On January 17, 2025, a screening of the documentary film The Making of Corona Plaza, Queens was held, the producer and author of the concept of which is Miodrag Mitrašinović, Professor of Urbanism and Architecture at Parsons School of Design, The New School University in New York City. Then there was a discussion about the shown film with Prof. Mitrašinović.
The film documents the process of making a unique public plaza in the predominantly immigrant neighborhood of Corona, Queens through the voices of some of the main protagonists, be it community members and organizers, activists, street vendors, artists and designers, NYC officials, as well as the Queens Museum leadership. By focusing on the personal stories of those involved, the film highlights not just the physical transformation of urban space, but also the socio-economic, cultural and political impact on the neighborhood. The community-driven transformation and the involvement of residents in the design and stewardship of the plaza stand out as a model for how public spaces can be reimagined to better serve emerging publics, but also as a caution of the challenges immigrant communities face in making their voices heard, and in configuring their plazas as vital communal hubs.