This week in Huntington newsletter: Group's inspiration to lead during Black History Month

Hello, Huntington!

Welcome to the first edition of Newsday's new Huntington newsletter. I'm Deborah Morris, a native Long Islander and a reporter who's been writing about Huntington and its communities for more than a decade.

Each Friday, you'll get a newsletter that's both informative and personal that touches on what makes our town such a great place to live.

We also want this to be an opportunity for you to share what’s on your mind about our town. We're hoping our newsletter can create a community of its own: readers and viewers who are as passionate about Huntington as we are. Have ideas or feedback? Send them to me at deborah.morris@newsday.com.

This week we'll check in on childhood friends who've grown into community leaders, touch on what's in the news, and offer up some things to do in the coming week.

Longtime friends look to give back

With our first issue launching during Black History Month, I checked in with a group of childhood best friends from Huntington Station who were inspired to lead by Black leaders who came before them. Their journey to creating their organization, Leaders of the New School, followed a shocking incident, and it's an example of something positive coming out of a challenge.

The friends were on the receiving end of racist social media posts back in 2020, when they marched peacefully through downtown Huntington against police brutality following George Floyd’s murder by a police officer in Minneapolis. Galvanized, they formed an organization to give voice to young people who look like them.

“Our main objective was to give resources back to kids in the community politically, socially and economically,” said Amaru Jones, 28, one of the group's founders and a fifth-grade English and social studies teacher. “To have tools to use when facing adversity.”

The group, composed of six members, has worked to bridge gaps within the community.

The members helped get a marker installed in downtown Huntington where Booker T. Washington once owned a home. They were instrumental in the restoration of a playground in their childhood neighborhood. And each September since 2022, they have coordinated an event that gives free back-to-school haircuts to students.

Over the years through their annual spring fundraising gala, they have raised almost $20,000 to give to area youths for college and trade school.

Jones said Black History Month is a time to reflect and a reminder to keep doing what they are doing. “This month especially, we take time and we look at the past, both positive and negative,” he said. “Because before we know what we’re going to do with our future, we have to know where we came from.”

What are some facts about Black History Month that you've learned over the years? Did you know that jazz legend John Coltrane once lived in Dix Hills? Drop me a note at deborah.morris@newsday.com.

Elsewhere in town …

• Newsday health reporter Lisa L. Colangelo reports that one of six geese found dead in and around Huntington's Heckscher Park last month is likely positive for bird flu. That's according to the state Department of Environmental Conservation. No human cases have been reported in New York.
• Ten couples tied the knot on Valentine's Day at Huntington Town Hall, reports my colleague Joseph Ostapiuk — a tradition there that started in 1995. Read the story here. 
• A public hearing has been set for next month on a proposal to build hundreds of residential units in a part of Melville known as the Town Center Overlay District. Read my story here and let me know what you think of the plan.
• Sports reporter Ben Dickson caught up with former NBA all-star Wally Szczerbiak, Newsday's 1995 Newsday Player of the Year at Cold Spring Harbor High School who is now a CBS Sports college basketball analyst.
• Beauty enthusiasts can indulge in a New York City-based makeup brand at a new boutique in Huntington village. Mallory Y. Rutledge opened M.Y.R. Makeup & Skincare last month, Joe Dziemianowicz reports.

Things to do

Check out these fun and interesting things to do around town in the coming week:

Candle dipping and tin smithing

When: Feb. 22, 1 p.m.

What: Learn the importance of candle dipping and tin smithing to past generations as America celebrates 250 years. Families will also work together to create their own tin lantern to take home in this activity hosted by the Huntington Historical Society.

Where: Conklin Barn, 2 High St., Huntington.

Information and register: Cost is $20; go to the Huntington Historical Society website for more.

Book Discussion in Cold Spring Harbor

When: Feb. 25, 6:30 p.m.

What: A discussion of “A Marriage at Sea” by Sophie Elmhirst, the true story of a couple whose Pacific sailing adventure turns catastrophic when a whale damages their boat, forcing them to survive months at sea.

Where: The Whaling Museum and Education Center, 301 Main St., Cold Spring Harbor.

Information and register: Registration required. Check the Whaling Museum website for more.

Lecture on 19th Century Artists

When: Feb. 25, 3 p.m.

What: A lecture on the art of Monet and Van Gogh, two icons whose works are seen everywhere from calendars to posters. Discover what makes their colors and textures so captivating. Presented by Sandra Palmer.
Where: Harborfields Public Library, 31 Broadway, Greenlawn

Information and register: The event is free but registration is required, according to the Harborfields Public Library website.

Find more things to do at newsday.com/lifestyle.