Paterson Rising: Paterson is a city shaped by pride, resilience, and deep cultural diversity, yet as the New Jersey’s third-largest city it is often portrayed through a narrow media lens focused on crime, poverty, and sensational headlines. This project seeks to show Paterson in fuller light over the course of one year, placing its people at the center while acknowledging the realities they face each day. In recent years, the city has experienced a period of renewal driven by active local leadership and community events, including the restoration of Hinchliffe Stadium, a historic Negro League ballpark once abandoned and now reborn as a home for local sports, women’s professional football, and the return of the Cosmos soccer team. At the same time, Paterson continues to confront serious challenges such as food insecurity, housing instability, and economic pressure, worsened by inflation, recent government shutdowns, and disruptions in access to SNAP benefits. Moving between public events, cultural celebrations, and everyday life, this essay presents Paterson as a vibrant cultural mosaic—defined by both struggle and progress, and by the resilience and shared spirit of its people.
PATERSON, N.J. | January 27, 2025 — A Barcelona SC soccer fan, uses handheld smoke flare outside Hinchliffe Stadium prior to the Barcelona SC vs. Osner’s FC friendly soccer match.
PATERSON, NJ January 27, 2025: Gerardo Mejía, aka ‘Rico Suave’, the Ecuadorian-American rapper megastar from the 1990’, performed a mix of rap, pop, and Latin hits on stage at Hinchliffe Stdaium before the Barcelona SC friendly soccer match. Paterson it's over 60% Latino, has one of the largest Ecuadorian American communities in the country.
PATERSON, N.J. | 01-29-2025: AmeriCorps members and volunteers canvas the area along the train tracks near a homeless encampment at dusk while conducting the annual Point-in-Time (PIT) Count, a nationwide effort to document homelessness on a single night in January.
PATERSON, N.J. | 01-29-2025 — POINT-IN-TIME SURVEY: AmeriCorps members collect information from a homeless individual in a wheelchair at a homeless encampment off a highway exit ramp while conducting the annual Point-in-Time (PIT) Count, a nationwide effort to document homelessness on a single night in January.
PATERSON, N.J. | 03-13-25 — COMMUNITY IFTAR: Two men shake hands upon arriving at the annual Ramadan Iftar at City Hall, where approximately 300 interfaith community members gathered to break the fast at sunset. Home to New Jersey’s largest Muslim population, the event celebrated Ramadan, the city’s diversity, and community connection, with traditional food donated by local restaurants and opening remarks from community leaders in the Council Chambers.
PATERSON, N.J. | March 29, 2025 — Rev. Brian Collins offers a blessing as the crowd raises their arms in unison in gratitude, marking the moment when eight Paterson families achieved homeownership through Passaic County Habitat for Humanity. The newly built homes on Harrison Street are helping revitalize a neighborhood once marked by abandoned lots. The three-story detached houses feature small backyards, driveways, and garages, providing much-needed off-street parking.
PATERSON, N.J. | March 29, 2025 — The Serrano family was one of eight Paterson families to achieve homeownership through Passaic County Habitat for Humanity. The newly built homes on Harrison Street are helping revitalize a neighborhood once marked by abandoned lots. The three-story detached houses feature small backyards, driveways, and garages, providing much-needed off-street parking.
PATERSON, NJ 04-05-25: :The Jersey Shore Wave made history playing in the first women’s professional (tackle) football game ever held in New Jersey as they faced off against the Washington D.C. Prodigy on a cold, rainy night at Hinchliffe Stadium.
PATERSON, N.J. | 04-05-25: Jersey Shore Wave player Demiera Lockhart twirls a smoke flare during media day as the team prepares to make history by playing the first women’s professional tackle football game ever held in New Jersey. The team will play their home games at historic Hinchliffe Stadium.
PATERSON, N.J. | April 18, 2025: Sebastian Delgado portrays Jesus during an emotional Good Friday Passion Play on the streets of Paterson. The annual Way of the Cross reenactment traces Jesus Christ’s final hours—from arrest to crucifixion—beginning at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, processing through downtown, and concluding inside the church. Thousands gathered to witness the tradition, which continues to unite the Paterson community in faith and reflection ahead of Easter Sunday.
