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.

‘My work is different from typical abandoned imagery because I mix in elements of my personal story.’

Holly Hunt, Smith Point

“I’ve been photographing since I was 3 years old. My grandfather was a professional photographer who worked for newspapers in New York City. He was mostly a street photographer, but also captured images of celebrities like Truman Capote and Salvador Dali.

“His photos hung on the walls of the house that I grew up in and, although he died before I was born, his work inspired me. When I was in college, I started exploring abandoned locations. This activity has risks, and I’ve been warned off by authorities for trespassing. I always try to get permission to enter abandoned spaces. I mostly explore the Northeast, and sometimes the Midwest and the South.

“I don’t disclose locations because I want to protect these places which were once homes and/or spaces that gave people joy. I am never scared or uncomfortable in abandoned buildings; they feel like home to me. About 10 years ago, I started taking photos whilst exploring, and that’s how I established my trademark style. My work is different from typical abandoned imagery because I mix in elements of my personal story. A lot of my images are self-portraits where I am dressed in gowns amid structural ruins.

“My mother was my biggest supporter. She used to explore abandoned places with me when she was in her 60s! She passed away from cancer in 2017, but every photograph I take is in some way or form dedicated to her. On the day she died, a historian called me and gave me the opportunity to photograph an old house that stood less than a mile away from where Mom used to get her cancer treatments. I feel like that opportunity was a gift from her. I’ve won awards for my photos, recently been nominated for Best of Long Island in the photography category, and I’ve had my photography exhibited at the Heckscher Museum, which is especially cool because I was born and raised in Huntington.

My mother was my biggest supporter. She used to explore abandoned places with me when she was in her 60s!

“I work as a photography instructor; I love teaching. I recently transitioned to drone photography and self-portraits, which promote body positivity and self-love.”

Interviewed by Meagan J. Meehan

‘I found a way to redirect these talents and create music that glorifies him while uplifting others.’

Angel Vega, West Islip

“I originally grew up in Roslyn. What truly defines me is my unwavering Christian faith. From a young age, I found solace and inspiration within the walls of my church.

“As life took its course, I briefly drifted away from my faith, only to rediscover it during my college years. This rekindling had a profound effect on me, transforming not just who I am, but how I perceive and interact with the world around me.

“In my youth, I delved into battle rap and music, but I didn’t always use these talents to spread a positive message. Regrettably, there were times when I resorted to negativity, belittling others and spewing profanities. By the grace of God, I found a way to redirect these talents and create music that glorifies him while uplifting others.

As I reflect on my journey, I cannot help but be filled with gratitude for the incredible ways God has worked through me.

“Now, I choose words that inspire and encourage, spreading the truth about God through my music and sharing my personal testimony. In 2016, God put in my heart to start a Christ-centered podcast called ‘The Message.’ My goal through this podcast is to encourage faith, as well as tackle some topics of the faith.

“My faith has been tested through countless trials, one of the most poignant being my father’s battle with cirrhosis of the liver in 2019. The fear of losing him was overwhelming, especially as he awaited a liver transplant, but God proved himself during that challenging time. I spent invaluable moments by my father’s side, strengthening our bond in the face of adversity.

“While I was prepared to accept whatever outcome lay ahead, all I truly desired was for my father to find God’s love. Miraculously, he received the life-saving transplant, and today he stands tall, healthier than ever. Witnessing this incredible miracle solidified my unwavering belief that God works wonders in our lives.

“As I reflect on my journey, I cannot help but be filled with gratitude for the incredible ways God has worked through me. Through my faith, music and connections with others, I have seen lives transformed, friendships deepened and miracles unfold. These experiences reaffirm my belief that being a Christian is not just a part of who I am, but a defining aspect that fuels my purpose of spreading love, hope and light.”

Interviewed by Starr Fuentes

‘I became a United States citizen because this country is a place of hope.’

Frenal Mezilas, Lindenhurst

“I have been drawing since I was 10 years old in Haiti. My parents didn’t know much about art, but they never stopped me from doing it.

“My father was a tailor who made school uniforms for all the kids in our neighborhood. Once, I accidentally got paint all over his fabrics! I was so afraid of his reaction that I hid at our neighbor’s house but, surprisingly, he didn’t get as angry as I thought he would.

