4 MARCH 10, 2022 RIDGEWOOD TIMES WWW.QNS.COM
Rajkumar hosts Dominican Independence Day celebration
BY JULIA MORO
EDITORIAL@QNS.COM
@QNS
Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar hosted a
Dominican Independence Day Celebration
at the El Rinconcito de Nagua restaurant in
Woodhaven on Feb. 27.
About 130 people celebrated with complimentary
Dominican food, music and dancing. Rajkumar said
that, as the fi rst South Asian woman elected to New
York state offi ce, she is proud to be a champion for all
underrepresented, overlooked communities.
“I am the fi rst daughter of immigrants to hold this
Assembly seat, and I am proud to empower the Dominican
American community in my district which
has been overlooked for too long,” Rajkumar said.
“With their many contributions to our community,
they deserve to have the entire community celebrate
one of their biggest holidays of the year.”
Rajkumar honored a select group of people from
the Dominican-American community, including
Woodhaven’s Business Improvement District Executive
Director Raquel Olivares and the Association
of Mutual Help and Solidarity Founder Julio Batista.
Other Woodhaven leaders like Luis Lucas and Francisco
Marte, the founder of the Bodega and Small
Business Association, which represents over 2,000
bodegas in New York City, were also honored.
The assemblywoman said she chose these leaders
based on the impact they have had on her district.
“Marte has advocated for many bodegas in Woodhaven.
Lucas is an advocate for his neighbors in south
Queens. Batista is the founder of the Association of
Mutual Help and Solidarity. Olivares’ career is to
Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar celebrates Dominican Independence Day with honorees. From
left to right: Luis Lucas, Francisco Marte, Jenifer Rajkumar, Julio Batista and Jose Bayona.
Courtesy of Vjola Isufaj
empower small businesses in Woodhaven,” Rajkumar
said. “Next year, I will be looking for the hidden
heroes of the community as well as youth leaders to
honor.”
Batista said that he and his whole family could not
wait to celebrate this day with the assemblywoman.
“Rajkumar is a great advocate for the Dominican
American community, and it is wonderful that she is
recognizing our culture,” Batista said. “The assemblywoman
shows her support for our community by
hitting the streets and showing up for us as she does
for every community in her district.”
Another honoree, Marte, gave out over 100,000
masks during the pandemic and helped store owners
understand new COVID-19 guidelines as they
frequently changed. He said that even though he
wasn’t looking for any recognition, it feels good to get
noticed for all the work he’s done for his community.
“I don’t do it looking for recognition; they surprised
me,” Marte said. “But I hope it helps get other people
recognized for the great job they’re doing in the
community.”
MEDIA ADVISORY
M
Village
Middle
IA
Preparatory
IS
Charter
Y
r
School
will conduct its
g
monthly Board
y
d of Trustees Meeting
on Wednesday Mar 16 th , 2022
Details are as follows:
WHO: Middle Village Preparatory Charter School
WHAT: Monthly Board of Trustees Meeting
WHEN: Wednesday Mar 16 TH , 2022
TIME: 6:00 PM
WHERE: Multi-Purpose Room at Middle Village Prep
Door # 10
68-02 Metropolitan Avenue
Middle Village, NY 11379
All meetings of the Trustees and all committees and subcommittees
are conducted with the New York Open Meetings Law
(N.Y. Public Officers Law §§ 100-111).
MEDIA ADVISORY
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