As parts of neighborhoods of American cities become clusters of people of the same ethnic background making them ethnic neighborhoods, it becomes necessary for neighborhoods to undergo change in names as well as its streets to reflect changing demographics. There emerged in New York City, ethnic neighborhoods like Little Italy, Little Ireland, Chinatown, etc., there developed de facto Little Guyana and Little Trinidad.
New York and other cities have undergone change from continuous migration; names of streets have been renamed or co-named to reflect the names or institutions of new migrant communities. Outstanding personalities and ethnic groups have their names on streets in various parts of New York City and other cities because of their contributions to their communities.
Several streets in NYC have been co-named over the last decade adopting names after Indians or ethnic groups. Ethnic groups in Queens County have a street dedicated to their country of birth, such as Little Guyana, Punjabi Way, Bangladesh Way, Gurudwara Way, among others, or after names of individuals like Ramesh Kalicharran, Prakash Gossai, Pandit Ramlall, Dharmacharya Seeratan, among others, who made significant contributions to their neighborhoods.
With that background in mind, Dr Vishnu Bisram, a Guyanese activist championing Caribbean and South Asian interests in America since the 1970s, and other Indians approached myself and other Trinidadians in greater Richmond Hill area to seek renaming of a street intersecting Liberty Ave as “Little Trinidad and Tobago”. Dr Bisram felt that the largest presence of Trinidadians has been in Richmond Hill, and they have positively impacted the area. Dr Bisram pointed out that Indo Trinidadians have a longer and at one time a larger presence in Richmond Hill and throughout Queens than Indo Guyanese, and the latter got a street named after Guyana because of the strong presence and contributions of that group in the community. Indo Trinidadians started businesses in the area since the early 1970s long before Indo Guyanese made their presence in the area in the late 1970s. Today, hundreds of thousands of Guyanese and Trinidadians have been residing in greater Richmond Hill.
The presence of Indo Caribbeans go back to the late 1960s when the USA opened its borders to non White people. Dr Bisram advised that the Indo Trinidadian community leaders in Richmond Hill lobby for a street co-named after their national group. He had also suggested the renaming or co-naming of 110th Street off Northern Blvd as Shiva Mandir Way because of the long presence and influence of that temple on the area. He also suggested that the last train station of Lefferts Blvd on the A line be co-named as Little Guyana, Little Trinidad, Little Punjab.
In 2020, a small community minded group of Trinbagonians, including myself, from Richmond Hill and other sections of Queens discussed the idea of pursuing the co-naming of a street after Trinidad and Tobago. We were advised by Dr Bisram to seek the assistance of political representative Richard David and community advocate Ashook Ramsaran. The latter had many years of experience in that activity as he was able to get several streets co-named after prominent individuals and organizations. A group of us, Trinidadians, met Richmond Hill Democratic Leader [Queens] Richard David at Singh’s Roti Shop in August of 2020 and discussed the idea of having a street named after Trinidad and Tobago. The members were Richard David, Shivanie Maharaj, Anoop Dhanpat, Allison Alexis, and Vijay Ramjattan. Richard was supportive and committed to achieving the goal. There were follow up meetings to do the paperwork. More Trinbagonians, including the prominent Chairwoman of Community Board 9 Sherry Algredo and Rose Deonarine, among others, joined the original group in the discussions; CB 9 includes greater Richmond Hill. The paper work of many pages was prepared by a team and a petition was completed for the formal request to co-name a street. Richard David submitted the documents to the relevant authority and to the elected council rep, Ms Adrienne Adams, of the district. Ms Adams became Speaker last year. The application was stalled for a long period. There were several follow up meetings with local elected officials to clear obstacles. Dr Bisram kept calling regularly, inquiring about the delay. He advised that the group approached Ashook Ramsaran to help clear the logjam. The group sought the intervention of Ms Sherry Algredo who would help to take it to the finish line. Ms Adrienne Adams was pursued by Sherry Algredo, Chairwoman of Community Board 9, to help obtain approval. Adrienne Adams and Sherry Algredo had a long association and the latter’s intervention did wonders to help get the application approved. Sherry has been well known as an institution in Queens chaired her community board for a third year unopposed and served in the board for several years. She became the first Indo Caribbean woman to chair CB 9. She has been a dedicated community leader, volunteer of a government agency.
Sherry Algredo proved invaluable in getting approval of the street co-naming. With the intervention of Sherry and the lobbying of Richard David and others and with persistence and great determination, we were able to achieve our goal of a street co-naming. Ms Adams presented the petition that was successfully adapted by the council.
A street co-naming ceremony was planned. With a grand cultural event featuring Steel Pan recital, Moko Jumbee, Chutney Music [featuring Rikki Jai, Ravi B, and Raymond Ramnarine), we had the street Co- Naming done on Sunday 29th August 2023. Over three hundred well-wishers were in attendance. In attendance were The Speaker of the City Council Adrienne Adams who presented the petition to the City Council and had it passed. Among other notables present were Sherry Algredo who got a shout out from Adrienne Adams, Trinidad and Tobago Consulate Andre Laveau, and representatives of the Trinidad and Tobago Embassy in Washington DC, police officers from NYPD 106 and 102 Precincts, Guyanese and Trinidadian community leaders, Dr Dhanpaul Narine, Ralph Tamesh, among others. It was a fantastic event that was covered by community and mainstream media. Newspapers in Trinidad also carried reports.
Several individuals were responsible for the co-naming of 131 street and they all deserve credit. I especially like to thank Richard David, Sherry Algredo, and all others, too many to mention, who helped to make history in getting the street co-named after our homeland of Trinidad and Tobago. I would like to commend everyone who played a part in the history making achievement. I also thank those who assisted with the program and all those who contributed refreshments on the day the street sign was unveiled.
(Editor’s Note: Anoop Dhanpat was key to and played leading role in the co-naming of the street).
By Anoop Dhanpat