“When people discovered that I was an artist, they wanted me to paint their portraits. My classmates started paying me for drawings, and I used that money to buy paints and canvases. I painted on the street and perfected the technique of drawing faces and landscapes. I love abstract art and bright colors. I painted every day.

“In 1995, when I was 16, I got a painting job at a factory that made sculptures for tourists. I got a job working as a painter in a factory that made papier-mâché crafts that were exported to other countries.

“That job was a blessing to me! I had to bike 20 miles every weekday to get from my home to the factory. I worked from 7 a.m. to 12 p.m. I then rode my bike to school, where I stayed from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. I didn’t get home until nearly 8 p.m. and often took sculptures to paint over the weekend because, if I didn’t make my quota, I would not get paid. The factory provided all of the art materials, and I also used the supplies to create my own paintings.

“Within three years, I became a supervisor. I remained in that job for seven years before I left to attend college. Haiti had only one fine art university, and I applied late. The school officials were going to deny me entry, but they changed their minds when I showed them one of my paintings.

“I always wanted to go to college, so I could not quit school. In Haiti, private schools are very expensive. Public schools are free but, if your grades drop too low, you will get expelled and your education is over. I won art awards when I was in high school, and that helped me get into college. In 2010, there was an earthquake in Haiti, and I lost many artworks. I realized that I would not be able to make a living there, and my brother helped me get a visa to move to America.”

Some of my students cannot hold a paintbrush, so they paint with a sponge; others are blind, so they create paper mâché sculptures based on touch.

“After I graduated with my bachelor’s degree, I went to Mexico, where I painted and attended more art classes. I was inspired by Mexican craftsmanship, and I started experimenting with mixed media. My art is very recognizable because it’s three-dimensional. I create abstract and surrealism backgrounds and then attach ceramic masks that protrude from the canvas. I like mixing surrealism with realism and cubism. My style embodies years of artistic exploration, and I’m proud to have created my own distinctive style.

“In 2011, I moved to the United States. I came to Long Island because my cousin lived in Uniondale, and I exhibited my work at libraries and Hofstra. I got a job teaching at Creative Art Space in Lynbrook and stayed there for eight years. Today my full-time job is teaching art to people with disabilities. I became a United States citizen because this country is a place of hope. There are so many opportunities for artists here, especially in New York. It is very rewarding when people appreciate my art. My ultimate goal is to have a big studio where I can create and teach. I want to exhibit my artwork all over the world and for people to continue to enjoy my creations even after I am gone.

“In 2013, I applied for citizenship. In 2014, I got married and my son was born. Once I got my residency papers, I got a job at Walmart; I eventually became a manager. In 2017, my friend told me about a job at Adults and Children with Learning [& Developmental] Disabilities in Bethpage. I applied and was hired! I left Walmart and started teaching activities and art at ACLD. It makes me feel so good to help people who really need help. Some of my students cannot hold a paintbrush, so they paint with a sponge. Others are blind, so they create papier mâché sculptures based on touch. This job is one that I put all my heart into.”

Interviewed by Meagan J. Meehan

‘The doctor explained this was uncommon for a teenager and that we needed to get to the bottom of this.’

Charlotte Muller, Northport

“When I was 17, my mom unexpectedly passed away. It was so jarring. She was 51 years old. She looked completely healthy; she was petite, led a relatively stress-free life and yet she passed away from a heart attack. Grieving at 17 was tough. That’s the age where you’re about to go to college and figure out who you are as a person, and without my mom, it just turned my world upside down. It was difficult for my family – my dad and my two older sisters. My dad was by our side every step of the way.

“We found out after she passed away that my mom had familial hypercholesterolemia (FH). It’s an inherited cholesterol disorder that affects 1 in 250 people. What happens is that internally, the body creates excess cholesterol, and if left untreated, arteries clog rapidly, leading to early heart attack or stroke. You can look healthy, exercise, and eat well, and still have the disorder. We didn’t know she had it, but we did know that she had high cholesterol. It took just one heart attack to lose her. Her father died around the same age in the same way. It was a clear pattern on my mom’s side.

