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 excelled at math from a young age, and so I knew that I was going to be a mathematician.’

Cutchogue

“I was always good with numbers and I loved formulas. I like how precise math is; there is no interpretation or gray area. I excelled at math from a young age, and so I knew that I was going to be a mathematician. What I didn’t expect was that I would end up helping mankind’s journey to the moon!

“I earned undergraduate and master’s degrees in mathematics at St. John’s University. In 1965, when I was 22, I was hired by Sperry Gyroscope as an applied mathematician to develop software for the Polaris submarine’s ballistic missile guidance systems. Then in 1967, I was hired by Grumman Aerospace, and I developed software for the Apollo 11 moon mission’s Lunar Excursion Module [LEM].

People here are good people trying to do the right things.

“I learned a tremendous amount from my time with that project, and I met the most interesting people. I remember driving to work on the morning of the moon landing, and the LEM’s landing was being counted down on the radio. I was sitting in my car wishing for everything to go well, and I was so relieved when I heard it had landed safely! This was in 1969, and the odds were so against a successful mission; the potential for something to go wrong was enormous.

“The detail and complexity of that project was astounding, and its success is a testament to the team’s expertise. I was inducted into the Cradle of Aviation and Aerospace Museum Honor Roll in 1995 for my contribution to the mission. I then worked on Wall Street for 35 years as a senior IT executive. I designed and implemented the first real-time stock trading system in the world for Citicorp’s Citibank. I have been inventing for the last 20 years with multiple patents awarded; the Twist Lock Grommet has been my biggest success.

“I look back on my experience at Sperry and Grumman and feel so fortunate that I had the opportunity to work on two of the hottest projects at that time, especially at the very start of my career. My wife, Pat, and I love Long Island and appreciate all that it offers. It has given us and our three daughters a good life. People here are good people trying to do the right things. It has been decades past, but as I recall, all the people at Sperry and Grumman lived on L.I. and loved the lifestyle as well.”

Interviewed by Meagan Meehan

‘As strong as I was for my three little girls at the time, inside I was breaking.’

Margaret Staib, Greenlawn

“Seventeen years ago, I found a small bald spot at the nape of my neck. Then another one developed right near it and merged into one softball-sized bald spot. My hair was falling out slowly like tinsel.

“After a dermatologist diagnosed it as alopecia, I dove into research. My sister-in-law had recently gone through breast cancer, and what was really supportive to her was a breast cancer support group.

“After years of getting steroid shots, experimental treatments and going back and forth to the city, I finally said enough: It’s an autoimmune disease, and presently there is no cure. I decided to stop the medical route because nothing was working and went for the emotional support route. I asked my dermatologist why there wasn’t a support group here on Long Island. He said, ‘You have to have a medical advisor in order to start one, so if you would like me to be your medical advisor, I’ll support you, and you could start one.’

I knew if I was breaking, there were other people on Long Island who were breaking. So, I started the group, and wow, what a difference.

“Alopecia can happen sometimes when a tragic life event triggers your immune system. My dad had been in the hospital for a month, and they couldn’t figure out what was wrong with him. He couldn’t take it anymore, and he ripped his own trach tube on New Year’s Day and died.

“February is when I found my first spot. I craved to be around other people who understood what I was going through. As strong as I was for my three little girls at the time, inside I was breaking. I knew if I was breaking, there were other people on Long Island who were breaking. So, I started the group, and wow, what a difference. It’s like anything that you’re going through in life, and you meet somebody else who can commiserate; it’s life changing.

“All these people found out about the group through word of mouth. Two of the girls who started in the group as teenagers are now married, and one has a baby. The group is free, and we meet in a small room at Harborfields library in Greenlawn.

“What still gets me is, there are so many dermatologists on Long Island who treat alopecia and don’t tell anybody about the support group. I’ve only ever had one person referred by a doctor’s office. She was crying and the nurse came up and whispered to her, ‘There’s this support group on Long Island.’ That’s how she found me.”

Interviewed by Hannah Fusaro

‘When you meet someone with albinism, don’t underestimate what they can achieve.’

