Saturday, October 3, 2026
Franklin Square residents came together in a show of pride and support for the LGBTQ+ community during Howie’s Heart’s Slice of Pride on June 7 at the Franklin Square Public Library, where adult and teen LGBTQ+ members and allies celebrated inclusion and acceptance.
Nearly 50 people — the nonprofit’s largest event turnout yet — gathered in the library meeting room, kicking off the celebration with pizza and a musical performance by local performer Jesse Nacinovich, also known as Jesse Jams, who played the ukulele and sang the well-known rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole.
“I have been a children’s entertainer for almost 20 years,” Nacinovich said. “Which is just a little bit less time since I have been an out and proud queer person.”
Howie’s Heart co-founder Jen Camacho said she organized the event to support LGBTQ+ youth who are not accepted by their families or communities. She requested that attendees bring canned goods, toiletries and personal hygiene products for the Pride for Youth food pantry, located in Bellmore, whose mission is to “enhance the health and wellness of the LGBTQ+ community through education, supportive services and personal development,” according to its website.
Attendees also created crafts, including rainbow sun catchers and decorative rocks, to spread messages of kindness to LGBTQ+ youth who are in need of support and acceptance.
“I just felt like I had never seen anything like this in our community,” Camacho said of the event. “I just thought about what families and kids and teenagers must feel like when they don’t see themselves represented at different places.”
She stressed that a disproportionate number of LGBTQ+ youth are homeless. According to the Trevor Project, a nonprofit focused on suicide prevention for queer youth, 28 percent of LGBTQ+ youth have experienced homelessness or housing instability at some point in their lives.
Camacho recalled the kindness shown by her father, Howie Conklin — Howie’s Heart’s namesake — to people from all walks of life. He even invited a homeless man to one of the Conklin family’s Thanksgiving dinners.
“He just always included everyone,” said Camacho, who strives to follow in her father’s footsteps. “Maybe your family isn’t accepting of who you are, but you’re welcome here.”
While the event was a success, she said, it was not without backlash from some in the community. When she announced the event on Facebook, a few Franklin Square residents began criticizing the event and those who organized it, accusing them of being “groomers.”
Luckily, Camacho said, two pizzeria owners quickly jumped in and volunteered to cater the event in support of inclusivity. Victoria Tiso, owner of Tori T’s Pizzeria, in Malverne, and Richard Jefairjian, owner of A Slice of NY Squared LI, in Franklin Square, both said they were happy to support the cause.
“The (Facebook) post got some nice comments and some not-so-nice comments,” Jefairjian recalled. “But in any event, I’m all about helping people. At the end of the day, we all bleed the same color, no matter what race, sex or type of person you are.”
“As a business, we believe it’s important to stand with organizations that celebrate diversity and foster inclusion,” Tiso added. “You know, by uplifting voices and the community, you’re building core values. That’s what makes this community great.”
Laurie Schour attended the event with her wife, Sam Schour, and their two children, Teddy, 8, and Nate, 6. The couple, who were married in 2014 and bought a house in Franklin Square shortly afterward, met in Cherry Grove, a hamlet on Fire Island known for its strong ties to the LGBTQ+ community, in 2012.
“We just felt, OK, there’s got to be more than our family,” Laurie said of the LGBTQ+ community in Franklin Square. “It just felt good to see the library do this. I always felt like I was the only one.”
She noted that Long Island trends toward conservative values that cause her to fear for her family’s rights. Luckily, they have faced few confrontations.
“I want my kids to have the easiest life possible,” Laurie said. “Sometimes other moms ask them where their dad is. But if that’s the worst thing that ever happens, then they’re living a great life.”
Aviva Kane, director of the Franklin Square library, said it has a wonderful relationship with Howie’s Heart, and she was happy to advertise the event in the May newsletter because it aligns with the library’s mission to support everyone in the community.
“You can see from the people that attended that they are so grateful for the event,” Kane said. “This was a wonderful way of being able to support our neighbors, patrons and fellow Franklin Square community.”
Teen services librarian Daphne Levy praised Camacho and Howie’s Heart for bringing such an important topic to light at the library. All the programs Camacho hosts, Levy noted, support different groups of people — veterans, teens, babies, hospital patients and everything in between.
“Everyone supports one another,” Levy said. “Jen’s heart is just full of kindness.”
At the end of the event, Camacho announced Nacinovich was the recipient of the Howie’s Heart red balloon of kindness, which recognizes an attendee whose kind spirit stands out. According to Camacho, Nacinovich is a huge source of support for her and the organization.
In turn, Nacinovich thanked Camacho for her efforts. “Thank you to Jen and Howie’s Heart for making spaces like this available to the community so we can come together and celebrate,” she said. “We love being here.”