“A few months after I lost her, my dad pushed me to see my doctor to get my levels checked out. They found out that I had really, really high cholesterol. The doctor explained this was uncommon for a teenager and that we needed to get to the bottom of this. Turns out, I have the same disorder that my mom had. I have familial hypercholesterolemia.

“When I got diagnosed with FH, I was in shock. I was petite, like my mom, and visually healthy, but I completely changed my diet and started exercising immediately. This lowered my cholesterol 100 points, but it wasn’t enough. My cholesterol was still super high.

“This was the summer before college. I didn’t feel like I fit in that well at college because I had just lost my mom, I couldn’t eat any of the food in the campus cafeterias, and I wasn’t partying or drinking. I felt like an outsider, just not your typical college kid. It wasn’t working for me, so I transferred to a local college to be closer to home. I started exercising more and realized I love the way exercise feels. I became a certified group fitness instructor, personal trainer and a yoga teacher. I wanted to work in the health and wellness industry professionally.”

One of my missions in life is to help people get the diagnosis because FH is a very common health disorder, but a lot of people don’t know they have it.

“About 10 years ago, I created a personal brand called Breathe Strength. It was a combination of yoga and strength training. At the time, I was advocating for heart health and teaching wellness, but I wanted to do so on a larger scale. After a few years, I opened a yoga studio in New York City, but unfortunately, it couldn’t withstand the effects of COVID. I didn’t give up. A little over a year ago, my husband and I joined forces professionally to open a gym in East Northport called Pulse Barbell Club that includes strength training and yoga! It’s this beautiful combination of everything we need.

“My husband is the main coach in the strength training side of our gym. He has Crohn’s disease, so both of us have our own setbacks with our health, which is why we find wellness so important. I’m also a CPR instructor, so I certify people to save lives! We didn’t open our business only for ourselves; we want to better our community, and beyond, and show them how important and enjoyable exercising can be. It makes you feel good. I have people from all over the world who join in on virtual yoga sessions. It’s a rewarding path, and our community is so strong.

“Aside from our business and teaching yoga classes, I also do a lot of work with the Family Heart Foundation. They aim to spread awareness about inherited disorders and heart health. I volunteer for them and spread as much awareness as possible. If I could tell one thing to people, it’s to know your risk for heart disease.

“One of my missions in life is to help people get the diagnosis, because FH is a very common health disorder, but a lot of people don’t know they have it. If you have high cholesterol, specifically high LDL, ask yourself a few questions. Ask yourself, ‘Do I live a relatively healthy lifestyle, eat well and move my body?’ If you answer yes, then ask yourself, ‘Do I have any family history of heart attacks, strokes or high cholesterol?’ If that answer is also yes, then chances are you may have FH. From there, you would see a cardiologist and opt for a genetic test. Somebody with FH needs medicine.”

I’m not a failure for needing medicine.

“I’ve tried everything I possibly could to not be on medicine, and I mean everything, but I need it. My liver is creating way more cholesterol than the average person. I could cut out meat and sugar and cholesterol completely, but my numbers will still be high because my body’s making too much of it. I’m on biweekly injections that I take in my stomach. It’s an amazing drug. Medicine is saving my life. I used to be anti-medicine and I considered myself a failure if I had to rely on it, but it’s a learning process. I’m not a failure for needing medicine. It wasn’t the way I was living that caused this. It’s just my body not functioning normally, and my medication helps me live a normal life.

“I want to keep this momentous push forward to get everybody healthy. I have this framework that I call the Four Pillars of Sustainable Wellness, which is basically the backbone behind everything that I offer and teach: mental health, physical health, spiritual health and social health. If we work on these four aspects of ourselves, then everything else will work out.”

Interviewed by Melanie Gulbas

‘Food gives me a way to express myself.’

David Buico, Huntington Station

“I started cooking at a very young age. My mom passed away in a car accident when I was 11. I was in the car with her. Cooking kept me busy and kept me positive when I was feeling lost. Then I fell in love with it. I started hanging out with my grandmother in Brooklyn. She taught me how to make her classic spaghetti pomodoro, a simple dish that’s still one of my favorites. I fell in love with food, and it kept me out of trouble and gave me a voice.

