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Vol. 76 No. 35
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Aug. 27 - SepT. 2, 2026
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A warm hello for the kids By STACY DRIKS sdriks@liherald.com
Photo Credit/Herald
the Corridor Counts is a Hempstead-based community advocacy and outreach non-profit organization.
Commemorating history and local businesses at ‘Black Wall Street’ The third annual Black Wall Street Festival showcased more than 75 Black-and minority-owned businesses at Denton Green Park in the Village of Hempstead. The Aug. 15 festival was the brainchild of Dr. Lashawn Lukes, president of the New Greater Hempstead Chamber of Commerce, and was hosted by the chamber and the Village of Hempstead. Lukes established the event to highlight the importance of community and spending money in Black-owned businesses and to celebrate the legacy of Black Wall Street districts, including Hempstead and the more widely known district in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The Historic Greenwood District in Tulsa, famously nicknamed “Black Wall Street,” was one of the most affluent and self-sustaining African American commu-
nities in the United States during the early 20th century. Founded in 1906, the 35-square-block commercial and residential area was devastated during the horrific Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921. Hundreds of visitors browsed merchandise, sampled food and other products, received services and watched live entertainment. Vendors represented businesses ranging from New York City to eastern Suffolk County and included doctors, attorneys, manufacturers and craftspeople. Free medical screenings and advice also were available. The festival, held at Denton Green Park at 99 James A. Garner Way, also featured a tribute to Hempstead’s rap history, a Kids Zone and a showcase of Black culture and food. — Jeffrey Bessen
Children played at a water sensory table, colored, got their faces painted and joined teachers for dancing and games 20, when Uniondale school district welcomed its newest students and their families to its third annual Early Childhood Jamboree. The Aug. 20 event, held at Cornelius Court School, brought together incoming pre-K and kindergarten students before Sept. 1, the start of the 2026-27 school year, while parents met educators, learned about resources and connected with other families. Milerbin Genao, the school district’s director of elementary ELA and math, said the jamboree was created to make the transition to school less intimidating for young children. “We realized that for these little ones that have not been part of a school system yet, that first day of school can be scary,” Genao said. “What better opportunity to get them to meet their future teachers, their future principal, their assistant principal, know a familiar face before they enter school.” During the jamboree, parents learned about developmental milestones and spoke with representatives from the Uniondale Public Library, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, the
Child Care Council of Nassau and school PTAs. The library provided information about upcoming September and October programs and registration materials for families interested in obtaining library cards. California Avenue School’s step team also played its part by introducing students to performing arts at an early age, which is a district emphasis. Genao said Uniondale begins exposing students to performing arts as early as pre-K and kindergarten, with the district working to expand opportunities for younger students to participate. She said the district sees performing arts as part of a broader effort to give elementary students opportunities to develop confidence and become public speakers, while continuing to emphasize academics. “Performing arts is really big in our district — they start as early as pre-K and kindergarten,” Genao said. “But there’s also an increase in supporting children and being public speakers. “The performing arts are important,” she added. “We also want to make sure that there’s a lot of publicity around the work that we’re doing for the academics.” Since that effort grew, children in Grand Avenue Elementary School and California AveContinued on page 3