‘I used to put pictures up on a cork board during Fashion Week because I wanted to work it. Now, I’ve done over 20 seasons of Fashion Week.’

Bellport

“I’ve been a makeup artist for almost 20 years. I didn’t think I was going to end up in the makeup industry, but I fell in love with it. I actually wasn’t allowed to wear makeup when I was younger. I would hide this glossy lipstick in my school locker and put it on when I got to school. Before I went home, I made sure to wipe it off.

“I became really interested in makeup once I got to college, and then I always ended up doing makeup on friends and family. I came back to Long Island after graduating college and got a job at a makeup counter at a local mall. Then, I got a full-time position not related to makeup. I was working seven days a week – my full-time position and makeup on the side. I was freelancing with clients and then ended up getting my master’s in art therapy.

“At night and on weekends, I would build my portfolio by working with private clients and bridal, as well as freelancing for MAC [Cosmetics]. Somehow, I was able to do everything. I loved it, so I didn’t mind. Eventually, an agency approached me. I had to make a decision if I was going to leave the cushy 9-to-5 and go fully into the freelance world. I chose freelance, and I never looked back. It was one of the scariest decisions I made, but I have been able to do so much within the makeup industry.

“Fast forward, and I’m now in a union and have worked with so many people and in various departments, like film and television. Makeup has always called to me. I used to put pictures up on a cork board during Fashion Week because I wanted to work it. Now, I’ve done over 20 seasons of Fashion Week. It’s been wild. You never know who’s going to sit in your chair. Makeup is so much more than just products. It’s not just lipstick or mascara. Every artist is different, but my focus is with my clients. I want to know what they love about themselves and to help pull those features out. If they’re in front of a camera especially, then they want to feel comfortable and feel like the best versions of themselves. I’ve had celebrities and models tell me parts of themselves that they don’t like, so I talk them through the makeup process and help make them feel as powerful and beautiful as they really are.”

The only thing that got me out of bed was my job of being a makeup artist.

“About 10 years ago, I went through a really bad breakup. I had been with the person for almost six years. I thought we were going to get married. The breakup came out of nowhere. I was devastated. I didn’t want to leave my apartment. I didn’t want to go anywhere. The only thing that got me out of bed was my job of being a makeup artist. Applying makeup on others and seeing how it transformed them and brought out the best versions of them was inspirational. I knew there was a power in makeup. It’s literally our form of art. It’s our outlet and how we express ourselves.

“I was doing a lot of sleeping at that time. Looking back, I was depressed. I woke up and had a random saying in my head: ‘Love raised me, lipstick saved me.’ I had no idea where it came from, but it was the beginning of my brand, Breakups to Makeup, which are beauty accessories with quotes on them. The whole premise behind my brand is to spread empowerment and inspiration to others who are in a dark palace. The quotes are fun and quirky and really describe what I was going through at that time. I thought of the makeup clutches because I wanted something a bit different. At the time, Instagram only let you post square images and I wanted my product and content to fit into that square.

“As a makeup artist, we always use clear bags so we can easily see our makeup. I wanted to create a clear bag that was cuter than a Ziploc one and deep enough to fit a lot of products, but in a fun way. I started with these makeup clutches, and now there’s apparel, too. We’ve been in Walmart, QVC, Sephora. I’ve expanded the brand and have educational courses and a podcast now. My goal is to really talk about life and to show others they are not alone. There’s a community that can relate to what you’re going through. Makeup is all that to me.

“It’s been amazing, and this all started from a breakup. I felt so alone. Even though I had my friends to hang out with, as soon as I got home and into bed, that’s when I felt very lonely. I want to make sure that others know they are not alone, and I want to help them in the best way I know how – with makeup.”

‘I view everything like an arm-wrestling match.’

Deer Park

“I was trying to teach my son how to ride his bicycle around the time COVID happened. He was a very active kid, and I was very much overweight. I was 270 pounds and couldn’t keep up with him. I was almost passing out from exhaustion. I would run probably 10-15 feet and not be able to keep going.

“It got to the point where my son said, ‘Dad, we could do this when you’re feeling better.’ That was it. That was what lit the fire under me and motivated me to try and be a better version of myself for him.

