Zahid Syed to lead Nassau Human Rights Commission

Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano recently appointed East Meadow resident Zahid Syed as chairman of the Nassau County Commission on Human Rights.
   
Syed has been an active member of his community and in union activities for nearly 20 years. He was a longtime representative for Local 338, which represented thousands of supermarket, pharmacy and healthcare workers in the area. Syed, who founded the South Asian-American Political Action Committee, has served on boards for multiple labor and community organizations. He has received several honors from elected officials, civic groups and labor unions.
  
Currently, Syed works for the Town of Hempstead Parks Department. He lives in East Meadow with his wife, Uzma, son, Ahsan and daughters Nihan and Anusha. At 13 years old, Anusha’s name has made it into the Herald on several occasions, as she has been named a “Woman of Distinction” and was honored by the Nassau County Legislature for her service at her school and community.

   
At his annual barbecue in July, Deputy County Executive Rob Walker surprised Syed with the news of his appointment.
  
“It’s a very honorable job,” Syed said. “Anything that comes up with discrimination and human rights issues comes through the commission.”
  
Syed is the first South Asian-American with Pakistani heritage to hold the position.
  
He explained that people can file a complaint with the Commission on Human Rights if they believe he or she has been discriminated against in the area of employment, housing, public accommodation, police harassment or public nonsectarian, exempt education, because of actual or perceived race, creed, color, national origin, ethnicity, gender, religion, source of income, sexual orientation, age, marital status, familial status or disability. Complaints must be filed within one year of the alleged unlawful discriminatory act.
   
Syed explained that he expects the 2010 Census to reveal major changes to demographics in Nassau County during the past five years. This adds even more credence to the commission’s role, he noted.
   
“Our county has become a true melting pot,” Syed said. “Now more than ever, there is a greater need for us to protect the rights of all those who have come to call Nassau County home.”
   
The office for the county’s Commission on Human Rights is located on the sixth floor of 240 Old Country Road in Mineola. For more information, call (516) 571-3662, or e-mail Syed at zahidsyed9@aol.com. The next meeting will be held at the Mineola office on Monday, Sept. 27, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.