Young people at 'We Are The Future Summit' at Hofstra told their time is now

Long Island activists and elected officials told middle school and high school students at Hofstra University this week that young voices and involvement could help alter policy and elect the next wave of leaders in government.

The Long Island grassroots organization Minority Millennials hosted 1,500 students Thursday from communities including Hempstead, Uniondale, Westbury, Amityville, Wyandanch and Central Islip at Hofstra’s David S. Mack Sports & Exhibition Center.

The event, organized as the “We Are The Future Summit,” featured current and past officials and organizers speaking to the students. Organizers delivered the message blending culture and hip-hop with speakers and panel discussions ranging from electing representatives to career development and activism to promote social justice and equality.

“This is your moment, but the future is now,” Minority Millennials founder Daniel Lloyd of Wyandanch told students. “Time has no respect for your dreams. It’s incredibly important to utilize every asset you have to be civically engaged.”

Chelsea Miller, a Brooklyn-based Gen Z activist and founder of the youth-led civil rights organization Freedom March NYC, told teens about the importance of making their voices heard through voting and protesting for change.

“It's one thing to have a seat at the table but it’s another thing to know what you’re advocating for,” Miller said. “People are redefining power and challenging activism.”

She pointed to the protests following the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis that led to millennials and Gen Z activists emerging from quarantine during the pandemic to organize demonstrations around the country.

She said protests are more difficult to organize on Long Island than in New York City, but protests have started in the city and spread to Long Island.

Assemb. Taylor Darling (D-Hempstead) said youth on Long Island face more challenges due to limited access to transportation and reaching people.

“Long Island is a lot more segregated, and there may not be a lot of supportive communities that look like you and me,” Darling said. “You may speak to people who may not feel comfortable with who you are or even sharing the Island with you.”

Other officials talked about young minorities overcoming challenges to make their voices heard.

Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado told teens about his path graduating with a Harvard law degree, but then pursuing a hip-hop career before becoming a lawyer and getting elected to Congress in a predominantly white district in upstate New York.

“You know how we won? By meeting people where they are by listening. By listening to people, by being open minded by leading with your heart and not with hate and divisiveness,” Delgado said. “This is your power. This is what leadership actually is. It’s not dragging people to follow you, it’s about inspiring people to follow you. It's allowing people to see the greatness in themselves, you have that power, each and every single one of you has that power. And you should never, ever deny that from yourself. ”

Some students said they were inspired by the program to become more involved in policy.

“It was really insightful. It was entertaining. It not only gave information, but grabbed your attention,” said Nicholas Brown, 18, of Amityville. “It made me want to participate more, and from what I heard made it sound much easier.”

By John Asbury

john.asbury@newsday.comJohnAsbury

John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.