NEWSLETTER WINTER/SPRING | 2019 our

American dream come true…One day, my daughter said, ‘Mama, I PROSPECT New Americans Welcome Center PARK My Favorite Place By Xue Wen Li

My favorite place is the top of mountains. more views than on the ground. About the Writer: I was born in a small village located on a In addition, I can enjoy different scenery Xue Wen Li, known as Berty Li, was born famous plateau in China. There are many in different seasons, like being saturated in a mountain village in Yunnan Province, mountains around our village. One of with splendid colors in Spring or China. He came to New York as a visiting them is up to 4,500 meters high compared marveling at the mountain ridge in Economics scholar from Columbia to the horizon line, so I have liked Summer. I have been charmed by the University. He has a wife and a three- climbing mountains since I was young. harvest scene in autumn and awed by the year-old daughter, and looks forward to When I climb a mountain, I really enjoy endless white world in winter. seeing his daughter grow up happy and the scene coming to my eyes -- unknown I still remember the impressive moment healthy. He attends ESOL classes at the wildflowers, wild animals, and colorful when I climbed to the top of Whiteface Prospect Park YMCA’s New Americans leaves. Everything seems novel and Mountain in Upstate New York, on Initiative program. nd, makes me feel marvelous. When I finally 2 2018. A breathtaking arrive at the top of a mountain, I always spectacle spread itself out before my eyes. embrace nature with my open arms. The I saw the whole of Lake Placid. Some wind blows in my face and I listen to the white sail boats were sailing on the lake, sounds of nature, which is a fantastic and surface of the lake was reflecting feeling for me. golden sunshine. How peaceful and I can also look out over the beautiful glamorous it was! My wife, daughter, and landscape around the mountain when I I all drank in the beauty of this scene. That reach the top. There are always a lot is why the top of mountains is my favorite NAWC 2019 Friendship Day Event at place. The Park Slope Armory YMCA. Pg. 2 Pg. 3 Pg. 4 STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: Juan Vazquez NAWC: NEWS & EVENTS STUDENTS SHARE THEIR STORIES: STUDENTS SHARE THEIR STORIES: Katarzyna Janowska Iaroslav Roik NAWC NEWS & EVENTS

“Everywhere immigrants have enriched the fabric of American Life.” -- John F. Kennedy

FRIENDSHIP DAY 2019: “Jersey Boys”: On May 29th, the NAWC CUNY Citizenship NOW! Event: The PPY NAWC celebrated its staff and participants went to see the On Wednesday, March 13th the NAWC Friendship Day on Wednesday, hosted CUNY Citizenship NOW event Broadway show “Jersey Boys”. February 20. It was planned, organized at the Park Slope Armory YMCA, where Participants appreciated the and hosted by NAWC participants. 30 individuals attended. From assistance opportunity provided by YMCA to see They decorated the rooms with flowers, with completing the naturalization the world famous show which they balloons, red and hot pink name tags application to applying for DACA were excited to see. and garlands. Guests enjoyed a plethora eligibility, everyone had an individual of food from many countries; including story. Morocco, Columbia, , Ukraine, Success Stories: The people that were assisted at the event , Poland, China, , Karen completed her PCA certificate represented a very diverse list of , and course and got job in the same field. countries. Russia. Bags of candy were also Mitsoyu Mt. Clair entered a one year Key to the City: The NAWC distributed for families to take home. certificate course as a Massage collaborated with NYIC in holding the All together 45 guests came together to Therapist. Hansenys entered Pre-HSE Family Resource Fair on 13, to strengthen the connection and sense of while attending the Intermediate ESL. reach out to communities in Kensington community they have built in the safe and Midwood. space provided by the Prospect Park Cinco de Mayo: In collaboration with YMCA. Sunset Park Center, the NAWC held Cinco de Mayo for the communities in Sunset Park.

The NAWC also attended the Brooklyn Answer event in collaboration with Office of Assembly Member Robert

Carroll on May 19. CUNY Citizenship NOW! Event at the

NAWC 2019 March End of Park Slope Armory YMCA. 2 Cycle Celebration. STUDENTALAS STUDENTS SHARE THEIR STORIES: SPOTLIGHT A Journey: From PPY NAWC to Abstruse Wish By: Iaroslav Roik US vs. El Chapo.