Massapequa

“I was born with albinism, and my parents encouraged me to not let my limited vision stop me from trying new things. I started taking art classes at The Tiny Artist Children’s Arts Studio. I loved hand-making paintings and giving them away as gifts. Making art is a great tool of communication for me because it helps me express what I’m seeing. I also take photos for inspiration, and zooming into those images has helped me gain an understanding of detail that I normally don’t see. Many people don’t realize that most people with albinism are legally blind or have some kind of vision impairment.

“While this can create challenges, I do not view having albinism as a negative thing, rather a positive; it is a part of who I am, but it does not define me. When you meet someone with albinism, don’t underestimate what they can achieve. Growing up, I had a very strong sense of community. I went boating with my family and played outside with my friends. I was in middle school when Superstorm Sandy hit, and my house was flooded. Everyone in the neighborhood came together to support each other.

I am excited to continue growing as an artist and individual with my family and friends around me.

“When I was in college, my neighbor told me about Splashes of Hope, a nonprofit organization that creates art for hospitals. I became their volunteer coordinator, and I love it because it allows me to honor my love for art and community all at once. I am also a Junior Advisory Council member for the National Organization for Albinism and Hypopigmentation, where I advocate for people in the albinism community. Throughout college, I was also a MassArt volunteer opportunities coordinator and the pioneer and lead peer mentor for MassArt MAICEI, a program which allows students labeled as having severe intellectual disabilities to take part in the college experience.

“I would like to be an art teacher one day, but I don’t have any very specific goals right now. I am just figuring things out and leaving the door open to see where life leads me. I am excited to continue growing as an artist and individual with my family and friends around me.”

‘I like focusing on raising awareness of the benefits of arm-wrestling for youths, especially those who come from troubled backgrounds.’

Wyandanch

“I was a mess during the pandemic and was so ashamed that I tried to keep my emotions bottled up, which was unhealthy. My work was a healthy distraction. I am the founder of the Urban Arm-Wrestling League that sponsors tournaments and promotes the sport.

“In 2020, I battled COVID, anxiety, and depression. In the past, seeking therapy or admitting that you suffered from mental illness was perceived as a weakness. Society has to erase that stereotype and embrace counseling. Therapy helped me, but I can honestly say that arm-wrestling saved my life during those hard times.

Anyone can learn to arm-wrestle and I want to help provide opportunities for men and women to nurture their skills.

“I started out as a kid in the 1980s watching movies like “Over the Top” and now, because of arm-wrestling, I have been featured on “The Today Show.” I established a photography program for Wyandanch High School students. The photography program and arm-wrestling initiatives have expanded to other parts of the United States and even to Ghana, Africa!

“Arm-wrestling builds up your confidence and provides a community of lifelong friends. Arm-wrestling is already part of the Mister Olympia competition, so we are advocating for it to become a recognized Olympic sport. I like focusing on raising awareness about the benefits of arm-wrestling for youths, especially those who come from troubled backgrounds because this is a great way to release pent-up energy in a positive way.

“Anyone can learn to arm-wrestle and I want to help provide opportunities for men and women to nurture their skills. My story can be an example to others to never give up on yourself, fight through the pain, and find something that you are passionate about to help you heal. Get help if you have to and surround yourself with people that genuinely love you; that’s the best advice that I can offer.”

Interviewed by Meagan Meehan

‘It’s changed me to see that there’s progress, even through some very dark times for East End Latino immigrants.’

Sag Harbor

“I majored in theater at NYU, and after graduating started a nonprofit theater company with my then-husband. I was always interested in combining theater and social justice work, so we produced plays about race, immigration and other social issues. I feel like that landed me in a great place to work with OLA of Eastern Long Island [Organización Latino Americana] because as you bring your different experiences to bear, you develop great empathy.

“After moving to the East End, I noticed the tremendous anti-immigrant diatribe from the former county executive, which shocked me. So I started reaching out to see who was working with Latinos out here.

“I began volunteering for OLA in 2007, and then I accepted a position at the Retreat [ an East End shelter], where I focused on domestic violence for six years. I started meeting all these really amazing advocates and got connected, finding a place for my energy.

