8. Little Guyana
A slice of the Caribbean lives and breathes in Queens where the Guyanese population is around 140,000 people. A large portion of Little Guyana is located within the neighborhood of Ozone Park. Primarily concentrated on Liberty Avenue (which was co-named “Little Guyana Avenue” in 2021 in a massive celebration attended by Mayor de Blasio), this culturally rich piece of Ozone Park is full of colorful flags, aromatic food shops, local artwork, and a variety of other features that showcase the vibrant culture that can be found in the hearts of its people.
Little Guyana spreads beyond Ozone Park’s borders, however, and is also located in Richmond Hill. The Guyanese-American population is showcased in this community passionately, bringing a sense of home and belonging to the second-largest group of foreign-born immigrants in Queens. But Little Guyana does not just celebrate Guyanese culture, it also leaves plenty of room for other Indo-Caribbean communities like those from Trinidad and Suriname. Little Guyana focuses on these cultures’ unique Asian influence stemming from Indian and Chinese indentured servants that had been brought to these countries during the time of the former British West Indies. This surprising mashup of heritages produces the culture, food, and community that can be found tucked away in Little Guyana today.