By LARRY MAIER
Curiously missing from last week's Baldwin Oaks Civic Association "Youth Outreach Meeting" were young people. The meeting, Nov. 11 at Coes Neck Park, was sponsored primarily in response to the Halloween-night slaying of a Brooklyn teen who was attacked by a group of teenagers and stabbed to death. Organizers had hoped to discuss the incident with area teens and consider what can be done to prevent future violence in their community.
Although disappointed by the poor turnout of teenagers and adults alike, organizers were more optimistic by the end of the meeting. Some residents felt headway was made in bridging the generation gap with a few of the younger attendees, and community members vowed to renew their commitment to being good neighbors.
Much of the afternoon was spent talking about gangs, as area residents wanted to know from police whether or not Akil Melville's murder was gang related.
"Bloods and Crips have been known to be coming into the Roosevelt community and there is a chance that they may be filtering down to this area," said First Precinct Sergeant Randolov. While Sgt. Randolov offered no new information on the case, he did hint that the investigation is moving forward. "There are certain subjects that they are looking at," he said.
Residents were eager to learn about the warning signs of gang involvement, the reasons young people join gangs, and what can be done to discourage gang activity in their community. Sgt. Randolov suggested that the civic association invite the police department to its next meeting to address such things. Also, newly reelected Hempstead Town Councilman Anthony Santino offered help in disseminating literature about gangs to the Baldwin community.
One man, whose son was also attacked on Halloween night, warned the gathering to take all gangs seriously.
"Wannabes can be just as dangerous," said the man, referring to newly developing gangs that model themselves after the 'Bloods and 'Crips. "They want to make a name for themselves."
Keeping gangs out
"If you don't have gangs, then now is the time to do something to prevent them," said Hezekial Brown, a conflict-resolution specialist from Hempstead. "Violence is not something that people are born with. It is a learned behavior."
Mr. Brown said gang activities are most prevalent between 3 and 7 P.M. Lack of parental supervision, a culture of psychological violence, and homes where families do not properly resolve conflicts all contribute to the violent behavior of today's youths, he said.
Mr. Brown went on to suggest that parents approach their school board and request that conflict resolution somehow be incorporated into the district's curriculum. He also stressed the need for more youth programs in the area.
Although the suggestions were generally well received, some residents expressed frustration at the growing burden being placed on the school system.
"There is supposed to be education going on in the schools besides all these [anti-violence programs], which should be taking place at home," said Louis Field Jr., a Baldwin resident and teacher in Brooklyn.
Other parents agreed with Mr. Field. "Parents have to work with their kids," said one woman. "The school district and the teachers aren't supposed to give them 99 percent of their education."
"The problem is they are not getting it at home," countered Mr. Brown. "What should happen is not happening, and that's why we have a problem."
Nassau County Legislator Patrick Williams announced plans for a public hearing to highlight the issue of gang violence and develop an approach to deal with it.
"I am as concerned as everybody else here, that when my son or my daughter leaves home, will they return," said Mr. Williams.
Getting to know you
Several people voiced a growing realization that their Coes Neck neighborhood is no longer the tight-knit community it once was.
"We used to know every kid on the block," said one long-time Baldwin resident. "Now the neighborhood is changing and we don't know each other anymore."
Two young adults agreed, and criticized the civic association for an inability to involve young people in the organization. Both of them cited a generation gap and the association's failure to market effectively to today's youth as the reason why there were so few young people at the meeting.
"People don't get involved because the people don't know each other. Everyone in Baldwin, when they see each other, they turn their head," said a frustrated Dwayne Dowe. "You don't know your neighbor."
"A lot of times the youths don't get involved because they feel like they won't be heard," said Billy Williams, who brought his young son, Kareem, to the meeting. "But if you want to solve gang violence, it's not going to be the parents, it's going to be the kids."
By the meeting's end, the two young men had agreed to work with the association to help reach younger community members. They also volunteered to help deliver announcement fliers, which delighted some of the more senior members who had been doing that task.
