Journey Across Oceans: The Sri Lankan Immigrant Experience on Staten Island
Sat, May 10
|Staten Island
As a part of the museum’s Voices of Diaspora Program, Sachindara Navinna will be at the museum (338 Lighthouse Avenue) to talk about the immigrant experience of Staten Island’s Sri Lankan community who they left their homeland for NYC
Time & Location
May 10, 2025, 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM
Staten Island, 338 Lighthouse Ave, Staten Island, NY 10306, USA
About the event
Journey Across Oceans: The Sri Lankan Immigrant Experience on Staten Island
Discover the untold stories of Staten Island’s vibrant Sri Lankan community—why they left their homeland, what they found in New York City, and how they’ve shaped a unique cultural identity in a new land. This lecture offers a powerful exploration of resilience, tradition, and the challenges and triumphs of building a new life far from home.
Led by Sachindara Navinna—renowned cultural advocate, dancer, and community leader—this talk invites you to hear firsthand accounts and reflect on the deeper meaning of belonging in America.
Sachindara Navinna is a prominent cultural leader, artist, and advocate within New York City's Sri Lankan community, particularly on Staten Island. She serves as the Program Director of Soorya NYC and Manager of Artist Relations at the Center for Traditional Music and Dance (CTMD), where she curates and promotes traditional performing arts from immigrant communities across the city . Navinna is also a skilled Kandyan dancer and teacher at the Sri Lankan Dance Academy in Staten Island. She is dedicated to preserving and passing down classical Sri Lankan dance traditions to younger generations, ensuring that cultural rituals and expressions remain vibrant in the diaspora .Beyond her artistic endeavors, Navinna has contributed to initiatives like Staten Island’s “Working Waterfront” project, which highlights the borough’s maritime heritage and multicultural traditions. She has also been involved in public programs and exhibitions that celebrate the diverse cultural landscape of
Staten Island .
The Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art is able to offer today’s program through the support of the New York City Council Cultural Immigrant Initiative Discretionary Grants provided by City Council Member Joseph Borelli and City Council Member David Carr.
