Dr. Errol Toulon Jr. Inspires at Town of Huntington Black History Month Program

Nearly 400 gathered at the Jack Abrams STEM Magnet School auditorium in Huntington Station for the Town of Huntington’s 28th annual Black History Month Program on Feb. 26.

Recounting his perseverance to defeat multiple bouts of cancer and his determination to succeed, keynote speaker Dr. Errol Toulon Jr. advised young people in attendance to focus on setting goals and working to achieve them.

“You are here on this earth for a purpose, to grow into a mountain, not to shrink into a grain of sand,” Toulon said.

“Put down your Xbox and PlayStation and read a book. Stop texting every once in a while and actually talk to your friends and family,” he added. “You are not entitled to anything because you have not worked for anything. In order to be successful, whatever your definition of successful is, you have to work toward it. You have to sacrifice. You have to push yourself.”

Toulon’s address was just one of the program’s highlights. From renditions of the National Anthem by Leon Jamison and the Negro National Anthem by Courtney Daniels, to hand-clapping, toe-tapping songs by the Voices of Huntington choir, to the flowing dance interpretation by the Venettes Cultural workshop and poetry recitals by Crustal Cacho and Kimberley Lara, the evening provided a mix of historical perspective and cultural uplift.

The audience cheered as Councilwoman Tracey Edwards recognized the Harris family, whose patriarch, Rufus Harris, an accomplished mechanic, overcame segregation in South Carolina, moved to Huntington and launched an automobile repair shop, Rufus & Sons – one of the first African-American owned businesses in Huntington.

“Here are people who have paved the way for entrepreneurship, not only for people of color, but for all people in the Town of Huntington,” Edwards said. “It is great to look at African-American history, it is important to look at African-American history, but it is just as important for us to recognize the people we live with right here in this community.”

“Every year I come here, it gets better,” Councilman Eugene Cook told the audience. “Black History Month is 28 days, and we have celebrations and we enjoy, but there are 337 other days out of the year that we need to celebrate Black History, because together we can all rise and make the future better.”

Town Clerk Jo-Ann Raia and Highway Superintendent Peter Gunther also addressed the audience. Supervisor Frank P. Petrone and Council Members Mark Cuthbertson and Susan A. Berland were unable to attend, but sent words of support. Also speaking was Leg. William Spencer, MD, who delivered the benediction. Pastor Eddly B.Benoit of the Seventh Day Adventist Church gave the invocation.

Toulon, is the deputy commissioner for operations of the New York City Department of Correction and a former assistant deputy Suffolk County executive for public safety. In his remarks, he traced his life, which includes a long and distinguished career in criminal justice, including 22 years as a uniformed member with the Department of Correction from 1982 to 2004.

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During that span, he was a supervisor and instructor at the Correction Academy, the Firearms and Tactics Unit, the Emergency Service Unit and the Office of Compliance Consultants. As a Suffolk assistant deputy county executive, he oversaw eight public safety departments, including the Suffolk County Police Department and the Department of Fire, Rescue and Emergency Services. He also chaired the Suffolk County Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, whose mandate is to enhance criminal justice policy and program decision-making by improving understanding of crime and criminal justice programming.

But the underlying theme of his speech was how, through perseverance and determination, he overcame the challenges that arose after he was diagnosed with cancer, first in 1996 and again in 2003. “Life has a strange way of teaching you things you cannot learn in a classroom,” he said.

After the first diagnosis, of Hodgkins lymphoma, he underwent an aggressive chemotherapy and radiation program and was able to return to work two years later. “I was given a second chance and wanted to do something with it,” he said. He started a private security consulting firm with a friend and began planning for a career after retiring from the corrections department. “But life had another lesson to teach me,” he said.

In 2003, following a series of routine tests, he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He survived a difficult surgery and other complications, including the need for a liver transplant and a heart issue. With support from his parents, he enrolled in college and completed his associates’, bachelor’s, master’s’ and doctorate degrees. He rejoined the city department of correction last July in a newly-created post in which he serves as a senior advisor to the commissioner on all aspects of operations and system improvements and directly supervises the Department’s Correction Academy, the Intelligence Unit, the Policies and Procedures Unit, and the Office of Policy Compliance.

“I stand before you 12 years later, still persevering,” he said. “More determined than ever from the most difficult, challenging time of my life.” His advice to the audience: “Never stop learning. Take breaks, but never stop learning. Try to live your life with great integrity and respect others.”

Photo (l-r): Jillian Guthman-Abadom, director, Department of Human Services; Huntington Highway Superintendent Peter Gunther; keynote speaker Dr. Errol Toulon Jr.; Councilman Eugene Cook; Town Clerk Jo-Ann Raia; and Councilwoman Tracey A. Edwards.

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