Family Farmers: The Youngs Family On Hegeman’s Lane in Old Brookville stands Youngs Farm, founded in 1893 by John H. Youngs, the great-grandson of Thomas Youngs who ran an apple orchard in nearby Oyster Bay. The 1893 Youngs Farm, which has been cited as a “Century Farm” grew bibb lettuce, potatoes and sweet corn and […]
Donn Costanzo: Boat Builder and Restorer, Aquebogue, Long Island Donn Costanzo is the founder of Wooden Boat Works, where he built and restored traditional recreational sail boats and motor boats. Raised in Sayville, Don first became interested in the skiffs and garveys used on Great South Bay by local baymen. Donn went clamming and scalloping, […]
John Buczak: Bayman John Buczak is a full-time commercial bayman based in Bay Shore. He is one of approximately 15 in Bay Shore. John catches crabs, eels, conch and killies. He makes several kinds of traditional traps including eel traps, killey traps and winkel pots. John is also a storyteller who likes to talk about […]
Charlie Balsamo of South Bay Boat Repair in Patchogue is a master wooden boat builder and restorer. Born in Gibraltar, he came to Long Island in the 1950s where he has worked continuously. Charlie has worked on large scale wooden vessels including ferries, yachts, launches and other commercial boats. He also restores historic wooden boats, […]
Dr. Rohini Ramanathan: Indian Classical Musical Vocalist, Writer Rohini Ramanathan of Oceanside, NY, is a traditional and trained Indian classical singer, an art she learned from renowned musicians in New Delhi, India, and her own mother, an award-winning and university-trained musician. Coming from a musical family, she began her formal lessons at age eight, and […]
Rathi Raja and the Young Indian Culture Group: South Asian Indian Educator & Storyteller Rathi Raja was born in Ambala, India in the northern state of Haryana to parents from the southern state of Kerala. The family moved frequently since Rathi’s father was in the Air Force, and Rathi grew up fluent in three languages—Tamil, […]
Satya Pradeep: Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi Dance Teacher and Performer Satya Pradeep is a well-known New York area Classical Indian dancer and choreographer. Her dance forms include Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi, traditional classical styles which originated from the South Indian States of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. Satya Pradeep was born in the Southern Indian province of […]
Rahel Musleah: Indian Jewish Storyteller There are many immigrants who recall the experiences that brought their families to the United States. Rahel Musleah was born in Calcutta, India. Her family is originally from Baghdad, Iraq. She traces her roots in India to 1820. After India gained independence from the British and Israel became a state, […]
Ina McNeil: Native American Educator by Nancy Solomon Ina McNeil was born on the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation in South Dakota. She is the great great granddaughter of Chief Sitting Bull, the legendary Hunkpapa Lakota warrior. Her traditional name is Scarlet Whirlwind Woman or Wamni-Umni-Luta-Wi, a name given to Ina by her great grandfather Henry […]
Debbie Lynch: Irish Stepdancer The Irish community on Long Island is one of the largest ethnic groups in the region. Since the late 1800s, when Irish immigrants first came to the United States, there have been Irish laborers, farmers and other tradespeople who have called Long Island home. Although many first made their homes in […]
