LI Senior Honored For Writing Essay About Racism In Society

SYOSSET, NY — A local senior is among four students named winners of the annual "Raise Your Voice" essay contest.

The creative writing project run by ERASE Racism focuses on the importance of teaching students about the impact of racism throughout history.

• Gabriella Pesantez – Hewlett-Woodmere High School in Hewlett

An excerpt from her essay:

"Teaching students about the slavery that occurred right here on Long Island and using examples such as the housing discrimination in Levittown and how red-lining was a disgracefully common practice in our own backyards, will help students realize how much discrimination affects the futures of people of color. If we don’t start using concrete examples of the racism that is still very present here on Long Island, the next generations will never understand how pressing the obstacle is or have the drive to change what is deteriorating our society today."

Each winner gets a $500 scholarship through SCOPE Educational Services in Smithtown.

ERASE Racism is a civil rights organization based on Long Island that exposes and addresses the
devastating impact of historical and ongoing structural racism, particularly in public school
education and housing.