(Glen Cove, NY) In conjunction with the Nassau and Suffolk County Police Departments, the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County (HMTC) announced the 2013 Friedlander Upstander Award recipients. The $2,500 education scholarships are awarded to one student each from Nassau and Suffolk Counties, who has shown her/himself to be an Upstander against intolerance in any of its forms.

“The centerpiece of the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center is to teach youth how the lessons of the Holocaust can be applied today and to their own lives,” according to Steven Markowitz, HMTC Chairman. “The Friedlander Upstander Awards reinforces our underlying message that each of us can make a difference in our community. The 2013 recipients exemplify this principal through their daily actions.”

Caitlin Calio, Nassau County Katelyn Maher, Suffolk County

Caitlin Calio, Nassau County: Courage and Empathy are human qualities that the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center encourages as essential to becoming an Upstander. Both characteristics shine brightly in Caitlin Calio, a junior at The Wheatley School in Old Westbury. Caitlin developed these qualities growing up with an older brother on the Autism spectrum. Caitlin has learned that his most important asset is his humanity. He “instantly makes any stranger feel welcomed and loved” and is “the least judgmental person on the planet.” Caitlin honors her brother’s legacy. She works with students and younger children with special needs. When the gunman in the Sandy Hook school shooting was identified as having Asperger’s and that diagnosis was used to explain his violence, she set the record straight. She reported to her classmates and teachers that people on the Autism spectrum are rarely violent. She chose education over ignorance. She became an Upstander instead of remaining a bystander and in the process has touched the lives of many students in her school.

Katelyn Maher, Suffolk County: Being an Upstander can take a number of forms. Typically, an individual has one way of a being an Upstander. Katelyn Maher, an eighth grade student at Oldfield Middle School in Greenlawn, exhibits a wide array of Upstander behavior. She not only knows she should do something, she actually does what needs to be done. Katelyn has witnessed several instances of repeated harassment of special needs kids who may not even have realized they were being targeted. She clearly told others to leave those students alone and brought the incidents to adults’ attention so they would not be repeated. She cares enough to notice when fellow students are struggling emotionally and helps them find the assistance they need. Katelyn is both empathetic and brave. Her bravery is accentuated by her decision to become the only female on her school football team and the only girl quarterback in the history of her school.

“The Nassau County Police Department is proud to support the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center’s Friedlander Upstander Awards. Young people are our future and acknowledging and celebrating those who stand up to make a difference is an important part of our work in the community,” said Nassau County Police Commissioner Thomas V. Dale.

“In law enforcement, it is our job to fight against intolerance, but for students, it can sometimes be difficult to stand up to their peers and promote acceptance and respect. The Suffolk County Police Department is proud to be part of the committee that selects and rewards students for fighting intolerance and bullying,” said Suffolk County Police Commissioner Edward Webber. “Long Island is naturally diverse and tolerance in our young people is a critical step in acceptance.”

Selected for their actions on behalf of other students as agents of change and tolerance, the Friedlander Upstander Awards are generously sponsored by the Claire Friedlander Family Foundation. “The Claire Friedlander Family Foundation is proud to support, with the professional guidance of our partner, the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center, young Upstanders who make the often difficult decision to extinguish the flames of intolerance wherever they may burn,” said Peter Klein, Claire Friedlander Family Foundation President.

Representatives of the Claire Friedlander Family Foundation, the HMTC, and the Police Departments will present the award to both recipients at a special ceremony during HMTC’s Tolerance Benefit and Auction on May 1, 2013.

About the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County
The Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County is the pre-eminent Holocaust resource on Long Island, with a contemporary museum and is one of the largest and most comprehensive education program providers in the region. Since 2007, nearly 210,000 students, educators, employers and law enforcement personnel have participated in the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center’s education programs.

Under construction and scheduled to open in late 2013, the Claire Friedlander Education Institute will accommodate four classrooms with state-of-the-art audio-visual aids and cutting edge technical equipment for specialized Holocaust video-conferencing programs and a wide variety of workshops for youth and adults.

