Faces of Long Island celebrates the uniqueness of everyday Long Islanders. In their own words, they tell us about their life experiences, challenges and triumphs. Newsday launched this social media journey into the human experience to shine a light on the diverse people of this wonderful place we call home.

‘I literally heard in my ear, “You were visited by an angel.” I immediately got chills.’

Elmont

“Throughout my life, I had tiny psychic experiences. I would see different figures in my house and things like that. My mom shared with me that when she was younger, she had experiences, too. But she would always tell me, don’t speak to them, keep ignoring it, and things like that, because she built up this fear. Also, it’s very taboo in a lot of cultures and traditions.

“I had a difficult childhood. I was a first-generation American—my parents are from Guyana—and I grew up in a divorced household. On top of that, my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. I developed depression, and in a way, shut myself out from the world. And eventually, a lot of psychics do this, I ended up closing off my abilities as I went into high school. Then, I went away to college in upstate New York and was extremely depressed, almost to the point of suicidal. I was just embodying all of the sadness.

“Difficult things that happened to me —feeling unsupported, unloved, family issues; I was bullied in high school for being a little bit different—these things accumulated inside, and I didn’t know where to go for help. One day, I almost committed suicide. I was lying in my bed and felt this darkness over me like I couldn’t go on anymore. I went to sleep, and about an hour later, woke up and saw a single stream of light coming into my door and then saw this light figure. It said to me, ‘Don’t worry, everything’s going to be OK. We’re going to take care of you.’ And I remember feeling the greatest sense of relief I’ve ever felt in my life, this wave of peace and calm. There were tears in my eyes. I literally heard in my ear, ‘You were visited by an angel.’ I immediately got chills. From that moment on, I started to view things a little bit differently and open myself up to healing.

“When I went back home to Long Island, I ended up feeling compelled to seek out a teacher. So, I ended up connecting with two psychic mentors. The first time I saw one of the psychics, she was at this event with 150 people. She came up to me after and said, ‘I see that you have some potential,’ and gave me an invitation to join her class.”

Often, when the spirits come through, they give us messages of hope. What you think is deep sadness doesn’t matter in the long run.

“I immediately took off and blossomed in her class. I was being validated in so many ways. It was such a healing process to discover this connection to the other side. Often, when the spirits come through, they give us messages of hope. What you think is deep sadness doesn’t matter in the long run. And I just started viewing life in such a different way and really dedicating myself to realizing that this could potentially help to heal other people, too.

“My teacher taught me this incredible technique called psychic surgery. It’s a mixture of hypnotherapy techniques along with energy healing. It’s this concept that whenever you experience trauma in your life, there’s some sort of stagnant energy inside you. I actually ended up doing this with her when I was healing my depression. And it’s so wild because you literally see a somatic shape that’s inside of you and all of these emotions that are trapped. So often, we try to bury our pain. It’s empowering to acknowledge these negative words inside of us and release them.

“Sometimes I get naysayers on social media. They’re like, ‘You know this isn’t true.’ I often say to those people who are just one hundred percent disbelievers: ‘How do you know your answers?’ There’s so much about this universe that is unknown. And I think there’s beauty in that unknowingness and just tapping into yourself to find out what the answers are. And that’s what I essentially believe: that we all have the ability to tap into our own spirituality and find out what we believe in through our hearts.

“It’s important for everyone to step into their power because so many people are hiding in the shadows because they’re scared. I think that’s the message: not being afraid to go for your dreams, even if it’s something that seems so strange and out there. Because five years ago, for me to say to myself, ‘You’re going to go on social media and tell people that you communicate with the spirit world,’ I would be like, no way! Especially having been bullied and teased early in my life, to move past those negative barriers and be like, all right, I’m ready to share. I’m ready to empower other people. I think there’s nothing more beautiful than that.”

Interviewed by Jay Max

‘What I want is to be part of something that could help people.’

Commack

“I’m a junior at Marist College in Upstate New York. While I have been here, I’ve seen a lot of people struggling, especially during COVID-19. The isolation and lack of social contact combined with all the pressures of being in school have been difficult for many people. I’ve seen several kids go home because they couldn’t handle it.

“If you were on a sports team, things were made even more difficult. Students who failed to meet the academic standard were ineligible to compete. I noticed people started getting kicked off teams because they couldn’t handle the balance. There has been a lot of social pressure too, especially for the freshmen, who couldn’t go out or make friends. They were kind of in a jail cell.

“Seeing all this and working with a bit of research, I realized it wasn’t just a Marist problem. It was a global issue amongst colleges around the world, where students were truly struggling to balance certain aspects of life.

Buddi is an app only available for college students and encourages emotional peer-to-peer therapy.

“I started this project to connect students with counselors. But as I interviewed people and gathered data, I realized that people don’t want a counselor, they want a friend, which was how I came up with the concept of Buddi.

