Long Island Laboring Against COVID-19

On Saturday 9/25, Office of Minority Leader Legislators Kevan Abrahams and Debra Mulé co-hosted the 15th Annual Back-To-School Supply Giveaway!⁠⁠ ⁠⁠ Organized by Trimz BarberShop and Heeling Soles, the giveaway handed out backpacks, sneakers, school supplies, vegetables and fruits, masks, hand sanitizers, and other essential resources necessary for our South Shore community. LILAC and our parent org Girl Pride Int’l partnered with other sponsors like Glory House Recovery Inc, Bethpage Credit Union, Clarity Surgical, Freeport Inc., Gio’s Little Angels Daycare, Hand & Hand Outreach, Millennium Sistahs, Parabit, Awalom Family & Friends, and more! We were especially inspired by the efforts of Trimz Barber Shop, Heeling Soles, and Glory House to strengthen our communities, even as they themselves are financially strained in the midst of this ongoing pandemic. We were also honored to have the Nassau County Police Department and Freeport Police Department stop by and support our students, in addition to bringing their own contributions. It was wonderful to see people from all walks of life join in!⁠⁠ ⁠⁠ This Drive-Thru served hundreds of young students of the South Shore community and their families. It marked the second of a four-year commitment from LILAC/GPI, with members Alyssa Pinto, Natalie Kaplan, Tina Ting, Umesh Ponugupati, and our youngest member Minghan Tang (10), handing out backpacks and bags full of supplies, sneakers, and food. We also want to say thank you to our members' parents who were there to deliver boxes of vegetables and fruits to this drive-thru. We are very proud to help our community members, and we give gratitude to the support of our donors and followers like you. Thank you for stepping up and helping out our community. Together, we will overcome the hurdles the pandemic placed before us, and let compassion and generosity uplift us all. ⁠⁠ ... CONNECT WITH US! WEBSITE: https://www.lilacovid19.org/ INSTA: https://www.instagram.com/lilacovid_19/ TWITTER: https://twitter.com/LILACorg FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/LILACovid19/

At the recent Anti-Asian Hate Rally LILAC co-organized, we were profoundly moved and honored to have NY Senator John C. Liu, Congresswoman Grace Meng (D-Queens), and Director of Nassau County Office of Asian-American Affairs, Farrah Mozawalla, join us to inspire change, connect with our communities, exhort resilience, and demand proactive actions in support of AAPI lives. While news cycles come and go, it’s important for us to remain attentive to rising trends of anti-Asian hate, and speak up from within our community so that others who do not experience this form of discrimination can be aware of and help combat anti-Asian bias. We are so privileged to have these incredibly Asian-American role models as stalwart voices for positive change and for justice! It is important to have a representative body in government that reflects the American populace in its entirety, so that we all have a voice and say in how our country is run. It is up to us to take actionable steps and live lives of integrity, which includes being brave enough to advocate for ourselves, even if society ignores us. We will not stop fighting until the world knows we are here! @johnliuny @grace4ny @farrahmozawalla

In addition to political leaders from within the AAPI community, we were also joined by NY Senator Jim Gaughran, Nassau County Executive Laura Curran, and Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor Joseph S. Saladino. We are so thankful for these allies in the struggle against anti-Asian hate! They have rightly decided that injustice to some is an affront to all, and that until one of us is still discriminated against, we are not all free! We want to encourage everyone to get involved in the fight against anti-Asian hate, and that if you see something, DO something! Be in community with and intentionally advocate for those outside of your lived experience! Listen to and believe what others say about their perspectives navigating this country. It is important that we humbly unite and work together if we are to truly make a change in this country. And let us not be passive in our desire for justice! We must demand tangible legislative and cultural change, so that we can all truly be free! @countyexecutivecurran @gaughran4senate @supervisorsaladino

As we close our coverage of the recent rally for AAPI lives, we want to continue to exhort our community to stand together for justice and equality for all. We are grateful to have politicians and community leaders like Nassau County Legislator Joshua Lafazan (18th District), Legislator Kevan Abrahams (1st District), and District Superintendent Dr. Tom Rogers, who came together with us in support for our cause! We must remember that in addition to a shift in our culture, it is important to also advocate for a shift in our legislative processes. In this way, we can create a system that works for all of us! It is so encouraging to see politicians and community leaders from all walks of life coming together to stand for AAPI lives, and we have hope that we can continue this good work, even as news cycles come and go. We want to encourage everyone to get involved in the fight against anti-Asian hate, and that if you see something, DO something!

