Although Pastor Rev. Patrick Longalong, an Asian American Catholic priest of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Queens Village, has lived in the borough for most of his life, he has often been asked, “Oh, is it hot where you came from?” In response, he would say, “What do you mean, Bellerose, Queens? It’s still the same temperature where I came from.”
The passive aggressive comments and snide comments, Longalong said, can be very discouraging and hurtful, pushing many people to be quiet and stay amongst themselves, especially in the Asian American community, as anti-Asian attacks over the past year have rapidly increased in New York City, with several attacks occurring in Queens.