“Buddi is an app only available for college students and encourages emotional peer-to-peer therapy. For instance, if you wanted to share with someone ‘I’ve been in your situation before. This is how I handled it,’ or just provide extra comfort.

“Students can communicate with other students from different campuses or filter specific issues, whether it be alcohol or domestic abuse. It’s anonymous as well, and there is a live chat so that people who need help instantly can get it.

“Balancing my workload can be a challenge. I have internships, academics, and I run for the track and field team. So, I have been working at night in order to make time to prioritize the app, which will be launching in mid-October.

“What I want is to be part of something that could help people. The companies that I have interned for are really making a difference, whether it be through volunteering or changing the landscape of medical health. I think that’s what really drives me, it is being able to cater to someone else’s needs.”

Interviewed by Dan Offner

‘I’m just very grateful for the memories that I have growing up on the reservation.’

Riverhead

“I grew up on the Shinnecock reservation and went to Southampton High School. Since the reservation was basically in the middle of Southampton, we had a community in and outside of school. So that was cool! We had our own academic advisors that dealt with just Native kids to make the living situation and transitioning easier. I felt included growing up, being that my community was looked at and acknowledged in our town. And that’s different, you know, not everyone can say that.

“I remember one trip that I took in high school I will literally never forget. I went to Quebec and we did a bunch of different stuff. The last thing we did before we went back home to school was visit a native tribe. It was such an intimate experience for me because when a member of the tribe was telling their story, by the end of it, I was the only student there that wanted to cry. It was sad hearing the stories about how they only can use their land for commercial things, like getting money, and the profit doesn’t just go to them…it goes to Canada. So, they don’t get to really use the resources they have for their day-to-day stuff.

… there was so much taken away from Native Americans, for it to be 2021 and to still have even a little bit, you know, I’m grateful even for the little bit of whatever we have.

“My family — and everyone in our tribe — can live on the reservation. They can’t. It’s basically a show-and-tell place. They don’t have a tribe anymore because they’re distributed all over the place. It opened my mind about other natives outside of America. For me, to have federally recognized land to come back to that can’t be touched, that can’t be taken away from us, is a blessing. I’m just very grateful for the memories that I have growing up on the reservation, like bike riding with my friends until the lights came up, our community gatherings, learning how to clam with your feet, berry picking and all that type of stuff.

“Especially because there was so much taken away from Native Americans, for it to be 2021 and to still have even a little bit, you know, I’m grateful even for the little bit of whatever we have. It’s less than some and more than others, but it’s something we could work on and do better from what we have. I love that about my tribe and my culture in this small community.”

Interviewed by Jay Max

‘Starting later in life, I don’t feel I missed out. I’m a firm believer that everything happens in its time.’

Selden

“I was told I was singing in the stroller, so music has always been part of my life. My dad was a FDNY lieutenant, but also sang professionally, so there was always music in our house. I performed as a teen, but there was resistance against singing as a career. My family said, ‘you need to have something solid, you need to take civil service exams,’ and that having a pension and benefits was important. I did go to college but took the exams too, and the Nassau County Police Department was the job I chose, and I loved it. I started in the Fourth Precinct, then worked at District Court and retired as a Detective-Sergeant.

“While in law enforcement, I did manage artists and worked as a concert promoter. So, while I stayed in music, at that point I wasn’t center stage. I fell back on that dream for a while, but I was the Department Vocalist. I’d come out with the Color Guard, and I sang the National Anthem at Nassau Coliseum! It provided opportunities to do what I love, while doing what I loved.

In 2014, I recorded my first single. I thought ‘You only live once, let me give it a try,’ and it turned out to be a great first try, because the song ended up on the radio.

“In 2014, I recorded my first single. I thought ‘You only live once, let me give it a try,’ and it turned out to be a great first try, because the song ended up on the radio. I took it from there, while still working in law enforcement, doing both careers simultaneously. My supervisors were supportive, because I always did what I was supposed to be doing, so it was never an issue.

“Starting later in life, I don’t feel I missed out. I’m a firm believer that everything happens in its time. If I didn’t listen to my parents, I wouldn’t be where I am. When I was younger, sometimes I would wonder what if, but today I don’t. My evolution in life has made me better artistically. I haven’t performed live since before the pandemic, but I’m getting ready to do some shows.

“I only retired in April, so I was still an officer then. My former coworkers still check in, and let me know that I’m missed, which makes me feel good, that I did my job. It was time for me though, I’m big on not staying past your expiration date with anything in life. I’m grateful for having worked with the NCPD. I have no complaints. I loved it while I did it, and I love where I am. What can I complain about? Nothing.”

Interviewed by Ian J. Stark

‘I work with kids with special needs, and I’ll be honest, before working with them I was losing my love for the game.’

