A Marriage Story: NYC Nonprofit Plans Weddings For Asylum Seekers
Weddings orchestrated by the nonprofit The Little Shop of Kindness humanize and support asylum seekers as they adjust to life in New York City.
ROMMEL H. OJEDA
JUN 14, 2024
LIAN ZAMBRANO LOOKING AT HIS PARENTS DURING THE WEDDING CEREMONY. PHOTO BY ROMMEL H OJEDA FOR DOCUMENTED
As José Zambrano and Jennifer Rodriguez kissed in front of the arch at Carl Schurz Park, in Manhattan, their 7-year-old son, Lian, looked at them with his mouth wide open, his cheeks flushed with a mix of jealousy and amusement.
The thunderous clap of the officiant, and five witnesses of the nonprofit The Little Shop of Kindness helped seal the matrimony of his newly wed parents who had come 2,950 miles away from their native town of Manabí, in Ecuador. The celebration that sunny afternoon of May 22 was filled with joy, community, and a sense of calm that contrasted starkly with the struggles the newly wed couple had faced when they embarked on a journey to seek asylum in the United States four months ago.
Zambrano, 36, and Rodriguez, 30, are among thousands of asylum seekers who’ve arrived in New York City over the past two years, many without friends or family to lean on. But The Little Shop of Kindness, founded two years ago to help migrants find basic resources and essentials, goes the extra mile to welcome the city’s newest neighbors with heartwarming touches, including personalized wedding ceremonies.
https://documentedny.com/2024/06/14/marriage-wedding-migrants-asylum-nyc/