“I was an executive chef for over 30 years in New York City. To be a great chef, to be running the restaurant business, you need a lot of passion. I love seeing the expressions on people’s faces when they bite into something.

“Food gives me a way to express myself. Cooking food brings a family together, and that was something that was always big in my family before I lost my mom. I guess that’s why I love food so much, because it reminds me of a happier time.

My grandmother was the inspiration behind Mercato Cucina, which means ‘market kitchen’ in Italian.

“I worked my way up to where I am today, but in busy restaurants, the hours are long and you miss out on a lot of your own family birthdays and holidays. COVID made the business much more difficult. I’m in my 40s and have a family, and I started to think, What am I going to do with my life? I came across this location and kind of pivoted to my childhood.

“Sundays were my grandmother’s shopping days, and my three siblings and I were sent to at least five different stores to get only the best bread, meat, cheeses, produce, pastries, pastas, cold cuts. What I came to understand years later as I began my journey in the culinary world is the importance of fresh, quality ingredients.

“My grandmother was the inspiration behind Mercato Cucina, which means ‘market kitchen’ in Italian. My wife pushed me to open up the location. I put a chef’s dream and everything into one little spot. I have this tiny marketplace with all the specialty products and everything I love to cook with and love to eat. We do catering. We have gourmet coffee, olive oil, pasta, and we make these whimsical sandwiches with Brooklyn names like the Belt Parkway. It just took off. If I had a choice to do it all over again as a chef I would, but I’m enjoying this new experience and where it might take me.”

Interviewed by Liza Burby

‘As a young woman entrepreneur, it was difficult to prove myself because many people doubted me.’

Jessica Reisert, Sayville

“I have no background in dancing, but I’ve always been into fitness. When I was a freshman in college, I went to see a pole dancing showcase and fell in love with this art form. The following day, I bought a pole and installed it in my parents’ kitchen so I could practice working out. While I was pursuing my undergraduate degree, I started teaching pole dancing out of my college apartment and fell in love with instructing.

Aerial fitness helps with improving your posture, muscle coordination and decreasing the risk of injuries.

“Post COVID, I had gained experience managing a studio that I worked in, so I decided to open my own. As a young woman entrepreneur, it was difficult to prove myself because many people doubted me. Finding a location was challenging since this was a startup company, and I was only 24 and had never done this before. I persisted and found a space in Patchogue that was spacious with high ceilings and support beams. It took me months to get all of the permits and do the renovations. I am now the owner of The Cheeky Peach Aerial Fitness Studio, which is a studio focused on pole, aerial and floor classes. My significant other actually helped come up with the name, inspired by the cute peach emoji.

“We opened our Patchogue location in August of 2022 and a second location in Ronkonkoma in September of 2023. If people are uneducated about how fitness-based our programs are, there could be a stigma associated with pole dancing, but we don’t let that affect us, and we are very focused on body positivity, community and diversity while still honoring where pole fitness originates from. Our guests can expect increased flexibility, heart health, strength building, confidence, mobility and overall empowerment. Aerial fitness helps with improving your posture, muscle coordination and decreasing the risk of injuries. We want our students to shine regardless of their age, shape or size.”

Interviewed by Meagan J. Meehan

‘My advice for kids is to find what you do better than everyone else and do that to the best of your ability.’

Jakeim Hart, Huntington

“My father was a musician and started me on piano when I was 4. I was really intimidated by how good he was, so I started playing guitar to be just as good. Playing instruments was a connection for us. He died about two years ago. I came to find out [later] that he was as in awe of me as much as I was of him.

“When I wanted to make friends at a new school, I had tried out for the basketball team. I was terrible and I didn’t fit in. The coach said, ‘Why don’t you do the musical with the other kids who didn’t make it?’ It was my earliest memory of rejection! I followed his advice and tried out for ‘The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.’ I felt very comfortable and at home and was able to come out of my shell. It spurred this fire in me to keep chasing that feeling.

In the Playbill, I wrote: ‘Proudly on the autism spectrum.’ I disclosed that because I thought it was important for other autistic people to feel seen.

