Celebrating black history in Elmont

Claudine Hall, left, and Jean Grant, right, accepted Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Awards at the event.

Courtesy Scott Cushing

The Elmont Jazz Masters performed at the Black History Celebration, held at the Elmont Memorial Library on Feb. 12.

Courtesy Scott Cushing

Elmont Memorial High School Principal John Capozzi, left, and Sen. Jack Martins, right, congratulated Rebecca Fortune of Elmont for winning the Adelphi University Award during the Black History Celebration.

Courtesy Scott Cushing

The Black History Celebration roundtable included Frederick Brewington, left, professor Sandy Figueroa, of Hostos Community College; Sen. Jack Martins (R-Mineola); and professor Robert Smith, of Baruch College’s School of Public Affairs.

Courtesy Scott Cushing

Renee King, second from left, was awarded the Invest in Elmont Award for Excellence by the Elmont Chamber of Commerce on Feb. 12. Chamber members Muzzio Tallini, left, and Carl Achille, right, presented the award to King, who stood with her parents Colette and Reginald King.

Courtesy Muzzio Tallini

Martins presented Claudine Hall with a 7th Senate District Martin Luther King Jr. Award on Feb. 12.

Jina Papadoniou/Herald

Jahnia Cunningham of Elmont, 10, read a poem that she wrote about what Dr. Martin Luther King means to her at Elmont’s Black History Celebration on Feb. 13.

Jina Papadoniou/Herald

Elmont Jazz Masters, comprised of students from the Elmont Union Free School District, performed at the event.

Jina Papadoniou/Herald

Sen. Jack Martins (R-Mineola) honored Jean Grant with a Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Award at the annual Black History Month Celebration in Elmont on Feb. 13. More photos, page 3.

Jina Papadoniou/Herald

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The ninth annual Elmont Online and Highlighting Success Black History Month Celebration was held at the Elmont Memorial Library, at 700 Hempstead Turnpike in Elmont, on Feb. 12. Admission was free and open to the public.

The event, sponsored in large-part by The Center for Black, African and Caribbean Studies at Adelphi University, as well as by Sen. Jack Martins (R-Mineola) and the Elmont Chamber of Commerce’s Invest in Elmont program, began with a round-table discussion that focused on the Senate’s new district maps — as well as other matters pertaining to community development and quality of life — at 1 p.m.

Nearly 200 local residents attended the discussion, which focused on the topic of "Redistricting: A Non-partisan Discussion on the Effects of Partisan Redistricting on Minority Communities," and was moderated by Elmont resident Tiria Onwuchekwa. Panelists included Martins; Frederick Brewington, a civil rights attorney; Professor Sandy Figueroa, of Hostos Community College; Professor Robert Smith, of Baruch College’s School of Public Affairs; and Carl Achille, owner of The Shop, a barbershop in Elmont, and member of the Elmont chamber.

The discussion centered around the connection between the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and redistricting maps recently proposed in the New York Senate.

Martins acknowledged local concerns about the maps "gerrymandering" Senate districts, a process of drawing district lines in a way that is advantageous to a political partym and said that he's like to see the redistricting process improved in the Senate, as well as other legislative bodies. “The key to the redistricting issue, locally and statewide, is the need for integrity and confidence in our system," he said. "The system can be improved, we’ve had wonderful suggestions”; he called for “structured reform in a way that ensures fairness and integrity."