An Overview
Services are explicitly advertised to immigrants, as most signs are in Spanish as well as an emergence of a particular informal economy rooted in these services. Walking down Roosevelt Avenue, it is possible to ignore the numerous people standing outside handing out small business cards on every block. Sometimes in front of their respected business, sometimes not, these cards serve an important function in the immigrant community. Not only does it provide low-skill, informal employment for recent immigrants that may not speak English, it also provides a means of advertising immigrant services.
As we passed these card-carriers on Roosevelt Avenue, we were often excluded hinting that the targeted audience was new residents to Jackson Heights. However, we did pick up a couple cards to see what services they were offering: dentist office, English lessons, travel agency promotions, as well as the occasional cash for gold ad. What was so interesting about this unique sector were the equal numbers of men and women employed, no gender dominated the informal economy of advertising. In addition to the card advertising, there are a large number of informal economies that have emerged as a result of the immigrant imprint on Roosevelt Avenue: “A growing informal economy of food and drink vendors (homemade tamales, churros, and traditional fruit drinks), toy shops, clothing stores, and sundry other enterprises also has an increasing presence along Roosevelt Avenue. The informal economy tends to represent the most recent arrivals” (Miyares, p.479).
As we passed these card-carriers on Roosevelt Avenue, we were often excluded hinting that the targeted audience was new residents to Jackson Heights. However, we did pick up a couple cards to see what services they were offering: dentist office, English lessons, travel agency promotions, as well as the occasional cash for gold ad. What was so interesting about this unique sector were the equal numbers of men and women employed, no gender dominated the informal economy of advertising. In addition to the card advertising, there are a large number of informal economies that have emerged as a result of the immigrant imprint on Roosevelt Avenue: “A growing informal economy of food and drink vendors (homemade tamales, churros, and traditional fruit drinks), toy shops, clothing stores, and sundry other enterprises also has an increasing presence along Roosevelt Avenue. The informal economy tends to represent the most recent arrivals” (Miyares, p.479).
Informal economies such as the fruit stand (see Figure 7) or tacquiera trucks are perfect opportunities for recent immigrants without much capital to gain foot in the community. In addition to the typical food-related stands, there were a large number of people selling specialized goods at tables. One example was two men selling what they referred to as ‘Native American Stuff’, or indigenous regalia. Situated on a sidewalk perpendicular to Roosevelt Avenue two men had a large selection of jewelry, dream catchers, as well as a chief’s headdress, for sale. Another man set up a table of Catholic relics including holy beads, rosaries, holy water, candles, bracelets adorned with the Virgin Mary and Jesus and a plethora of crosses. Other jewelry and clothing stands were interwoven within the pedestrian traffic on the sidewalks of Roosevelt Avenue. However, the most bustling informal economies were the mobile food trucks as they provide more than just tamales and tacos- they represent a source of cultural identity (See Figure 8).