Latinos

The recession has slammed New Yorkers, especially working-class folks without a lot of savings to cushion the blow of sudden unemployment or a reduction in work hours.

Latino immigrants, who are predominately employed in the ailing construction, manufacturing and hospitality industries, are among the groups hardest hit by the downturn. A recent report by the Pew Hispanic Center in Washington found the unemployment rate for foreign-born Latinos rose over the past year, with about 35 percent of working-age people unemployed.

Behind the statistics are people, like the days laborers who congregate  in the shadow of the elevated No. 7 line tracks in Jackson Heights. They aren’t only undocumented immigrants. Many have green cards and even U.S. passports. Some are college educated, and have spent decades in the United States.

Some are so frustrated by the lack of jobs, they’re planning to return to their home countries. Others believe the opportunities offered by the U.S. are still much greater than they would ever get at home.

A 14-car caravan of Barack Obama supporters cruised the streets of the Bronx and Upper Manhattan Sunday while blasting horns and Spanish reggaeton music through Hillary Clinton friendly Latino neighborhoods.

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First generation immigrants tend to cling to their culture by speaking the language, preparing special dishes and maintaining other traditions.

But how do second and third generations hang on to their heritage?

Many Americans are researching their lineage through a raft of genealogical services on the Internet.

But for Puerto Ricans in the United States, tracing the family tree presents unique challenges.

As descendants of African, Spanish, and Taino Indian cultures they must sift through family folklore and legions of documents to understand their identity.

On a recent Sunday afternoon East Harlem, about 30 people attended a workshop sponsored by the Hispanic Genealogical Society of New York to help Puerto Ricans and other Latinos trace their ancestry.