“Being a musician helped me get a role in Broadway’s ‘Almost Famous.’ On the audition tape, I played an Eric Clapton song and soloed a bit to show some of the advanced stuff I do. They valued that and thought it would be cool that I’d actually play guitar onstage. I didn’t have many credits, but I had the right ones because they were mostly actor/musician credits. In the Playbill, I wrote: ‘Proudly on the autism spectrum.’ I disclosed that because I thought it was important for other autistic people to feel seen. They can see that I’m doing this, and that they can get into the field and do it too. I wish that I could have seen something like that when I was going to Broadway shows when I was younger.

“Throughout my career, I have learned that I am resilient in the face of rejection. Taking the good with the bad is a huge part of this life. I’m taking many lessons with me as I work on Alicia Keys’ new musical, ‘Hell’s Kitchen,’ at The Public Theater. She has an incredible work ethic, and it’s the best music that I’ve ever worked on in a show.

“My advice for kids is to find what you do better than everyone else and do that to the best of your ability. I had to grow my music as much as I had to grow my acting. You’ll get more jobs if you find what sets you apart from others. You’ll be recognized for it eventually.”

Interviewed by Iris Wiener

‘Working as a companion caregiver was a very rewarding job and became my passion.’

Nicole Laborde, Coram

“I immigrated to America from Haiti when I was 15 years old. I arrived at the airport with a lot of hopes, visions and uncertainty of not knowing what life would bring. I didn’t have any family with me. I lived in a small apartment in Brooklyn and enrolled in high school in Prospect Heights. I had to figure out life and take care of myself. At times, I felt discouraged because it was a difficult time. As I was going to high school, I also had to go to night school to learn the language better and help me understand the classes that I was enrolled in. I had to work long hours to support myself. At around 16 or 17 years old, while still in high school, I started working part time as a caregiver. I always found the health care industry interesting.

“Working as a companion caregiver was a very rewarding job and became my passion. Some of the people I helped treated me like I was their family. I was making a difference in their lives. After I graduated from high school, I decided to pursue my career in health care. I enrolled in a practical nursing program, and then I continued to work several jobs while studying to become a registered nurse. From there, I became the CEO of a vocational school – Ideal School of Allied Health Care.

“While working as a registered nurse, I realized how short-staffed we were. There was a huge need for nurses. I decided to start a school that would train people to become health care providers. I wanted to help solve the shortage problem and aid people to be better trained to provide services not only in the hospital setting, but also in the nursing home setting, since that’s where I started. I researched and put in an immense amount of work and became licensed in July of 2013 to start a school and teach students.

“Our first class was in September of 2013. We had five home health aides and about five nursing assistants in a class. We started small, but we’ve now graduated well over 4,000 people in all areas from home health aide to medical assistant. From time to time, I will teach a class as well.”

At a very young age, I did imagine myself here. I didn’t know how I would carry out my visions and dreams, but I did.

“There is a lot of abuse, and lack of proper training and education, in the health care field. It’s important to teach our students more than just the medical side of health care. We teach them to be understanding towards patients and family members. I want each student to treat their patients with the same level of compassion, respect and dignity as they would a loved one. The lack of education isn’t just on health care professionals, but also family members looking for services for loved ones. Unfortunately, some family members may not do a thorough background check and they end up hiring someone who isn’t properly trained or certified.

“My long-term goal is to see students, especially immigrants like myself, come and get their education and then go out there to provide beneficial health care services to their communities. About 90-95 percent of our students are immigrants. Some of them are from Haiti, El Salvador and the Dominican Republic. I have people that are 30 to 40 to even 50 years old. They come to our school and want to do something meaningful.

“I’m really pushing for more students to become health care providers. We’re still in such a shortage. I have more people in need of care than I have workers and students. As people are aging and as we get better medicine, people are living longer. They tend to want to stay at home and not be in a nursing home or an assisted living facility anymore. They want to stay where they’re comfortable. This is why the need for having more home health care aides is so important.

“Becoming a caregiver is very meaningful. Unfortunately, they don’t get paid enough for what they do. I hope sometime in the near future that people can understand and appreciate this type of work. Hopefully, there will be a better understanding of the job and an emphasis on the importance of it, as well as providers receiving higher pay.