“I was always interested in what we can be doing to move the dial forward and to have really honest, brave conversations. Then in February 2016, I became the first full-time executive director at OLA. But that same year, the November election happened, which made anti-immigrant sentiment even more visible.

“This was a game-changer for our organization and the needs of Latino immigrants and families that we suddenly had to respond to. It’s changed me to see that there’s progress, even through some very dark times for East End Latino immigrants.

“I draw a lot of parallels between some of the work I’ve done in domestic violence and the work that I do serving Latino community members. Just seeing that there’s traction means for me that there’s a reason to stay focused, to keep my heart in this work. And it’s not about fighting. It’s about loving, but loving extra hard with a kind of fierceness, like that of a wild animal.

“I think the biggest change in me has really been the moment that we started working more with youth because I see them as our collective light. We’ve now grown to 13 staff members. I love getting to work directly with community members and with our team on all our projects.”

What energizes me every single day is knowing that there’s so much potential.

“We recently launched Youth Connect, a mental and emotional health initiative that focuses on middle school and high school students. We acknowledge five main entities that can support youth: parents, schools, houses of faith, peers and professional mental health providers. If these relationships are strong enough, then youth have a chance to overcome challenges and thrive.

“Youth Connect includes a 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. crisis counseling helpline in Spanish and English. That’s just one part of what we do. The rest of OLA’s work focuses on advocacy, education and the arts. Part of our role is to celebrate Latino artistic production and make sure it gets the visibility it deserves.

“Our annual OLA Latino Film Festival of the Hamptons, for example, brings Spanish-language film to different East End arts venues. We also produce two LTV shows: ‘Conversations with OLA,’ where we interview advocates and experts on various topics in Spanish or English, and ‘Sabor con OLA,’ a cooking show that features community members who love to cook sharing a recipe and a story.

“What energizes me every single day is knowing that there’s so much potential. Our team is so positive and thoroughly connected to this work, and there is so much good in it that it doesn’t feel like a job.

“A good day is when we’ve brought clarity or a path forward to someone who was hurting. I’ve felt this need to help others since I was a child. When I was in third grade, I assigned myself to be the bodyguard of two girls who were being bullied. A lot of what made me who I am is my mother’s mental illness.

“I grew up with her volatility and her being in and out of institutions. So my grandparents raised me, and from an early age I realized that I had to take care of myself in a lot of ways. But it was also my job to take care of my mother.

“I had no choice but to develop survival skills, which has allowed me to become someone who knows how to reach out to key people and marshal the resources at hand to make a situation right. I feel like in OLA I’ve found a place to do this work.”

‘There are so many reasons I love pole and all other aerial sports. The first reason is for the confidence it helped me achieve.’

Levittown

“I am a registered dietician currently working in corporate wellness after spending a number of years working in clinical with geriatrics as my main focus.

“In 2013, I moved home to Long Island from Orlando. I had just gone through a tough breakup, so I was looking for something new to distract me. I saw a Groupon for pole-dancing lessons, and it seemed like it could be a lot of fun. I bought the Groupon as a joke, really. I convinced a friend to join me, assuming it would be easy and we would have a few laughs.

“The joke was on me, though. It was so much harder than I expected. Still, I was immediately hooked and loved the confidence boost I experienced. I began competing in fall 2015 and have been performing and competing since.

“I took classes twice a week for a year before I got into competing. My instructor told us the studio was going to have a showcase and asked if anyone wanted to perform. I jumped at the chance and absolutely loved getting up there and performing. I did my first competition in October 2015 and haven’t stopped since.

There is something that is also so empowering about learning how to balance and how to maneuver your body safely while up in the air.

“In 2016, I won the gold medal at the Atlantic Pole Championships in Washington, D.C., in the Level 2 dramatic category. In 2017, I won the bronze medal at the Southeast Pole Championships in Orlando, Florida, in the Level 3 Championship category.

“Most recently, I won the bronze medal in the Pisces Virtual Competition through Pole Sport Organization in February 2021 in the Level 3 Dramatic Category. I have plans to compete later this year as well.

