Author: ariellekandel

New Women New Yorkers at the Economic Empowerment Fair

Written by Daria Kurdyukova On October 26, volunteers from New Women New Yorkers bundled up in their coziest autumn sweaters and caught a train to Brooklyn to take part in the Economic Empowerment Fair, organized by the Mayor’s Office to Combat Domestic Violence and the Brooklyn Family Justice Center. We talked with visitors about what the organization does, shared information on upcoming events, and met other non-profit organizations with a similar goal: to help attendees from around the world find...

Real People. Real Lives. Women Immigrants of New York: Sneha, 33, from India

Sneha’s photograph and story were curated as part of the photo and storytelling exhibit, “Real People. Real Lives. Women Immigrants of New York.” I came to the US with my husband, leaving behind my family, friends, and a job I loved. It was overwhelming for a while to be all by myself in a foreign country. In India I was used to having people around me all the time. I also had my parents to help me with the care of...

Real People. Real Lives. Women Immigrants of New York: Vitoria, 27, from Brazil

Vitoria’s photograph and story were curated as part of the photo and storytelling exhibit, “Real People. Real Lives. Women Immigrants of New York.” I moved to New York after my boyfriend (now husband) proposed. He was living here and coming to the US was the only way we could be together. I left my career in Brazil and I enrolled at Pratt University. I had to learn to be humble; here I was a student living on my savings. In Brazil,...

From Kensington to Chittagong: A young activist on the rise

Written by Eliza Relman     Shahana Hanif was cheering on a phuchhka eating contest at a South Asian festival in Jackson Heights the day Bangladeshi-born Imam Alauddin Akonjee and Thara Miah were executed leaving their mosque across the borough in Ozone Park.    A week later, Hanif stepped onto a makeshift stage at Avenue C Plaza in Kensington, Brooklyn to address a crowd of neighbors, public officials, mosque members, and rabbis from the neighboring Orthodox Jewish community. The large, somber,...