Levy tells students to take stand for social justice

As the one-year anniversary of the death of Ecuadorean immigrant Marcelo Lucero neared, Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy advised nearly 200 high school students Friday to take a stand for social justice.

Levy was a guest speaker at the second annual Congress for Justice, which brings students from all over Suffolk County for a daylong conference on tolerance and acceptance. Lucero was stabbed to death a year ago Sunday, allegedly by a group of teens in Patchogue who authorities said often targeted victims of Hispanic descent.

"There were a number of peers to those people charged within the school who knew that this type of [behavior] was going on for weeks prior," said Levy, in some of his strongest comments ever about the Lucero killing.

"And do you know what the shame was? The utter disgrace - not one of those young people told a parent, or told a school authority or told police," he said. "They looked the other way."

Patchogue-Medford Superintendent Michael Mostow said while there may be individual differences, "teachers and administrators have worked hard to overcome bias and hatred that existed in the community and we have done that."

The Youth Congress, held at Villa Lombardi's Catering Hall in Holbrook, was created in response to Lucero's death. Students from more than 37 high schools convened for workshops and also attended presentations by the Suffolk County Youth Bureau.

Levy told students to be agents for change. "We have a responsibility to protect our fellow brothers and sisters in this world regardless of what they look like, their gender, the color of their skin, their sexual orientation. We're asking you to go back to your school . . . Be leaders."

Lamar Silver, a 16-year-old Bellport High School student, called Levy's message "inspirational." "I hope it will spread in each school," he said. "I think because of that tragedy, we will become more aware of things going on around us."

Andrea Nandoo, 15, a sophomore at Sachem East High School, said she would like to start a club or an art contest to help bring about change. "I want to go to my school and make a difference," she said.

Louis Medina, director of the Suffolk County Youth Bureau, said the message resonated with the students. "When you speak to young people from the heart . . . they will listen and they will bring something back to their communities," he said.