On 8/7, LILAC partnered with Legislator Josh Lafazan’s office, and other community and student-led organizations to run a back to school clothing and supply drive for the Youth and Family Counseling Agency. YFCA of Oyster Bay has been providing a wide range of mental health and social services to Long Island families for more than 50 years! LILAC donated 5000 masks, 5 boxes of hand sanitizers, and boxes of clothing and school supplies to do our part for a community organization that has been a bed rock of philanthropy and service for Nassau County. We are so delighted to see Ms. Berke, assistant principal of South Woods Middle School, taking the time to bring her three lovely young boys, to support our collective endeavor with their own donations. Our LILAC artist Bill Yu also donated his digital artwork “Never Stop Dreaming” to YFCA for this community building occasion. As we continue to cope with the precarious and more dangerous Delta variants, and entering the flu season soon, we wish to continue uplifting each other through these trying times. Thinking of contributing to our cause? Check out our GoFundMe page in our bio, and please continue spreading the word! And if you are an artist, writer, singer, or any type of creator, we encourage you to please continue sending submissions towards our ThankYou & WeCare Initiative at LILACovid19@gmail.com! If you are a student who would like to become a member, check out our CampSite to fill out a Google Form for entry! ... CONNECT WITH US! WEBSITE: https://www.lilacovid19.org/ INSTA: https://www.instagram.com/lilacovid_19/ TWITTER: https://twitter.com/LILACorg FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/LILACovid19/

We are so happy to share our donation yesterday on December 29th, 2020 with Nassau County Executive Laura Curran and Legislator Debra Mulé, to Mount Sinai South Nassau, totalling in 20,000 PPE, $2,000 worth of meals, and beautiful TYWC Artworks.⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ We are so grateful for the support and partnership of Executive Curran and Legislator Mulé in this donation of 20,000 PPE to our communities’ frontline workers! We want to thank hospital leadership and the doctors and nurses who took their time to meet us today, including Ken Long, Vice President of Administration at Mount Sinai South Nassau. ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ LILAC also donated some wonderful artwork by member Yeonwoo Lee and calligraphy by member Tina Chen in response to Executive Laura Curran’s “We Can Do It, Nassau!” vaccine public-awareness campaign. LILAC is happy to share that we will also begin initiating a Student For Vaccines campaign in conjunction with Executive Curran’s vaccine awareness efforts!⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ In addition, we partnered with two amazing local Black-owned businesses to donate $2,000 for 120 hearty lunches. Along with Sarah Brown Catering, whom we worked with through Legislator Kevan Abrahams’ office, we wanted to highlight BennyB’s Restaurant in Baldwin, NY. BennyB’s Restaurant recently experienced the passing of one of it’s owners, Benny Bodley, to COVID-19 in August. Renee Bodley, his wife, continues to manage this iconic local restaurant, and LILAC is honored to partner with both of these businesses to bring our community together. Check them out if you can!⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ We also wanted to once again thank Legislator Josh Lafazan for setting a great example for today’s youth, energizing and empowering LILAC and other youth organizations to continue on our path of meaning-making. He is a powerful young voice in politics and continually stands for justice and the betterment of our country. ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ We hope this donation helps as we continue to unite as one and encourage each other during these hard times!⁠ ... CONNECT WITH US! WEBSITE: https://www.lilacovid19.org/ INSTA: https://www.instagram.com/lilacovid_19/ TWITTER: https://twitter.com/LILACorg FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/LILACovid19

