Xavier Lopez

It's my park. It's a couple of blocks away from where I grew up in Queens.

It's my park. It's a couple of blocks away from where I grew up in Queens.

It's my park. It's a couple of blocks away from where I grew up in Queens.

This is a place where immigrants from all over the world come to get some fresh air and to relax and to really just have fun, you know?

This is a place where immigrants from all over the world come to get some fresh air and to relax and to really just have fun, you know?

This is a place where immigrants from all over the world come to get some fresh air and to relax and to really just have fun, you know?

Yeah, I think that's probably an accurate assessment. I feel like that's just Queens generally. There's just like a lot of great food here. And I feel like partially it's because there's like a lot of immigrants here. Like nearly half of the people in Queens are immigrants from more than 120 countries. And you can see some of that represented here at the park.

Yeah, I think that's probably an accurate assessment. I feel like that's just Queens generally. There's just like a lot of great food here. And I feel like partially it's because there's like a lot of immigrants here. Like nearly half of the people in Queens are immigrants from more than 120 countries. And you can see some of that represented here at the park.

Yeah, I think that's probably an accurate assessment. I feel like that's just Queens generally. There's just like a lot of great food here. And I feel like partially it's because there's like a lot of immigrants here. Like nearly half of the people in Queens are immigrants from more than 120 countries. And you can see some of that represented here at the park.

I see a lot of Latinos and Asian folks who make the park their community and people of all ages. Older folks that come here to feed the animals and the young people that come here to just like hang out. They're throughout the park having barbecues with families or picnics with their friends.

I see a lot of Latinos and Asian folks who make the park their community and people of all ages. Older folks that come here to feed the animals and the young people that come here to just like hang out. They're throughout the park having barbecues with families or picnics with their friends.

I see a lot of Latinos and Asian folks who make the park their community and people of all ages. Older folks that come here to feed the animals and the young people that come here to just like hang out. They're throughout the park having barbecues with families or picnics with their friends.

Yeah, there's like a lot of Ecuadorian immigrants here, like me. You know, I came here back in 2002. And back then there was already a small Ecuadorian population here. But in the last couple of years, New York has seen one of the biggest Ecuadorian populations in the U.S. And it's mostly here in Queens. Right now, we're at the Ecuadorian Festival.

Yeah, there's like a lot of Ecuadorian immigrants here, like me. You know, I came here back in 2002. And back then there was already a small Ecuadorian population here. But in the last couple of years, New York has seen one of the biggest Ecuadorian populations in the U.S. And it's mostly here in Queens. Right now, we're at the Ecuadorian Festival.

Yeah, there's like a lot of Ecuadorian immigrants here, like me. You know, I came here back in 2002. And back then there was already a small Ecuadorian population here. But in the last couple of years, New York has seen one of the biggest Ecuadorian populations in the U.S. And it's mostly here in Queens. Right now, we're at the Ecuadorian Festival.

This is a festival that happens every year or so in August around Ecuadorian Independence Day.

This is a festival that happens every year or so in August around Ecuadorian Independence Day.

This is a festival that happens every year or so in August around Ecuadorian Independence Day.

Luis's cousin is tall. He wears glasses and his hair is spiked in a way that makes you feel like he's taller, too. Luis is shy, but his cousin is such a hype man. And they have this dynamic. Think Richie and Carmi in The Bear vibes, but it's about selling helados at the Ecuadorian festival.

Luis's cousin is tall. He wears glasses and his hair is spiked in a way that makes you feel like he's taller, too. Luis is shy, but his cousin is such a hype man. And they have this dynamic. Think Richie and Carmi in The Bear vibes, but it's about selling helados at the Ecuadorian festival.