22 THE QUEENS COURIER • JUNE 21, 2018 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
Free immigration services events coming to Queens
BY SUZANNE MONTEVERDI
smonteverdi@qns.com / @smont76
Queens residents looking for assistance
navigating immigration policies and proceedings
can take advantage of a series of
free events throughout the borough this
month.
Spearheaded by Borough President
Melinda Katz, the fi rst “Know Your
Rights Week” will off er informational
workshops and legal services to immigrants
from June 25-29. All of the scheduled
events are free and confi dential.
On June 25, the Legal Aid Society will
provide screenings for individuals facing
“removal,” or deportation proceedings,
at the Queens Library at Jackson Heights
at 35-51 81st St. from 6 to 8 p.m. On-site
interpreters who speak English, French
and Spanish will be available; additional
languages will be interpreted through
an electronic service. Walk-ins are welcome
but appointments can be made by
emailing immhelp@legal-aid.org. Th ose
who attend should bring their Notice to
Appear and any other immigration documents
related to their case.
On June 26, Queens Legal Services will
off er a legal clinic on naturalization issues
at their offi ces at 89-00 Sutphin Blvd. in
Jamaica from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. On-site
interpreters who speak English, Korean
and Spanish will be available; additional
languages will be interpreted through
an electronic service. Call for an appointment
at 917-661-4500.
On June 27, the MinKwon Center for
Community Action will hold a clinic
on issues related to the federal Deferred
Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)
program at their Flushing offi ces at 136-
19 41st Ave. from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.
Services will be provided in English,
Chinese (Mandarin), Japanese, Korean
and Spanish. Appointments can be made
by contacting Eri Cahill at 718-460-5600
Ext. 505 or emailing eri.cahillatminkwon.
org.
On June 28, an Immigration Resource
Fair will be held at Queens Center Mall
at 90-15 Queens Blvd. in Elmhurst from
4 to 9 p.m. Resource tables and clinics
will be organized on level two and three
of Macy’s. Languages on-site will include
English, Bengali, Chinese (Mandarin),
Croatian, Korean, Russian, Spanish and
Tagalog. No appointments necessary.
On June 29, Catholic Migration
Services will off er one-on-one consultations
for those in removal proceedings
or who are seeking asylum at their
Sunnyside offi ces at 47-01 Queens Blvd.
from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. Languages will be
interpreted through an electronic service.
Appointments are encouraged and can be
scheduled by calling 347-472-3500.
“We are in deeply troubling times,”
Katz said. “Our country’s increasingly
dehumanizing immigration laws and procedures
are tearing families apart, even in
a Sanctuary City like New York. Broad
raids and sweeps of immigration enforcement,
even of those without a criminal
record, have successfully spread fear
and imposed a chilling eff ect on everyday
activities and responsibilities. But we
are a nation of immigrants, and Queens is
about all of our families’ futures.”
Councilman Daniel Dromm, who represents
areas of East Elmhurst, Elmhurst
and Jackson Heights, said the series of
events “will empower immigrant families.”
“My district is home to one of the largest
and most diverse immigrant communities
in the state,” Dromm said. “I
am pleased that the borough president
is making every eff ort to protect our
immigrants from harassment, discrimination
and violence. I will continue to
work alongside her to ensure that Queens
remains a safe haven for all people.”
Discussions at LIC Summit focus on what’s next
for America’s fastest growing neighborhood
BY JENNA BAGCAL
jbagcal@qns.com/ @jenna_bagcal
Long Island City is synonymous with
many things, including new developments,
fl ourishing businesses, breathtaking
views and arts and culture. But many
wonder “what’s next” for this popular
Queens neighborhood.
Civic and business leaders, elected offi -
cials and other speakers gathered at the
Museum of the Moving Image to discuss
the future of Long Island City at
the fi ft h annual LIC Summit. Th e June
19 event was hosted by Long Island
City Partnership, with co-hosts Modern
Spaces and Th e Queens Courier and
QNS.com.
The event’s keynote panel was
called “America’s Fastest Growing
Neighborhood: What’s Next?” and was
led by Elizabeth Lusskin, the president
of the Long Island City Partnership.
Th e members of the panel discussed the
importance of infrastructure to all aspects
of the neighborhood, investing in money
in local amenities and institutions and
securing good talent for jobs, among
other topics.
Because of the industry boom in the
neighborhood, James Patchett, the president
and CEO of the NYCEDC, said that
being “competitive” when hiring talent is
important. Lusskin added that all sectors
in LIC are “desperate for good talent” and
once they hire a candidate, they work to
keep them.
Despite its status as the “fastest growing
neighborhood” Kathryn Wylde, the president
and CEO of Partnership of NYC
brought up some of its issues, including
a “lack of connectivity” particularly
for pedestrians. She also mentioned that
though LIC had the potential for growth,
as Lower Manhattan did during the early
2000s, the LIC BID is “not as big” when
compared to Lower Manhattan’s BID.
Th e summit also focused on how to
accommodate for innovative companies
moving into LIC, the increase in the residential
and retail sectors, the growth of
interest in Life Sciences and the neighborhood’s
thriving cultural scene.
According to statistics shared at the
summit, the three sectors with the most
business recently opened in LIC are manufacturing
(39 percent), retail shopping
(16 percent) and digital media (13 percent).
Th e other business sectors in the
area include dining and nightlife, professional
services, health and fi tness,
not-for-profi t and services. Th e full LIC
Snapshot can be found here.
Other panels at this year’s summit
included “Arts and Corporate
Responsibilities,” “Public Services:
Catching Up and Getting Ahead,”
“Innovation Community: Linking LIC
Th rough Tech” and “Building our Mixed-
Use Future: Movers and Shakers.”
Photo by Jenna Bagcal/The Courier
Photo by Suzanne Monteverdi/The Courier
Borough President Katz announces the fi rst “Know Your Rights Week” this June
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