Diversity Plaza
April 12, 2016 By Michael Florio
Jackson Heights residents will gather at Diversity Plaza to watch the Democratic debate live on Thursday night.
Jeff Orlick, a member of Friends of Diversity Plaza, will host a screening of the debate on Thursday night at 8:30 p.m.
Orlick will set up a projector and speakers to screen the debate on the wall next to Delhi Heights (37-66 74th St.). He in encouraging attendees to bring their own blankets or chairs to sit, as well as snacks and drinks.
The debate, which is between Democratic candidates Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton, will take place in Brooklyn just days before New York’s primary on April 19.
“This has been the most amazing election that I’ve seen in my life,” Orlick said. “I want to get people together to talk about the primary.”
“It is great to get people together and talking about the direction the country is heading in,” he added.
He is encouraging people to show support for their candidates.
“I want people to root and cheer and even boo,” he said. “That is the beauty of Diversity Plaza. People can be themselves and no one will kick them out.”
Orlick recently started screening movies in the plaza every Wednesday, and said usually between 50 and 100 people will stop and watch throughout the night. He expects even more to stop by on Thursday, due to the magnitude of the debate.
He said that if the weather is nice he expects more than 100 attendees over the course of the night.
Orlick even had an idea of having henna tattoos during the debate, although he has yet to find anyone to provide them.
“I would love for people to have Bernie or Hillary henna tattoos,” he said.
