50 for 50: Ramon Silverio Jr.

"I first walked into Queens Community House around 1998, when I was a teenager growing up in Queens. A friend from my high school dance club told me there might be space at the Evening Teen Center for us to practice. We didn’t have anywhere else to go, so we asked if we could use a classroom. The staff welcomed us in, and before long we were practicing regularly, building something that grew bigger than any of us expected.

What started with just a handful of us quickly turned into a thriving community. At first, we had one night in the gym each week, then two, and eventually three. Word spread quickly—even before social media—and dancers from all over New York City began coming through. Over time, people started coming from across the country and overseas to be part of what we had built. The teen center became known as the hub for breaking and youth culture in Queens.

I was a participant for a few years, and then, about five years later, I returned to QCH as an Activity Specialist. I worked with the dance program and also supported basketball and other youth activities. During those years, breaking became more than a hobby—it grew into a movement. We organized workshops, hosted competitions, invited guest teachers, and created a space where young people could express themselves. Many of those youth later became mentors, opened studios, or built careers in dance.

Today, I’m still deeply involved in the breaking community. I host, judge, and teach at competitions, and I continue mentoring the next generation. People sometimes call me an OG now, and I always credit QCH for giving me the platform to grow into that role.

What I loved most about QCH was the sense of belonging. The staff believed in us, trusted us, and gave us space to create. That trust allowed us to build something grassroots and powerful that impacted not just Queens, but the wider dance community. QCH shaped me—not only as a dancer, but as a person who values giving back."

— Ramon Silverio Jr., aka Jiggz