PATERSON, N.J. | April 18, 2025: Sebastian Delgado portrays Jesus during an emotional Good Friday Passion Play on the streets of Paterson. The annual Way of the Cross reenactment traces Jesus Christ’s final hours—from arrest to crucifixion—beginning at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, processing through downtown, and concluding inside the church. Thousands gathered to witness the tradition, which continues to unite the Paterson community in faith and reflection ahead of Easter Sunday.
PATERSON, N.J. | May 2, 2025 — Rev. Msgr. Geno R. Sylva blesses passing motorcyclists with holy water as riders cruise past the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, as churchgoers and neighborhood residents line the sidewalks, snapping photos and cheering. The annual “Bessing of the Bikes” is now in its 55th year, is a longstanding Paterson tradition that brings together faith and the biker community.
PATERSON, N.J. | May 2, 2025 — Rev. Msgr. Geno R. Sylva splashes holy water on a biker’s helmet as riders cruise past the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, while churchgoers and neighborhood residents line the sidewalks, snapping photos and cheering. The annual Blessing of the Bikes, now in its 55th year, is a longstanding Paterson tradition that brings together faith and the motorcycle community.
PATERSON, N.J. | 03-13-25: Dance instructor Marggie Ponce teaches Afro-Peruvian dance in the gym at the Community Charter School of Paterson. The class is hosted by Socabón Peru, a collective dedicated to promoting, educating, and celebrating Afro-Peruvian culture—a rich and often overlooked heritage. The group offers free classes in Paterson, home to New Jersey’s largest Peruvian American population.
PATERSON, N.J. | June 18, 2025: William Raheem Smallwood leads a moment of prayer and remembrance as Paterson’s African American community gathers for its annual Juneteenth Community Flag Raising and Prayer Gathering at Eastside Park. Juneteenth—Emancipation Day—commemorates the liberation of enslaved African Americans and is observed as a day of reflection, resilience, and celebration of the Black community’s history and achievements.
PATERSON, N.J. | June 18, 2025: Members of Paterson’s African American community hold hands and record with their phones during a moment of prayer at the annual Juneteenth Community Flag Raising and Prayer Gathering at Eastside Park. Juneteenth—Emancipation Day—commemorates the liberation of enslaved African Americans and is observed as a day of reflection, resilience, and celebration of the Black community’s history and achievements.
PATERSON, N.J. | July 27, 2025: Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh dances with paradegoers in the streets near City Hall during the annual Peruvian Parade, as thousands line the route from Passaic to Paterson to celebrate Peruvian Independence. The vibrant procession fills Main Street with traditional music, dancing, and cultural pride, as performers in elaborate folkloric costumes move to blaring music and the red and white of the Peruvian flag dominate the scene. ——
PATERSON, N.J. | July 27, 2025: Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh dances with paradegoers in the streets near City Hall during the annual Peruvian Parade, as thousands line the route from Passaic to Paterson to celebrate Peruvian Independence. The vibrant procession fills Main Street with traditional music, dancing, and cultural pride, as performers in elaborate folkloric costumes move to blaring music and the red and white of the Peruvian flag dominate the scene.
PATERSON, N.J. | July 27, 2025: Dancers in colorful traditional costumes perform during the annual Peruvian Parade, as thousands line the route from Passaic to Paterson to celebrate Peruvian Independence. The vibrant procession fills Main Street with music, dance, and cultural pride, as folkloric performers move to blaring rhythms and the red and white of the Peruvian flag dominate the scene.
PATERSON, N.J. | June 16, 2025: Musicians take part in a jam session during open mic night at Prototype 237, an independent arts and performance space housed in a former industrial warehouse along the Passaic River in Paterson. Founded in 2022 by local artists, Prototype 237 is a multi-floor creative loft that blends communal living spaces, artist studios, and a sound-equipped performance area.
PATERSON, N.J. | Aug. 5, 2025: After the sun set, families gathered on the grass at School 25 in Paterson’s 6th Ward for an outdoor screening of Sonic 3 during National Night Out. Celebrations took place across all six wards, with block parties, cookouts, bounce houses, live music, and family-friendly events bringing neighbors together at dozens of locations throughout the city.
