Queens Street Renamed 'Little Guyana' to Honor Guyanese Community
Key Points(5)
- The contribution of the Guyanese community in New York was recognized in Queens on Saturday with the co-naming of the corner of Liberty Avenue and Lefferts Boulevard ‘Little Guyana’.
- According to the latest census data, Richmond Hill, Queens, has the largest Guyanese community outside of Guyana.
- The community is made up of immigrants who have businesses big and small, along Liberty Avenue and neighboring streets.
- Saturday’s co-naming ceremony was attended by the Foreign Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
- Robert Persaud, who highlighted that this significant ceremony was being done just days after Guyana celebrated its 55th anniversary.
The contribution of the Guyanese community in New York was recognized in Queens on Saturday with the co-naming of the corner of Liberty Avenue and Lefferts Boulevard ‘Little Guyana’.
According to the latest census data, Richmond Hill, Queens, has the largest Guyanese community outside of Guyana. The community is made up of immigrants who have businesses big and small, along Liberty Avenue and neighboring streets.
Saturday’s co-naming ceremony was attended by the Foreign Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. Robert Persaud, who highlighted that this significant ceremony was being done just days after Guyana celebrated its 55th anniversary.
Persaud encouraged the Guyanese diaspora to continue to play their role in the development drive that is taking off in Guyana.
“Think about Guyana, think about what you can do. Think about how you can also participate in what’s taking place in our country. We want to engage our diaspora in a more significant way and we see this recognition here as aiding and also supporting our efforts in not only recognizing but connecting Guyanese living here with Guyana,” the Foreign Secretary stated.
Meanwhile, Mayor of New York City, Bill de Blasio, lauded the Guyanese community for their contribution to the development of the City, noting that this recognition is well-deserved.
“I am not just the Mayor of New York City; I am the Mayor of the largest Guyanese community outside of Guyana and I’m proud of that because this community has done so much. But I’ve heard from community members too often feeling unseen and forgotten in the context of this great metropolis but I want to say, I see you, I respect you and I appreciate you. And I want to make sure that today is one of the many things we do to fully acknowledge the strength and importance of this community,” the mayor noted.
Following the ceremonial unveiling of the Little Guyana Avenue sign, attendees were treated to several performances including popular Guyanese artiste Terry Gajraj, who some say manifested this significant name change in his 2019 track ‘Richmond Hill Ah Little Guyana’.
