Abogados de Inmigracion

Nassau County and Suffolk County organizations joined in the Consulate of El Salvador for the GED Roundtable of Long Island. The organizations present included Nassau Community College and Long Island University in Brentwood, Nassau County BOCES, the Central Islip Civic Council, SNAP, the Urban League of Long Island, Health First, the Central Islip Public Library, the Child Care Council of Suffolk, TLC The Literacy Council, Suffolk County Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Suffolk County Youth Bureau, Pronto, the Economic Opportunity Commission of Nassau County, the Suffolk County Police Department, Nassau County One Stop Program, and NYCOSH. The Deputy Communications Director of Long Island from the New York State Senate and Councilwoman Pamela Greene attended too. Several members of the Consulate, including the Consul General and Vice Consul were present, as were Salvadoran community residents interested in the GED.

We discussed ways we mobilize people in our communities, and how we can cooperate with each other to help undereducated people in the community. Nassau EOC has hooked youth through soccer, which has helped the youth and their parents to complete higher levels of education. They also send these people on trips to compete with other teams and provide scholarships for people. A teaching assistant in Central Islip, whose house was flooded in New Orleans and who relocated to Long Island, told us how he helps students who are years behind in the high school by sparking debate among his students. The trustee from the library told about the GED project for the community and the boxing gym he hopes to open (which will have a GED program). The police department can hire people who have earned a GED and who pass the examination for the SCPD.

People shared personal anecdotes about how the GED and their experiences in high school had helped them or their siblings. One story was about a young Hispanic who dropped out of school and went on to be a doctor. One of the participants told about being in a gang, dropping out of school, and going on to college and even earning a Master’s degree in Social Work. An African American woman told about how the guidance counselor in her school assured her that she was not college material and she later completed college.

People talked about the importance of trades today. Many people stated that the parents have to take a greater role in the education of their children and they agreed with me when I pointed out that the parents should set an example by completing the GED. The literacy advocate told us that everyone should take the GED in English. I disagreed strongly with him, pointing out that a life saving operation for a loved one which could only be provided by a doctor who could not speak English shows us that the education people obtain in their own language is valid. We accept the diplomas and knowledge obtained by people and they reciprocate. That is why the Spanish and French GED’s are accepted like the English GED. It was strongly pointed out that the key to future success among minorities, including Hispanics, is to vote in elections and hold the elected officials accountable.

People were really networking. We were all invited to Pronto and the Central Islip Library to see their programs and to continue networking. Councilwoman Greene, balancing her job and a political campaign, told the participants that if they ever needed help or a conference room, she would gladly help. She told the audience about how her late husband dropped out of school, became a Green Beret, completed the GED, obtained an Associate’s Degree, and became an award winning writer for Suffolk Life. Let us send letters of praise to Councilwoman Pam Greene.

My mobilization plan is ready for action. Other communities can find out about it. You can do a Roundtable in your community and free GED seminars.

MARTIN N. DANENBERG
7 BLAZER DRIVE
ISLANDIA, NY 11749
GEDHOTLINE@AOL.COM
631-348-1341
www.geocities.com/gedhotline
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