“I lost over 110 pounds in about a year and a half. I was able to do it by eating right, lots of exercise, and finding what worked for me, both my personal body type and mentality. Not all diets work for everybody. It was trial and error until I found what kept the weight off.

Restoring and recovering people’s bodies from their busy, stressful lives is something I’ve taken a lot of joy out of.

“I didn’t want to be skinny though; I wanted to be strong. I first got into arm wrestling at a renaissance fair back in 2019, when a friend of mine saw me and said, ‘Hey, you’re strong for no good reason. Let’s get you on the arm-wrestling table.’ I said, ‘Sure. Why not?’ and came in second place without any training.

“I’ve been doing it for about a year and a half, and now I am competing at a pro level. It is an underground sport still, but I am hoping I can help bring it into the limelight. I would love to see it become an Olympic sport.

“Arm wrestling has become a deciding force in my life. I view everything like a match. The slightest adjustment in your wrist can change the entire outcome of the match, just like the slightest adjustment of your perspective in life changes your entire day. You can start your day on a positive note or a negative note. You just choose how you want to perceive it. It’s hard to stay healthy, but it’s also hard to be unhealthy.

“I have also been a licensed massage therapist for the past 10 years. Restoring and recovering people’s bodies from their busy, stressful lives is something I’ve taken a lot of joy out of. I also utilize a lot of services to help restore myself to the highest peak level I can. I use cryotherapy, a hyperbaric oxygen chamber and compression therapy. All of these different types of things can help your body do more of what you’re asking it to do.”

Interviewed by Dan Offner

‘Life can change in the blink of an eye.’

Coram

“As a social worker, I’m trained to help other people. But as a person living with an extremely rare form of eye cancer, I’ve also found myself reaching out for help. It shows how life can change in the blink of an eye.

“A little over 20 years ago, when computer usage was becoming more frequent, I decided to visit the local Costco optometrist. I left the appointment in shock. She’d told me to see an ophthalmologist right away to rule out a tumor. A retina specialist subsequently diagnosed me with a nevus, or freckle, at the back of my left eye. I had laser surgery, followed up by monitoring every six months in case it became cancerous.

“In 2006, a routine exam revealed the freckle had grown. I was diagnosed with ocular melanoma, a deadly cancer diagnosed in only about 2,000 people per year in the U.S. The median age for this disease is 55; I was only 40. I had two complicated surgical procedures in which radiation seeds are placed over the tumor, which shrinks but never really disappears, so I’m still monitored every six months.

I’ve formed friendships like no others I’ve ever experienced, and also lost dear friends that have passed away.

“In over 40 percent of those diagnosed, it metastasizes within 10 years. Fifteen years later, I am still here, beating the odds. It helped that my doctor, who started the Eye Cancer Foundation and its online support group, connected me with someone who had been through the same diagnosis and treatment. I serve on the foundation’s board of directors; I’m involved with developing a tri-state area support network and have been on the patient steering committee for the Community United for Research and Education of Ocular Melanoma.

“Although there is no cure, there is a community that comes together online and in person via annual patient symposiums, 5Ks and luncheons. I’ve formed friendships like no others I’ve ever experienced, and also lost dear friends that have passed away. With ocular melanoma, I’ll have scanning and monitoring for the rest of my life; you’re never in the clear. I don’t know why I’m still here and others are not. I do know that I will never stop educating others, raising funds for research and urging everyone to get an annual comprehensive dilated eye exam by an ophthalmologist.”

‘I look at life like, “What’s the point of being here if we don’t make an impact on the world?”’

Freeport

“When I was like 16-17, there was a guy who used to sleep under a bridge in a park near my house in Freeport. He was the first homeless person I ever met. We’d buy him food and talk to him. He was a normal everyday guy who was just going through some tough times. He was the start of the inspiration that led me to help the homeless today.

“Back when I was 19, me and my buddy saw this lady on my aunt’s block carrying stuff. She asked if we could help her, and she ended up giving us some things I thought I’d sell at a yard sale. That led us to start doing free junk-removal jobs so we could do yard sales, but then we realized, ‘Hey, people charge money to do this.’ I also realized it could help start a thrift shop and help me help the homeless.

