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.

‘It’s about being fearless and embracing the journey because it’s not about the results, it’s about the process. I’m doing what I want to do with my life and I’m doing that unapologetically.’

Amityville

“My parents moved from Haiti around the mid-80s. My dad always said that the first few months, it was just such a culture shock. He had no money and didn’t speak the language. There were a lot of barriers for him to become successful.

“Today, there are a lot of young Haitians flourishing, especially on Long Island. It’s probably because their parents took that leap to come to America. They went through all those struggles to learn the language, get an education, find a job and build a family.

“I didn’t understand why my parents used to push me hard when I was younger. I used to get annoyed and wonder ‘why am I being treated like this compared to other people that I know?’ I understand now why they did that.

“A lot of who I am today, I owe that to my parents pushing me towards always being a better person. I am basically an entrepreneur. I have been working with people with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) for over six years and I am on the verge of starting my own agency, which will provide services to people suffering from TBI who may need assistance with money management or finding a place to live.

“My parents moved from Haiti around the mid-80s. My dad always said that the first few months, it was just such a culture shock.

“My management company 7twenty6 is a brand that represents never giving up, always pursuing your goals, and not worrying about monetary or material things. When it comes to making music, you have to be very consistent.

“People want to see how seriously you take this. It’s also something you got to be patient with. It’s not an overnight thing. And it’s not something where you just make one song and that’s it. It’s about being fearless and embracing the journey because it’s not about the results; it’s about the process.

“I’m doing what I want to do with my life and I’m doing that unapologetically. I also released an audiobook last year called “Eagles Fly Alone,” which is based on my story, about leaving college, and trying to find out what path I’m going to take in life.

“I played basketball at St. Joseph’s College. I was really good. I just remembered putting so much into something and then it’s all over. And then it’s like ‘Where do I go from here?’ A lot of guys don’t recover from that. A lot of athletes take it to heart.”

Interviewed by Dan Offner