Brooklyn's Dominican Day fair focuses on enhancing community quality of life

CYPRESS HILLS, Brooklyn (PIX11) — Brooklyn’s Dominican Day was celebrated on Tuesday, but it looked a little different than previous years.

“It didn’t feel appropriate to celebrate when people are struggling,” said Borough President Antonio Reynoso.

Dominican nationals struggle with expensive childcare, high rent, and pricey groceries. He put together the resource fair at Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation.

“There are conversations about affordable housing, food access, and services from the local Dominican consulate,” Reynoso said.

The goal is to improve the quality of life of all Dominicans and Brooklynites. The Dominican Republic consulate recently opened its office in the neighborhood. They helped with passport renewal and dual citizenship applications.

Elvis Tineo, who represented the consulate, added that the Dominican population in New York City continues to expand.

“We have registered close to a million in our system, but there’s more that we haven’t counted,“ Tineo said.

Many Dominican nationals eligible for federal assistance may encounter a language barrier or feel confused when requesting specific services, which is why gett...