With the Louis Posner Memorial Library, the Center offers over 7,000 volumes of Holocaust, genocide, multicultural, anti-bias and anti-bullying material for youth and adults, from Kindergarten through post-graduate researchers. It is the largest such collection on Long Island. Additional information is available online at: www.holocaust-nassau.org

For more information about this release and the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County, please contact:

Jennifer Carpenter Low
Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County
Welwyn Preserve, 100 Crescent Beach Road
Glen Cove, New York 11542
(516) 571-8040 x107
www.holocaust-nassau.org
Email: jenniferlow@holocaust-nassau.org

NYLAG Mobile Van to be Stationed at Boys and Girls Club, Friday May 10, 10 am-3 pm

(Medford, NY) Assemblyman Edward Hennessey is partnering with New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG) to bring free civil legal services into the Bellport/East Patchogue area. The NYLAG mobile help center is a partnership with the New York State Courts’ Access to Justice Program whose goal is to provide free civil legal services to New Yorkers in need. Assistance will be provided in the following consumer and public benefit areas: Foreclosure, Consumer Credit, Debt Management, Supplemental Security Income, Social Security Disability Insurance, Medicare, and Medicaid.

“The civil legal assistance that will be available will be provided by attorneys and qualified professionals. They are coming to assist people who need help and cannot easily access it any other way. I thank the Boys and Girls Club of Bellport for providing the use of their parking lot for the van and for being so generous as to offer free child care to give parents and guardians the chance to meet with attorneys and discuss their issues.

“NYLAG (www.nylag.org) is a wonderful organization whose only goal is to help New Yorkers who do not have the economic means to access legal assistance. If you need help and advice, this is a very good place to start,” said Assemblyman Hennessey.

To make an appointment with the NYLAG van call 631-207-0073
Walk-ins on May 10 are Welcome

After Engineering the Re-launch of the Bank’s Enhanced Business Banking Unit, New York Business Banking Veteran is Handpicked to Lead Continued Expansion in 2013 and Beyond

(Lake Success, NY) Astoria Federal Savings, Long Island’s fourth-largest bank by deposit market share and the second largest community bank headquartered in New York, has recently announced, on April 11th, that it has promoted Stephen Sipola to executive vice president and managing director of the bank’s Business Banking Group. Sipola’s appointment is part of a strategic growth plan for the group, as business banking continues to be a core tenet of the bank’s overall strategy to continue to serve the New York business market in 2013. Sipola reports directly to Gerard C. Keegan, vice chairman and chief operating officer.

Stephen Sipola, Appointed Executive Vice President and Managing Director of Astoria Federal Savings Business Banking Group

Since joining Astoria in April 2011 as senior vice president and managing director of the Business Banking Group, Sipola has successfully led the bank’s expansion into the competitive New York business banking marketplace through a high-touch, consultative approach that helps customers find flexible, innovative ways to improve cash flow, and to secure credit to facilitate business growth and account for unexpected events that could impact their businesses. The expansion of Astoria’s Business Banking Group and the bank’s re-entry into the multi-family lending market have proved to be critical components of Astoria’s strategic shift in its balance sheet, through repositioned assets and liabilities, resulting in a positive benefit on the net interest margin.

With more than 30 years experience in the competitive New York business banking marketplace, most recently as senior vice president at Capital One Bank, Sipola has been instrumental in attracting the top business banking talent to Astoria, and helping to advance the bank’s mission of providing business owners with the personal attention and financial expertise needed to achieve financial-growth objectives. Under Sipola’s leadership, the Business Banking Group has seen double-digit core deposit growth for the second straight year. The group has also expanded from eight to 26 people, hiring relationship managers and business banking executives with an average of more than 20 years of business banking experience. As the Business Banking Group continues to grow, small and mid-market businesses in the New York region will be an area of focus for the bank’s group of business banking experts. The unit’s progression demonstrates the pronounced market need Astoria is addressing.

“Steve has successfully positioned our Business Banking Group as a valuable, proven resource that gets things done for our customers. They feature extensive, local market knowledge and decision making that accelerates execution, and offer a full range of products and services to help improve business and fuel economic growth,” said Monte Redman, president and chief executive officer at Astoria. “Big-box banks simply do not offer the same individual, consultative approach that we use to establish long-term relationships with businesses of all sizes within our markets. Through Steve’s expanding team of seasoned underwriters, and relationship and treasury management professionals, we work directly with businesses to deliver customized solutions to customer-specific cash flow, borrowing, investment and insurance challenges.”

