Immigration Advocates Launch New York Proud Campaign Highlighting Immigrant Contributions

NEW YORK, New York – As the Trump administration in the United States escalates its immigration crackdown, the New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC), in partnership with Times Square Arts and Photoville, has launched its third annual New York Proud campaign celebrating the contributions of immigrant New Yorkers.

The campaign was launched with a public art installation in Times Square in midtown Manhattan.

NYIC is an umbrella organisation representing more than 200 immigrant and refugee groups across New York State.

NYIC President and Chief Executive Officer Murad Awawdeh told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) on Wednesday that the campaign brings “the stories of immigrant New Yorkers into one of the city’s most visible public spaces.”

“New York Proud is a citywide public art initiative that celebrates the immigrants whose contributions are essential to New York’s culture, economy and identity,” he said. “Through large-scale portraits and personal stories displayed in public gathering places, the campaign invites New Yorkers to see immigrants as neighbors and community members whose stories are inseparable from the story of New York itself.”

“As immigrant communities face mounting hostility and uncertainty at the federal level, New Yorkers are pushing back by making visible the people, stories, and contributions that have long defined New York City,” Awawdeh added.

The campaign features portraits by Venezuelan artist and documentary photographer Oscar B. Castillo, capturing the experiences and identities of immigrant New Yorkers from communities across the city.

“Beginning with the Times Square installation, New York Proud will bring these portraits to public spaces across New York City throughout the fall, transforming familiar gathering places into opportunities to encounter the people and communities that shape New York,” Awawdeh said.

“New York Proud is about making visible what has always been true: immigrants are New York,” he said. “At a time when immigrant communities are too often targeted or reduced to political talking points, we are putting real New Yorkers—their faces, their stories and their contributions—at the centre of some of our city’s most public spaces.”

“Immigrants shape our neighborhoods, strengthen our economy and enrich our culture,” he added. “This campaign celebrates that truth and reminds us that New York is strongest when every community can see itself reflected in the city we share.”

Castillo said that, as a Venezuelan artist, he understands “how powerful it can be to see our lives and communities represented in the places that define a city.”

“These portraits are about dignity, belonging and the everyday people who make New York what it is,” he said. “By bringing their stories into public spaces, I hope New Yorkers will pause, look closely and recognize both their neighbors and themselves.”

New York City Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs Commissioner Faiza N. Ali said “immigrants power New York City’s communities, culture, and economy, bringing our city to life every day.”

“The New York Immigration Coalition’s New York Proud public art initiative showcases the contributions of immigrant New Yorkers, helping to ensure their stories are seen and told everywhere,” she said.

“As immigrant communities continue to face challenges, attacks, and uncertainty from the federal government, it remains imperative that we uplift their essential role in our city and reaffirm our commitment to their safety and well-being,” Ali added.

Awawdeh said the 2026 New York Proud installations include:

• Manhattan: Times Square Pedestrian Plaza on Broadway between 47th and 48th Streets
• Bronx: Mill Pond Park, Exterior Street and East 150th Street
• Queens: Queens Museum, New York City Building, Flushing Meadows Corona Park
• Brooklyn: The Plaza at 300 Ashland, 85 Flatbush Avenue

The installations will be displayed in public spaces across New York City throughout the fall.