New York Metropolis is residence to one of many largest Jamaican communities exterior of Jamaica. From politics to meals, music, church buildings, and cultural celebrations, Jamaicans have left their mark on the town’s cultural panorama, significantly in Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Queens. Whether or not you’re searching for genuine delicacies, stay reggae, or neighborhood occasions, right here’s a information to experiencing Jamaican tradition throughout the New York space.
Cultural Organizations & Occasions
The Consulate Normal of Jamaica in New York frequently hosts cultural applications, visiting public officers, titans of business, and neighborhood occasions to have a good time Jamaican heritage.
One of the distinguished cultural organizations is Braata Productions, a nonprofit based in 2009 to advertise Caribbean tradition by means of the performing arts. They stage off-Broadway productions, host live shows, and have the favored Braata People Singers, who carry out conventional Jamaican folks songs at occasions year-round. The identify “Braata,” a Jamaican phrase which means “additional,” displays the group’s mission to provide audiences one thing greater than anticipated.
VP Records additionally performs a important function in showcasing reggae music in all its varieties—by means of sound, phrase, and movie.
Jamaican Church buildings in New York
Church is on the middle of Jamaican neighborhood life. New York is residence to many well-known congregations, together with:
- New Life Tabernacle UPC, Brooklyn
- All Nations Apostolic Tabernacle, Jamaica, Queens
- New Jerusalem Worship Middle, Jamaica, Queens
- Freedom Corridor Church of God, Brooklyn
- Lenox Highway Baptist Church, Brooklyn
- St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Bronx
- Bronx Bethany Church of the Nazarene
- St. John’s United Methodist Church
- Brooklyn Tabernacle
A number of massive Seventh-day Adventist church buildings with sturdy Jamaican membership additionally function each locations of worship and neighborhood hubs.
Annual Jamaican & Caribbean Occasions
New York’s Jamaican neighborhood celebrates its heritage by means of a packed calendar of cultural occasions, together with:
- West Indian American Day Carnival Parade (Labor Day Carnival) – A large celebration on Jap Parkway in Brooklyn
- Grace Jamaican Jerk Pageant – Showcasing meals, music, and tradition
- Groovin’ within the Park – A big out of doors reggae and R&B live performance
- Reggae Fest Live performance Sequence – Fashionable with youthful reggae and dancehall followers
- Westchester Reggae Pageant – A showcase of main reggae artists
- Caribbean Music Awards – Honoring artists from throughout the area
- Jamaica’s Independence Gala – Hosted by the Consulate of Jamaica
- The Individuals’s Ball – Independence Gala
- DJ Roy & Chef Garfield Independence Celebration Cruise
- Signature Society White EnBlanc Sequence
- Out Facet Lounge – Friday Again Yard Lyme & Jam
- Pleasure Trip Celebration
- Reserection – Theme Celebration
- Rock a Tone Black & White
- Caribbean Household Day (previously Merritone Household Day)
- Crew Jamaica Bickle Labor of Love Luncheon
- UJAA Mega Raffle – A significant fundraiser for training in Jamaica
Jamaican Alumni Associations in New York
New York is residence to a vibrant community of Jamaican alumni associations, made up of previous college students from Jamaica’s major, secondary, and tertiary establishments. Every affiliation hosts its personal signature fundraising and social occasions all year long, maintaining ties sturdy between classmates whereas supporting faculties again residence.
Many of those teams come collectively beneath the Union of Jamaican Alumni Associations (USA) Inc. (UJAA), a nonprofit umbrella group uniting the actions of member associations. UJAA’s mission is to enhance academic alternatives for college students in Jamaica and america.
The Union additionally retains an up to date calendar of alumni occasions from its member associations, which will be discovered right here: UJAA Occasion Calendar.
Jamaican and Caribbean Media in New York
Jamaicans within the New York space keep related by means of vibrant media platforms, together with:
- Irie Jam Radio 97.1 FM HD3 (on-line and neighborhood occasions)
- Sound Conflict Radio
- Carib Information (on-line)
- Caribbean Life (print and on-line)
- Road Hype Newspaper (digital and on-line)
- Caribbean Instances (print and on-line)
- Everyone’s Caribbean American Journal (print)
These retailers cowl local people information, leisure, and Jamaican tradition.
Jamaican Eating places
New York is a paradise for lovers of Jamaican meals. Fashionable areas embrace:
- White Plains Highway within the Bronx
- East Flatbush in Brooklyn
- Jamaica in Queens
- Nassau County in Lengthy Island
Notable eating places embrace The Door, Mangoes, Genesis One, Simpson Restaurant & Bar, Footprints Café, Island Crave, Jamaica Breeze, OB’s, Patmar, The Cove, Dun’s River, Topaz Restaurant, Golden Krust, and Jamaican Flavors.
Whether or not it’s jerk rooster, oxtail, patties, or ackee and saltfish, there’s no scarcity of genuine flavors. See the Better of Jamaica in New York for who was voted because the Greatest Jamaican Restaurant in New York.
Nightlife & Jamaican Golf equipment
The Jamaican occasion scene in New York is flourishing, with occasions spanning reggae, dancehall, and soca. Fashionable venues embrace:
- The Compound and Mingles Nightclub within the Bronx
- Amazura Nightclub in Queens
- Miss Lily’s in Manhattan (residence to Yard N Overseas on Thursdays)
Signature occasions embrace:
- Fireplace Sundays in East Flatbush – one of many longest-running dancehall events in NYC
- Rice and Peas – a pop-up dancehall occasion based in 2007 by DJ Gravy and Max Glazer of Federation Sound
- Sattama Sundays – mixing dancehall, Afrobeats, and reggae in Manhattan since 2003
- Good Ting – a Brooklyn-based month-to-month occasion with dancehall contests and DJs
- Dub-Stuy Sound System Occasions – showcasing reggae and sound system tradition
Jamaican icons like Sister Nancy additionally carry out in New York frequently, maintaining traditional dancehall alive for brand spanking new audiences.
Jamaican Sports activities & Soccer
Sports activities are one other main hyperlink that retains the Jamaican neighborhood in New York related.
- Griffin Soccer Membership hosts an annual Jamaica Alumni Soccer Match, the place highschool alumni groups from Jamaica reunite and compete.
- Roper Cup – A celebrated soccer event between the St. Georges School and Kingston School alumni associations.
- New York Subsequent Gen Invitational Relays – Jamaican excessive faculties competing in opposition to space excessive faculties.
- Jamaica Boxing Membership in Queens, co-owned by Haitian and Jamaican companions. Bo Harris, “The Minister of Health,” is the premier martial artist and boxing coach, designing coaching applications for youth, adults, amateurs, and professionals.
Jamaican Heritage Political Management
The Jamaican diaspora has a powerful presence in New York politics, with a number of leaders of Jamaican heritage holding influential roles. These embrace:
- Yvette Clarke, U.S. Congresswoman representing New York’s ninth District
- Donovan J. Richards Jr., Queens Borough President
- State Senator Leroy Comrie, representing District 14 in Queens
- Dr. Nantasha M. Williams, New York Metropolis Council Member, representing District 27 in Queens
Their work highlights the affect of the Jamaican neighborhood on civic life within the metropolis.
