Photo credit: Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs
April 12 marks the start of Immigrant Heritage Week (IHW), an annual NYC Mayor’s Office celebration of the many contributions of immigrants to New York City. Established in 2004, IHW pays homage to the legacy of April 17, 1907, the day in NYC history when 11,000 immigrants—the largest number in history—entered the U.S. through Ellis Island. Immigrants have defined our city throughout its history and have been the engine of NYC’s culture and economy.
This has never been more apparent than during the COVID-19 pandemic, when immigrant New Yorkers have played critical roles in supporting the health and well-being of our communities as essential workers and volunteers. That is why this year’s Immigrant Heritage Week, and the below poster designed by Brooklyn-based South Korean illustrator Jason Raish, pays homage to the ways immigrant New Yorkers have helped our communities remain resilient in the face of the pandemic.
This year’s celebration features an exciting roster of virtual events designed by the NYC Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) and community partners that build cross-cultural understanding between New Yorkers, celebrate immigrant culture and the arts, and highlight our collective work with NYC’s diverse immigrant population. RSVP and keep up to date with the full schedule of events at on.nyc.gov/IHWEvents.
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