Sunday, September 21, 2025

Tour Starts at 2PM

Join Debbie Quinones, a lifelong resident of East Harlem and the founder of the Friends of Harlem Art Park Alliance and the Coquito Masters Competition. She notably served on Community Planning Board 11 for 31 years, during which she was responsible for naming 20 streets in East Harlem aka El Barrio after legendary local leaders and significant events.

Debbie's tours showcase her unparalleled knowledge of her community and its rich history. She has designed a unique walk that tells the story of East Harlem today, from its historic superblocks of public housing to the impact of major historical figures. The tour revisits moments like Vito Marcantonio’s union rally on what became Harlem’s Lucky Corner on East 116th Street and explores the legacy of the Young Lords.

Mural by the artists El Mac and CERO celebrating author Nicholasa Mohr.

This particular walk highlights how a single avenue in East Harlem can be filled with layers of history and culture. The tour will culminate at La Marqueta, but along the way, participants will see many murals, iconic buildings, and churches featured in films and the news—for example, the site where the series "401 & Park" began, and the recently established Graffiti Hall of Fame. As the group heads west towards Fifth Avenue, they will also encounter landmarks such as the Central Park Conservancy Garden, the Revolutionary War’s Fort Clinton, the Statue of Duke Ellington, The Africa Center, Old Timers Day Street, and Dapper Dan’s Atelier, before concluding their journey at La Marqueta.