Immigrant Heritage Celebration

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Immigrant Heritage Celebration 2025

NYC: Built by Generations of Immigrants

Download our Immigrant Heritage Social Media Toolkit

In 1613, Juan Rodriguez who originated from La Espanola was the first immigrant to arrive in New York City on a Dutch ship. For more than four hundred years since his arrival, New York City has become and continues to be a city of opportunity, resilience, and multiculturalism, shaped by the dreams and determination of NYC's diverse immigrant community.

That's why this year, MOIA's IHW campaign celebrates NYC: Built by Generations of Immigrants. Immigrant New Yorkers have transformed the city into a global capital of innovation, creativity, and progress. Pockets of the globe can be found across all five boroughs taking the shape of countless immigrant enclaves. Generations of immigrants have played a part in writing New York City's history.

About the Artist

John Dykes

Artist and illustrator J.S.Dykes has created over five thousand illustration assignments for hundreds of clients. John has garnered recognition and awards from top illustration industry associations. Among these organizations are The Museum of Illustration at The Society of Illustrators, Communication Arts, American Illustration, and Luerzer's Archive 200 Best Illustrators Worldwide. Twenty-three of John's illustrations are included in the permanent collection of The Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, MA. John currently works on select illustration projects while devoting increasing time to gallery work and private commissions.
Visit John Dykes' website
Visit John Dykes' Instagram profile

April 2025

Immigrant Heritage Week 2025

The Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) is proud to celebrate the 21st Annual New York City Immigrant Heritage Week which starts on Monday April 14, 2025. IHW 2025 kicks off MOIA's three-month immigrant heritage 2025 celebrations to run through June, National Immigrant Heritage Month.

June 2025

a graphic of a group of diverse people sitting an and standing together with monarch butterflies flying around them

National Immigrant Heritage Month

June marks the start of National Immigrant Heritage Month. More than 40 percent of U.S. citizens can trace their ancestry back to immigrants who arrived in the United States through Ellis Island. Since 2014, the United States has commemorated June as Immigrant Heritage Month to celebrate the shared diversity that forms the unique story of America.

Starting June 1st - June 30, 2025, New York City will join 30 other cities and counties across the nation to send a clear, proud, and unified message directly to immigrant communities.

Regardless of your background, where you live, and your immigration status: You Belong.

The “You Belong” communications campaign is available in over 29 languages and can be found here.

We encourage city agencies and community partners to participate in the joint IHM digital campaign.

We Love Immigrant NYC, MOIA Immigrant Enclave Illustration Series

In 2023, our team launched MOIA's Immigrant Enclave Illustration Series as part of MOIA's Immigrant Heritage Celebration. NYC is home to 3 million immigrants and our aim with this series is to highlight the endless contributions, rich histories, and unique cultures of our city's diverse immigrant communities throughout all of the five boroughs.

Download and share your favorite MOIA Immigrant Enclaves Illustration.

