Residents gathered in a Northport park Saturday to support efforts against hate and bigotry.
The family gathering, which included music, activities for kids and giveaways for children and adults, was sponsored by the Northport chapter of Not in Our Town, a national organization dedicated to supporting inclusivity and stopping racism.
Kevin Thorbourne, director of minority affairs for the Town of Huntington, said, “We need to bring the community together and I’m glad Northport stepped up and invited everyone here. All the different communities in our township have come together to bring awareness to the hate that has been going on and are trying to stop it. In order to stop it you have to bring awareness to it.”
The family day at Cow Harbor Park was organized before the most recent incident of racism in the town. An actor leaving Engeman Theater in Northport was the target of a racial slur from a man in a passing car.
Dr. Eve Krief, a pediatrician and activist against bigotry and other issues, said, “We’ve seen a rise in hate incidents and hate crimes across the country rising disturbingly the last several years, and now it’s seeping into our own communities for the past several days and weeks at a very concerning rate that’s really mobilized the community to understand that this is a big problem.”
Northport Trustees Condemn Recent ‘Despicable’ Bias Incidents