events, the LLANJ seeks to unite Latino people in this state, providing them with a sense of belonging. Its primary means of social media engagement is on Facebook, where it exists as a forum for Latinos to comment on posts and engage in discussions. It has the benefit of informing those who follow their page of any events they are hosting. These events are Latino centered like the Latino Leadership summit, the Hispanic Heritage celebration, and the LLANJ Board of Delegates meeting. They also host prominent speakers like Dolores Huerta and other activist to speak to the public. There are also ample articles posted to expose the organization's followers to relevant noteworthy news concerning them. This Non-profit organization has made it its mission to elevate the Latino population's position in New Jersey and it does so using political and educational means. While it continues to grow in strength through these avenues, it further seeks to eliminate health disparities and root out discrimination. Its core mission is an uphill battle, but it is a battle is has spent it's existence fighting and it will not rest until it goals are achieved.

The Latino Leadership Alliance of New Jersey is the premier political and societal organization for the advancement of Latino people within the state of New Jersey. Its headquarters is located in New Brunswick, New Jersey but seeks to elevate the societal position of Latinos across the state. This is done through political, educational, societal, medical, and communal means. This organization reaches out to the Latino population of New Jersey and combines their voices into one predominate, mission to champion causes that will benefit the population it represents. Through this political outreach, the LLANJ brings the Latino voices to the main stage and ensures they are not drowned out by opposition.

Mapping Latino Caribbean North New Jersey

Joyce Kilmer Park (Mercado Esperanza)

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources

Additional Information