The Legacy in New York City By: Jose Francisco Avila

Did you know that Garinagu may have been in the USA since the 1800s? Although there is no official record of when the first Garinagu arrived in North America, a New York City theater playbill revealed that may have migrated during the nineteenth century. The playbill was for an 1823 play about Garifuna hero Joseph Chatoyer. Playwright William Henry Brown was believed to be a Garifuna from St. Vincent. His play, The Drama of King Shotoway, a play which is recognized as the first black drama of the American Theatre, which has as its subject the 1795 Insurrection in the Island of , led by the Paramount Chief Joseph Chatoyer. Brown's play was staged at the African Grove Theatre, which was located at the corners of Mercer and Bleecker streets. Founded in 1821, it was the first African American theater, according to the program. 1

New York City is home to the largest Black Caribs (Garifunas) population outside of Honduras in Central America, an estimated 200,000 live in the South Bronx, Brownsville and East New York of Brooklyn, and on Manhattan's Upper West Side. In 2009, the Garifuna Community of New York City will celebrate some key milestones, among them the 186 th anniversary of the Drama of King Shotoway.

In addition, it will celebrate the 63 rd anniversary of the Carib American Association, Inc., the 50 th anniversary of the Fenix Social Club, Inc and the 20 th anniversary of Mujeres Garinagu en Marcha (MUGAMA), Inc. and Organización de Damas Limoneñas en New York, Inc. both in March, as well as commemoration the 19 th Anniversary of the Happy Land Social Club Fire, where the majority of the victims were Garifunas. These milestones, along with the special observance of the 214 th anniversary of the death of the Paramount Garifuna Chief Joseph Chatoyer on March 14 1795 and the 212 th anniversary of the exile of the Garifuna people from St Vincent to Balliceaux in February 1797and their subsequent exile on March 11 th , 1797, to Central America where they arrived to the island of Roatan on April 12 th , 1797, are reminders of the survival of the Garifuna Heritage and Culture in the Western Hemisphere. Therefore, the Garifuna Coalition has submitted a proposal to the Honorable David A. Paterson, Governor of the state of New York, New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, Bronx Brought President Adolfo Carrion, Jr. and Mayor Michael Bloomberg to issue a proclamation designating March 11 th - April 12 th of each year as Garifuna American Heritage Month in New York State and New York City beginning in 2009.

Although Garifunas have been migrating to the United States in search of a better life since the 1930s (1800?), the community was virtually obscured in New York until the Happy Land Social Club fire on March 25 th , 1990. Fifty nine of the Happy Land victims were Hondurans. More than 70 percent of the Honduran victims were also of Garifuna descent. The proclamation of Garifuna Heritage Month will serve as a reminder that the Garifuna American legacy and history are inextricably linked to New York City, New York State and the United States of America.

Garifuna American Heritage Month, will celebrate the great contributions of Garifuna Americans to the fabric of New York State and New York City, and will pay tribute to the common culture and bonds of friendship that unite the United States and the Garifunas’ countries of origin (Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and St. Vincent and the Grenadines). The proposal is an integral part of the Garifuna Coalition USA, Inc.’s efforts to promote the self- determination and unification of the New York Garifuna community through grassroots organizing and community building.

Unlike more established immigrant groups in the city, the Garifunas had not been able to establish any landmarks of their presence. Over the years, they had often gathered in small civic groups, but those have tended to dissolve more quickly and easily than they have formed.

However, over the past twenty years, the Garifuna Immigrant Community in New York City has made strides in its development efforts. Starting with the first modern nonprofit Garifuna organization, Garifuna Women Pro Education, Inc. MUGAMA, founded in March 1989; this organization represents a new trend in Garifuna organizational activity by becoming the first to receive 501(c)(3) tax exempt status from the IRS and was followed by the Evangelical Garifuna

1 http://www.everyculture.com/multi/Du-Ha/Garifuna-Americans.html Church Inc., Hondurans Against Aids Inc. Garifuna Coalition USA Inc. and United Garifuna Association Inc. These organizations represent 35% of the Central American 501(c)(3) Nonprofits in New York State and 45% of those located in the 5 boroughs of New York City. Not-for-profit corporations are formed for any one or more of the following non-business purposes: charitable, educational, religious, scientific, literary, and cultural.

In addition to the Nonprofit sector, the Garifuna Community’s development is reflected in the mass media industry where Murphy Valentine and Cesar Arzu have been broadcasting Centro America show on Bronxnet for the past 15 years, they also became one of the first producers to broadcast a live show, Honduras New York and the first to broadcast their shows over the Internet thought their Garifuna Link website and the Garifuna Link group connect Garifuna across the world!. Their pioneering efforts have led to the development of other Garifuna TV shows, such as Wabagari, which is produced by German Cayetano, World Music, produced by Raul Arzu and Ministerio Linaje Escojido, produced by Reverend Sonia Fernandez. In addition, there’s the Labuga.com website which is hosted by Martin Bermudez. More recently, Jorge Gonzalez, Balloy Fernandez, Luis Martinez and Oscar Sacasa have introduced Garifuna Movement magazine with the purpose of documenting the strides that Garifunas are making not only in their homelands but also here in their adopted home.