On a neighborhood level, branch managers serve as a personal resource for business owners, and utilize Astoria’s unique Business GPS approach to improve their business cash flow, featuring a special four-point check-up. This approach enables branch managers to work with business owners and Astoria’s experienced team of business banking professionals to closely examine payment cycles and pain points; gain a complete understanding of the financial support business customers may need; and create a customized plan, including actionable solutions to ultimately optimize cash flow. In addition, neighborhood branches provide local business owners with access to a network of community connections to help attain the resources needed to achieve their business goals.

The Astoria Business Banking Group’s expanded, proven approach helps provide thousands of Astoria’s existing business banking customers with the experienced, customized support and financial expertise needed to help improve cash flow and grow their businesses.

Astoria Financial Corporation (NYSE: AF), with assets of $16.2 billion, is the holding company for Astoria Federal Savings and Loan Association. Established in 1888, Astoria Federal, with deposits in New York totaling $10.4 billion, is the largest thrift depository in New York and embraces its philosophy of “Putting people first” by providing the customers and local communities it serves with quality financial products and services through 85 convenient banking office locations and multiple delivery channels, including its enhanced website, www.astoriafederal.com. Astoria Federal commands the fourth largest deposit market share in the attractive Long Island market, which includes Brooklyn, Queens, Nassau, and Suffolk counties with a population exceeding that of 38 individual states. Astoria Federal originates residential mortgage loans through its banking and loan production offices in New York, a broker network in four states, primarily along the East Coast, and through correspondent relationships covering nine states and the District of Columbia. Astoria Federal also originates multi-family and commercial real estate loans, primarily on rent controlled and rent stabilized apartment buildings, located in New York City and the metropolitan area.

(Long Island, NY) Assemblyman Chad Lupinacci (R,C,WF,I-Huntington Station) and Assemblyman Andrew Raia (R,I,C-East Northport) recently joined their two- and four-legged friends to celebrate the 86th Anniversary of Little Shelter Animal Rescue and Adoption Center.

Assemblyman Chad Lupinacci (right) and Assemblyman Andrew Raia (left) join Maryann Chernovsky, President of Little Shelter Animal Rescue and Adoption Center to honor the organization’s 86th Anniversary.

“Little Shelter provides not only outstanding care for our four-legged friends in need, but also helps unite them with a family that is willing and able to provide them the love and care they so deserve,” said Lupinacci. “For 86 years, they’ve been uniting animals of all shapes and sizes with homes and families looking to add a new member. I want to thank all the staff at Little Shelter for their time and dedication to helping our furry friends.

Little Shelter Animal Rescue and Adoption Center is one of Long Island’s oldest no-kill shelters and is dedicated to saving all companion animals whose lives are in jeopardy. Those interested in learning more about the shelter or adopting can find out more by visiting http://www.littleshelter.com/.

(GARDEN CITY, NY) The Adelphi University chapter of the Society of Physics (SPS) students continues to set the standard for excellence with its seventh Outstanding Chapter Award for the 2011-2012 academic year. Advised by Associate Professor Sean J. Bentley, the Adelphi Physics Club competed for the honor in the Zone 2 region, which includes colleges and universities in New York, Ontario & Quebec. Officers for the year 2011-2012 included President Justin Dove ’12, Vice President Sajan Shrestha ’13, Treasurer Monika Mohacsi ’14, and Secretary John Huber ’12. The club was also named Student Organization of the Month by the University’s Center for Student Involvement in March 2012.

Chapters are evaluated based on several criteria including: interaction with the campus community, interaction with the professional physics community, interaction with SPS national programs, interaction with the off-campus public community, and other efforts to further SPS purpose and mission. The Adelphi Physics Club has far exceeded these standards in their involvement on and off campus.

A major achievement was bringing accomplished physicist, professor, and New York Times best-selling author Brian Greene, Ph.D. to the Garden City campus on March 2, 2012 attended by more than 400 college students, high school students, and the public.

On April 20, 2012, the Adelphi Physics Club hosted its “Lab for Kids” outreach program for 35 students from Westbury High School with the purpose of exposing them to the field of physics and the opportunities available to them in their future careers. The day consisted of a tour of Adelphi’s campus, discussions about various physics topics, hands-on experiments, and a networking lunch with Adelphi physics students and faculty.

The club also hosted an evening with Adelphi physics alumni to share their experiences of life after college and how they were using their physics background in their careers. The event was well attended by current students, faculty, and prospective students.

