The Dominican Ritual of Beach Spaghetti | Eater

"This sprawling state park, the second-largest in New York, has long served as a summertime gathering ground for Dominican families who treat its lake network as an extension of home. Since the 1970s it has drawn multigenerational parties who load vans with folding chairs, coolers, canopies and giant pots of spaghetti for communal picnics that can include dozens to a hundred relatives and friends. These traditions function as a public assertion of belonging and dignity—music, food, and shared activity mark presence in the landscape—and the park remains a vital setting for cultural transmission and community programming aimed at making outdoor spaces feel welcoming to Black and Latinx youth." - Mike Diago