Queens Immigrants:
FIGHT BACK

By RICHARD SCHACK

In the wake of this summer’s anti-immigration controversy, new campaigns have set out to empower the Queens immigrant community, and put an end to exploitation and discrimination against those who have come here from other nations.

Standing next to a poster he placed at a subway stop, Brian Pu-Fokes is at the forefront of the campaign to combat anti-immigration sentiment.

"Immigrants are ripe for exploitation, discrimination, harassment, and are constantly victims of poor work and housing conditions," said McLaughlin.

As a result of their billboard blitz, ProjectUSA received a large response, and excluding a rally held by Queens Borough President Claire Shulman, the Queens’ immigrant community had been quiet, remaining low key.

Until now.

Queens immigrants are responding with a pro-immigration poster campaign, as well as plans to form a new coalition bringing various immigrant organizations together.

"New Immigration Community on Empowerment" as one working name.

The campaign is spearheaded by Jackson Heights attorney-at-law Brian Pu-Folkes.

Pu-Folkes has put up posters to counter anti-immigration sentiments that have been prominent in Queens as of late and he is also planning to start an coalition on immigrant empowerment.

A rally was held in Manuel De Dios Park on Roosevelt Avenue in Astoria presenting the new pro-immigration posters.

Nearly 100 people attended the Sept. 1 event which was put together by Pu-Folkes and co-funded by local residents and merchants.

Over a dozen immigrant advocacy organizations attended the rally, including the New York Chapter of the Organization of Chinese Americans Inc. and the Queens Hispanic Coalition.

‘Just The Facts’ Posters

There is a subway campaign spreading word of the message. Pu-Folkes created the "Just The Facts" posters campaign, and there have been four posters placed subway stations along the number 7 line.

The contracts for the posters expires October 1, and will be placed again if deemed necessary.

Leo-Yu-Wan Lee, president of the Organization of Chinese Americans, elaborated on the phrase ‘Just the Facts.’

Billboards, like this one paid for by the group ProjectUSA, began appearing in Queens this summer.

"Project USA is giving people one-sided statistics. There are two sides to every coin, and we wanted to point out some facts that ProjectUSA conveniently ignores. We’re getting our message out, and are constantly looking for new locations, such as malls and highway signs to convey the truth," said Lee.

The subway station posters are visible at 52nd Street in Sunnyside, 82nd Street in Jackson Heights, 103rd Street in Corona, and 111th Street in Corona/ Flushing.

"The main reason for the ‘Just the Facts’ posters is to counter the negative messages publicized by ProjectUSA. I thought it was very important that members of the immigrant community speak out against these divisive messages. By staying silent, we would, in essence, be giving them (ProjectUSA) more power," said Pu-Folkes.

From Outside The Community

"Each day we’re seeing improvements. We’re enjoying economic growth, expansions, and surpluses, and our immigrant population has not gotten to enjoy the benefits," said Assemblyman Brian McLaughlin.

McLaughlin along with the New York Archdiocese’s Cardinal John O’Connor, and the New York City Labor Council, which McLauglin heads, have recently announced a new initiative expected to watch over immigrants, conduct comprehensive studies, and release reports chronicling the ways immigrants are taken advantage of in our society.

The actions of McLaughlin have been prompted in part by billboards posted over the summer in Queens that denounced immigration and blamed Queens’ immigrant community for some of society’s woes, including overcrowding.

McLaughlin, O’Connor, and the NYC Labor Council will also publicly announce their campaign by taking out 50 billboards to convey their message. They will state "If you or someone you know is an immigrant and has been a victim of discrimination call our hotline number." The hotline number will be released October 12. For now, victims of discrimination can call the NYC Labor Council at 212-685-9552.

Replicas of the billboards will be released and posters will be placed in all parishes. Also, the Labor Council will do grassroots distribution of flyers in neighborhoods with large numbers of immigrants. Flyers will be translated into nearly all languages. "Immigrants come here for a better life, and become victims of exploitation," said McLaughlin.

ANTI-IMMIGRATION OUTBREAK

Jessica Lee is the Executive Director of the Coalition for Asian-American Children and families, and is alarmed by recent rash of anti-immigration sentiment.

