OPHC Director Ramjatin: Unity in the Community 7 on 7 initiative
Ramjatin describes the 7 on 7 initiative along Roosevelt Avenue in Queens, created during heightened community tension over street vending and quality of life concerns. The program brought together East Asian, South Asian, Southeast Asian, Latino, and LGBTQIA+ communities connected by the 7 train corridor to build unity and belonging.
Another way we accomplish this work is by bringing communities together through initiatives such as Unity in the Community 7 on 7.
This initiative
emerged during a period of heightened concern along Roosevelt Avenue in Queens.
Public conversations about street vending, quality of life concerns, and changing conditions in the corridor were creating tension among residents and community groups, threatening to erode trust and deepen division.
Rather than allowing communities to retreat further into silos, OPHC chose to create spaces for dialogue and connection.
OPHC and its partners brought together diverse communities connected by the seven train corridor.
Seven on seven?
That's the whole thing.
Including East Asia.
South Asia, Southeast Asian communities, Latino communities, LGBTQIA plus communities, and all diverse of other communities.
We partner with city agencies to
to bring resources directly to neighborhoods while creating opportunities for residents to share experiences, learn about one another, our culture, and identify common concerns.
The goal was simple, to remind New Yorkers that what we have, that there is more in common that unites us
than dividers.
They initially demonstrated that power of bringing communities together by creating opportunities for residents to connect, share experiences, and build relationships.
It helped strengthen trust, deepened understanding, and reinforced the sense of belonging that makes communities resilient.
These connections are the foundation of community cohesion, helping neighbors see one another not as strangers, but as partners in building a strong and more connected community.