On October 31st, LILAC is proud to have donated 4,000 masks and boxes of hand sanitizers to the Veterans of Foreign War Post #2912 of Wheatley Heights, #361 of Wyandanch, and #588 of Deer Park. Our veterans have put their lives on the line to serve our country and protecting us. Even in our brief time at VFW yesterday, we were enlightened by their resilience and kindness. But the pandemic does not discriminate. Even the strongest are at risk of contracting the virus. We must do more to protect our veterans. In the spirit virus. We must do more to protect our veterans. In the spirit of the upcoming Veterans Day, LILAC is taking this opportunity to honor our veterans, who have long instilled hope and pride in our country, with our humble donation. We are grateful for all who have made this donation possible! Your generous help and donations have directly made it possible for LILAC to pay this tribute, a tribute representing all Americans, to our dedicated veterans, and to thank them for their dedicated veterans, and to thank them for their service. LILAC would also like to thank our members Nikhita, Eric, Aarjivi, and Alyssa for stepping up to represent LILAC when our founder Sabrina was unable to attend yesterday. In deciding to dedicate part of their special holiday: Halloween to LILAC'S mission, these members have demonstrated their initiative and commitment. ... CONNECT WITH US! WEBSITE: https://www.lilacovid19.org/ INSTA: https://www.instagram.com/lilacovid_19/ TWITTER: https://twitter.com/LILACorg FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/LILACovid19/

Director Charles Riley of the Nassau County Museum of Art gives a congratulatory speech to Sabrina Guo and LILAC for all of their work after a recent donation to bring about the grand reopening of the first museum in Long Island! We are so excited to share our recent donation on 9/25 of 5,000 masks and 10 boxes of hand sanitizers to the Nassau County Museum of Art! Providing PPE and supporting our community is our main goal at LILAC, and we are so happy to have partnered with the NCMA for their Fall Exhibition Event! As LILAC continues to impact our community, we are always looking for ways to help more people in our community, especially when it means that through our example, other students become empowered and invested in helping their own communities out! We are so happy to share about our recent donation to the Nassau County Museum of Art, where we were joined by Director Charles A. Riley, Board of Trustees President Angela S. Anton, and Nassau Museum’s first Asian-American Board Member Coco Han. We want to thank this amazing institution for all of the work they have done to make this opening possible, and we are so humbled to have been a part of making it safer for the patrons and museum goers. As a premier cultural institution, the Nassau County Museum of Art is a place where those who desire connection and solace through art can come to be uplifted and comforted during these difficult times. Director Charles Riley was also extremely gracious in giving LILAC members Sabrina, Yeonwoo, Marla, and Bill a master tour of their current exhibit, “blue.” We saw amazing pieces from artists like Matisse, Picasso, Klee, and Miró, and learned about how the color blue has been holy to many traditions. The entire museum has become a multi-media exploration of blue, which you can peruse on their website as well in many forms! This wonderful exhibit is surely worth checking out, and we are happy to have contributed to the opening of these awe- inspiring, reflective, and provocative works of art in “blue.” As Miró said, “This is the color of my dreams.” We're so happy to share a recent interview we were able to do with the leading Chinese media conglomerate in North America, SinoVision! It was an amazing experience to be able to share all that we've done for our community in Long Island and NYS. LILAC has been hard at work since our inception to uplift and raise up those who are most vulnerable during this pandemic. SinoVision has so graciously helped cover our story, along with our recent donation to the Nassau County Museum of Art, and featured other prominent Chinese-Americans working hard like Congresswoman Grace Meng, with whom we have also partnered with for donations. Please check out the full interview here: https://video.sinovision.net/?id=58980 CONNECT WITH US! WEBSITE: https://www.lilacovid19.org/ INSTA: https://www.instagram.com/lilacovid_19/ TWITTER: https://twitter.com/LILACorg FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/LILACovid19/

