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Howie’s Heart celebrates 2-year anniversary By HAIlEY FUlMER hfulmer@liherald.com
Billy Harrison/Herald
Celebrating the second anniversary of Howie’s Heart, from left, are James Conklin, Melissa Cox, Jennifer Camacho and Victoria Tiso.
Howie’s Heart — a Franklin Square-based nonprofit that inspires children, teens and families to find joy in helping others and spreading kindness — marked its second anniversary with a night of giving back, celebration and reflection on two years of service to the community. The Franklin Square library held the celebration Thursday, bringing together community members and award recipients who have gone above and beyond as partners in service to Howie’s Heart. Jennifer Camacho and her siblings, James Conklin and Melissa Cox, founded the organization in honor of their father, Howie, who died at 67 in December of 2021. They transformed his acts of kindness into a mission of their own, dedicating their time to serving the community. During the event, attendees created heartfelt ValenConTinued on page 17
Federal judge grants relief for Haitians with TPS By HAIlEY FUlMER hfulmer@liherald.com
After a federal judge blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to revoke temporary protected status for roughly 350,000 Haitians living in the United States, Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages emphasized that the ruling provides only temporary relief. “The court case just said that these people have status,” Solages told the Herald. “There is no end date.” U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes cited ongoing social and political instability in Haiti as the reason for her decision.
Solages warned that uncertainty remains for TPS holders and their families. Temporary protected status must be renewed every 12 to 18 months. Although the protection is temporary, Solages stressed, instability in Haiti has continued. Solages is the first person of Haitian descent to be elected to the Assembly. She emphasized that her office remained committed to ensuring that legal action will be taken if Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents violate the rights of U.S. citizens in the 22nd District, which encompasses Elmont and parts of Franklin Square. She also
highlighted organizations such as Little Haiti Brooklyn and the Haitian American Lawyers Association for helping distribute legal information. Solages said that Reyes ruling has major implications for TPS holders, and warned of potential economic consequences if their protections are removed. She noted that employers have contacted her office about workforce shortages caused by uncertainty surrounding TPS. “I also have employers reach out to me, because now, number one, they want workers,” Solages said. “There is a shortage in almost every industry that you could think of.”
Nassau County Legislator Carrie Solages, Michaelle’s brother, sent a letter to County Executive Bruce Blakeman, urging him to join other area elected officials in supporting an extension of TPS. On Feb 6, 4 days after Reyes’s decision, Michaelle Solages held a news conference with several other elected officials,
including County Legislators Vivianna Russell and Cynthia Nunez at Bethany French Baptist Church, in Elmont. Russell cited estimates that mass deportation of Haitians if their TPS were revoked could cost taxpayers $88 billion. She said those funds could instead be invested in education, housing ConTinued on page 7