Additional activities included Laser Tag Night, annual trip to Columbia University for students interested in the joint degree engineering program, Physics Jeopardy, paper plane and paper tower competition, and a number of students delivered research presentations at the University’s Research Day.

To learn more about the Physics Department at Adelphi, visit http://academics.adelphi.edu/artsci/phy/.

About Adelphi University:
Adelphi is a world class, modern university with excellent and highly relevant programs where students prepare for lives of active citizenship and professional careers. Through its schools and programs—The College of Arts and Sciences, Derner Institute of Advanced Psychological Studies, Honors College, Ruth S. Ammon School of Education, University College, Robert B. Willumstad School of Business, Schools of Nursing and Social Work—the co-educational university offers undergraduate and graduate degrees as well as professional and educational programs for adults. Adelphi University currently enrolls nearly 8,000 students from 43 states and 45 foreign countries. With its main campus in Garden City and centers in Manhattan, Hauppauge, and Poughkeepsie, the University, chartered in 1896, maintains a commitment to liberal studies in tandem with rigorous professional preparation and active citizenship.  http://adelphi.edu

Watermill Resident Praised for His Commitment to  Justice

(Long Island, NY) The memorial for the late NYS Supreme Court Judge  Bernard Hampton Jackson of Watermill and New York City at the historic  Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem, Friday April 26 was an afternoon service  filled with love and laughter befitting this successful son of Harlem who helped  pave the way for many African Americans in law enforcement and jurisprudence.

Judge Jackson passed away on January 17, 2013 at New  York Presbyterian/ Weill Cornell Medical Center following a long illness. He was  86 years old.

NYS Supreme Court Judge Bernard Hampton Jackson of Watermill and New York City

The venerable church was filled with New York’s  power-players, friends of many decades, many of them who spoke emotionally and  with great humor about Bernie who loved a good party and a good joke. Among the  speakers were Basil  Paterson, a longtime political  leader in New York and Harlem and father of the 55th Governor of New York, David  Paterson. Congressman  Charles Rangel, the Honorable  David N. Dinkins, New York & Hamptons realtor Stephen Wald, family friend Keith Murray, fashion guru Audrey Smaltz, O. T. Wells, Livingston  Francis, Dean of The Reveille Club, Reverend Dr. Calvin O. Butts who officiated and  representatives from the many philanthropic organizations of which he was a  prominent member including 100 Black Men which he helped co-found and has now  grown to 18,000 members internationally with chapters all around the world. His son Bernard H, Jackson III with  sister Linda Jackson by his side spoke movingly about their father. Fitfully for  Judge Jackson, a big classical music fan, Metropolitan Opera star Eric Owens performed “Precious Lord,  Take My Hand” and “This is Always”.

A longtime summer resident of Watermill, Judge Jackson  was one of the most respected figures in law enforcement. Born October 26, 1926 and raised in Harlem, he began his  career as a police officer rising quickly up the ranks while attending Brooklyn  Law School at night with his long-time friend David N. Dinkins who would later go on  to be Mayor of New York. Bernie as he was known rose to the rank of Detective  before becoming Assistant United States Attorney working with Robert F. Kennedy.

From  there he went on to work with his law school buddy David N. Dinkins and became  managing partner of Dyett, Alexander & Dinkins. He was later appointed the  first black Executive Director of the NYC Police Department Civilian Complaint  Review Board.

In 1968, he became one of only two black executives at  the National Football League.. He was named as special counsel to Commissioner  Pete Rozzele. Shifting back to public service, Jackson was named Regional  Representative to the U.S. Secretary of Commerce under President Jimmy  Carter.  Special Assistant to  Governor Hugh Carey for Urban Affairs and went on to become a Regional  Representative to the U.S. Secretary of Commerce under President Jimmy  Carter.

In 1981, he and his wife Hazel divorced and he later wed  Thelma “Fuji” Ferguson and had a son Miles. During this time, he was appointed  to the Criminal Court in New york and was later elected Justice of the New York  Stat Supreme Court. In 1990  after  the unexpected death of his wife, he left the bench to become Of Counsel to  international law firm of White & Case and as later named Chairman of the  New York City Civil Service Commission.

In 1990 he met Joyce Mullins who has a son Brandon and  in 1997 they were married. They lived in Manhattan and Watermill where he  enjoyed the summer sunsets the company of his many friends. 

