Little Yemen, the Yemeni community in the Bronx neighborhood of Van Nest, is now an official New York State cultural district. Gov. Kathy Hochul signed the bill creating it on Sunday, Oct. 18, making the Bronx neighborhood the newest name on a state list that already includes El Barrio in East Harlem and the Harlem Renaissance Cultural District.

Where the district runs

The law draws the district's lines on three streets. White Plains Road is its western edge. Bronxdale Avenue forms its eastern and northern edges, and Van Nest Avenue its southern one.

What the designation does

Being named a cultural district makes the cultural organizations inside its borders eligible to seek grant support from New York State. The bill, numbered A7033D in the Assembly and S6487C in the Senate, was sponsored by State Sen. Nathalia Fernandez and Assemblymember John Zaccaro Jr. State Sen. Gustavo Rivera also backed it, and Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson and Council Member Shirley Aldebol appeared with the governor for the announcement, alongside Bronx business owners and community leaders.

A community that grew fast

According to the governor's office, Little Yemen has grown quickly over the past few years. Some of its families have been in the Bronx for a long time, others moved in from other boroughs, and some came after fleeing civil war in Yemen. Along the way, the community has added restaurants and parades to the neighborhood, and Yemeni Americans have been part of New York for more than a century, running businesses and keeping their culture alive.

The community groups named in the announcement are the Alliance of Yemeni Americans, the Little Yemen Neighborhood Council, Bridging Cultures Group Inc., YemUnity (the Yemeni Community of New York), the Women's Empowerment Coalition of NYC and the Yemeni American Merchants Association.

How to visit

The district's western edge is White Plains Road, where the 2 and 5 trains run on the elevated line overhead. The district covers the streets between White Plains Road, Bronxdale Avenue and Van Nest Avenue.

Sources