Liberians, Staten Island's Dominant Immigrants

If you’re from New York City and were wondering about what impact African Immigrants have on the Big Apple, I advice you take the ferry across the Hudson, if you’re lucky the 76 bus will be waiting for you. Your last stop should be at the public housing section of Park Hill.  There is one particularly dominant group of immigrants here. They’re the Liberians. You can take a walk around building 55 Bowen St. here on any weekday especially during the summer elderly women would sit behind wooden tables fill with fresh vegetables, palm oil, including African fabrics, selling as part of the means to pay the bill. With this huge Liberian population in this location, it is no surprise that this group has created a relatively comfortable market for African goods among themselves.
Meanwhile, most Liberians are hard working people. Many of them maintain two jobs in order to meet the growing demand post by the economics. At the end of the day, these people return home to their family as they wait to repeat the same ritual each day. I talked to one anonymous resident about this circular life style and this is what he had to say; “I like Park hill and I don’t think I’ll ever leave this place.” When I asked him why, his answer came quick; “Here in building, #55, I can wake up any time of night and rings someone door bell for water or  food and so  on, I don’t think I could do that anywhere else.” “We are better off here.
Two days later, an older man in his late fifties whispered to me about the African Refuge; a Staten Island based organic organization with a primary obligation to meet the needs of Refugees, African immigrants and low-income Americans. After few days of visit at the office of the African Refuge Headquarter, and with the help of the Managing Director, who is also a Liberian, it was obvious to me that African Refuge was doing and continues to provide much needed community services. African Refuge had partnered with Universities and Colleges to conduct research relevant to its mission to convene civic-institutions and improve services to the community. The organization also has area for under-privileged youths. African Refuge continues to receive substantial funding for programs and activities from the Citizen Committee of New York, the New York Community Trust, the Staten Island Rotary Foundation, Independence Community Foundations and other Philanthropists. But different from the African Refuge, is the  Staten Island Liberian Community Association,  one of the oldest and largest Liberian organizations in the city. It was founded in the 1970s in the sparsely furnished one-bedroom apartment in a brick housing project in the Park Hill section. The Liberian Community Association is more political in spectrum and by default every Liberian is a member.
Meanwhile, Liberian communities continue to expand across the United States through the establishment of non-profit entities armed with social and humanitarian objectives that can unite, inform and educate their own people. According to community leaders here in New York City; there are at least 9,000 Liberian residents in New York City, about half of that number lives on Staten Island
To read more check this: www.olmusa.org/index/html
                                              www.africanrefuge.org