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September 15, 2022
Empowering a brighter future
VOL. 24 NO. 39
Higher Education
Inside
Activist weighs in on redistricting Page 6
SEPTEMBER 22 - 28, 2022
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Standing in solidarity with Pakistan Me and a clothing drive,” Ali said. “We reached out to the of fice of Asian American Elmont’s Pakistani commu- Affairs, we reached out to the nity and Nassau County Execu- county executive.” tive Bruce Blakeman recently Blakeman said he wanted to joined forces for a fundraiser to make a difference, not just a support victims of the devastat- statement or social media post, ing floods that have hit Paki- so he called for a news conferstan throughout the ence, in which he summer. urged residents of The flooding has Nassau County to killed more than donate to the fund1,000 people and raiser. inundated a third of Thus far, almost the country, accord$25,000 in aid has ing to the consular been raised, includgeneral of Pakistan ing $11,000 from a and the ambassador. bake sale. Some 180,000 people “We’re going to have been evacuat- ESHEHARYAR keep going until the ed from Charsadda ALI end of this week,” and 150,000 from Blakeman said, Nowshera district “ a n d t h e n we ’ re villages, and nearly going to close it, 300,000 homes have because we want been destroyed, roads have this money out as quick as posbeen flooded and electricity has sible,” he said. been cut off. The groups answering the The extreme monsoon rains call to help raise funds include have impacted not only Paki- Helping Hands and Children of stan but also the immigrant Adam, as well as the South population in Elmont. She- Asian American Small Busiharyar Ali, a second-generation ness Association. i m m i g r a n t w h o l iv e s i n “We’re just trying to raise Elmont, said he felt the calling awareness here,” Ali said. “Peoto help his home country. “We decided to do a GoFundCONTINUED ON PAGE 5
By BRIAN PFAIL bpfail@liherald.com
I
Courtesy Emilian Emeagwali
SENSEI HUGH GARIBA, Junta DeFreitas, Emilian Emeagwali, Luci Bajnath and Tiffiny Ragkaswar at a Giving Back to Community event.
Giving Back to Community plans to build food pantry By BRIAN PFAIL bpfail@liherald.com
A local nonprofit looking to expand its business is planning a fundraising dinner on Sept. 29 at the Inn at New Hyde Park. The organization, Giving Back to Community, has worked for years to provide food, water and clothing to the people of Nigeria. The group hopes to raise roughly $30,000 to renovate a food pantry in Elmont and stock it with provisions. Raffle tickets will be sold at the event to help fund the effort. Organizers also hope to have a giveaway and an auction as well as music and dancing. Special guests will speak about how the chari-
ty has positively affected their community. “Elmont is where the charity began, and there’s a great need in the community to have a pantry to provide the services,” said Marlene Barrett-Ragkaswar, one of Giving Back to Community board members and its chief of fundraisers. Its founder, Emilian Emeagwali, is a native of Nigeria who feels a strong connection to Elmont. “I’ve been in Elmont for 20 years, so it’s like my home,” she said. “I mingle with many communities, and I’ve seen since I’ve done this, Covid, a lot of hunger — many people cannot afford the food.” Emeagwali said the Elmont location would CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
feel like we should help anybody, anywhere.