After running focus groups with several representative populations in Corona, Queens, on the effectiveness of potential adverts promoting Immigrants, we hung our first two bus ads with the following statements: “I came here to be an American” and “Made by Immigrants“, paired with a shot of the Brooklyn Bridge in front of the Manhattan Skyline. They were accompanied by the slogan “IMMIGRANTS ARE AMERICAN” , and the following statistic:

Legal immigrants make up 43 percent of the total work force in New York City and account for more than $200 billion, or 32 percent, of the city’s economic activity.

(thanks to Rachel Pedderson for her research on this benefits of Immigrants to the USA for this, and many other revealing statistics)

The idea for running an Immigrant Promotional Campaign came from our June 5 session at Immigrant Movement International. The “I came here to be an American” slogan came from our session with the Corona VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars), and “Made by Immigrants” came from Immigrant Movement International’s April 3 Slogan Writing Workshop independent of our project. Thanks Tania and Ali and the gang at Immigrant Movement International!

The initial problems submitted to the Ghana ThinkTank that spurred all of this were included “Oldtimers are racist to newcomers” (collected at Corona Plaza) and “I am becoming a minority in my own neighborhood” (collected near “Spaghetti Park”). When we delved deeper into the reasons behind these issues, we learned that they primarily dealt with more established residents of Corona taking issue with the newer Immigrants in the community.

Similar issues with police harassment, families and relationships being broken up by deportations, and the hiring and non-payment of immigrant workers were also submitted to the Ghana ThinkTank in Corona, and resulted in a series of solutions from our think tanks intended to ease or highlight misunderstandings and inequities regarding immigrants in Corona, Queens.

More photos of the Immigrant Promotion Campaign and related actions here.