Author: ariellekandel

The unbanked women of New York

Written by Edil Cuepo   “Do you have a bank account?” It’s a question that most college students and young and middle-aged professionals in New York would roll their eyes at. Who doesn’t have a bank account, right? I thought the same thing — but I was stunned when I saw the numbers. A significant number of adults in New York City go “unbanked” (or without a bank account) every year. According to a survey by the New York City...

“Elvira: The Immigration Play”: A powerful reminder of how detentions and deportations affect immigrant families in the US

Written by Khatia Mikadze     Two weeks ago I saw a performance of “Elvira: The Immigration Play” at the charming Teatro LATEA in the Lower East Side, as part of  the 2015 New York International Fringe Festival. Art has always been a powerful, transformative tool to challenge public discourse and stereotypes, and this play is another reaffirmation of how art can impart both emotions and meanings. The play Elvira challenges anti-immigration opinions, and especially the belief that there is nothing...

August 2015 immigration news at a glance

Written by Kara DeDonato   This month’s news digest takes a look at the first GOP presidential debate and, in particular, at the immigration stance of the various candidates. The digest then provides some statistics and facts on immigration and undocumented immigrants highlighted in recent reports, before turning to immigration news here in New York.   The GOP and immigration The first presidential debate amongst GOP candidates was held on August 6. The topic of immigration dominated much of the...

Rosedale, Queens: an unsung neighborhood

Written by Jahaida Hernandez Jesurum       Within just two square miles in the southeastern portion of Queens, lies Rosedale, home to a population of a little more than 30,000 residents. I first drove to Rosedale on a sunny Saturday afternoon in August. The first thing I saw was Brookville Park, with its welcoming and overwhelming greenery scattered with family picnics, basketball players, and bicycle riders.  Driving south on Brookville Boulevard I glanced at beautiful homes of pristine white painted...