“I always imagined being here in the U.S. It’s a lot of immigrants’ dreams. At a very young age, I did imagine myself here. I didn’t know how I would carry out my visions and dreams, but I did. It was not easy doing it all on my own, but it made me really appreciate life.”

Interviewed by Shoshanna McCollum

‘I was what they call a bird-dog.’

Stephanie Rogers, Fire Island

“My husband got a rare form of leukemia and passed away in September of 1983. He was a deputy inspector with the Suffolk County Police Marine Bureau. The Marine Bureau launched a boat in his memory and christened it the F. Barton Hose. That was 40 years ago. With two teenage sons, I was determined to make our life fun.

“We learned to how scuba dive and ski. Then I began to sell boats. I was what they call a bird-dog. I’d talk to people at boat shows and introduce them to salespeople. I organized boat trips out to East Moriches, Shinnecock and Block Island. But the marine industry wasn’t healthy in the late 1980s.

I did yoga since the 1960s, much of it learned from books or television.

“A friend invested in a restaurant and asked me to run the bar. I had gone to bartending school, so I did that for a while, but it was a seasonal restaurant. With my sons now grown, I became a ski bunny in Colorado for the winter.

“Then I went to France to ski and work. I was a madame pipi, collecting change at the bathroom, and learned French. I also studied polarity, which is a kind of body work. Needing to up my game, I moved with my cat to Santa Fe and took a nine-month immersion course.

“Having lived in Japan as a child, I wanted to see it again, so I lived in Kyoto and taught English and polarity massage. I returned to France to work at the Val-d’Isère ski resort in the French Alps. The friends I summered with had moved, but I still had my house in Fair Harbor. I now stay April to November. This is home.

“I did yoga since the 1960s, much of it learned from books or television. In 1993, two friends took a yoga class in Saltaire and hurt after returning. I said, ‘You shouldn’t hurt. Come to my back deck and we’ll get up to speed.’ Soon they brought more people over. I outgrew the deck, so I began teaching yoga on the beach. I came up with the name Steph’s Body Works, because I’m older and my body works.

“I’m a registered polarity teacher, craniosacral therapist, certified yoga instructor and still learning. I just took a course on yoga for people with osteoporosis and am signed up for a class that uses body work to help people with long-haul COVID and Lyme disease. We’ll see how it goes.”

Interviewed by Shoshanna McCollum

‘You don’t have to go to the Caribbean to see sea turtles, because they are right here in our backyard!’

Maxine Montello, Melville

“I am from Portland, Maine, originally, so I grew up by the water and always had a love for marine animals. I went to school for animal behavior for my undergraduate and then went to graduate school for wildlife ecology. During my master’s, I started working on a project in Barbuda, which is the sister island of Antigua, and studied the nesting ecology of sea turtles. I fell in love with field work and studying animals in the wild.

“I’m the rescue program director at the New York Marine Rescue Center, where we rescue and rehabilitate marine mammals and sea turtles. We are located at the Long Island Aquarium in Riverhead. We have a public-facing tank where patrons can see sea turtles through the glass, ask questions and may be encouraged to come to a future release.

Every day is different, and we can’t predict what’s going to happen.

“While working at an aquarium, I worked with marine mammals and sea turtles in a human care aspect. I worked closely with the vets and really enjoyed the clinical aspect of husbandry. This led me to pursue a position with marine mammal and sea turtle rehabilitation.

“At my current role, every day is different, and we can’t predict what’s going to happen. We depend on the public to call in strandings via our 24-hour hotline. We often deal with juvenile animals — young, smaller and more vulnerable. One of the most memorable rescues was of a female adult loggerhead turtle who got stranded on Fire Island. She was over 300 pounds and had evidence of boat strikes and entanglement. With diet and medicine, we were able to successfully rehab her and released her with a tracking device.

“I am currently focusing on gaining more information regarding New York sea turtle populations through satellite tags and cameras. I look forward to continuing to build a really strong team. I think it’s amazing to educate people about how cool New York and Long Island is with these animals that surround us. We live in a really special area. You don’t have to go to the Caribbean to see sea turtles, because they are right here in our backyard!”

Interviewed by Meagan Meehan