“Some jobs, maybe where unfortunately someone has passed away, we’ll find things that we can sell. We offer those customers a discount, as we charge based on what’s being cleaned up. If I see maybe clothing or furniture, I’ll say, ‘Hey we can recycle or resell a lot of this.’ But if I find, say, a nice winter coat, I’d rather donate that than have it sit in the thrift store and sell for 5-10 bucks. We do sell some of the designer clothing we come across, but that mostly goes to gas and things like that. We’ll hand out some clothing to people on the street, donate books to libraries, and work with groups that can distribute stuff to people in need.

Even if I don’t end up making a big impact, maybe I can be that push someone needs to get their life started.

“Among other things we’re also donating toward is a global organization that digs wells, and as I’m a volunteer firefighter, we’re working with another fire department and their clothing drive to get clothes to the survivors of that horrible Bronx fire that happened in January. The money we donate comes from both junk removal and our thrift store. We’ve also filed to become a 501(c)(3) nonprofit focused on the homeless on Long Island, but right now we’re just donating from the money we make.

“I look at life like, ‘What’s the point of being here if we don’t make an impact on the world? Even a small impact.’ I want to do something game-changing, but even if I don’t end up making a big impact, maybe I can be that push someone needs to get their life started, and I’m fine with that.”

‘We fit like a puzzle piece together. If I’m making dough, she’s stuffing. If I’m wrapping, she’s packing up.’

Woodbury

“When we were younger, we would always bake together. She would stay over my house and wake up in the middle of the night and ask to bake. She’s married to my brother now, and I’ve known her since I was 14, so we’re practically sisters.

“We always joked about opening a bakery together, but we never thought it would actually happen. I had this cookie recipe I was working on, and she said, ‘Everyone loves your cookies, so let’s start a cookie business.’

“During the pandemic, we finally did it. We baked out of our houses. We thought just our friends and family would enjoy it, and that would be it. We made an Instagram and suddenly, our social media blew up. People all over Long Island were reaching out, so we packed up the car and delivered cookies across the Island.

“We’re very empowered by female-run companies, and so we reached out to Kris Jenner. Us, just two girls from Long Island, opened our own business and thought, ‘Who’s a better role model than Kris Jenner?’ We sent her some cookies and saw that she posted them on Twitter. It was amazing. This was meant for us.

“It’s so empowering to own our own business and be our own boss. We were both mainly raised by strong women. In cooking and bakeries, it’s usually male-dominated, so showing other women, especially younger women, that this is possible is so important to us. It’s a family business.

“We are very grateful for our families because they really help a lot; it definitely takes a village. It’s a blessing to work with each other. We’ve been best friends since forever. There are times when we can be in the kitchen for 8-10 hours, and if something goes wrong, we’ll yell at each other, but then we keep going.

“We’re basically sisters. We fit like a puzzle piece together. If I’m making dough, she’s stuffing. If I’m wrapping, she’s packing up. The first time we ever went to our commercial kitchen, we turned the industrial mixer on and there was a flour explosion. The entire kitchen was white – it looked like it snowed. I was covered. We looked at each other and just laughed. It was hysterical. That is one of the best memories I have of us working together. We always smell like cookies.

We’re not doctors, we’re not nurses, so we wanted to make people happy by baking, and it’s something we love.

“This was meant for us. This was during a time when everyone was scared to be near each other. Everyone was so distant, and we missed our friends and family. Our basis, our roots for this, was making people smile when it was hard to be humans and be interactive and social.

“We always tried to give back during all of this, even with food bloggers, we just wanted to give back. If anybody we knew was sick, we would drop cookies at their house or we donated to hospitals.

“Cookies gave people comfort and made them feel better, and that was a very big drive for us. We’re not doctors, we’re not nurses, so we wanted to make people happy by baking, and it’s something we love.

“We love working with organizations, especially ones on Long Island, since we’re both originally from Plainview, and these are our roots. We grew up here. We have worked with a list of organizations already, and to just name a few, Jewish Pavilion, Shalom at Home, Cookie Chain, Cookies for Kids’ Cancer, Better Together.”

‘It came to a point where I would never truly feel OK with myself if I didn’t take a chance to go all in on my music and see what could happen.’

Huntington

“I went to school at Temple University, where I studied advertising, specifically copywriting, which is basically writing headlines on billboards and scripts for TV commercials. I really felt like I found a niche in college, and I was enjoying it. I got to express myself creatively, something I always wanted to do.