"Immigration brings diversity to communities. I don’t understand how we are condemned despite what we do for economically and culturally. We make neighborhoods richer. They are always starting small businesses, which is the backbone of our society."

The Corona-based Queens Community Coalition Chairman Enrique Lugo feels "yes, there are problems with immigration, in particular illegal immigration. Organizations like ours, and the proposed coalition, absorb and try to help people become part of the American culture."

"The Community Coalition provides citizenship classes, free computer classes, and free English lessons. We’ve initiated a neighborhood beautification project. Many do whatever they can to give back to their community," added Lugo.

Alice Cardona is the President of "100 Puerto Rican Women in Queens," and wants to get a positive message across.

"It isn’t as open as it once was, but it is still there. Decades ago, while walking in the street it wouldn’t be rare for someone tell me to ‘Go back where you came from.’ Although it is not such anymore, the prejudices are now unspoken. It is still very much there," said Cardona.

COMMISSION ON DIGNITY

Meanwhile, the group McLaughlin and O’Connor will be founding will be called the "Special Commission on the Dignity of Immigrants." Self-funded, the program is set to begin on Columbus Day and will include six members of the clergy and six labor leaders.

The Commission will be housed at the Central Labor Council. On the hotline there will be plenty of volunteers, trained at a program that may be at Queens College.

Each week the Coalition will meet with the Archdiocese and go over patterns of abuse. Six or seven months into the year, a detailed report will be released including recommendations for the progress of immigrants into mainstream society.

In starting an organization of his own, Pu-Folkes wants to not only counter the negative messages about immigration, but also speak to and educate Queens immigrants on issues affecting them, and how they can better be a part of their community.

He spoke with a number of community leaders about starting a new coalition, banding together many organizations for the common cause of finding innovative ways to empower the immigrant community.

QUEENS ORGANIZES

Pu-Folkes has contacted regional organizations, such as the Queens Hispanic Organization, the Queens Community Coalition, "100 Puerto Rican Women in Queens," Haitian Americans United For Progress, the Queens Jewish Community Council, the Bangladeshi Friendship Association, and the Korean American Association of Flushing.

Also notified were citywide organizations like the Organization of Chinese Americans, the Puerto Rican Legal Defense Education Fund, the Coalition for Asian American Children and Families, and the Department of Youth and Community Development.

"There was a strong initial response to the posters. There is a growing groundswell of support that indicated to me something such as a coalition definitely should be done."

"There is not a strong enough bridge between community to community, and community to government. Groups are exceptionally stronger when unified. People of common interests and concerns have to team up to achieve common goals and endeavors," said Pu-Folkes.

Half-Burmese and half Caribbean, Pu-Folkes is an American-born son of first generation immigrants, and grew up in Queens. Now thirty years old, he currently resides in Jackson Heights. Pu-Folkes is intelligent and ambitious enough to demand change while many in the immigrant community have kept fairly quiet, as they have traditionally, downplaying the recent spur of anti-immigration sentiments.

"The reason so many immigrants are quiet is they are isolated by language. Also, many have a mistrust for the government based on experiences not only with their government, but ours," explained Pu-Folkes.

Nayibe Nunez-Berger, President of the 250-member Coalition, explained "at first we (the Queens Hispanic Coalition) didn’t really want to get involved. I’ve been here 38 years, and I don’t need anybody to tell us who we are. We are hard working, decent people. These things happen, you just have to live with it," said.

"We are feeling concerned right now. While nothing definitive has been planned, we will support him in whatever way we can. We want not only to provide Latinos with political Empowerment, but help and provide information to all immigrants," Nunez-Berger added.

McLaughlin summarizes his Committee on the Dignity of Immigrants, and what he and the Archidiose hope to accomplish. "We want to send a strong message to the community-at-large that we will not accept the abuse and discrimination of our immigrants."

Pu-Folkes concludes. "We want to create a very strong, effective organization which will empower our community so we do not have to wait for a crisis to mobilize and react. We want power on every decision-making level, to speak out on concerns ranging from day-to-day to global policy. We want a voice."