State of the Field: From Sun, Sand and Sea to NYC - The Making of a Caribbean Diaspora

Presented by the Urban Planning Department

October
10
12:30pm - 2:00pm EDT
Private
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Date:
October 10, 2019
Time:
12:30pm - 2:00pm
Location:
The Puck Building - 295 Lafayette Street, Mulberry Conference Room (Room 3072), 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10012

New York City has long served as a gateway city for various immigrant groups looking to take hold of the "American Dream." Whereas the vast majority of immigrants came from European countries throughout the late 19 and early 20th centuries, sizeable increases in immigrant populations from other regions of the world such as Latin America and the Caribbean have been experienced since 1965 through this day. Using Haitian immigrants and their descendants - NYC's third largest Caribbean Diaspora population - as the unit of analysis, this talk provides a sociohistorical overview of this group's well-established community-based presence in Brooklyn, New York while briefly highlighting the transnational relationships that are maintained with Haiti as the country of origin. The talk also explores potential opportunities and challenges of ethnic enclaves as a driver of economic development given the recent "Little Haiti Cultural and Business District" designation in Flatbush, Brooklyn, passed by the New York City Council in 2018. 

Dr. Vanessa Léon is Assistant Clinical Professor of Urban Planning and Public Service and will serve as the Director of the Urban Planning program at NYU Wagner beginning in the 2020/21 academic year. As a scholar-practitioner, Dr. Léon’s research and practice spans New York City, Haiti and the broader Caribbean region with primary emphases on strengthening the institutional capacity for local governance, urban development and improved public service delivery on behalf of evolving communities. Dr. Léon is also the Chief Executive Officer of Pinchina, an international urban planning and public policy firm she founded in 2010.

NYU Wagner provides reasonable accommodations to people with disabilities. Requests for accommodations for events and services should be submitted at least two weeks before the date of the accommodation need. Please email adrienne.smith@nyu.edu or call 212.998.7400 for assistance.