Babylon Anti-Bias Task Force

06/19/2026

The Babylon Anti-Bias Task Force proudly celebrates Juneteenth!

“Juneteenth is a federal holiday in the United States. It is celebrated annually on June 19 to commemorate the ending of slavery in the United States.

The holiday's name is a portmanteau of the words "June" and "nineteenth", as it was on June 19, 1865, when Major General Gordon Granger ordered the final enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation in Texas at the end of the American Civil War.[8][9]

Although this date commemorates enslaved people learning of their freedom under the Emancipation Proclamation, this only applied to former Confederate states. There remained legally enslaved people in states that never seceded from the Union.

These people did not gain their freedom until the ratification of the 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution on December 6, 1865.”

Sources:

[8] Garrett-Scott, Shennette (2013). ""When Peace Come": Teaching the Significance of Juneteenth". Black History Bulletin. 76 (2): 19–25. doi:10.1353/bhb.2013.0015. JSTOR 24759690. S2CID 245657706.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=13th_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution&redirect=no

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny.”

~Martin Luther King, Jr.

06/04/2026

The Institute of Caribbean Studies’ (ICS) effort to establish National Caribbean American Heritage Month (NCAHM) began in 1999 with an outreach to President Bill Clinton asking for the recognition of August as National Caribbean American Heritage Month. This resulted in the first White House Caribbean American Community Briefing being held at the Clinton White House in 1999. Meanwhile, a now-defunct, ad-hoc group of Caribbean Americans led by Doreen Thompson organized efforts to get June declared as Caribbean Heritage Month in Washington DC. ICS joined forces with the ad-hoc group in June 1999, but by 2000, the group dispersed.

In June 2000, ICS took on the mantle of leadership in Washington DC, changed the name to National Caribbean American Heritage Month, and organized events in June under that banner. Efforts to engage the White House were fruitless. In 2001, ICS was joined by the TransAfrica Forum and the Caribbean Staff Association of the World Bank to organize events during June, promoting recognition of June as National Caribbean American Heritage Month, and the momentum slowly began to build. In 2004, the efforts gathered steam, when an Official Campaign for June as National Caribbean American Heritage Month was launched upon the tabling of a Bill in the US Congress by Congresswoman Barbara Lee, with language provided by ICS Founder and President, Dr. Claire Nelson. ICS worked with the Office of Congresswoman Barbara Lee to galvanize support for the Bill from organizations across the country and also organized events on Capitol Hill in recognition of June 2004. The Bill was reintroduced and passed the House in June 2005, and the Senate in February 2006.

A Proclamation making the Resolution official was signed by President George Bush on June 5, 2006.

Since the declaration, the White House has issued an annual proclamation recognizing June as Caribbean-American Heritage Month. This year marks the fourteenth celebration of June as National Caribbean American Heritage Month.

The campaign to designate June as National Caribbean American Heritage Month was spearheaded by Dr. Claire Nelson, Founder, and President of the Institute of Caribbean Studies. Through the commemoration of this month, we hope to ensure that America is reminded that its greatness lies in its diversity, with Caribbean immigrants from founding father Alexander Hamilton, to journalist Malcolm Gladwell, who have shaped the American dream.

Actress and Singer Sheryl Lee Ralph, of Jamaican heritage and basketball great Rick Fox, of Bahamian heritage, were named Official Spokespersons for the National Caribbean American Heritage Month in 2006.

Source: https://caribbeanamericanmonth.com/

05/27/2026

Wishing you a joyous Eid al-Adha filled with gratitude, peace, and happiness. May this special occasion bring blessings to you and your loved ones. Eid Mubarak!

Town of Babylon - Government
Suffolk County Interfaith Anti Bias Task Force
Town of Smithtown Unity Council, formerly Anti-Bias Task Force
Friends of Huntington Anti-Bias Task Force - fohabtf
Huntington Anti Bias Concert

05/01/2026

Sharing From Suffolk County Police Department

The Babylon Anti-Bias Task Force with the Suffolk County Police Department joined officials from the county, town, and Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office at the Islamic Center of Deer Park to meet with faith leaders and community members following recent hateful graffiti discovered in Deer Park.

Earlier this week, several stop signs were defaced at the intersections of Lawrence Road & Carto Circle, and Lawrence Road & Grand Blvd. Deputy Commissioner Belinda Groneman, Chief of Department William Doherty, and Commanding Officer of the Hate Crimes Unit Apryl Hargrove reassured attendees that these incidents are being actively investigated and are taken very seriously.

Hate crimes will not be tolerated in Suffolk County and the Town of Babylon - Government

05/01/2026

🚫✋ We stand united against hate! The recent anti-Islamic graffiti in Deer Park is unacceptable and a stark reminder that we must remain vigilant in our fight against discrimination and bigotry in all forms.

The Town of Babylon, alongside the Babylon Anti-Bias Task Force and the Suffolk County Hate Crimes Unit, is committed to ensuring that our community is a safe, inclusive space for everyone. We recognize the pain this incident has caused and are dedicated to working collaboratively with community members and the Mosque to address these issues head-on.

Together, we will reinforce the message that hate has no home here. Let’s come together as a community to promote understanding, respect, and acceptance for all. ✊❤️

https://www.newsday.com/long-island/towns/deer-park-anti-islam-graffiti-jpe79pdw

Newsday

Someone scrawled the graffiti on stop signs near the Islamic Center of Deer Park.

05/01/2026

I am deeply disturbed by the reported anti-Muslim graffiti discovered in Deer Park. Acts like this are meant to intimidate, divide, and spread fear within our communities. There is no place for hate in Suffolk County.

As Dr. King reminded us, we are all tied in a single garment of destiny. What affects one community affects us all. When one of us is targeted because of faith, background, or identity, it is an attack on the very fabric of who we are.

Our Muslim neighbors are valued, respected, and essential members of our Suffolk County family. We stand in solidarity with them, not only in words, but in our actions.

We must recommit ourselves to doing the hard but necessary work of building what Dr. King called the Beloved Community—a place where dignity, justice, and respect are not aspirational, but lived realities. And we must do it the only way it has ever been done, together.

I commend the Suffolk County Police Department’s Hate Crime Unit for their swift response and urge anyone with information to come forward. We will not allow acts of division to define us. Instead, we will rise above them stronger, more united, and more committed to one another than ever before.

Hate has no home in Suffolk County. Not now. Not ever.

https://www.newsday.com/long-island/towns/deer-park-anti-islam-graffiti-jpe79pdw

04/30/2026

STATEMENT FROM THE TOWN BOARD: "We will not tolerate this hate and intolerance in our town. The defacement on these stop signs has been removed, and we will continue working with our law enforcement partners to hold those responsible accountable. We will not tolerate Islamophobia in any form. Our community is stronger because of its diversity, and we stand united in rejecting hatred and division."

If residents spot additional defaced signs, please report them to 311 so they can be removed ASAP.

Someone scrawled the graffiti on stop signs near the Islamic Center of Deer Park.

04/18/2026

15 DAYS LEFT to register !

🚶‍♀️🚶🏾‍♀️Let’s walk and raise awareness for breast cancer !

🙌 Join us on Saturday May 2, 2026 at the 22nd Annual Witness Walk at the Wyandanch Senior Citizen Center in Wyandanch, NY.

🎗️Walk, honor, and stand together for a life-changing cause.

➡️ Link in bio to register and be part of the movement!