On September 17, 2020, we were honored to be present at the Baldwin Historical Society & Museums’ Community Garden for the Legislative District 5 Covid Heroes Ceremony hosted by Legislator Debra Mulé, where we also donated 25 pieces of inspiring ThankYou & WeCare artwork & calligraphy! ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ This amazing ceremony awarded 16 honorees from District 5 for their brave efforts in combating the coronavirus. The event began with the pledge of allegiance and a benediction, followed by rousing speeches from Legislator Debra Mulé, County Executive Laura Curran, New York State Senators Todd Kaminsky and John Brooks, and New York State Assemblywoman Judy Griffin, on the importance of service, especially during these hard times.⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ Today’s valiant honorees included members from fire and police departments, church volunteers, sanitation workers, school staff and directors, nurses and other medical professionals, business owners, and senior center staff. The wide ranging professions and background of those honored today only goes to show that we need all types of people within our community to work together, and there is no one who is not valued in the effort to build solidarity and combat this pandemic!⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ LILAC was also very grateful to receive recognition and a formal Thank You from Legislator Debra Mulé during the ceremony, and hope to continue serving and bettering our neighborhoods as best as we can during these unprecedented times! ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ We want to thank Legislator Mulé for believing in and supporting LILAC's mission and for recognizing our relief and charity work, and also Executive Laura Curran, NY Senators Todd Kaminsky & John Brooks, NY Assemblywoman Judy Griffin, and the Island Harvest Food Bank for supporting the honorees! What an amazing evening to be a part of!⁠ ... CONNECT WITH US! WEBSITE: https://www.lilacovid19.org/ INSTA: https://www.instagram.com/lilacovid_19/ TWITTER: https://twitter.com/LILACorg FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/LILACovid19/

On August 26, we were so fortunate to have been able to donate 3,200 PPE to the Regency Assisted Living at Glen Cove! ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ We were joined by NY Senator Jim Gaughran, Glen Cove Mayor Tim Tenke, City Councilwoman Marsha Silverman, Councilmen John Perrone and Gaitley Stevenson-Mathews, Regency Administrator Beth Evans, and Community Relations Liaison Amy Eisenberg, along with LILAC members Eric Wang, Seonju Lee, and Nikhita Kapoor, and founder Sabrina Guo.⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ It was an amazing time of mutual encouragement and a hopeful reminder of what we can all accomplish together as a community! We heard many impassioned speeches exhorting us to take charge and lead during these unprecedented times, and we at LILAC feel humbled and privileged to undertake this important task.⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ Our Founder Sabrina Guo was also honored with a Certificate of Recognition by the City of Glen Cove! We are so proud of the work LILAC has been able to do because of our members, our supporters and donors, and all those who are gracious enough to partner with us on this journey to help our communities.⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ Not only did we donate PPE, but we brought with us some amazing ThankYou & WeCare Initiative Artworks, which will be hung at the Regency's halls. And, we were able to get a look at a new development at the Regency itself, with the advent of the "Family Window Connections,” where residents can now safely (and from a good social distance) spend time with their families and loved ones! ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ We are so happy to be a part of this amazing community, and are looking forward to all the amazing work we will continue to do to provide for safe, comfortable, and encouraging time during these times. Thank you to everyone for your undying support!⁠⠀ ... CONNECT WITH US! WEBSITE: https://www.lilacovid19.org/ INSTA: https://www.instagram.com/lilacovid_19/ TWITTER: https://twitter.com/LILACorg FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/LILACovid19/

