Homegrown Heroes' Reception In Westbury Celebrates L.I. Leaders, Legacy and The Power of Presentation

WESTBURY, N.Y. — September 13, 2026 — Community leaders, residents, business professionals, educators and supporters gathered on Sunday, September 13, 2026, at the Westbury Public Library for a special Homegrown Heroes Reception, celebrating the accomplishments, leadership and lasting contributions of African Americans with deep roots in Long Island communities.

The reception, held at 2:30 p.m., continued the momentum of the groundbreaking Homegrown Heroes of Long Island photographic exhibition, which was created and curated by longtime community leader, historian, artist and advocate Shirley Darkeh.

Homegrown Heroes was created to ensure that the accomplishments of African Americans who grew up, studied, worked and built their lives on Long Island are documented, celebrated and visible to future generations. Through photography, storytelling and historical reflection, the exhibition demonstrates that extraordinary achievement can emerge directly from the communities in which young people live, learn and grow.

The exhibition highlights 38 Black alumni of Long Island-area high schools who went on to make meaningful contributions in fields including business, education, law, medicine, public service, social work and the arts. The project is especially focused on providing young people with visible examples of successful African American professionals and community leaders whose journeys began close to home.

The Westbury reception brought the exhibit into another important community setting the public library reinforcing the role that libraries play in preserving history, encouraging education and connecting generations.

BUILDING ON THE SUCCESS OF THE ADELPHI UNIVERSITY CELEBRATION

The Westbury Public Library reception follows the major Homegrown Heroes of Long Island celebration held on March 14, 2026, at the Adelphi University Performing Arts Center in Garden City.

That event brought together community leaders, entrepreneurs, nonprofit organizations, families and residents for an afternoon and evening of recognition, networking, cultural celebration and reflection.

The March program showcased the 38 Homegrown Heroes and featured performances by the Westbury Middle School Choir and Uniondale’s Rhythm of the Knight Show Choir. Nassau County Legislator Viviana L. Russell later recognized the significance of the celebration and Shirley Darkeh’s leadership in creating a platform where young people can see examples of Black achievement originating in their own communities.

The original Adelphi photographic exhibition was sponsored by the Long Island African American Chamber of Commerce, Inc. and the African American Small Business Foundation, Inc. The broader Homegrown Heroes initiative has also worked in partnership with the 100 Black Men of Eastern New York, Inc., bringing together organizations committed to entrepreneurship, mentoring, education, economic empowerment and community development.

“As President of the Long Island African American American Chamber of Commerce, Inc., African American Small Business Foundation, Inc. and the 100 Black Men of Eastern New York, Inc. it was both an honor and a previlidge to serve under Shirley Darkeh’s leadership help and support the great work that she is doing to preserve history on Long Island for this and future generations.” Phil Andrews

These partnerships demonstrate one of the central messages of Homegrown Heroes: preserving history and developing future leaders require collaboration among cultural institutions, businesses, nonprofits, educators, mentors and community organizations.

ABOUT: HOMEGROWN HEROES EXHIBIT

Homegrown Heroes is more than an awards program or photographic display. It is an intergenerational educational initiative designed to preserve stories of achievement that can too easily disappear from the historical record.

Curated through the vision of Shirley Darkeh, the exhibition uses visual storytelling to document people whose careers and community service illustrate perseverance, leadership, excellence and a commitment to giving back.

The project carries a particularly important message for young people: successful role models are not only people they see nationally they are also people who attended schools in their own communities, walked the same streets and built meaningful lives and careers from Long Island.

By bringing Homegrown Heroes into institutions such as universities and public libraries, the exhibition creates opportunities for students, families and community members to encounter this history directly.

State Senator Siela A. Bynoe presents Citation to Shirley Darkeh at Westbury Library

Charlene Jackson, Esq. is an extraordinary leader and servant. She has previously served as Economic Development Strategist for Nassau County, where she helped lead countywide efforts bolster small businesses, expand affordable housing and foster Minority-and-Veteran Business Enterprise Procurement. Her work has been recognized on the New York State Senate Floor in the corridors of Albany, New York.

ABOUT: CURATOR SHIRLEY DARKEH

Shirley Darkeh is an artist, curator, entrepreneur, poet, historian and lifelong community advocate whose approximately six decades of service have helped preserve and elevate African American history and culture on Long Island.

Her career reflects a remarkable combination of corporate achievement, technological innovation, youth development, arts leadership and community service.

Darkeh was the first African American woman to work in the Accounting Department of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and later served as comptroller for Reed Roberts, Inc. In 1966, she became the founding Director of Management Information at the Charles Drew Neighborhood Health Center, where she designed and implemented an early computerized patient identification and billing system.

Her commitment to community development extended well beyond her professional career. Darkeh hosted “Community News and Views” on WHLI AM Radio and in 1990 founded Project Pride, a youth self-development initiative through which she served as executive director and mentor.

Her work as a cultural curator has been equally significant. In 2003, Darkeh curated and directed “Promises Made, Promises Kept,” a photographic exhibition honoring distinguished African American women of Long Island. The exhibition premiered at Nassau Community College and later traveled to colleges and libraries throughout Nassau, Suffolk and Queens counties.

Darkeh also has a special connection to the Westbury Public Library. She served as a Trustee of the Westbury Memorial Public Library from 2020 through 2023, continuing her longstanding advocacy for libraries as centers of education, history and community engagement.

Even in retirement, she has remained active in African American history education, community programs and cultural preservation. Her many recognitions have included the Town of Hempstead Humanitarian Award, the Sojourner Truth Award, induction into the Town of North Hempstead Women’s Roll of Honor and numerous community service honors.

Her latest undertaking, Homegrown Heroes of Long Island, represents a continuation of a lifetime devoted to making sure local African American achievement is seen, documented and passed from one generation to the next.

A LEGACY THAT CONTINUES

The September 13 reception at the Westbury Public Library demonstrated that the Homegrown Heroes story did not end with the successful March celebration at Adelphi University.

Instead, the exhibition continues to provide a platform for community education, historical preservation, mentorship and recognition.

As Homegrown Heroes reaches new audiences, organizers hope the project will encourage schools, libraries, businesses, nonprofit organizations and community institutions to continue supporting efforts that document Long Island’s African American history while introducing young people to leaders whose lives demonstrate what is possible.

Homegrown Heroes carries a simple but powerful message:

Our history lives in our communities. Our heroes live among us. And when young people can see examples of excellence that began where they began, they can more easily envision what they themselves can become.

ABOUT: HOMEGROWN HEROES OF LONG ISLAND: Homegrown Heroes of Long Island is a photographic and community history initiative curated by Shirley Darkeh that recognizes African American leaders and professionals with Long Island roots whose achievements and service have made meaningful contributions locally, regionally and beyond. Through exhibitions, receptions and community engagement, the initiative preserves stories of leadership while creating visible examples of achievement for future generations.

MEDIA CONTACT: Phil Andrews, President of the Long Island African American Chamber of Commerce, Inc. info@liaacc.org