Q'eqchi'
Kingston (NY)'eqchi' is an Indigenous Mayan language of Central America. Prior to the Spanish conquest of Guatemala, Q'eqchi' inhabited the areas of Alta and Baja Verapaz, but after years of displacement and resettlement, the people were split between various regions of Guatemala, Southern Belize, and Mexico. Seeking refuge from the gang violence, poverty, and government corruption prominent in Guatemala, one Q'eqchi' immigrant in Peten reportedly initiated mass movement to the United States, notifying friends and family back home of the safe harbor in Kingston. As of 2019, the local Ulster Immigrant Defense Network was helping the estimated 100 Q'eqchi' people in Kingston who are seeking asylum.