Long Island Arts Alliance nominated for a NY Emmy

The Long Island Arts Alliance on Thursday was nominated for a New York Emmy Award in the category of Teen (13-19) Short or Long Form

Content for its short documentary

“Layla’s African Dance and Drum of Valley Stream” as part of their Back

In the Spotlight: Cultural Dance series with Waldo Cabrera (Islip TV & NVJN).

The 66th Annual New York Emmy Award nominations were announced today at the LIVE with Kelly and Mark studio at WABC-TV.

Hosting the announcement was Emmy Award winner NJ Burkett, president, NY NATAS, Correspondent (WABC- TV). Presenting the nominations were Emmy Award nominee Gilma Avalos, Anchor (WNBC-TV); Edward R. Murrow Award winner, Ken Buffa, Anchor (Newsday); Emmy-Award nominee Damaris Diaz, Anchor (WXTV Univision 41); Emmy- Award nominee, Shannan Ferry, anchor/reporter

(Spectrum NY1); Emmy-Award winner Virginia Huie, Reporter (News 12 Long Island); Emmy® Award-winner Jessica Moore, Anchor, (WCBS-TV); Emmy-Awardwinner David Rodriguez, Anchor (WNJU Telemundo 47); Emmy® Award-winner, Senior Correspondent (WPIX-TV), Chapter Governor and Awards Committee Chair, Marvin Scott.

Without the ability to meet in person or to perform for an audi- ence, many cultural organizations were faced with closure during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

As New York began to re-open, the Back In the Spotlight series aimed to capture the excitement within five unique cultural dance troupes on Long Island as they prepared to once again share their heritage in person and uplift their communities.

The eight-minute Emmy-Award Nominated episode featuring “Lay- la’s African Dance & Drum of Valley Stream” follows students and parents as they celebrate the start to Black History Month and the restart of public performances after a long COVID-19 shutdown.

The piece follows the dancers as they go back in the spotlight as the halftime entertainment for the world-famous Harlem Globe Trotters at the UBS Arena.

“Waldo Cabrera’s thoughtful and

Continued on Page 20