The Making of Corona Plaza

Film ↓

ABOUT

“The Making of Corona Plaza, Queens” traces the creation of a unique public plaza in the largely immigrant neighborhood of Corona through the voices of its key protagonists—community organizers, activists, street vendors, artists and designers, New York City officials, and leadership of the Queens Museum. Centering on their personal stories, the film reveals not only the physical transformation of an urban space, but also its social, economic, cultural, and political impacts on the neighborhood. The plaza’s community-led design process and stewardship offer a compelling example for re-imagining public space to serve emerging publics, while also underscoring the hurdles immigrant communities face in making their voices heard and configuring-sustaining their plazas as vibrant communal hubs.

CREDITS

Film Credits

  • Director – Benazir Baig
  • Interviews – Mae Francke Rojo, Tori Gruber
  • Concept & Production – Miodrag Mitrašinović
  • Research – Tori Gruber, Mae Francke Rojo, Lukas Kernke, Daniela Fernandez Lopez, Gracia Goh
  • Principal Investigator – Miodrag Mitrašinović
  • Camera & Editing – Benazir Baig
  • Translation – Mae Francke Rojo
  • Drone Footage – Ansh Kakkar

Funding

Funding for the film and research project titled The Making of Corona Plaza Queens was provided by the Zolberg Institute on Migration and Mobility at The New School, Parsons School of Design, and the Provost’s Office at The New School University. The Corona film team extends heartfelt thanks to The New School—especially Parsons’ School of Design Strategies—for years of steadfast support and funding. We are particularly grateful to the Zolberg Institute for Migration and Mobility for the multiple grants that made this film possible. Our deep appreciation also goes to Social Practice CUNY (SPCUNY), along with Professors Greg Sholette and Tom Finkelpearl, for their valued partnership and generous contributions to both the research and the film.

Interviews

  • Alexander Berryman – Principal Landscape Architect, The RBA Group/NV5, Corona Plaza Lead Designer
  • Maria Canela – Program Participant, and IMI Member
  • Beny Castro – Queens Economic Development Corporation, Corona Plaza Project Manager (2021–2024)
  • Gianina Enriquez – Community Organizer, The Queens Museum
  • Tom Finkelpearl – Director of The Queens Museum (2002–2014)
  • Sam Massol – Director of Neighborhood Development, Queens Economic Development Corporation (2021–2024)
  • Miodrag Mitrasinovic – Professor of Urbanism & Architecture, Parsons School of Design
  • Niceli Portugal – Community Organizer + Family Programs Coordinator and Lead Artist (2018–2022)
  • Veronica Ramirez – Founder, Mujeres en Movimiento
  • Quilian Riano – Dean, Pratt Institute of Architecture
  • Gregory Sholette – Professor, CUNY Queens College, School of Arts
  • Walther Sinche – Executive Director, Alianza Ecuatoriana Internacional
  • Rosario Troncoso – President of the Corona Plaza Vendors Association
  • Emily Weidenhof – Assistant Commissioner, Public Realm at New York City DOT

We wish to thank the following individuals for their contribution to this film:

Emily Weidenhof, Quilian Riano, Monica Carrillo, Niceli Portugal, Joseph Heathcott, Pedro Cruz Cruz, Prerana Reddy, Walther Sinche, Tom Finkelpearl, Sam Massol, Greg Sholette, Beny Castro, Alex Berryman, Maria Canela, Gia Enriquez, Milton Trujillo, Rosario Troncoso, Veronica Ramirez, and Willy Mosquera.

We would like to acknowledge the contributions of the following individuals who were not interviewed for this film, to the making, programing and stewarding of Corona Plaza:

Naila Rosario, The Queens Museum Community Organizer; María Alexandra García, The Queens Museum Community Organizer; Jose Serrano, The Queens Museum Community Organizer; Chivita Espacial (Silvia Juliana Mantilla), The Queens Museum Community Organizer; Laura Hansen, Neighborhood Plaza Partnership, The Horticultural Society Of New York; Maureen Connor, Co-Founder, Social Practice Queens (SPQ), City University Of New York; Chloë Bass, Social Practice Cuny (SPCUNY), City University Of New York

Images and videos used in this documentary film are courtesy of:

The Queens Museum; Immigrant Movement International (IMI); NYC Department of Transportation; Street Films; Social Practice Queens (SPQ), CUNY; Brick City; Quilian Riano and DSGN AGNC; Monica Carillo, and La Jornada; Mujeres en Movimiento; Familias Unidas; The Street Vendor Project; Corona Plaza Street Vendor Association (La Asociación de Vendedores Ambulantes de Corona Plaza); La Jornada; New York Transit Museum; Image by Adam (TTbsgbmp@aol.com), William Gabel

CONTACT