Celebrating Colombian Independence in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. Tribune photo by Ira Cohen

By Azi Paybarah

How Many Are There?
ueens residents would be hard pressed to find a borough neighborhood that does not have a Spanish-speaking enclave.

There are 551,004 Latinos in Queens, according to 2000 census figures cited by Professor Arturo Ignacio Sanchez, a Latin American immigration expert who teaches at the Graduate Center for Planning and the Environment, at Pratt Institute’s School of Architecture.

The four predominate groups within the Latino community are Mexicans, Dominicans, Ecuadorians and Colombians, said Sanchez.

There are 69,875 Dominicans; 60,298 Colombians; 57,716 Ecuadorians and 55,418 Mexicans. Each of those numbers is roughly the size of the population of Southampton, Long Island (55,000).

While the Latino population in Queens increased by 179,167, or 48 percent, since 1990, there was a decrease of 2,926 Colombians. Sanchez said that was a result of a Census undercount, which helped lead to a sample recount currently being performed in northwest Queens.

An advertisement geared toward former residents of South America adorns this Roosevelt Avenue phone booth. Tribune photo by Ira Cohen

Who Are They?
Sanchez said many of those who emigrate here sought economic opportunities.

Those include doctors, lawyers, architects and even entertainers. Immigrants with less financial resources, often fleeing poverty-ridden rural towns, have at times entered the states illegally, creating a “two-tier” division within each ethnic community, said Sanchez.

He said this shift coincided with the creation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). This allowed capital, technology, and goods to flow freely across the borders.

The principle behind NAFTA is also driving immigration, Sanchez said. “How can you be in favor of the free movement of capital, and technology, but not labor,” asked Sanchez.

He added, “How can you expect people to stay put when at the click of a button you can move in and out of a country huge amounts of capitals, and destabilize that country?”

When Did They Get Here?
The economic downturn Mexico suffered in the 1980s and early 1990s coupled with America’s relative prosperity during that time lured many to the states – legally and otherwise, said Sanchez.

Colombian immigration to Queens increased during that country’s violent civil war, fought between the federal government and leftist rebels during the 1980s, said Sanchez.

Ecuadorians had “no civil war, [but are] one of the countries that dollarized their currency,” said Sanchez. “That says a whole lot…if you have any kind of migration, where are you going to go? Where there’s a natural bridge,” and Sanchez said that bridge connects Ecuador and the United States.

Rural and urban Dominicans have also felt the economic squeeze of recent years, many of whom have emigrated here, according to Sanchez.

Flags of the Latin and South American nations that many of the residents of Jackson Heights used to call home. This photo was taken near Roosevelt Avenue. Tribune photo by Ira Cohen

Where Do They Live?
Latino communities are well established in areas throughout Queens. Neighborhoods like Woodside, Long Island City, Maspeth and Ridgewood have significant portions of Latinos, but the heart of the borough’s Latino community is anchored in Jackson Heights, Corona and Elmhurst.

Along Roosevelt Avenue – which runs through Jackson Heights, Elmhurst and Corona under the elevated No. 7 train – are music stores, bakeries, restaurants, medical and legal offices catering to Latinos.

Where Do They Worship?
A majority of each of these communities is Roman Catholic. Many churches throughout Queens, in an attempt to fill their pews and serve their community, offer services now in English and Spanish.

Some notable churches include: The Corona Congregational Church, 102-18 34th Ave., www.coronachurch.org , (718) 335-8185; The Iglesia Cristiana La Palabra, 104-21 Roosevelt Ave., Corona, (718) 651-2427; and The Church of St. Raphael’s, 35-20 Greenpoint Ave., Long Island City, (718) 719-8957.

Where Do They Shop?
From meat filled patties called empanadas, to Spanish-language Ricky Martin and Shakira albums, stores for Latino shoppers are everywhere.

Referring back to the two-tier dichotomy between documented and undocumented Latinos in Queens, Sanchez said shopping districts are also striated.

Latinos with the ability to travel freely between Queens and their home countries often shop at the expanded Queens Center Mall in Elmhurst, according to Sanchez. Here, they pick up gifts for people back home, to demonstrate their newfound success in America.

Undocumented Latinos, who often cannot travel freely to their home countries, tend to shop elsewhere, like at local stores along Roosevelt Avenue, said Sanchez.

Where Do They Eat?
There are numerous Colombian and Ecuadorian bakeries, but some select Latino restaurants are found throughout the borough.

Those include: Pollos a al Brasa Marion, 69-01 Roosevelt Ave., Woodside (718-779-8100); El Comelon Restaurant, 41-04 Greenpoint Ave., Sunnyside, (718-392-7822), and Viva Mexico–Cinco De Mayo, a Mexican restaurant and bar, with live mariachi music on Sat and Sunday evenings, 106-26 Corona Avenue, (718-271-8687).

What Do They Do For A Living?
Documented and undocumented Latinos are often steered into different employment sectors. Those without legal working papers find work as day laborers in the construction or landscaping fields; some work service and retail jobs in the stores and restaurants geared to their community.

A number of first generation Mexicans, Dominicans, Ecuadorians and Colombians have opened small stores or bodegas, demonstrating the entrepreneurial spirit fostered back home, said Sanchez. Since legal migration attracts well-educated, middle and upper middle class people, many have found work in the medical, legal and law enforcement fields.

Children of first generation Latinos have fused into every facet of employment, producing numerous doctors, police officers, attorneys and entertainers.

What’s In Their Future?
Although the goals of longtime residents and new arrivals often differ, many still share concerns for their home countries, said Sanchez. The economic and political factors that drove them here are being addressed by various groups, including: the Latin American Integration Coalition; the Dominican American Society; East Elmhurst Colombia Lions Club, as well as the Colombian Civic Center.

Some elected officials and immigrant groups are seeking greater freedoms for non-citizen residents, such as voting rights and access to driver licenses.

Also, theater productions by the Thalia Spanish Theatre on Greenpoint Boulevard in Sunnyside helps introduce these cultures to second generation Latinos and their neighbors.