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HERALD 2021
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DECEMBER 30, 2021 - JANuARY 5, 2022
VOl. 29 NO. 1
An unsung community hero By Cristina Arroyo Rodriguez carroyo@liherald.com
D Courtesy Erki Mahler xx/Herald The first annual Baldwin Culture Jam featured xx a car show, live music, a cornhole tournaPage 0 ment, raffles and a mural-painting event.
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Cristina Arroyo Rodriguez/Herald xx/Herald
The Fire Department parade’s grand marxx
shal, Ex-Chief Thomas FitzSimons. Page 0
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Courtesy Nicolette Manella xx/Herald
Anthony Bolden, 40, Baldwin High School’s xx varsity assistant coach, died.
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espite the social and economic limitations imposed by the coronavirus pandemic, Baldwin Oaks Civic Association Vice President Wayne Miles, 71, has led a series of beautification and safety projects in North Baldwin by partnering with local organizations, elected officials and the community. “As a resident, homeowner and community advocate in Baldwin, I am resigned to maintaining the quality of life and committed to keeping Baldwin clean, green and beautiful,” Miles told the Herald. Indeed, in the past year, the Baldwin Oaks Civic Association has kept quite busy. Community Engagement Chair Jonathan Prevost said, “We set an ambitious goal to get 10 community improvement projects completed by the end of the summer. I’m happy to say we completed seven out of the 10 projects, with three currently in the works.”
Among the projects, the group has: Pushed for the repaving of Coes Neck Road with Town of Hempstead Councilwoman Dorothy Goosby. Worked with Sanitation District No. 2 to have no-littering signs installed on Coes Neck Road and next to the Fairview shopping center. Teamed up with Nassau County Legislator Debra Mulé to repair traffic grids along Grand Avenue. Reached out to County Legislator Kevan Abrahams to repair the crosswalk, trim overgrown plants and remove a downed cable along Grand Avenue near the Southern State Parkway. For all of the good that Miles has done for the community, the Baldwin Herald proudly names him as our Person of the Year for 2021.“Most of the things that I do, some people know or don’t know about, but I don’t usually get recognized,” he said. Murray described Miles as “unselfish,”
HERALD PERSON OF THE YEAR
WAyne Miles
O ‘
ne thing I love about Baldwin is that it’s a very mixed community . . . and [people] are respectful. WAyne Miles Civic activist
adding that he is also “energetic,” a “doer” and a “bridge builder.” “The good thing
about him is that he’s a consensus builder—before a decision, he goes out and elicits everyone’s opinion,” Murray said. Miles was born in Spanish Harlem and then moved to Brooklyn when he was 7. He came to Baldwin with his wife, Inge, and son, Hannibal, in 1994. He said he chose Baldwin because of its safety — he wanted to be a major influence in his son’s life, “instead of the streets.” His wife, he said, fell in love with Baldwin because it had the space that she needed to raise a family. “One thing I love about Baldwin is that it’s a very mixed community . . . and [people] are respectful. I don’t know what people do around their families and friends, but in public, they are very respectful,” Miles said. Miles wasted no time in starting his social outreach and community work. In 1996, he and his family attended a Baldwin Oaks Civic Halloween party, fell in love with the organization and joined. One of his first projects was fighting to have Coes Neck Park rehabilitated with new basketball courts. This was not surprising, as Miles had a proven track record of social activism in Brooklyn. In 1993, Miles received the Hakim Subir Humanitarian Award for Distinguished Community Service in organizing community youth and setting up the first Summer Olympics at Parade Ground Park in Brooklyn. In 2015, in honor of Black History Month in February, he received a citation from the City of New York in its salute to AfricanAmerican businesses. As a part of “Black Businesses in Brooklyn: Legacy and Longevity,” Miles was recognized for 30 years of continuous operation, dedication and involvement in the local downtown business community. Miles started GoGreen Inc. in Brooklyn Continued on page 15 Courtesy Wayne Miles
Wayne Miles, the Baldwin Oaks Civic Association vice president, is the Herald’s 2021 Person of the Year.