“I graduated in 2020, right at the start of the pandemic, and started working full time four days later. I’ve been working remotely for the past 18 to 20 months, but over that time I did a lot of soul-searching and wondered what I wanted to do with my life. I wasn’t really getting the fulfillment that I thought I would from my day job.

“Music was something I had always created on the side, but it wasn’t something I always wanted to pursue. It seemed like one of those unattainable goals. Like, it is not really realistic; at least that is what people tell you.

I really felt like I found a niche in college, and I was enjoying it. I got to express myself creatively, something I always wanted to do.

“It came to a point where I would never truly feel OK with myself if I didn’t take a chance to go all in on my music and see what could happen. I started to take it seriously last summer and recorded a bunch of songs in my home studio.

“Somehow, one of my favorite rappers that I grew up listening to, The Game, responded to a message I sent him asking for a feature on one of my songs. He said he was looking for independent artists to work with, so I sent him some of my music. He really liked it, and was like, ‘All right. I’m gonna hop on,’ and he sent me a verse for one of my songs.

“It got a lot of traction when it first came out in December. It’s at about 250,000 streams across Spotify and Apple Music. That has been a really cool jump start for me and my career because it gives me instant credibility. People who have never heard of me were like, ‘Oh this kid, JaySix, has a song with The Game? He must be doing something.’

“It was something I always felt I had the ability to do, but there was always this mystique about being a rapper. The more I learned about it, the more I began to understand that this is a business like anything else, and there are certain steps you got to take.

“So far, I’ve gotten off to a good start, which I am really thankful for, but I’ve got whole lot more work to put in.”

‘Doing community theater, I always know there are people who I can go back to. With them, it’s OK to be too much.’

Glen Head

“I’ve been on a stage since I was 3 years old. I was never the most talented person in the room, but I was always the one who worked the hardest. I realized how much I wanted to be on a stage because you couldn’t take me off. And I think that has a lot to do with being an only child.

“My parents lost their first baby, and they hoped and prayed, and then I showed up. So, I was always showered with attention because, by their definition, I wasn’t supposed to be here. I think that made me want to be in the center of things all the time. And as my personality developed, I was always told that I was too much, that I needed to calm down and was too intense. But one thing that it did lead to was in fourth grade, when we did our first real full-length play at school.

“It was Cinderella. And I wanted to be Cinderella … because what 8-year-old doesn’t want to be the ingenue? But my drama teacher, who I love dearly, had me play one of the stepsisters. That’s when I kind of discovered that being too much was the thing that was going to get me different parts, because not everybody could do that.

And there I was in my wheelchair with my friend pushing me across the stage!

“As time went on, I did children’s theater at the JCC. Even though I wasn’t Jewish, they welcomed everybody. I found friends there when I was bullied at school. Middle school sucks for everybody, but through my whole high school experience, I was bullied.

“The summer before my senior year, I played Rizzo in ‘Grease.’ I kept my Pink Ladies jacket because I just never wanted it to end. And I know everyone makes fun of ‘Grease,’ but it’s still one of my favorite shows because of what embodying Rizzo gave me. There was no feeling like it.

“In 2015, I broke my leg in two places and have metal rods and screws in my left leg. Everyone said, ‘It’s all right if you skip the show this summer.’ And I said, ‘No, I am gonna make it work.’ And there I was in my wheelchair with my friend pushing me across the stage!

“We figured out a way for me to be in the show because I didn’t want to not be part of it. Doing community theater, I always know there are people who I can go back to. With them, it’s OK to be too much. I credit them with giving me the power to be more of myself.”

‘I had a vision of my grandfather over my bed saying, “Wake up.” I remember getting up and running outside and having a panic attack.’

Oyster Bay

“The first club I ever went to was on Long Island. I met a couple of friends who were promoters that started to rent out nightclubs. That’s how I was able to DJ. After 9/11, things changed so drastically in nightlife; nobody wanted to go to the city anymore.

“Around then, one night I saw Emeril Lagasse go ‘Bam!’ on TV. It made me realize how I could connect and lead people instead of DJing — by feeding them — and both my grandfathers were chefs. I’m named after my grandfather who was a chef.

“I went to the French Culinary Institute, which is hands down the most legendary culinary school in the world. I was able to learn from one of the greatest French chefs in the world, Jacques Pépin. He taught us a lot when it came to the journey of food.

