The Story of This Place
Young Activists of Queens
“I think I’m being written into the story of this place. As I grew up, so did Astoria. Now more than ever, I feel like I’m a part of history.”
“And how do you hope to be written into the story?”
“As a community-builder. As someone who promotes and strengthens the diversity of my neighborhood. As someone who brought people in and brought people together.”
As a child growing up in Astoria, Dipali Gupta recalls racing her friends down the sidewalk after school, towards the apartment building where they all lived. In the summers, she volunteered at the library and spent weekends at the park. Some evenings, she would sit with her father and watch the news, learning from a young age about the policies and systems shaping her city.
Recently, Dipali has witnessed Astoria rapidly change. The population is increasing, more young people are moving in, new businesses are opening- all positive things in Dipali’s opinion.
However, a few years ago, she noticed something: the people moving into Astoria often don’t remain. She watched people move into the neighborhood, then leave soon after, often without much understanding of the culture and history surrounding them.
Last year, she decided to do something about that. After extensive research, Dipali began leading historical walking tours of Astoria, hoping to connect more people to the community and educate them on the many cultures that exist within the neighborhood.
The tour includes parks, bridges, mansions, and even a beer garden and a baklava shop. Through discussions about the area’s original settlers, immigrant populations, and new development, she hopes to encourage deeper understanding and lasting connection with the community.
“I want Astoria to grow and prosper in a way that’s habitable for all people. I want more subway lines and more housing, so people can continue to move in. I want the public spaces to remain diverse. As more people arrive, I hope they still have places like the parks, the art spaces, the restaurants, to go and meet other people.”
To follow Dipali’s work, subscribe to her newsletter at metromosaic.substack.com
Fariha Tahia, 16
Aarmeen Khan, 17
Aarmeen Khan, 17, from Jamaica, and Fariha Tahia, 16, from Astoria, have spent the past three years advocating for higher quality meals and improved cafeteria spaces for students in NYC schools. Through an organization called Youth Food Advocates, they have spoken in front of politicians, attended rallies, and are now educating younger students on food security issues.
“I moved to Queens from Bangladesh when I was eight. When I first arrived, students still had to pay for school food. Sometimes, students couldn’t afford it and would have to just sit and watch their classmates eat.
So, in ninth grade, I joined Youth Food Advocates. I knew we would be learning about food justice. But I didn’t realize we were going to bring actual change to the school meal system.”
In July, 2024, the city awarded $150 million dollars to their cause. With these funds, the NYC Public School’s Office of Food and Nutrition Services will remodel every middle and high school cafeteria in New York City.
“When this happened, I felt that I was levitating. I was so proud to tell my friends that I took part in this big change.
To another young person who wants to take action against problems they see, I tell them not to be afraid. You’d be surprised how much impact you can make with a small group of people. Just start somewhere.”
“I’m going to be honest: sometimes it feels like the world is just a steady flow of hopelessness. It takes a lot of strength to keep taking action.
I don’t know if I’ve changed the world, but I can say I’ve changed school food for at least one person. And I’m happy about that.”
This project is made possible with public funds from the Queens Arts Fund, a re-grant program supported by New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and administered by New York Foundation for the Arts.