PATERSON, N.J. | Aug. 5, 2025: A young boy (name not given) plays in a sprinkler at Barbour Park during National Night Out in Paterson. The annual event brought neighbors together across all six wards with block parties, cookouts, games, music, and family activities. City officials, police, firefighters, and community groups joined residents to promote unity and strengthen police-community partnerships.
WAYNE, N.J. | July 18, 2025: A woman dressed in red—the color of the Peruvian flag—poses for a selfie in the fading light on the terrace of The Legacy Castle during The Peruvian Parade Inc.’s 39th Annual Gala, marking the start of Peruvian Heritage Month. Paterson, home to New Jersey’s largest Peruvian American population, draws attendees from across the region for the celebration.
GARFIELD, N.J. | Sept. 4, 2025: Grand Marshal José Santana Suriel, Consul General of the Dominican Republic in New Jersey, stands with Passaic Mayor Hector Lora and Paterson City Councilman Luis Mendez during the Dominican national anthem at the 36th Annual Gala. Paterson, home to New Jersey’s largest Dominican American population, drew about 800 guests to the event, which concluded with a performance by merengue legend Fernando Villalona.
PATERSON, N.J. | September 6, 2025: Young soccer players participate in an MLS GO youth clinic, Major League Soccer’s free training program, as they prepare for the upcoming recreational season in Paterson. About 300 students took part in drills and scrimmages on the turf. The clinic was organized by the Paterson Division of Recreation in partnership with the Mayor’s Office and the Cosmos soccer team, which is set to return to Paterson’s historic Hinchliffe Stadium next year.
PATERSON, N.J. | Nov. 16, 2025: Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh joins the ‘cargadores’ during the Señor de los Milagros (“Lord of Miracles”) procession along Market Street, a major Peruvian Catholic tradition. Dressed in purple robes, the cargadores carried a replica of the revered Christ image as hundreds of worshippers lined the route, praying and singing hymns. The annual procession reflects the deep roots of Paterson’s Peruvian community, with roughly 35,000 Peruvians living in the city and the Market Street area widely known as “Little Peru.”
PATERSON, N.J. | Nov. 16, 2025: The Peruvian community celebrates the Señor de los Milagros (“Lord of Miracles”) procession along Market Street, a major Peruvian Catholic tradition. Hundreds of worshippers prayed and sang hymns as the procession moved through the neighborhood, reflecting the deep roots of Paterson’s Peruvian community, with roughly 35,000 Peruvians in the city and Market Street known as “Little Peru.”
PATERSON, N.J. | 12/23/25: A family walks past a police vehicle as they arrive at the Riverwalk Christmas Celebration. The event highlights the city’s long-awaited Riverwalk project, envisioned as a safe, family-friendly destination and a key step in revitalizing an area once marked by blight and crime, though the space has yet to fully open to the public and is deemed by many as dark and unsafe.
PATERSON, N.J. | Sept. 13, 2025: A group of young skateboarders gather outside SOLID, a Paterson-based nonprofit dedicated to supporting youth through skateboarding, art, and mentorship. Funded in part by New Jersey’s Community-Based Violence Intervention program, SOLID hosts weekly skate sessions and after-school creative workshops while promoting its “S.K.A.T.E.R. Code,” which emphasizes sharing, respect, and perseverance on and off the board. The organization’s new location is in a largely industrial area once associated with drug activity.
PATERSON, N.J. | Sept. 13, 2025: A group of skateboarders skate inside the new facility at SOLID, a Paterson-based nonprofit dedicated to supporting youth through skateboarding, art, and mentorship. Funded in part by New Jersey’s Community-Based Violence Intervention program, SOLID hosts weekly skate sessions and after-school creative workshops while promoting its “S.K.A.T.E.R. Code,” which emphasizes sharing, respect, and perseverance on and off the board. The organization’s new location is in a largely industrial area once associated with drug activity.
PATERSON, N.J. | Nov. 14, 2025: Mayor Andre Sayegh shakes hands with a resident as the City Council distributes free turkeys to roughly 3,000 people at City Hall ahead of Thanksgiving. A long line stretched around City Hall and down Market Street as residents waited in the cold, amid increased demand following recent cuts to SNAP benefits. The giveaway was sponsored by Brothers Quality Halal Meat, a retail shop on Main Street.