“After school, I realized that I can’t be a chef. It’s very hard work. It’s very brutal. I got into a dark place until I had an epiphany. On a cold winter day, something came over to me, and it was a vision of my grandfather over my bed saying, ‘Wake up.’ He was like, ‘Get up, do something.’ I remember getting up and running outside and having a panic attack.

I want the world to believe in themselves.

“Lo and behold, something in my mind said, ‘Do sauces. Do your sauces and sell them, and do farmers markets.’ Once I figured that out, it was boom, boom, boom. I met someone who taught me how to make hummus, and it transitioned to making hummuses.

“We built it up. There were a lot of trials and tribulations. There were times that I went broke, but that’s what makes you a better man, I have come to realize. Then I was able to get to the bigger farmers markets on Long Island. Once I got into the Hamptons and Montauk, I met the right people. I learned about organic cooking.

“I applied to my licenses with the Department of Agriculture to be in the food-processing business. I got approved on the anniversary of my grandfather’s death. To me, that’s when who I am now was born.

“I feel that like my grandfather could have done a lot with his career in his life with being a chef, but he didn’t. I could’ve worked at a restaurant, but I took this road into the unknown.

“I want the world to believe in themselves. I want everyone to feel like beautiful stars. I always say, ‘The worst day of your life could be the best day of your life.’”

‘I didn’t have anything. How could I even talk to a psychologist or therapist without insurance? They turned me away.’

Baldwin

“I was a very angry teenager. I was a magnet for fights and being in the wrong environments and choosing the wrong things. I was always really good at school and even skipped a grade and was put into a special program, but then I started to skip classes and started self-sabotaging. I spiraled into a realm of darkness, and in my last year of college, I got pregnant with my daughter. I didn’t have a job at that time. I didn’t have insurance. I didn’t have anything. How could I even talk to a psychologist or therapist without insurance? I was on the subway coming back from school; I was in such a dark place that I made that call to the psychologist. They turned me away. That phone call was so detrimental because I couldn’t see a way out, and I just wanted help. I even called a suicide hotline, and guess what: I was put on hold.

“Everything was catching up to me. On the outside, I was always smiling and laughing. I seemed like such a happy person. My friends called me ‘Giggles,’ but deep down, it was such a tough pain – it became a physical pain. Only after I made myself a better person and faced my darkness did the smiles and laughter become real. I decided to try and help myself in any way I could. I went to the library and got self-help books and tried self-diagnosing myself. I was going to college for psychology, so I tried applying the things I was learning to myself.

“Mental health is so important, and I realized that I was hiding from what happened. I never faced the darkness. The darkest part of my life was from 5 years to 8 years old, I was sexually molested multiple times. I kept the guilt and didn’t say anything because I was told not to. I was told I would get in trouble if I spoke up. It followed me and I carried that with me. I was angry. I was an angry teenager at my parents because I felt like they should have done a better job to protect me. My daughter took me out of the darkness. Once I understood what happened to me, I wanted to make sure that never happens with her. That was the biggest turning point for me. I needed to be a better person for her so she could have a good role model. I had to be the strength that she needed. She saved me.

I want people to never give up on their dreams. It is possible. You have the ability to fly, just by different means. Maybe you can’t be Superman, but you can be a pilot.

“Eventually, after having my daughter and getting insurance, I was able to find a therapist. I still have moments, but they’re not so dark anymore. Now I realize I’m allowed to have a bad moment because I’m human. Knowing how to get out of that moment and situation is so important. If what happened to me didn’t happen, then I wouldn’t be equipped with the knowledge that I have now to share with not only my daughter, but everyone. Life happens for you, not to you.

“Since then, I have been doing as much as I can to try and help others. I wrote a children’s book called ‘Superhero Within Me.’ My daughter, Isabella, had such a large part in this story and truly inspired it. She would ask me to read bedtime stories, and then I started making up my own, but I incorporated this one superhero that she would pretend to be with my niece. She would ask me to keep telling her the same story, so I started writing it down until it turned into a book. I couldn’t find an illustrator that I connected with and as my daughter got older. I realized she loved drawing, so she ended up illustrating the entire book. She was so passionate about it, and it was a great bonding experience for us.

