We leave New York and we set out on our 15 day-three city tour. The past two weeks have been exhausting, exciting and dull, just a taste of the roller coaster awaiting us in Miami, McAllen-Texas and Los Angeles; cities unknown to our daily life and most important our work environment.

In New York we worked extensively with the Columbia University research team, both our documentary subject and in some way partner in crime during this adventure. We visited community organizations, and staff members. Also, we spent endless hours, day and night helping their fellow immigrants, their friends and their cause.

Jackson Heights-Queens

Latin Americas Worker Project, directed by Oscar Paredes hosted us one night. Columbia did their research and we did our filming. While Ligia, a staff member and also an English teacher took care of her students, one by one they kept going into the office where the research h team had set up to do their interview.

As we filmed part of the class I couldn’t help but notice how enthusiastic the student were, they really wanted to learn, they were eager to learn. There were parents with their babies, married couples, mother and daughter, young and elderly workers, basically all demographics from one single community. It was gratifying to see so many people learning a second language, above all trying to get one step closer to improved themselves and skills in the big apple.

At the end of the night, when the class was over I chatted, laughed and even got to meet the “bees” of a bee healer if we can call it that. He stated he can cure all kind of illnesses with his bees, all packed in a little wooden boxes which he kept in the same bag as his class supplies and notebooks while they rested till next session.

El Barrio- Manhattan

Oh “El Barrio” no longer Boricua town, things have change, is the order of life. First were the Jewish, then Italian, some decades later Puerto Rican and now is becoming Mexican. Time will tell who will take care of the Barrio later on. Mexican flags are visible down Second Avenue, “cuchifrito” spots are now replaced by taco stands, you got to love the city; one block you are in Puerto Rico, two minutes later you are in Puebla.

We met the research team at Esperanza del Barrio, while they conducted the interviews we all chatted about the trip. How interesting all four places would be? How McAllen, Texas seemed so intriguing? Maybe because none of us have ever been to the biggest state in the US. The day went fast, we talked, we filmed, we had some important meetings at the National Center for Disaster Preparedness main office and we called it a day.