2020 YEAR IN REVIEW
OUR TOP PHOTOS OF THE YEAR
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
It has been a messy and tragic 2020.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve seen a glimmer of hope and resiliency,
as frontline workers and communities came together to help others during this
unprecedented time in our history.
As we say goodbye to 2020, QNS is taking a month-by-month look at a year we
will never forget, with photos ranging from scenes of the pandemic to protests
throughout the borough and everything in between.
January: A celebration at Neir’s Tavern
Mayor Bill de Blasio raises a glass with Neir’s Tavern owner Loycent Gordon
on Jan. 10. The mayor stopped by the historic 190-year-old pub in Woodhaven
and announced a deal keeping it in business. Neir’s, located at 87-48 78th St.,
was nearly forced to close its doors to unaffordable rents and insufficient sales,
according to Gordon. The “handshake” agreement was made possible by the
Queens Chamber of Commerce, along with de Blasio, Councilman Robert Holden
and Assemblyman Mike Miller. (Photo by Dean Moses)
February: Coronavirus fears
emerge in Flushing
A Flushing resident on Main
Street wears a face mask to protect
himself from the novel coronavirus
that has caused panic and fear in
the community. The virus, which
originated in Wuhan, China, led to
cancellations of the festive Chinese
Lunar New Year celebrations. Following
the coronavirus outbreak,
many businesses and restaurants
in Chinatown, Flushing and Sunset
Park suffered. Despite there being
no known cases in the city, restaurants
and shops in Flushing experienced
a 40 percent decline in business, according to Peter Tu, of the Flushing
Chinese Business Association. (Photo by Dean Moses)
March: St. Pat’s for All
Parade held in Woodside
Before the COVID-19
spread in the second half of
the month, a massive crowd
celebrated St. Patrick’s Day
early on March 2 in Woodside.
TIMESLEDGER | QNS.12 COM | DEC. 25-DEC. 31, 2020
The annual St. Pat’s for
All Parade, which touts “inclusiveness”
for all, brought
out several city leaders, including
Mayor Bill de Blasio, Senator Charles Schumer, Reps. Alexandria Ocasio
Cortez and Carolyn Maloney, among others on the city, state and federal
levels. (Photo by Dean Moses)
April: A ‘thank you’ to
healthcare workers
When COVID-19 hit
Queens, hospitals across
the borough were overflowing
with patients. In
appreciation of their tireless
efforts to save lives,
Jamaica Hospital staff
workers received a sweet
treat from a local restaurant.
At the forefront of
the pandemic, healthcare
workers were referred to
as heroes, as community organizations and volunteers thanked them through
deliveries of meal donations, cards and letters.
May: Black Lives Matter protests
Following the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers,
nearly a thousand Queens protestors gathered at Diversity Plaza in Jackson
Heights and took to the streets protesting “Black Lives Matter,” calling for
an end to injustice. The protest was organized by the People’s Power Assemblies.
Queens had joined the nation in a wave of protests after video footage surfaced
of Police Officer Derek Chauvin allegedly kneeling on Floyd’s neck for several
minutes, killing him. (Photo by Angélica Acevedo)
June: Blue Lives Matter demonstrations counter Black Lives Matter protests
While people all over the world were protesting against police brutality
demanding both justice and police defunding, hundreds of demonstrators in