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Radio Rookies - Elmhurst

The Elmhurst Queens workshop was held at SAYA! (South Asian Youth Action). Founded in 1996, SAYA! is the first organization in the United States to serve young people with roots in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Guyana, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Trinidad.

The vibrant nonprofit is located in the basement of a church in Elmhurst, just off Queens Blvd. SAYA! works with more than 400 kids a year, offering them the space to learn, grow, play, and build community. Two of SAYA!’s most successful programs include ARISE, a co-ed youth group that tackles community problems, and Desi Girls on the Rise, a girls-only leadership group.

Winter 2006


Amina Tariq
"We have stories to tell!"

Yesica Balderrama
"Internet Bug"

Prince Hunt
"Timmy and Me"

Wen Ou
"Losing Home"

Neil Ramkissoon
"Lucid Dreaming"

Edward Llanos
"My Family Remembers"

About the neighborhood :

Quiet suburban-esque blocks and bustling thoroughfares define the streetscape of Elmhurst, one of the more diverse neighborhoods in New York City. The area was first populated in the early 1900s by Irish, Polish and German immigrants. It's still a community of immigrants, but now residents are mostly Latino, Asian and South Asian. Not surprisingly, the restaurants nearby SAYA! reflect that mix; there’s a Chinese-Indian spot, an Afghani kebab house, and a delicious Argentinean bakery owned by Koreans. In addition to some tasty restaurants, Elmhurst is home to the Queens Center Mall.

Although the workshop is located in Elmhurst, all of the Rookies travel from other neighborhoods in Queens, including Astoria, Flushing, Jamaica, Ozone Park, and Woodside.

 

Radio Rookies on their neighborhood:

One thing you or everyone should know about queens is that there are a lot of shopping areas and they are also affordable. -Amina

Queens has the second largest population of all the boroughs in NYC (Brooklyn is first). Jazz sensations such as Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong resided in Queens. –Yesica

The buses in Queens are slow, especially the Q65! –Prince

Ray Romano from Everybody Loves Raymond and Fran Dresher from The Nanny went to my high school in Jamaica, Queens. –Neil

The Top Ten languages spoken in Queens (1-10): English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Italian, Greek, Russian, Tagalong (Filipino), French, French Creole –Neil