He was a Founding Member of 100 Black Men and  participated in various civic and professional organizations including Manhattan  Chapter of the Guardsmen, Zeta Boule, The Reveille Club of New york and Kappa  Alpha Phi Fraternity. Jackson along with his wife Joyce was an ardent supporter  of numerous charitable organizations including Big Brothers, Big Sisters of New  York, Glimmerglass Opera  Festival  (of which his daughter Linda is Managing Director), the Parrish Art Museum and  Evidence, A Dance Company for whom he and Joyce hosted several of their annual  On Our Toes in the Hamptons Galas at their Watermill home.

Judge Jackson is survived by his wife Joyce Mullins  Jackson, her son Brandon and her grandchildren Jalen and Asha Mullins, his  daughter Linda and his son Bernard with his daughter- in-law Kerri  Jackson.

(Long Island, NY) With more than a billion active accounts worldwide, it can be easy to forget that some people don’t use Facebook.

A study by Cornell University researchers to be presented this week in Paris suggests that “non-use” of the social networking site is fairly common – a third of Facebook users take breaks from the site by deactivating their account, and one in 10 completely quit.

Of 410 people who responded to an online questionnaire, 46 reported that they had deleted their Facebook account. More than 90 percent said they were happy with their decision, and most stayed away. Others were not able to completely cut themselves off, but nonetheless reported taking breaks from using the social networking site.

More than one-quarter of respondents (110) reported deactivating their account, which hides everything they have done on Facebook but retains the data and allows them to reactivate at any time. Two-thirds of deactivators reported being happy with their decision; one-third subsequently returned to Facebook.

A few respondents reported using other creative means to limit their use of the site, according to the study’s lead author, Eric P. S. Baumer, a postdoctoral associate in communication at Cornell. The study will be presented on Thursday, May 2, at the Association for Computing Machinery’s Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems in Paris, France.

“Several participants asked their significant other or spouse to change their password, only allowing them to log in on a limited basis,” Baumer said. “One participant described redirecting all email from Facebook to an email address that he never checked. Others installed browser plugins that blocked them from visiting the site.”

The motivations for leaving were varied, from concerns about privacy and data misuse, to problems with productivity and addiction. Some respondents said they were tired of engaging in shallow or banal social interactions. Others left or suspended activity to avoid being friended by a boss, a student or former romantic partners, Baumer said.

“In some cases, people reported feeling pressured to leave based on an institutional status, such as being a military officer or parolee,” he added.

There were also 75 people in the survey who reported never having an account.

“While some respondents reported simply not having a use for the site, others provided elaborate lists of reasons they would not join,” Baumer said. “Some did not want to be on display or live ‘life in a global aquarium.’ We also observed a sense of rebelliousness and pride among those who resisted Facebook.”

While previous work has compared users and non-users of social networking sites, this study is one of the first to give a sense for the prevalence of non-use. It also provides some evidence that Facebook users who deactivate their account are more likely to know someone else who has also deactivated, and Baumer plans to further explore this potential network effect.

“Future work might examine whether models used to study the spread of technological innovations, infectious disease, or cultural memes might similarly help understand the social dynamics of technology non-use,” he said.

The research was supported in part by the National Science Foundation’s Graduate Research Fellowship Program.

Cornell University has television and ISDN radio studios available for media interviews.

(Long Island, NY) The New York State Senate today passed two bills that would prevent prescription drug fraud, theft and abuse. The measures address the illegal distribution of controlled substances by helping to reduce the availability of black market prescription forms and prosecuting “pill mills” that issue prescriptions and knowingly dispense controlled substances for profit.

“Prescription drug abuse and overdose death from prescription pain killers are at a crisis stage in New York and nationwide,” said Senator Kemp Hannon (R-Nassau). “My legislation will combat the new problem of
using stolen blank official prescription forms by establishing criminal penalties for anyone who steals or uses stolen blank prescription forms. This is necessary to combat the criminal diversion of prescription drugs, which feeds addiction, increases overdose and suicide rates, and rules drug dealer profits.”

Prescription drug abuse is a growing crisis in New York State and across the country. Overdoses connected to prescription drug abuse have increased significantly and other crimes committed by those addicted to
painkillers continue to take a toll on communities. One of the more tragic crimes took place on June 19, 2011, when David Laffer executed four people during a robbery of a drug store in Medford, Suffolk County. He had gone there to steal painkillers and other prescriptions for his wife.

