Colombian and Dominican Immigrant Transnational Organizations and Development

In 2011, Colombian organizations put together events to help the estimated two million people affected by the heavy rains that fell in various regions of Colombia the previous year and which caused slides, inundations, etc. In the greater New York area, they organized events such as a gastronomic/humoristic/dance festival in Connecticut, an Ayudaton (“helpathon”) in Queens, and a large banquet to raise funds in New York. With these efforts, the organizations were responding to the call for assistance made by the president of Colombia, who was in the city talking to union leaders in order to promote the signing of a free-trade agreement with Colombia.