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The prominence of Manhattan’s Chinatown as the singular Chinese cultural center of the city has waned in the 21st century. And with it, bilingual street signs — the product of a 1960s program aimed at making navigating the neighborhood easier for Chinese New Yorkers who might not read English — have begun to slowly disappear. At least seven bilingual street signs have been removed since the 1980s. Bilingual services are a fact of life in a city where more than three million residents from almost 200 countries speak more than 700 languages and dialects. The history of these signs tells the story of the growth, decline and evolution of one of Manhattan’s largest immigrant communities. New York Times
Excluded Workers Fund Expansion Not Likely, Sources Say
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Sources in the New York state legislature tell Documented that the final state budget is likely to include an expansion of health insurance for New York’s undocumented population. But, as negotiations currently stand, the proposals will not include the renewal of the Excluded Workers Fund, a program that provides cash relief for undocumented New Yorkers shut out of federal stimulus payments. The news comes as New York’s Senate and Assembly are finalizing their priorities for the final state budget. Expanding insurance “has been a fight for some time,” and “we have to celebrate it,” said Assemblymember Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas (D-Queens). “But it is a disappointment if we don’t see the Excluded Workers Fund in the final budget.” Immigrant advocates have sought to refill the EWF since it ran out of money in October. Continue reading on Documented
Bronx Fire Survivors Complain of Subpar Food From the City
Twin Parks fire survivors say they’ve received subpar food from a new meals provider that Mayor Eric Adams chose after a previous supplier shifted its focus to relief in Ukraine. “The food is atrocious. I mean, I don’t even call it food, I call it dog food,” said Joseph Brannigan, 61. Others say the new suppliers don’t respect their diverse cultural and religious backgrounds, and that the food isn’t properly labeled so it’s difficult to determine what is halal or vegetarian. A disbarred lawyer runs the organization in charge of the meal delivery, and earlier this year, she secured Mayor Eric Adams’ personal support for a restaurant fighting with the State Liquor Authority. The City
