Patchwork
Some
call it a melting pot, others a stew.
But
perhaps the most accurate way to describe the
blending of the lives and cultures that make up
Queens is with a quilt.
Often
quilts are made from remnants and leftovers of
larger swaths of fabric. Each patch provides its
own unique look and texture, and it brings with
it its own history. The same is true of Queens.
For more than 350 years one immigrant group after
another has come from every corner of the world
to fill its space on the borough’s quilt.
As
individual groups, each retains it unique identity
- with religious beliefs, ceremonies, cuisine
and social mores that define that culture. But
at the same time, these patches come together
to form a distinctive single object. Each portion
of the quilt is essential to the whole, adding
to it and making it complete.
As
the patches on the quilt make the piece whole,
so, too, do the varied cultures of Queens. Though
we do not cover them all in this one book, join
us as we get to know some of our neighbors and
explore the ways that the diverse groups of immigrants
have come to create this glorious borough we call
Queens.