“The book is about the abilities we have within ourselves. It follows a character that my daughter created and used to pretend to be. The character, Uni, has a passion for being a superhero and eventually becomes an FBI agent. I want people to never give up on their dreams. It is possible. You have the ability to fly, just by different means. Maybe you can’t be Superman, but you can be a pilot. I really hope people don’t ever give up on their dreams. Even as adults, we all have that little child within ourselves and those passions we’ve carried. We should never give up on things we enjoy, like dancing or singing, or anything that makes us happy and gives us joy. We need to hold on to that. The combination of being a mom and finding something that I loved, photography, has helped me along the way.

There is always hope and a gleam of light. When you find it, hold on to it because it gets a little bit brighter the more you focus on it.

“I have nieces and nephews who come to me when they need to talk, and I love making other people happy. If I can make someone happy or change their life, then that’s literally priceless. Whenever someone talks to me about their problems, I know I was put there at that moment for a reason – to be that person that I didn’t have when I needed it. I want to be that hope for someone else. The first thing I did after healing is that I called the suicide hotline again. This time, I volunteered with them. Having those kinds of conversations with people who needed my help was my way of giving back and to not hold it against the hotline. I understood why they weren’t there for me and why they couldn’t answer my call – they didn’t have enough volunteers.

“It’s just a broken system, not enough people to help. And if you are able to find help, if you don’t have insurance, you can’t get it. I recently created GoSinergy, which is a place where students can get mentored and get direction on their life and career goals. It focuses on academics, but it’s also just a place for them to talk about anything they want with a mentor. I want them to provide a safe space to help guide students.

“About a year ago, I had to explain to my daughter why I didn’t want her sleeping over at people’s houses. I am very protective of Isabella, and I do let her hang out with her friends, but I don’t allow sleepovers. I didn’t tell her my full story, but I wanted her to be aware that bad things can happen. She’s still young, but it’s important to have open conversations and I hope parents take that from my story.

“I want kids to know that if something bad ever happens, that it is never their fault, and they are never in the wrong. I hope people know that everything is momentary. I don’t want anyone who is going through a tough situation to think, ‘This is the end.’ There is always hope and a gleam of light. When you find it, hold on to it because it gets a little bit brighter the more you focus on it. My daughter is what pulled me through. Everything that I needed when I was younger, I put into the person I am today to be that for my daughter.”

‘I tell my students all the time: There are 24 hours in the day. You can have your main job and can also make money in things you’re passionate about.’

Brentwood

“I wasn’t anticipating being part of a school district after I graduated. I had no interest in being a teacher, but it kind of fell in my lap because I have a passion for sports. I became a coach first, and then they asked if I was interested in becoming a substitute teacher, and so I winged it. I wasn’t really interested, but then I fell in love with it.

“Living in New York, you’re more than likely going to need more than one source of income. I tell my students all the time: There are 24 hours in the day. You can have your main job and can also make money in things you’re passionate about. You can have multiple passions and become lucrative. You don’t have to be boxed into something you think society wants you to do.

“I also run a multidisciplinary media business, and, basically, I do photography, I do videography, and it’s mainly in the entertainment space. I’ve been lucky enough to work with some of the biggest musicians in the country.

Anything you do, just do it big.

“Yams Day was when my work started to be featured on Complex and TMZ and a whole bunch of outlets that I had no idea even saw my work, let alone posted it, until the next day. It kind of blew me up.

“I gotta be honest, I snuck into [Yams Day]. I didn’t have access to a certain point, and I saw a friend of mine named ItsBizkit, one of the biggest bloggers in the industry. He had a guest pass with A$AP Rocky and said, ‘I’ll bring you with me.’ He gave me his plus-one, and from there I was able to get some pretty cool content.

“Before you know it, I started to work with acts like Dave East. I gained a lot of following on Instagram, and it allowed me to hit the ground running. I’ve been booked steadily since then. It changed my life.

“I recently came out with a book, which has a lot of my favorite images, because I wanted to put something out there that is tangible, something that people can look at 50 years from now and say, ‘Wow, this is what was going on in New York entertainment and culture at that time.’ It’s a time stamp.

“Everything colossal stems from that mindset. Anything you do, just do it big. Whatever your occupation, really take it and make it your own and build it into something bigger than you could even imagine it being.”

Interviewed by Dan Offner