PATERSON, N.J. | Nov. 28, 2025: TK McKinnon, who says he identifies as homeless, takes home boxes of food as student volunteers distribute sandwiches outside Eva’s Village in Paterson. Volunteers from the Paterson Youth Council, JFK High School Robotics Team, AmeriCorps, and local schools prepared and distributed about 250 lunches to support community members in need. Food insecurity remains a major challenge in Paterson as inflation drives up costs and a recent government shutdown delayed access to SNAP benefits.
PATERSON, N.J. | Nov. 27, 2025: The JFK High School marching band marches across town, as it continues one of Paterson’s oldest Thanksgiving traditions, marching from Kennedy High School to Hinchliffe Stadium before performing at halftime of the annual rivalry game against Eastside. Once defined by competing bands from both schools, the 101-year tradition has declined as Eastside no longer fields a band, with Kennedy now including students from rival schools such as Rosa Parks and Eastside—raising questions about how the longtime Thanksgiving game tradition will endure.
PATERSON, N.J. | Nov. 27, 2025: Janiyah Waites, a majorette with the JFK High School marching band, performs as her colorful hair catches the sunlight, continuing one of Paterson’s oldest Thanksgiving traditions. The band marched from Kennedy HS to Hinchliffe Stadium before performing at halftime of the annual rivalry game against Eastside. Once defined by competing bands from both schools, the 101-year tradition has evolved as Eastside no longer fields a band and Kennedy now includes students from rival schools—raising questions about how the longtime Thanksgiving game will endure.
PATERSON, N.J. | Nov. 28, 2025: Paterson unveils a new series of murals by artist and city Art Commissioner Christopher Fabor Muhammad honoring Paterson’s historic leaders and athletic icons, celebrating the community’s cultural diversity. Located along Broadway near Eastside Park, the murals greet visitors entering the city from Route 4 in Bergen County. The large mural on the south side of Broadway features Larry Doby, the Paterson native, civil rights pioneer, and Baseball Hall of Famer.
PATERSON, N.J. | 12/17/25: Four-year-old Zaire (last name not given) receives a face brush-off after getting a haircut from barber Jonathan Vicioso of House of Experts Barbershop in Paterson, during the annual holiday dinner at Eastside High School, hosted by NJ State Senator Benjie Wimberly as part of a 33-year tradition. The event featured an all-you-can-eat turkey and ham dinner, sweet potato pie, cornbread, free haircuts, health information, and a visit from Santa Claus, who handed out gifts to every child.
ATERSON, N.J. | 12/17/25: NJ State Senator Benjie Wimberly greets residents at the annual community holiday celebration at Eastside High School. The event featured an all-you-can-eat turkey and ham dinner with sweet potato pie and cornbread, free haircuts, health information, and a visit from Santa Claus, who handed out gifts to every child. Now in its 33rd year, the tradition began as a thank-you to the community for supporting Wimberly’s Eastside High School baseball team and has grown into an evening dedicated to giving back.
PATERSON, N.J. | 12/24/25: Santa Claus, portrayed by Mayor Andre Sayegh, adjusts his glasses and beard before taking part in the New Jersey Community Development Corporation’s annual Christmas Eve Holiday Party at the Community Charter School of Paterson. The event distributed gifts to hundreds of families and drew more than 1,000 attendees, reflecting the level of need in the city while providing a joyful, community-centered celebration on the day before Christmas.
PATERSON, N.J. | 12/24/25: Children play in falling artificial snow bubbles cascading from an upper balcony during the New Jersey Community Development Corporation’s annual Christmas Eve Holiday Party at the Community Charter School of Paterson. The event distributed gifts to hundreds of families and drew more than 1,000 attendees, reflecting the level of need in the city while providing a joyful, community-centered celebration on the day before Christmas.
PATERSON, N.J. | December 30, 2025: Talina Queen raises her hand while leading a libation—a call-and-response ritual honoring ancestors and community members who have passed—during a Kwanzaa observance at the Great Falls Youth Center. Queen led a weeklong series of Pan-African cultural celebrations for each day of Kwanzaa, emphasizing the holiday as a cultural, not religious, tradition and providing an educational space for young people to learn about African heritage, identity, and collective responsibility.