The FIFA World Cup is, by any measure, the world's biggest sporting event. But if you've been anywhere near a bar, a subway car, or a public square in New York over the past few weeks, you already know it's something else too; it’s a reminder, vivid and joyful, of just how many places this city holds inside it. However, this wave of celebration is not just a New York story. From Boston to Dallas and beyond, the World Cup has turned cities across the country into gathering places where people bring their flags, traditions, languages, and memories with them. Scotland’s “Tartan Army” filled Boston with kilts, bagpipes, and full-throated renditions of "Flower of Scotland" before spreading their good vibes to Miami. Norwegian supporters brought their "Viking Row" to the Times Square subway train, singing as they mimed rowing an imaginary longship through Midtown. Brazilian fans have carried drums, flags, and seas of yellow and green through the streets. After England's opening match in Dallas, thousands of supporters stayed in the stadium long after the final whistle to sing "Wonderwall" together — players included. And woven through it all are the immigrant communities already here. Brazilian cafés filling with yellow jerseys. Mexican restaurants erupting after a goal. Moroccan families spilling into public squares. American-born kids watching alongside parents and grandparents who carried their football loyalties with them from another country, another life, as well as official Fan Zones. It's loud and funny and sometimes deeply moving and what's striking is how naturally it all unfolds. Not as a statement about anything. Just people being exactly who they are.
Read more“Le Petit Prince” by Jean-Marc de Pas
Photos by Misia Delgado
Since his story was first published in 1943, Le Petit Prince, or The Little Prince, has travelled across the world and delighted readers. His story, originally written by French author Antoine de Saint Exupéry, has been translated into hundreds of languages and is one of the best-selling books in history. Now, through the work of sculptor Jean-Marc de Pas, the Little Prince has come to reside in New York City, (we presume through G visa status if we had to guess, although we didn’t do the visa application). A bronze sculpture of the character sits on a ledge outside the Villa Albertine, a historic French bookstore on the Upper East Side and headquarters of the cultural services of the French Embassy of the U.S. The statue of the whimsical young prince invites viewers to take a moment to pause, sit, and reflect on life as he reminds us “it is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.”
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My Immigration Story
A series of posts by Daryanani & Bland staff describing their own “immigration” stories, whether they themselves are immigrants or how they came to work in the immigration field.
My immigration story starts out here in the United States. When people ask me about my ethnicity, I have always struggled in coming up with an answer. The most accurate answer is “American,” although I used to feel plain saying that. Originally from England and Ireland, most of my family has been in the US for many generations, in some instances traceable back to the 1500s. Through old records and photographs, my family has learned that my ancestors helped found colonies and cities in Connecticut, coexisted with Native Americans, ventured west and came back, and had streets named after them in upstate New York.
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