Hauppauge

“I’ve played baseball all my life, and many people helped me along the way, but my high school coach was probably the biggest help. Coach Bob Ambrosini showed me more than the ins and outs, but also how to get the most out of myself. He and other coaches would say you need to ‘give back to the game.’ When you’re a kid, you’re like, ‘What does that mean?’

“I got drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies, and I always enjoyed meeting fans. I’d sign every autograph, stayed after to talk, give kids broken bats. Sometimes the organization would send you places to do these things and one time when I was in Double-A, I got sent to this place in Pennsylvania, not knowing there was a kid there with special needs. I realized the kid, about 7-8 years old, often came to my games. He saw me and said, ‘It’s my birthday, could you come to my house?’ I thought, I’m off today, so I told him sure, and I went to his house to celebrate with his family. They cooked me dinner, we played wiffleball in the backyard, and I was there for a few hours at least. At the time, I didn’t think I was taking it to heart, but I know now I did. It was really gratifying.

With these kids, it’s just for the joy of the game. They really saved me, and I love it.

“Since leaving the professional game, I coach and also work with an organization that helps people with disabilities play baseball. I work with kids with special needs, and I’ll be honest, before working with them, I was losing my love for the game because in the standard baseball world, there’s an unrealistic thought process. Some players assume they’re heading for the major leagues and expect to be treated like stars.

“These kids, I love them and their families. After we play, the parents and kids are thanking and hugging me, but no one is saying ‘Am I batting first?’ or ‘You batted my son ninth, he’s better than that.’ With these kids, it’s just for the joy of the game. They really saved me, and I love it. I teach them the same way I would any kids, and we make jokes, we laugh, we dance. It’s amazing.

“One of my players recently won an award, and in his speech said ‘Thank you to coach for believing in me, and not just believing in me but always being there with your heart.’ I just started crying like crazy.

“I get it now. This is my way of giving back to the game.”

‘Since my husband and I have been together, we have largely been celebrated and accepted by both of our church’s communities.’

Rockville Centre

“My husband and I met on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, in Israel, which is an important place for Christians because it’s where Jesus lived most of his life. We were both leading pilgrimages from our respective churches, and they put us on the same bus. There was a connection, so God definitely has a sense of humor!

“Pilgrimage has been a large part of our ministries and our lives together. Our careers as rectors in different parishes are about sharing the faith with people and we get to do this in neat ways. I grew up in a Christian family, but I didn’t start going to church regularly until I was in college. It was when I was doing a summer term at Oxford when I fell in love with the Anglican tradition.

“I’ve worked in hospice and in hospitals; it has been rewarding work. You get to be with people during momentous times in their lives, and I never had to question whether what I did was worthwhile. Now I have been an Episcopal priest in Rockville Centre for nine years. Since my husband and I have been together, we have largely been celebrated and accepted by both of our church’s communities.

I never in a million years thought that I’d be celebrating the sacred rites of Holy Week and Easter in my dining room with just my husband and dog!

“When COVID hit, our situation was unique in that we’re both priests, married and living in the same home. A lot of clergy were scrambling when we went into the lockdown, wondering how we were going to continue to minister to our congregations. We set up a makeshift altar/television studio in our dining room, and immediately started filming masses. One week, he would say the Mass and I would preach, and then we would switch.

“We’d send the recording to both of our congregations. I never in a million years thought that I’d be celebrating the sacred rites of Holy Week and Easter in my dining room with just my husband and dog! It was a way to continue to give our congregations encouragement and hope when we couldn’t see any of them face-to-face.

“Worship is such a fundamental part of our lives; however, we rarely get to do it together because, on Sunday mornings, he’s at his church and I’m at mine, so that was great for us. Ultimately, I think there’s so much joy in our faith. It’s challenging sometimes to share that but getting to share it is a wonderful part of the job.”

Interviewed by Iris Wiener

‘When our founding families’ children were transitioning out of the school-based program and going into adulthood, they came to me and asked, what are you going to do for them as adults?’

East Hills

“When my first child, Jason, was around 10 months old, we noticed he wasn’t hitting developmental milestones. We were told he needed intensive behavioral interventions, which is synonymous with a diagnosis of an autism spectrum disorder. The research that was out there said the most effective treatment for autism was in applied behavior analysis.

“That started my journey to figure out how I would get the top people in the field to come and train me and my family. Then I said, ‘maybe there are other parents who might want this.’ We opened a nonprofit called ELIJA (Empowering Long Island’s Journey through Autism). We had 100 families participate in training with an expert in autism treatment.

