Communal Spaces
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For any minority group, the importance of a "Communal Space" cannot be overstated. For any group, really, shared communal spaces are importance but especially for those outside the societal "norm" it is immensely important to have a space where people can gather to share their communal beliefs, identities, and cultural products. There is no greater crime on this planet than isolating someone, and it is common for members of minority groups to feel isolated in a society that does not reflect them. Community is the only remedy for Isolation. It is no sheer coincidence that the first instinct of Bengali merchants entering this country for the first time was to lay down the foundations of a global network that might span the globe: to have these international connections is a very effective way to avoid isolation. But so are the founding of Communal Spaces: restaurants, neighborhoods, social clubs.
While Bengal Garden may not have survived as a business venture, its importance as a Communal and Cultural Phenomenon is very audibly praised in this reading: the knowledge gained from this singular failed enterprise served the foundations of several successful business ventures in the Bengali Harlem community. Not to mention the relief described by Bengalis who finally found a place in this White Nationalist country where they could eat familiar food and talk familiar politics in a familiar language.
The Indian Seamen's club serves as another shining example of the importance of Communal Spaces. It should be obvious just based on the overwhelming demand seen in this social club. When any kind of institution services that volume of people over such a short time-frame, it's clear that the institution in question serves great purpose and is highly valued by its community. In this instance, the importance of the Indian Seamen's Club (and in no small part, Choudry) is clear; a welcoming space and a friendly face was provided to those often under-served and over-utilized.
These institutions, amongst many others, serve to unify a small and oppressed minority. They're a light shining against a smothering Whiteness. They are both catalyst and result of community-building.