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your HEALTH body / mind / fitness
With a focus on August 11, 2022
we lln es s
HERALD Your Health
Family Wellness Inside Vol. 33 No. 33
School board fills vacancy
Will toll lane fix highway problem?
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AUGUST 11 - 17, 2022
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District 30 is not quite like all the rest By JUAN lASSo jlasso@liherald.com
Courtesy Valley Stream District 30
A RepoRT pUBlISHed by ERASE Racism argues that, on average, nearly $10,000 less is spent per student in Long Island’s 11 most segregated school districts — including Valley Stream District 30 — than in majority-white schools.
As the population of Long Island has grown, so has its racial diversity. Not just in neighborhoods, but also in public schools. Today, roughly half of Long Island students are white, a sharp decline from the turn of the 21st century, when white students outnumbered all other races 7-to-1. Hispanic students make up a third of classrooms today, compared to just 11 percent in 2000, while Asian students represent 10 percent — just ahead of Black students.
But when it comes to the island’s 125 individual schools, such racial makeup is not so cut and dried. Instead, many students find themselves in districts that are either predominantly white, or primarily nonwhite. A recent report from ERASE Racism found only five school districts that fit the category of having a fairly even racial split. While the U.S. Supreme Court outlawed school racial segregation in the 1950s, racially concentrated school districts remain on Long Island, according to Alan Singer, director of Continued on page 12
‘Mambo Man of Valley Stream’ rouses crowd to its feet By TAYloR NICIolI Intern
On any given day, the grounds of Village Green Park serves as the usual go-to spot for joggers and dogwalkers. But last week, it transfor med into a roaring dance floor as dozens gathered for a night of salsa. At the center of it all was Bronx Changa, an eight-person Latin salsa band that took over the Village Bandshell with a wide assortment of instruments in tow. But drums and a piano weren’t all they had. Bursting onto the scene was the “Mambo Man of Valley Stream” himself, Gaetano Ferrara, rousing the
crowd from its seats with a mambo-dancing show alongside two dazzling partners: Karina Hernandez and Krystal Garabedian. The ladies took turns through an energetic series of spins and moves, providing exactly what the 87-year-old Ferrara needed since just “one partner doesn’t have the energy to keep up with me.” Ferrara and Bronx Changa band leader Ivo Tirado Jr., shared a professional relationship for the last five years and had planned this tag-team performance together for more than a year. The two met through the acclaimed band leader and tim-
bales player Orlando Marin, who was christened by former U.S. Rep. Jose E. Serrano as the “Last Mambo King.” Marin would regularly perform with his orchestra at Valley Stream, Tirado said, but the ailing 88-year-old icon was not well enough to perform this time around. So to show their respect, Ferrara and Tirado made this performance a personal tribute. “Orlando was a great inspiration to me as a young percussionist, and I followed his music for many years,” Tirado said. “So, when Gaetano mentioned that we would be representing Orlando Marin, I said absolute-
ly,” Tirado’s ardent mission in life is to “bring a little happiness to people with my music and bring our authentic New York City salsa to Long Island.” He’s not alone in that regard. Salsa and mambo dancing is a lifelong passion of Ferrara’s, who hopes to dance well into his 90s. He savored every minute of
performing for his home crowd, charming audience members out of their seats. People like Robin Intravia, who said he was itching to hear some salsa and watch the dance. “I’m excited for this one because I love Latin dancing,” he said. “It really raises everyone’s spirits.” Continued on page 14