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Uniondale High senior learns how to fight injustice ERASE Racism interns call out prejudice across Long Island By STACY DRIKS sdriks@liherald.com
Herald file
nassau university Medical Center leaders have filed a lawsuit against Meg Ryan, the hospital’s former president and chief executive, accusing her of abusing her power by enriching herself and other administrators, seeking reimbursement for luxury expenses and destroying records, among other accusations.
State-takeover fallout: NUMC files lawsuit against ex-leader Political tensions rise as hospital leadership turmoil deepens
June, stating the termination was with “cause,” according to a letter issued by Dr. Richard Becker, the new interim chief The ongoing saga between Nassau Uni- executive of the hospital. The letter versity Medical Center and its former showed that Ryan authorized payments president and chief executive continued of $3.5 million to herself and others last week, after hospital officials filed a around May 30, after the state legislature lawsuit against Megan Ryan, citing mis- began its revamp of the board. It further stated that $1 million was conduct, self-enrichment more than amounts that and a deliberate sabotage were due to Ryan and of hospital affairs. other employees. The payOver the last few ments, according to the months, operations at board, allegedly served no NUMC and its public benvalid purpose. efit group, the Nassau At an Aug. 13 board Health Care Corporation, meeting, according to were taken over by New unofficial minutes on York state in accordance NUMC’s website, the with provisions that board ratified the act by passed in the state budget Becker “in his capacity as in May. The board was SpOKESpERSON interim president and restructured to include 11 fOR MEg RYAN CEO to discontinue the members. Gov. Kathy Hochul named most of the new board administrative leave” of Ryan and to termembers, based on powers given to her in minate her employment for cause, effecthe most recent budget bill, and also des- tive June 18. Ryan and her legal representatives ignated the chairman, Stuart Rabinowitz, announced their intent to sue the hospital former president at Hofstra University. The board announced Ryan’s firing in COntinued On Page 3
By JORDAN VALLONE
jvallone@liherald.com
I
f the political hacks who have been put in charge of NHCC to cover up the state’s massive fraud want a fight — they’ll get one.
Abygayle Ade, a rising senior at Uniondale High School, was one of eight Long Island high school students chosen for a paid internship in ERASE Racism’s Student Leaders for Equity program. During a recent six-week period running through Aug. 7, she took an active role conveying the programs mission in promoting racial justice in her community and learning how to advocate for equity in her school. Other students came from high schools in Merrick, Huntington Station, Old Westbury, New Hyde Park, Dix Hills, Floral Park and Malvern. ERASE Racism held an end-of-year celebration in Syosset on Aug. 6, featuring eight Student Leaders for Equity interns, including Ade, who presented research on racial inequities in healthcare, specifically the high rate of maternal deaths among Blacks. “I found a lot of different websites and many articles about it,” Ade said. “What mostly stood out to me is how all the deaths to Black women can be prevented —just people are not deciding to change it.” Although she has no personal connection to the issue, she’s passionate about the topic because she hopes to become a therapist in the healthcare system. “Therapists might not want to see a certain race for their beliefs,” Ade said. “And being able to do this internship shows me that it could happen. It brings me more awareness and it gives me more — I learned a lot from it.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, pregnancy-related mortality rates are higher among Black women than white women, due to healthcare gaps, chronic conditions and social inequalities. “Black women are three times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than white women,” the CDC stated. In 2022, the maternal mortality rate for Blacks was 49.5 deaths per 100,000 live births, compared with 19 for whites, 16.9 for Hispanics, and 13.2 for Asians. “We had basically looked at structural racism, how racism from back in the day is still being taught — it’s still happening now,” Ade said. But racial disparity on Long Island exists in areas other than healthcare, Ade said. She said that in many towns, people of color are looked at or treated differently because of their skin color, and in towns where another race is the majority, that difference becomes even more apparent. “Part of Abygayle’s interview, she talked about wanting to be an advocate and having her voice uplifted,” April Francis-Taylor, acting president of ERASE Racism, said. “As a young woman, she feels that she’s often unseen and some of her ideas aren’t always valued. Applicants should be a high school student, and those who are passionate about racial equity. Also it is for students who want to organize and advocate for racial justice COntinued On Page 4