The Caribbean Equality Project (CEP), in collaboration with Jahajee, South Queens Women’s March and the NY Sikh Council, co-organized a groundbreaking election town hall at Liberty Palace in South Queens, home to New York City’s largest Indo-Caribbean and South Asian communities. This first-of-its-kind event was held on October 3, bringing residents together to discuss pressing issues ahead of the November 5 election. 
Mohamed Q. Amin, founder and executive director of CEP, emphasized the importance of the event, which aimed to educate local voters on six key ballot proposals and their potential impact on LGBTQ+ rights, reproductive justice, immigration, healthcare and housing.
“This town hall is historic because there has never been a South Asian, Indo-Caribbean election town hall here in Richmond Hill, despite the area being home to the largest South Asian and Indo-Caribbean populations in New York. We wanted to unite our communities, educate them on the ballot proposals and empower them to make informed choices,” Amin said.
In November, New York City residents will vote on six proposals, including one statewide constitutional amendment to protect reproductive health rights and ban gender-based discrimination. The other five proposals, which are NYC-specific, stem from a commission created by Mayor Eric Adams that could expand the mayor’s political power.
Amin emphasized the need for greater civic engagement among immigrant communities, which often encounter additional hurdles in the electoral process. “We view democracy as being on the ballot this November, so we are educating our community members on how to vote for their safety, survival and future,” he said.
The non-partisan event included on-site voter registration, a resource fair and the opportunity for community members to share their concerns. Community members, leaders, and elected officials delivered compelling calls to action, addressing political disenfranchisement, resource scarcity, and funding inequalities.
The coalition united diverse communities to discuss the issues motivating immigrant voters, including reproductive justice, LGBTQ+ rights, housing, immigration and public safety — critical concerns raised during the community discussion segment of the event. New York Sikh Council President Japneet Singh, who has lived in the neighborhood his whole life, emphasized that community concerns shaped the town hall’s agenda.
“Everything we’re talking about today is a direct reflection of what the people want to hear,” Singh said, noting the rise in hate crimes and transnational oppression targeting residents in the Sikh community.
Trisha Kim, a MinKwon Center for Community Action community organizer, highlighted the importance of cross-community solidarity. “This event is about building political power and cross-racial unity. We are bridging the gap between the South Asian and Indo-Caribbean communities to combat racism, anti-Blackness and anti-LGBTQ hate,” Kim explained.
Latchmi Gopal, a board member of Jahajee, a gender justice organization supporting Indo-Caribbean communities in Queens and the Bronx, emphasized the power of voting as a catalyst for change. “One of the first things that moves the needle is voting,” Gopal said, highlighting the importance of ongoing civic engagement. “The day after the election is equally vital for holding elected officials accountable.”
Jahajee’s presence at the event reinforced the idea that immigrants, predominantly Black and brown individuals, have power despite often being told otherwise. The organization aimed to remind the community of their collective strength and the importance of advocating for their rights beyond Election Day.
Sabena Sankar, Miss Immigrant USA-Guyana 2024 called for greater attention to the struggles of undocumented immigrants who are victims of domestic violence and afraid to speak out.
“My primary concern is undocumented immigrants who are victims of domestic violence and ensuring there are systems in place so they feel safe coming forward to seek help. Victims are often afraid to speak out, and we’ve found that undocumented victims are even more fearful. The question is, how can we make them feel safer to get the assistance they need?” she questioned.
The town hall concluded with a call for voters to stay engaged beyond Election Day. “This is just the beginning… We’re not only voting on issues that impact us directly but also those that affect our entire community,” Amin noted. According to The Caribbean Equality Project, over 130 community members attended the event, hailed as a critical step toward empowering and uniting New York City’s Indo-Caribbean and South Asian communities ahead of a pivotal election cycle.
