The year in photos: Celebrating Long Island

December 29, 2023

In 2023, LI Life highlighted the rich complexity of Long Islanders, from those seeking to redress injustices to those seeking connection. We spoke to people who broke cultural barriers and others who accomplished great feats of strength and endurance. We looked to the past, while also honoring those who will shape the future. And through it all, our photographers were there to capture the moments, both great and small, that helped define life on Long Island. So as 2023 comes to a close, let’s pause to celebrate the people — our neighbors — who call this island home. — KIM PREDHAM, LI LIFE EDITOR

JAN. 15 : ROLLING UP HER SLEEVE FOR YOU

Blood donor Radha Persaud, of Hewlett, is one of many people LI Life interviewed to find out why they give blood time after time.

FEB. 19: STEWARD AND STORYTELLER

Shelley Brazley, of Hempstead, collects black artifacts and art that illuminate the African American experience.

FEB. 5: ECHOES OF A POLICE SHOOTING

Giselle Ferguson, of Amityville, holds a military photo of her father, Charles Ferguson, who was killed by a Freeport police officer in 1946. The shooting was met by protests. Then silence. A recent book by Christopher Verga, of Bay Shore, explores the case.

APRIL 16: NOSTALGIA CALLING

An animatronic switchboard operator at the reopening of the Verizon Telephone Pioneers Museum in Commack is just one display showing the next generation how far we’ve come.

JUNE 11: CAN-DO SPIRIT

Minnahil Tariq headed up Brentwood High School’s recycling club, and her picture led LI Life’s 2023 Extraordinary Seniors section. The club processed about 15,000 bottles and cans a month, with the money supporting scholarships.

JULY 9: ALL THE RIGHT MOVES

Rookie Jones Beach lifeguards get a lesson at the start of the season from captains Ed Costigan, center right, and Cary Epstein.

JULY 16: VINTAGE ‘BASE BALL’

The Brooklyn Atlantics try to tag out a player for the Bovina Dairymen at Atlantic Park on the grounds of the Smithtown Historical Society.

AUG. 6 : LOOPING LONG ISLAND

Boats cross the starting line as they begin the 46th Annual Around Long Island Regatta, a 207-mile race leaving Liberty Island Marina in Jersey City.

SEPT. 10: SHARING HER DREAM

Lucy Cain, outside Plaza Elementary School in Baldwin, was one of the district’s second-graders whose photos, along with statements about their hopes and dreams, were featured as part of the “Hello Neighbor” project.

OCT. 1: WELCOME BACK

Robert King, director of the after-school program at the newly renovated and reopened Bridgehampton Child Care & Recreational Center, finds inspiration on his office walls, which are covered with photos of the students who attend the program.

NOV. 12 : ALGONQUIAN SPOKEN HERE

Unkechaug Nation Chief Harry Wallace is a force behind the Algonquian Language Revitalization Project at Stony Brook University. He is holding a copy of a Native American word list made by Thomas Jefferson during a visit to Poospatuck on Long Island.

NOV. 26: CAN’T CAMOUFLAGE ENTHUSIASM

Member of Hunters of Color, from left, Frederick Tran, Ryan Monaghan, Aaron Mueggenberg, Eliza Rojas and Zsakée Lewis head out on a mentored deer hunting expedition at Mashomack Preserve on Shelter Island.

MAY 28: GROWING ACCESS

Michael Sasto, of East Northport, left, and Shavone Danzy, of Farmingville, were photographed for an LI Life story about museums and theaters expanding offerings for disabled patrons, as they plant a sensory garden at The Vanderbilt Museum and Planetarium in Centerport.

JUNE 4 : 15 YEARS OF HARMONY

Members of the Long Island Gay Men’s Chorus rehearse at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in East Northport for a concert to celebrate the group’s 15-year anniversary.

JUNE 11: CLASS ACT

Kelly Gaussaint is another special student who was featured in LI Life’s Extraordinary Seniors section. “Kelly is the voice, heart and smile of Central Islip High School’s Class of 2023,” said one teacher.