Jim Smith is an active supporter of racial equity and justice. Motivated by a visit to the site of Michael Brown's shooting in Ferguson, MO, Jim helped to lead the Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Shelter Rock's (UUCSR) Defy the Hate Task Force and continues to serve on its Racial Justice subcommittee. Smith also is a member of the Healing Justice committee at the UU Fellowship of Boca Raton in Florida and an advocate at both congregations for the Unitarian Universalist Association's proposed 8th Principle which calls on congregants to dismantle racism in themselves and their churches. In 2017, his advocacy helped ERASE Racism's win a $100,000 UUCSR Large Grant, which made possible ERASE Racism's high profile How Do We Build A Just Long Island? initiative. He is a member of ERASE Racism's Education Equity Working Group and a frequent volunteer at ERASE Racism's workshops and activities. Earlier he led UUCSR programs related to affordable housing, immigrants' rights, bullying, corporate responsibility and domestic violence.
Jim is also a prominent supporter of our area's veterans. He is current vice president and former president of United Veterans Beacon House, and has run programs at UUCSR to address veterans' homelessness. He served in the U.S. Army from 1970-73, including a year in South Vietnam, and wrote a 2015 self-published memoir "Heroes to the End" regarding his 1971-72 tour.
During his long career as a Newsday sports reporter and features desk copy editor, Jim covered five Super Bowls and nine Stanley Cup Finals. He is the author of Point of Attack, a look at New York Giants' linebacker Harry Carson's 1985 season published by McGraw-Hill.
Jim's long list of community service includes service on the UUCSR Board, including one year as Board Secretary. He also served on the Board of the Unitarian Universalist Veatch Program at Shelter Rock. He is current adjutant at VFW Post 1819 in Port Washington, and has served on the boards of the Westbury Friends School and the Mineola Athletic Association.
Jim graduated in 1966 from Chaminade High in Mineola. He received his A.A. degree in 1968 from Nassau Community College and a B.A. in History in 1970 from Hofstra University. He is married to social worker Lynn Smith. They have one son, Peter, an air traffic controller.
