Hofstra to host virtual town hall examining Covid-19's effect on communities of color

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The Lawrence Herbert School of Communication and its new multimedia news site, the Long Island Advocate, in collaboration with the Press Club of Long Island, will address the pressing public health, economic and safety needs of black and brown communities on Long Island within the context of the coronavirus pandemic and the ongoing national protests sparked by the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police.

The Long Island Advocate is a hyperlocal news site written by journalism students that focuses on Nassau and Suffolk counties, with a mission of engaging with local residents and telling stories about important issues in their communities.

The event will take place:

Date: June 17, 2020

Time: 1–2:30 PM

Location: Virtual event; advance registration required.

Please RSVP using the RSVP for this Event  link. Registrants will be sent an event link to attend prior to the event.

Free and open to the public.

Panelists will include:

Eliana Fernandez, DACA recipient and lead organizer of Make the Road NY-Long Island chapter

She is Patchogue resident, Ecuadorean immigrant and lead organizer of the nonprofit organization Make The Road New York. She is among those suing to reverse President Donald Trump’s rescinding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program that shields from deportation children brought to the U.S. by undocumented immigrants. She was among 200 people who marched 230 miles over 16 days to Washington, D.C. last year ahead of the hearing to raise awareness about the issue.

Elaine Gross, founder and President, Erase Racism, a regional civil rights organization

She is Founder and President of ERASE Racism, a regional civil rights organization based on Long Island that exposes and addresses the devastating impact of historical and ongoing structural racism, particularly in housing and public school education. It does so through research, policy advocacy, legal action, and educating and mobilizing the public, driving policy change at local, regional and statewide levels and through national coalitions. Under her leadership, ERASE Racism has been recognized locally and nationally for its cutting-edge work.

Nadia Marin, attorney, activist and co-director, National Day Laborer’s Organizing Network

She is is Co-Executive Director of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON), leading the Workers Center and Workers Rights areas of work. Previously NDLON’s Workers Rights Program coordinator, Nadia created and led NDLON’s disaster response initiative to train thousands of day laborers after Hurricane Sandy and build the capacity of NDLON’s member organizations.

She also spearheaded programs to protect the health of nail salon workers and to prosecute criminal construction contractors while at the New York Committee for Occupational Safety and Health. She received national coverage for her work as Executive Director at the Workplace Project, fighting hate groups and anti-immigrant legislation on Long Island, New York. Nadia received her juris doctorate from New York University School of Law and her bachelor’s degree from Brandeis University.

Dr. Martine Hackett, associate professor of health professions and director of Hofstra University’s public heatlh graduate programs

She is an associate professor in the master of public health and community health programs at Hofstra University whose research interests include maternal-child health, infant mortality and community based participatory research. She is co-founder of Birth Justice Warriors, which advocates for eliminating Black maternal and infant mortality in Nassau County. Her previous work experience is as a deputy director at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s Bureau of Maternal, Infant and Reproductive Health and as a television producer.

Moderated by:

Dr. Kristal Zook, professor of journalism, Hofstra University

Mario Marillo, professor of radio, television, film and vice dean, Hofstra University

Scott Brinton, executive editor, Long Island Herald; editor, Long Island Advocate and adjunct professor of journalism, Hofstra University