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Alphabet City, is a neighborhood located in the East Village of Manhattan, New York. Alphabet City dates back to the early 1800’s when it was transformed from a salt marsh to a residential area. Originally, the area was known as, “Kleindeutschland,” or “Little Germany,” because of the amount of residents who were German immigrants, or of German descent. In fact, “Kleindeutschland.” is considered to be the second substantiated, non-english speaking, urban, ethnic enclave in the history of the U.S. The first was Germantown in Philadelphia. At that time, New York itself was said to be the third-largest German speaking city in the world; with Berlin and Vienna being first and second.

By the 1880’s, Alphabet City was no longer a primarily German neighborhood; and by 1900, it was one of the most densely populated areas in New York. As the area grew, it became more diverse, and was home to immigrants of many different backgrounds. This included a large Puerto Rican population. Within Alphabet City, there is a very important Puerto Rican cultural landmark called the Nuyorican Poets Cafe. The Nuyorican Poets Cafe is a nonprofit organization, that serves as a meeting place and facilitator of the Nuyorican art movement. The Cafe is a venue that promotes several genres of artistic performances including poetry, music, hip hop, video, visual arts, comedy, and theatre.

The Nuyorican Poets Cafe was founded in 1973, by Miguel Algarin and his co-founders, Miguel Pinero, Bimbo Rivas, and Lucky Cienfuegos. Algrin’s philosophy for the group was, “We must listen to one another. We must respect one another’s habits and we must share the truth and the integrity that the voice of the poet so generously provides.” Originally, they met in Algarin’s apartment but quickly needed a larger space. They decided to rent a nearby Irish Pub, and named it, “The Nuyorican Poets Cafe.” In the beginning, it was a poetry group; but over the decades, it has expanded by including several other artforms. In 2015, the cafe hosted Carmen, which was its first full-length opera. The Nuyorican Poets Cafe has hosted many famous artist over the years and continues to expand its artistic repertoire.

The Nuyorican Cafe has also been an important center for the Nuyorican Movement. The Nuyorican Movement is a cultural and intellectual movement for New York City artists of Puerto Rican descent. Originally, the term Nuyorican was an insult toward the Puerto Rican population; but popular artists in the community changed the term into a positive symbol of their art and culture. These artists could tutor others in how to turn negativity into something positive and meaningful. The Nuyorican Cafe serves the Nuyorican Movement as a platform for Puerto Rican art, and continues to grow in its support of local artists and artforms.

Alphabet City tutors want all students to do well in school. If your student is struggling in school, it might be time to enlist the help of an Alphabet tutor. Every student deserves the chance to succeed.