Little Ukraine in the East Village
Little Mexico in Sunset Park, Brooklyn
MOIA graphic celebrating immigrant heritage. This graphic celebrates Chinese heritage in Chinatown in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. The graphic has illustrations of buildings, markets, statues, trees, fall leaves, a temple, kids playing with leaves, a playground, restaurants, Chinese food, people holding up a dragon for a parade and more.
Graphic from MOIA's Immigrant Enclave Illustration Series for Chinatown in Flushing, Queens. This picture depicts New Yorkers in traditional Chinese clothing, community buildings, traditional Chinese foods, trees, markets, stores, and a mall
MOIA graphic celebrating immigrant heritage. This graphic celebrates Chinese heritage in Chinatown Manhattan. The graphic has illustrations of buildings, markets, statues, trees, cherry blossoms, Chinese food, people playing mahjong, doing tai chi, and more
A graphic of Little Manila, Philippines in Woodside, Queens.
MOIA immigrant enclave illustration for Little Africa in the Bronx, street signs, people wearing traditional African clothes, small businesses, and African foods.
A graphic of Little Dominican Republic in Washington Heights & Inwood, Manhattan.
A graphic of Little Haiti in Flatbush, Brooklyn.
A graphic of Little Mexico in Port Richmond, Staten Island.
A graphic of Little Colombia in Jackson Heights, Queens.
Flyer for event titled: A Word from Our Director image or the Lydia Millet on Atavists with Jenny Offill. In the center there are portraits of the authors and a book with animals on the front.
A graphic of Koreatown in Manhattan and Queens
stylized map of Little Guyana's landmarks
Stylized map of Landmarks at Little India in Queens
MOIA's Little Immigrant Enclave Illustration for Little Yemen in the Bronx. This features cultural dances, celebrations, and communities wearing traditional Yemeni clothing and accessories. There are many shops, markets, and Yemeni traditional foods. There is also a coffee shop opening with customers drinking coffee outside
MOIA's Little Immigrant Enclave Illustration for Little Caribbean in Brooklyn. This features cultural dances, celebrations, and communities wearing traditional Caribbean clothing and accessories. There are many shops, markets, and Caribbean traditional foods. The graphic also has a library, museum, hospital.
MOIA's Little Immigrant Enclave Illustration for Little Bangladesh in Queens. This illustration features cultural dances, celebrations, and communities wearing traditional Bengali clothing and accessories. There are many shops, markets, and Bengali traditional foods. The graphic also has restaurants, stores, and food trucks.
MOIA's Little Immigrant Enclave Illustration for Little Africa in Staten Island. This illustration features cultural dances, celebrations, and communities wearing traditional African clothing and accessories. There are many shops, markets, and African traditional foods
MOIA's Little Immigrant Enclave Illustration for Little Ecuador in Queens. The graphic depicts a vibrant illustration of Ecuadorian culture and community. It showcases cultural dances, celebrations, and people in traditional Ecuadorian attire and accessories. The scene is bustling with activity, featuring shops, markets selling traditional Ecuadorian foods, restaurants, stores, and parks. One park includes a public sculpture, while people are also shown engaging in sports, playing traditional music, and performing a traditional dance.
A colorful, hand-drawn map titled "Little Pakistan in Brooklyn" depicts a lively neighborhood scene centered around a winding lime-green road on a dark green background. The illustration features local landmarks and businesses such as a jewelry store, Pakistani grocery, Kashmiri Chai cafe, and a "Sweets & Restaurant" shop, alongside the Masjid Muslim Community Center and the Newkirk Plaza and Avenue H subway stations. Cultural life is highlighted through depictions of people sharing a large meal, a "Clothing & Henna" shop with a "Happy Ramadan" sign, a drummer and dancers in traditional attire, and orange butterflies scattered throughout the frame. The graphic, created by the NYC Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, includes street signs for Coney Island Avenue and Foster Avenue, celebrating the vibrant Pakistani community and their contributions to the cultural fabric of New York City.
A colorful, hand-drawn map titled "Little Albania in the Bronx" depicts a vibrant neighborhood layout centered around the intersection of Arthur Avenue and 187th Street. The illustration features a winding grey road on a pink background, populated with numerous Albanian-owned businesses such as byrek shops, coffee and wine bars, a travel agency, and grocery stores. Sprinkled throughout the map are cultural symbols including people in traditional Albanian folk dress performing music and dances, the Albanian and American flags, a statue of the national hero Skanderbeg, and various traditional dishes. The graphic, created by the NYC Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, includes landmarks like Ciccarone Park and the "Dielli" newspaper logo, celebrating the rich heritage and community contributions of Albanian immigrants in New York City.
An illustrated map titled "Little Poland in Greenpoint, Brooklyn" features a network of orange roads on a salmon-pink background, showcasing the rich cultural landmarks and businesses of the Polish community. The graphic, created by the NYC Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, includes prominent local architecture such as the Polish Consulate, a community church with tall spires, the Polish Cultural Center, and depictions of the Kościuszko and Pulaski Bridges. Scenes of cultural heritage are scattered throughout, depicting the Pulaski Day Parade, groups of people in traditional folk costumes, and various culinary staples like pierogi, kielbasa, and a local bakery. Street signs for Greenpoint Avenue, Driggs Avenue, and Nassau Avenue provide a geographic sense of the neighborhood, while smaller details like orange butterflies, blue flowers, and the side-by-side American and Polish flags complete the celebratory tribute to the local immigrant community.

How to Celebrate with MOIA and get Involved