Current state law contains a provision to prosecute physicians who illegally and knowingly prescribe drugs. This statute was used to prosecute one of the doctors who had issued painkillers to the Laffers prior to the Medford pharmacy shooting.

Legislation passed today would further curtail the availability of illegal prescription drugs by focusing on other potential suppliers. The bill (S2941), sponsored by Senator Hannon, Chairman of the Health
Committee, expands upon current law by also making it a crime for a practitioner or pharmacist to unlawfully dispense controlled substances. This will address the small group of practitioners and pharmacists who operate pill mills or fill prescriptions for controlled substances, such as pain medications, other than in good faith in the course of their practice.

Another bill passed today (S2940) sponsored by Senator Hannon criminalizes the theft and unlawful possession of a blank official New York state prescription form. The Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement estimates that since 2008, approximately 1.4 million official prescription forms have been stolen from New York City hospitals alone. Current penal laws are insufficient to counter the theft, possession, and sale of blank official prescription forms because authorities cannot prosecute unless someone sells a prescription form.

Senator Hannon said, “My other bill will stiffen penalties for pharmacists and other practitioners who operate ‘pill mills’ – those who knowingly and illegally dispense controlled substances – in order to
provide law enforcement with an effective tool to prosecute those who contribute to drug addiction and overdose deaths.”

This bill triggers new criminal penalties whenever someone knowingly and unlawfully possesses a blank official New York state prescription form; someone steals a blank prescription form; or someone possesses a stolen blank prescription form, knows it is stolen, and intends to benefit from it.

“Prescription drug abuse destroys families and creates criminal enterprises that place a value only on profit – not on the lives of those being impacted,” Senate Republican Leader Dean G. Skelos said. “These two bills are common-sense approaches to reducing the availability of illicit prescriptions and hold those accountable for participating in fraud when illegally assisting in the dispensing of medications.”

The bills have been sent to the Assembly.

(Long Island, NY) The New York State Senate today passed legislation known as Teresita’s Law, which makes it a felony if an unlicensed driver causes death to another person. The bill (S.1888), sponsored by Senator John Bonacic (R-C-I, Mount Hope), recognizes that the unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, that ends in death, should be treated as a serious crime.

“Teresita’s Law was introduced following the death of Teresita ‘Grace’ Solano, who was killed in Middletown, New York, last year when she was hit by a negligent driver who was operating a vehicle with a suspended license,” said Senator Bonacic. “The man who hit Ms. Solano served the highest sentence that he could be charged with – a misdemeanor with a maximum of 30 days in jail and a fine. This is an outrage. This legislation elevates this crime to a Class E felony punishable by up to four years in prison. Those who drive without valid licenses should not be on the road, and when a suspended driver kills an innocent person, they cannot walk away with only a slap on the wrist.”

Currently, unlicensed operation that ends in the death of a person is only a felony if someone has 10 or more suspensions or if a license has been permanently revoked. This bill would make it a felony when a person drives with even one suspension and causes a death.

The bill was sent to the Assembly.

Hundreds of local families turn out to celebrate diversity in the community

(Long Island, NY) On Saturday, Assemblyman Chad Lupinacci (R,C,WF,I-Huntington Station) joined Assemblyman Andrew Raia (R,I,C-East Northport) and a diverse crowd of local families to take part in the 2013 Multinational Cultural Festival of Long Island, hosted by Farmingdale State College.

Assemblyman Chad Lupinacci and Assemblyman Andrew Raia join local families during the 2013 Multinational Cultural Festival of Long Island.

“Our community is made up of hundreds of families from every background and walk of life imaginable, and that has helped it become an epicenter for diversity,” said Lupinacci. “This year’s festival celebrated the heritage of nations across the globe, including North America, South America, Europe and Asia. Seeing this mix of people and cultures is heartwarming and provides us with the knowledge that we become more connected each day.”

The 2013 Multinational Cultural Festival of Long Island featured uniquely-designed cultural exhibits, live performances of music and dance, children’s workshops in arts and crafts and a dazzling costume parade. The festival was sponsored by the Long Island-based Asian-American Cultural Circle of Unity (AACCU) and Farmingdale State College.