“There are so many reasons I love pole and all other aerial sports. The first reason is for the confidence it helped me achieve. I also genuinely love the challenge of learning new tricks and the feeling I have when I nail a move or achieve a trick I’ve been working on for a while.

“There is something that is also so empowering about learning how to balance and how to maneuver your body safely while up in the air. I also love the strength it gives me. You really learn how to trust yourself. You really learn how to balance your body and just so much about yourself, because it’s just you up there.”

Interviewed by KJ Bannan

‘Women in the group not only expand their business network but also their minds, bodies and souls.’

Deer Park

“After over two decades of leadership and management roles for corporate companies and then getting married and having my two girls, I decided I wanted to ground myself and create a home-based business so I could be a mom and a business owner at the same time.

“I built a successful business over the next 10 years and created communities of women and mammas all over Long Island, but I was always looking for new ways to network.

“In the summer of 2019, I met my now business partner on a business trip, and she told me about a networking organization she created in New Jersey for women. I thought, we need this on Long Island! I had been part of other networking groups that were very male-dominated. They mostly consisted of men in business suits at diners at 7 a.m. It was honestly pretty boring and didn’t benefit me or my business.

“In November 2019, I started Babes in Business Long Island, a networking community for female entrepreneurs or any woman who has an entrepreneurial spirit. Women in the group not only expand their business network but also their minds, bodies and souls.

“Our networking events help women meet others who will support their businesses, but these events are also really fun. We meet in a social setting and have food, drinks and shopping with women-owned and operated businesses from all over Long Island. We support each other’s businesses, but we also make close friendships.

When COVID hit, there were no in-person events, but our community expanded very quickly online. I took to Instagram every day, interviewing a female business owner. We grew to 4,000 members during COVID, but now have over 10,000. What I love most about Babes in Business is that it provides the opportunity for women to connect in powerful ways.

“Many of our members started new businesses with the women they met at our events. We have every type of business represented, from real estate to clothing stores to mortgage brokers – you name it. It’s a safe space for women to grow, sharing not only their successes but their challenges. They become part of something that is bigger than themselves.”

Interviewed by Jenna Kern – Rugile

‘People keep asking me, “Why do you do this?” It is really out of love of country and love of horses.’

Islip Terrace

“I thought about helping first responders and veterans years ago. It’s been a dream of mine forever. I come from a family of military and first responders. I was taught to give back and never thought this was going to be an attainable dream. I thought I’d have to win the lottery to do it. My sister Maureen had said, ‘Do what you can with what you have.’ I had three horses, and I would just share them. Then I was like, ‘I have to develop this into something.’ Now, we have six acres in Calverton, which is fantastic. It needed a lot of work, but we had incredible help from the community and many companies. On top of that, the veterans and first responders have volunteered to help us build everything.

“Through equine assisted learning, the Warrior Ranch Foundation works with veterans and first responders that have PTSD. We rescue, retrain and repurpose horses and teach our participants about the nature of the horse. The point is for you to learn about you.

“The participants have tried clinical therapies, and they’re not working. They’re trying to reach out and get help. Some people are very skeptical; like, ‘What’s the horse going to do for me?’ But when they start experiencing it, the horse is the therapist. It’s very relaxed. There’s no pressure, no judgment.

“When I first started, [the foundation] was just going to be veterans. Then someone said to me, ‘What about first responders?’ I thought about 9/11. I had family there. When you see some of these horrible things, how do you go home and leave it in the car? You need to let it out. A lot of them are taught to take care of themselves and they keep it bottled up. So, the ranch is a place where there are other officers, firefighters and veterans with like-minded thinking.

“The ages range from people in their 20s to people in their 70s; we had a 90-year-old at one point. We want the veterans to end up mentoring the other veterans. We are up to nearly 200 people that have come through.

“People keep asking me, ‘Why do you do this?’ It is really out of love of country and love of horses. These men and women serve this country, defend our freedom and protect us every second of every day. It’s the least we can do.”

Interviewed by Victoria Bell