JACKSON HEIGHTS, Queens (PIX11) -- On Sunday, Jackson Heights, Queens celebrated Christmas early with a festive event at the intersection of 90th Street and Roosevelt Avenue, the same location where community leaders recently rallied for increased public safety.
The celebration featured Santa Claus distributing gifts to local children, along with food and presents for hundreds of families.
Toni Diaz, a 50-year resident of the neighborhood, expressed her joy at the transformation. "I am very, very proud. Very happy to see for the first time that we have a Christmas tree, uh, the children are able to celebrate Christmas, have a, a beautiful Christmas," she said.
Diaz reflected on the neighborhood's recent challenges, describing it as "a nightmare" with "brothels, prostitution all over, illegal vendors" that made the area "so dangerous, you couldn't walk".
District Leader Hiram Monserrate highlighted the significance of the event. "This is the first time that you ever saw a Christmas tree on this triangle. This is the first time that Santa Claus and mariachi bands are coming to this community," he stated. Monserrate, along with the Let's Improve Roosevelt Avenue coalition, had previously demanded increased public safety measures in the area.
The community's efforts appear to have yielded results. Ramon Ramirez-Baez, Director of Let's Improve, noted the positive changes: "We come to celebrate every single year in the triangle because it was disgusting, a lot of garbage, a lot of prostitution, and right now, it's clear".
Monserrate expressed his emotional response to the event's success. "This morning I shed a tear because when I saw what we were gonna do here today, I was happy," he said. He emphasized the community's determination, stating, "We don't have to accept crime as a standard operating procedure in any community. We're here because we're saying today we turn the page".
Looking to the future, Diaz hopes this event will become an annual tradition. "We are gonna continue celebrating here, we're gonna do the same, uh, activity every year. And, we are going to beautify the community. 'cause we want everybody to be safe," she said.
Monserrate announced plans for future events, including a Three Kings celebration on January 6th, aiming to continue the positive trajectory of the neighborhood.
