As a follow-up to nextLI’s 2019 survey of the next generation of Long Islanders, nextLI conducted two focus groups to look at the future of diversity and housing on Long Island. Discussions centered on the changing demographics of Long Island, perceptions of Long Island’s multicultural climate, the racial and ethnic diversity in our communities, the role of school districts in diversity and reactions to Newsday’s Long Island Divided series.
nextLI then followed up with several participants to gain a deeper insight. Six participants joined the nextLI team at Newsday’s headquarters to share their personal views and experiences about diversity on Long Island. While their experiences differed, each individual said they supported diversity and that it was a good thing for Long Island. They also spoke about different aspects of diversity and how the region benefits.
Sharing her experiences growing up in diverse Brooklyn, Anne says Long Island is diverse, but this diversity is “pocketed in certain neighborhoods.” She expresses a lot of hope for the future and says “the younger people are the clue.”
Carl’s daughter went to Amityville High School and went on to graduate from Harvard, and like Juan, he wants people to focus on the positive work teachers and students are doing to uplift the schools there. He says that while it was important for his kids to get a solid education at home, it’s good teachers who contributed to his daughter’s successes.
Please continue to visit the site to watch these videos, which are linked to above.
Tell us
Do you agree with these residents? What are some of your experiences with diversity while living on Long Island? Email nextLI@newsday.com.
