Terraza 7

Terraza 7, in Jackson Heights, Fights to Stay in Business

"Located on a side street off Roosevelt Avenue in Jackson Heights, this packed club and community center has served since 2002 as a vibrant cultural and political hub showcasing music from nearly every region of Central and South America, the Caribbean, Spain, North Africa and India. Its programming ranges from film screenings on timba and recurring jam sessions to a queer‑music series and intimate performances—one recent set featured a young Brooklynite performing Peruvian, Venezuelan and Chilean compositions accompanied by two guitarists and her 70‑year‑old father—and the space also functions as a town square that hosts town halls, political organizing and pandemic relief efforts. Founded by Freddy Castiblanco after he moved from Colombia, the venue intentionally highlights diasporic musical connections and is widely regarded by locals and musicians as an indispensable cultural institution; elected officials including Representative Alexandria Ocasio‑Cortez and State Senator Jessica Ramos have praised its role and urged measures to protect it. Despite its central place in the community, rising post‑pandemic rents and the loss of outdoor seating have pushed it toward eviction: rent rose from $5,000 to $10,000 (he had been paying about $7,500), outdoor revenue evaporated, Castiblanco has taken SBA loans and borrowed nearly $200,000, and he now owes the landlord over $150,000 with eviction proceedings ongoing; he is seeking donations and political support to stave off displacement and to secure a culturally protected or replacement space in Jackson Heights." - Jack Denton