12 OCTOBER 6 - OCTOBER 12, 2017 BROOKLYN MEDIA GROUP
ABC Carpet & Home celebrates official
grand opening in Sunset at Industry City
Youth immigrant groups urge: “Know your rights!”
BY SHREYA VAIDYANATHAN
Over 150 people gathered on
Saturday, September 23 to
learn about immigration
services and their legal rights at a
resource fair in Brooklyn.
The fair was co-sponsored by
Atlas:DIY, a youth advocacy group;
the Mixteca Organization, a Latino
empowerment group; and the Jaime
Lucero Mexican Studies Institute at
CUNY. It was held at Mixteca, 245
23rd Street.
Over 40 persons sought free legal
advice from the clinics set up by
Atlas:DIY, which brought in lawyers
and paralegals. They offered counsel
for those needing to renew their DACA
status, free health examinations,
information on services offered
through Medicaid, and resources
concerning labor laws, financial
planning and continuing education.
Keron Bennett, an undocumented
immigrant from East New York, called
the fair a one-stop shop of crash courses.
“I am trying to get more information
on the way I can get to school, and
GED classes,” he said. Bennett said the
legal advice helped him think through
how he could eventually obtain his
green card or citizenship.
Those like Bennett received candid
advice about various hurdles that
immigrants might encounter and
solutions to overcome them.
Later in the afternoon, members of
the organizing committee did some
role playing, in which two of them
posed as ICE officers pounding on
the door as the other two inside the
home worried about having to face
the authorities.
“Do not open the door unless there
is a warrant!” they repeated while
the audience applauded, joining the
chant.
Patti Cruz, a young social worker
of Guatemalan origin, said she came
to get in touch with what she called
her “Mixtec roots,” or people of the
indigenous mesoamerican tribes.
Cruz has a brother who is a DACA recipient,
which she says has reinforced
the lesson that all undocumented
people must unite. “We’re all fighting
for the same struggle” she said.
She added that the fair was necessary
because many Hispanics lack a
command of the English language, and
so have a hard time learning about the
legal options available to them.
Representatives from various
organizations told attendees about
English language classes, literacy
programs and higher education opportunities.
“We give guidance on
which college or classes to pursue.
How to apply and how to pay,” said
Saira Camarillo, a Sunset Park resident
and student at CUNY.
Several participants came with
their small children, for whom fun
activities and a coloring corner were
set up. Food and refreshments were
served throughout the day.
Carolina Macwright, a lawyer and
activist who said she came to offer
help, characterized the fair as a step
towards social change.“Now is the
time to show up for our immigrant
community,” she said. “It’s not just
about donating or having a tacit conversation
or feeling bad. You have to
physically be present now.”
BY JAIME DEJESUS
JDEJESUS@BROOKLYNREPORTER.COM
Industry City has officially added
another famous shop to its growing
roster.
After a soft opening that
started a month
ago, ABC Carpet &
Home held its official
grand opening
celebration at the
store's new digs,
3902 Second Avenue,
on Tuesday,
October 3.
Along with
opportunities to
view and shop the
diverse collection
of furniture, carpet
and other products,
attendees were treated to drinks,
snacks, music and a raffle.
CEO and Creative Director of ABC
Paulette Cole was excited to celebrate
the new location. “My favorite view
is when you look out the window and
see the windmill (in Sunset Park) and
the Empire State Building,” she said. “It
feels to me like Sunset Park represents
the world we want to try to create and
to unite New York.”
The family-owned
business has deep roots
in the borough, she said.
“It’s a coming home to
Brooklyn," Cole told this
paper. "Everyone in my family was
born in Brooklyn and I feel like this
is an opportunity to creatively unite
New York and also elevate in terms of
conscious sourcing and beauty, wellness,
wisdom and love. We’re here to
allow people to use ABC as a tool for
their art and individuality.”
Michael Phillips, president of
Jamestown, a partner of Industry
City, also expressed his excitement
about the addition to the 16-building,
six-million-square-foot manufacturing
and innovation complex.
“It’s the culmination of a dream for
me,” he said. “Paulette and I grew up
together in the home furnishings business
and she’s been one of the great
inspirations to me in my career so to
have her come to Industry City is the
biggest thing I can think of and I think
the collaboration in this community
and the mission-based company ethos
they bring is really compatible with
what we’re about.
If the first month has been any indication,
the space will be a major success.
“I think they’ll embrace it very
well,” Phillips said of local residents.
“There’s a store but there’s also 50,000
feet of warehouse so it’s incredible
jobs for Sunset Park and ABC is focusing
on local products, which is terrific."
This paper reported back in March
that the famous furniture, carpet and
home décor shop would be moving in.
“For a long time, ABC customers
have been asking for an outpost in
Brooklyn so we are really excited to
meet our customers where they live,”
said Head of Communications and
Marketing Charles Ressler. “To bring
our New York materials to a Brooklyn
audience was important. Our price
points run from really accessible to
the most design-forward price points
you can find. And through the center
of the store there is also a treasure
hunt so all of this is like a deep sale,
one-of-a-kind finds from all around
the world, very much a couldn’t-find-itanywhere
else-but-here kind of vibe.”
The reception so far has been solid.
“The traffic through the store has been
amazing,” he added. “The feedback on
how we curated it has been wonderful
as well. I would say a word that gets
thrown around by many brands in
2017 is curate. But ABC has always
beenalways a true curator. We support
indigenous communities around
the world.”
BROOKLYN MEDIA GROUP/Photos by Jaime DeJesus & Helen Klein
Inside the new ABC Carpet & Home in Industry City.
"Now is the time to show up for
our immigrant community."
-- Carolina Macwright