“In 2006, there was a big push from a lot of the families I was working with to open a school, because there was no school that provided this level of intensive training. We opened in about eight, nine months. We started with five students and had five founding families who fronted the tuition so we could get a program started. Now we have 32 students. When our founding families’ children were transitioning out of the school-based program and going into adulthood, they asked, “What are you going to do for them as adults?” I partnered with a few experts in the field of adult services, and we developed an adult program called ELIJA Transitional Programs and Services.

We opened a nonprofit called ELIJA (Empowering Long Island’s Journey through Autism). We had 100 families participate in training with an expert in autism treatment.

“Simultaneously, friends of mine who had a 10-acre farm in Huntington solicited us to purchase the property to create a farm-based program for people with disabilities. We closed on the property in December 2017. The farm now operates a hundred-person community-supported agriculture program that offers a membership for people to have organic produce delivered to them weekly, or they pick it up. The farm is operated by a team of skilled farmers, as well as adults with autism or other disabilities, and volunteers.

“We’re also working on an inclusive housing initiative for adults with autism. My son, Jason, is now 23, lives independently, and is attending Long Island University and doing deliveries for the farm. He’s the poster child of how wonderful it is to be able to live independently and be successful.”

‘When our founding families’ children were transitioning out of the school-based program and going into adulthood, they came to me and asked, what are you going to do for them as adults?’

East Hills

“When my first child, Jason, was around 10 months old, we noticed he wasn’t hitting developmental milestones. We were told he needed intensive behavioral interventions, which is synonymous with a diagnosis of an autism spectrum disorder. The research that was out there said the most effective treatment for autism was in applied behavior analysis.

“That started my journey to figure out how I would get the top people in the field to come and train me and my family. Then I said, ‘maybe there are other parents who might want this.’ We opened a nonprofit called ELIJA (Empowering Long Island’s Journey through Autism). We had 100 families participate in training with an expert in autism treatment.

“In 2006, there was a big push from a lot of the families I was working with to open a school, because there was no school that provided this level of intensive training. We opened in about eight, nine months. We started with five students and had five founding families who fronted the tuition so we could get a program started. Now we have 32 students. When our founding families’ children were transitioning out of the school-based program and going into adulthood, they asked, “What are you going to do for them as adults?” I partnered with a few experts in the field of adult services, and we developed an adult program called ELIJA Transitional Programs and Services.

We opened a nonprofit called ELIJA (Empowering Long Island’s Journey through Autism). We had 100 families participate in training with an expert in autism treatment.

“Simultaneously, friends of mine who had a 10-acre farm in Huntington solicited us to purchase the property to create a farm-based program for people with disabilities. We closed on the property in December 2017. The farm now operates a hundred-person community-supported agriculture program that offers a membership for people to have organic produce delivered to them weekly, or they pick it up. The farm is operated by a team of skilled farmers, as well as adults with autism or other disabilities, and volunteers.

“We’re also working on an inclusive housing initiative for adults with autism. My son, Jason, is now 23, lives independently, and is attending Long Island University and doing deliveries for the farm. He’s the poster child of how wonderful it is to be able to live independently and be successful.”

‘Sometimes moving to a new area and interacting with an environment you’re not familiar with can be difficult.’

Hicksville

“I started out in a small town called Petoskey, Mich. It’s way up north, just south of Canada. I was 22 years old when I decided I wanted to serve my country. I wanted to travel the world. I wanted to experience what the army had to offer, and I wanted to go back to school. I first got to Long Island in January. I am active duty.

“My first duty station was at the Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, in Anchorage, AL. It’s a little cold, but that’s expected. The summers there were beautiful, 24-hour daylight for one half of the year and then 24-hour darkness for the other half. I moved to South Carolina after four years in Alaska and then I went to Central America for almost a year.

“While I was stationed there, we deployed to Honduras and did a humanitarian mission down there. We built schools and houses. It was cool. Everyone’s career path is different in the army. I was selected to be a recruiter after a certain number of years. You don’t really get to pick where you go. Sometimes moving to a new area and interacting with an environment you’re not familiar with can be difficult. But once you start getting to know people in the community it becomes much easier.

The army is so full of diversity and different cultures. We each come from different backgrounds and we’re all part of a team.

“It’s all about breaking the ice. We talk to high schoolers, college students, and anyone under 35 years old who is interested in joining and try to pitch our jobs to younger individuals by offering free college and free health care. The army is so full of diversity and different cultures. We each come from different backgrounds and we’re all part of a team. We just want to express that we’re just a bunch of normal people doing our job and we just want to interact with the community. I went to college before I joined the army and I have a two-year culinary arts degree.

“I used to want to be a chef, but I found that I really didn’t enjoy it anymore. I’m not in school at the moment, but I plan to go back to school for a degree in physical therapy or nursing. I’m not sure which one yet. I have a 2-year-old daughter named Scarlett, who will be turning three in December. My daughter is what’s most important to me. One of the reasons I am in the military is to provide for my family.”

Interviewed by Dan Offner