Those strides have included entrepreneurial efforts such as the following Domestic Business Corporations are registered in New York State: Garifuna Enterprises, Inc., which was incorporated by Raymond Martinez in 1998 and is now inactive; the same is true of Garifuna Construction, Inc. and Garifuna Contracting, Inc., among the actives are: Garifuna Properties, LLC, Garifuna Star Restaurant Corp., Lanichuga Garifuna Restaurant Corp., Victoria Honduras Cargo, and Labuga Puerto Barrios Shipping Cargo, Inc., which are all listed as Domestic Business Corporations. Also included in the business category but as partnership, is the New Horizon Investment Club, which was formed by ten Garifunas to poll their financial resources as a collective investment vehicle to increase efficiency of the capital and have invested in the stock market, as well as ventured into real estate; currently, they have developed a formal import and distribution channel for cassava and other products. It has been said that without economic power, there’s no political power.

Political engagement has been the most underdeveloped area for Garifunas. Although Garifuna immigrants have kept their culture alive they seem to show a different view on American politics. Even when they achieved citizenship, many didn’t even think about voting or getting involved in politics. This is also demonstrated by many Garifunas involvement in local committees during national elections in their country of origin but not in the local or state elections in New York City. However, great strides have been made recently towards including the Garifuna Immigrant Community into the civic process of New York City. This can be demonstrated by the empowerment of individuals and organizations who seek the skills they need to effect change in their own communities and the pursuit of a common agenda. Examples such as the voter registration campaigns developed by various organizations, as well as efforts to motivate Garifunas to apply for membership in local Community Boards and more prominently by Jerry Castro’s decision to create an exploratory committee to run for office in the State of New York, thus becoming the first Garifuna-American to seek such position within the 50 states of the United States 2. Civic participation is a requirement for full inclusion and participation in all city and state programs.

2009 will mark the 186 th Anniversary of The Drama of King Shotaway, which had as its subject the 1795 Black Caribs Insurrection in the Island of Saint Vincent, led by the Paramount Chief Joseph Chatoyer. 211 years ago, everybody wondered if the Garifunas were going to survive as a people and live a long healthy life, however, not only have they survived but will be returning to their homeland St. Vincent and the Grenadines (Yurumein!), during Vincy Homecoming 2009-The Garifuna Reunion, which is scheduled for July 18 th – 25 th .

The Garifunas journey has been long, while there’s no questions that great strides have been made over the past twenty years, it is also true that much remains to be done and the hope is that the Garifuna Heritage Month and the Garifuna Reunion, will motivate Garifunas in all the different sectors (social, nonprofit, business, civic and cultural) to build ongoing, permanent relationships for the purpose of applying a collective vision for the benefit of the Garifuna Immigrant Community of New York City that will ascertain the necessary change to keep it moving forward to fulfill the promise of a bright future in 2009 and beyond. Happy New Year!

2 Garifuna-American announces committee to run for office in New York State Press Release, May 20, 2008

January- Fermin Arzu press conference February – Garifuna Coalition meeting with Garifuna Young Professionals Enero – Conferencia de prensa cas Fermin Arzu Febrero- Reunión de la Coalición Garifuna con los jóvenes Garifunas

March – 18th Anniversary of the Happy Land Social Club Fire Marzo - 18 anniversario del incendion en el Club Social Happy Land April – First Annual Garifuna Symposium Abril – Primer Simposio Garifuna

June – Garifuna Coalition meet with SVG Consul Cozier May – First anniversary of Fermin Arzu’s shooting Junio – Reunión de la Coalición Garifuna con el Cónsul de SVG Cozier Mayo – Primer aniversario del asesinato de Fermín Arzu

July – Special rception for Dionisia “Ms Nicha” Amaya August – Meeting with SVG Ambassador LA Celia Prince Julio – Recepción especial para Doña Dionisia Amaya Agosto – Reunion con la Embajadora de SVG La Celia Prince

October – Mayor Michael Bloomberg with Jerry Castro Octubre – El alcalde municipal Michael Bloomberg con Jerry Castro

September - International Honduran and Central American Parade Septiembre - Desfile Internacional Hondureño y Centroamericano

November 15th – Noviembre 15

November 4th – Garifunas celebrate election night Noviembre 4 – Garifuna celebran las elecciones