When I was a child, there was a time when only appreciate what diamonds we have? What Juan Vazquez arrived in New York in the Fall of 2017 people congratulated each other using mostly will we leave our younger generation? It will looking for a better future. He registered and joined greeting cards. be good to leave them peace. So, wish for The Prospect Park YMCA’s New Americans Welcome On my seventh birthday I received a few of peace, pray for peace, make toasts for peace, Center in the Spring of 2018. those nice cards from friends and family save peace, be strong to protect peace, and be Juan was a journalist in his native country, Mexico. He members, wishng me a happy birthday. happy to live in peace. aspired to be a journalist in One of them was from my grandmother. the United States. He wrote essays during his stay in At that time I had just started reading and About the Writer: the program and read them at NAWC celebrations. understanding. I read my grandmother’s Iaroslav is a native Ukraine. Along with his Juan proclaims that his participation in NAWC gave greeting card loudly and slowly thinking about wife and daughter, he came to United States him encouragement to continue to pursue his each word in it. My grandmother wished me three years ago. Iaroslav studies English at the dream of becoming a good health. I knew what good health meant. Prospect Park YMCA’s NAI program. For his journalist in the United States. He stated that the Rather, I knew how it was bad to have some whole life Iaroslav did not enjoy writing, but dedication of PPY NAWC staff helped him improve illness. That was a very good wish. The second he has now developed a taste for writing essays his self-confidence, and he was hired by Yahoo.com to was happiness. I knew what that was – new and short stories thanks to his classes at the Y. cover The US vs. “El Chapo” Trial, in Spanish. toys, playing with parents and friends. Also, He also thanks the Y for allowing him the He informed NAWC that he will be present at “El there was a wish that I was good pupil. I knew opportunity to find friends from all over the Chapo’s” sentence hearing what that was. Her next wish was… was one world. His Program Director is Nabila Khan in June 2019. The Prospect Park YMCA, thing I could not understand. It was a wish of and his instructor is Donna Powers. and especially the New Americans Welcome peace. Center wish Juan success in all future journalistic What did peace mean? Why did my adventures. grandmother wish it for me?

Years and years later, unexpectedly, I

remembered my grandmother’s greeting card

and her wish for me…

We as humans have and own money, clothes,

cars, houses, and a lot of different things but Yahoo.com Journalist and former NAWC participant, Juan Vazquez only rarely do we have peace. Can we really NAWC took a trip to see “Jersey Boys”. 3 YMCA New Americans Initiative 5 West 63rd Street; 2nd Floor New York, NY 10023 (212) 875-4336 www.ymcanewamericans.org

What Kind of Animal by: Katarzyna Janowska

human as possible. So, that means I want When I think of myself as an animal, I am As a raven I would fly and see the world to be a human. torn between an elephant and a raven. from above. However, like the raven from About the Writer: Both of them are smart, learn easily and the Tower of London, I could live very, Katarzyna Janowska was born in Poland, don’t have any natural enemies. Except of very long and feel absolutely safe. 60 years ago. She came to the US in 2014 course, for the humans who could hunt or Both of these animals have the ability to and settled in Brooklyn, NY. Kasia, as she kill them. That’s why these animals can learn from their mistakes as well as from is known, loves Brooklyn and Prospect live relatively long and safe lives. each other. They can communicate and Park where she always walks her dog As an elephant I could be really powerful share with others their experiences. They Homer. She likes writing funny stories and strong. But, on the other hand, I could are really able to solve problems they find about her life in Brooklyn. Kasia studies be empathetic. I could live with my during their lives. English in the NAI Program at the family and other elephants and travel As I looked at these two animals, the Prospect Park YMCA. The program freely through the savannah enjoying life elephant and the raven, I realized that I director is Nabila Khan and the instructor as part of the group. I would be almost as want to be an animal that is closest to the

smart and social as a human. is Donna Powers.

New Americans Initiative Director Chloe Yuen, NAI Coordinator Gaelle Muzac, NAI Coordinator New Americans Initiative Rachael Rinaldo [email protected] [email protected] Lorna Blancaflor, NAI Director [email protected] 212-219-8393 212-912-2163 [email protected] 646-599-7607 718-551-9351 Flushing YMCA NAWC Prospect Park NAWC 138-46 Northern Blvd., Flushing, NY 11354 357 9th St., Brooklyn, NY 11215 at the Flushing YMCA Branch Bronx YMCA NAWC Michelle Lam, NAI Director Nabila Khan, NAI Director 138-46 Northern Blvd. 2125 Glebe Ave. Bronx NY 10462 [email protected] [email protected] Flushing, NY 11354 Selenie Villar, NAI Director 718-551-9353 212-912-2593 Betul Ozdemir, NAI Coordinator [email protected] 718-551-9353 718-829-1564 Samuel Forrest Williams, Staten Island YMCA NAWC Community Partnership Specialist 285 Vanderbilt Ave., SI, NY 10304 at the Flatbush YMCA Branch Danielle Rucker, NAI Coordinator [email protected] Joanna Springstead, NAI Director 1401 Flatbush Ave. [email protected] 718-551-9350 x6511 [email protected] Brooklyn, NY 11210 718-829-1564 718-981-4382, ext. 17 Victoria Quintanal, NAI Coordinator Harlem YMCA NAWC 718-469-8100 Chinatown YMCA NAWC Regina Marks, NAI Coordinator 180 W. 135th St. 100 Hester Street, NY, NY 10002 [email protected] New York, NY 10030 Jie Ling Chen, NAI Director 718-981-4382, ext. 15 Jim Anderson, NAI Director [email protected] [email protected] 212-219-8393 Darragh Murphy 212-912-2163 Counselor/Ed. Case Manager 4 [email protected] 718-981-4382 ext. 26