We are happy to announce yesterday 8/7, LILAC founder Sabrina Guo and committee leaders YeonWoo Lee, Sarah Razzaq, and Aarjivi Chandra donated 10,000 masks and half a dozen of our signature ThankYou & WeCare Artworks to the predominantly POC Freeport Union Free School District! We are so honored to be able to help and have the very gracious assistance of legislators Kevan Abrahams and Debra Mule! We also wanted to thank everyone for the warm reception, including Superintendent Dr. Kishore Kuncham, Assistant Superintendents Dr. Alice Kane and Salvatore Carambia, Freeport Board of Education President Ernest J. Kight Jr., and Trustee Maria Jordan-Awalom. During these difficult times, Freeport has been one of the hardest hit towns in Long Island. Additionally, the recent devastation of Hurricane Isaiah has made it even harder for the surrounding communities, which are predominantly people of color, to combat the pandemic, let alone bring to recover and prepare for schools to reopen. LILAC is very grateful for this wonderful opportunity to provide for and bring together different communities. Whether from the North or South Shore of Long Island, we believe it is of utmost importance to establish solidarity, understanding, and empathy, between all of us during this pandemic and beyond. We wanted to show Freeport students, teachers, staff, and political leaders that we appreciate their hard work throughout this public health crisis, and that we are here with you. We also wanted to thank Superintendent Kuncham for giving LILAC a highlight tour of Freeport High School, especially the Freeport Performing Arts Center! We are looking forward to expanding and fortifying the bridges LILAC has established with the Freeport community and will continue to bring people of all backgrounds together to build solidarity. We are so excited to develop artistic and community collaborations! Lastly, we wanted to give a special thanks to the COVID-19 Relief documentary team for shooting our event today, along with a thank you to the press and media which were on site to promote our story! It is our duty to reach within our own communities and beyond! ... LILAC (Long Island Laboring Against COVID-19) is an award-winning student-run charitable organization whose mission is to serve the communities and workers who have been affected by the coronavirus by providing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and emotional support through inspirational letters, cards, artwork, and multimedia videos. Our GoFundMe page raises money for medical supplies for healthcare workers to show our solidarity as they keep our communities healthy. Our ThankYou & WeCare (TYWC) Initiative raises the medical community’s and patients’ spirits by compiling and distributing encouraging letters, cards, artwork, and creative videos in a dedicated space where all can come to enjoy uplifting works which show solidarity, support and appreciation. Through our TYWC Initiative, student artists are channeling their feelings about the COVID-19 pandemic into their creative work, and in response, are spreading positivity and seeking to build support and a sense of solace for all our front line heroes, both medical and non-medical, and those patients who are fighting the disease themselves. ... CONNECT WITH US! WEBSITE: https://www.lilacovid19.org/ INSTA: https://www.instagram.com/lilacovid_19/ TWITTER: https://twitter.com/LILACorg FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/LILACovid19/

We’ve had so many amazing things happen today, and we’re so excited to share with you all!⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ First, we kicked off the day today at Excel Rehab & Nursing with Local Legislator Josh Lafazan! There we received an official government citation recognizing our founder Sabrina Guo and LILAC for all of our hard work in partnership with our donors and supporters. This official recognition is a testament not only to LILAC, but to what we can all do as a community standing together. ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ Truly, without all of our donors, members, supporters, and followers, this Citation would not have been awarded to us. On behalf of LILAC, our founder Sabrina Guo wants to thank the Syosset Central School District administrators and teachers, Legislator Josh Lafazan, and Congressman Tom Suozzi for actively supporting LILAC’s mission. ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ Then, with Legislator Lafazan, we donated 700 masks and 135 coveralls/gowns to Excel at Woodbury for Rehabilitation and Nursing. Also part of the donation were some beautiful paintings from our ThankYou & WeCare Initiative that were created by our very own and super talented Marla Hakim! We are so thankful to have her talents, and we will feature those in more detail soon.⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ Lastly, all of this was done while we were being filmed for a documentary being produced about COVID-19 efforts, which our founder Sabrina was nominated for by a government official. We wrapped our first day of shooting with some spectacular footage and some profound moments of gratitude and joy, and we are so grateful for the opportunity to spread LILAC’s mission to others, hopefully inspiring more people to join us and affect change in their communities and beyond! ... CONNECT WITH US! WEBSITE: https://www.lilacovid19.org/ INSTA: https://www.instagram.com/lilacovid_19/ TWITTER: https://twitter.com/LILACorg FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/LILACovid19/

Welcome to LILAC! LILAC (Long Island Laboring Against COVID-19) is an award-winning student-run charitable organization whose mission is to serve the communities and workers who have been affected by the coronavirus by providing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and emotional support through inspirational letters, cards, artwork, and multimedia videos. Our GoFundMe page raises money for medical supplies for healthcare workers to show our solidarity as they keep our communities healthy. Our ThankYou & WeCare (TYWC) Initiative raises the medical community’s and patients’ spirits by compiling and distributing encouraging letters, cards, artwork, and creative videos in a dedicated space where all can come to enjoy uplifting works which show solidarity, support and appreciation. Through our TYWC Initiative, student artists are channeling their feelings about the COVID-19 pandemic into their creative work, and in response, are spreading positivity and seeking to build support and a sense of solace for all our front line heroes, both medical and non-medical, and those patients who are fighting the disease themselves. ... CONNECT WITH US! WEBSITE: https://www.lilacovid19.org/ INSTA: https://www.instagram.com/lilacovid_19/ TWITTER: https://twitter.com/LILACorg FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/LILACovid19/