When thinking of Latinos in Long Island, what comes to mind immediately are Latinos settled primarily in Hempstead, Long Beach, Westbury and Glen Cove in Nassau County, or in Brentwood, Westbury, Huntington Station, Central Islip and Bay Shore in Suffolk County.

However, Latinos are settling on the eastern end of Long Island, an area also known as the Hamptons the stomping ground for the rich and famous. However, a close-knit Latino community resides parallel to the Hamptons and is spreading rapidly throughout the island.

We can confirm this growing Latino presence by taking a little trip.

We take the familiar Long Island Expressway (I-495) that runs east and the scenery from the tall buildings begins to change: each side has more vegetation and is greener, there are wider exits while we leave behind Ronkonkoma, Shirley, Patchogue, and after an hour-along drive on this route we arrive at Riverhead, the entryway to the eastern end of the island.

By looking at the map you can see that Long Island keeps expanding into two limbs, one makes the Hamptons (East Hampton and West Hampton), and leads toward the famous Montauk Lighthouse. The other leads to a large agricultural zone, filled with green hills, farms, stables – a natural habitat for plants and vast fields of grapevines. This landscape has given rise to numerous vineyards where the best wines on the island are made and have become an important national location for enology – the study of wine-making.

The agricultural development along Route 25, a different Long Island, is nothing new for Latinos, who arrived there almost 20 years ago. According to Jacinto, a Guatemalan who we met at a vineyard along the route in Cutchogue, hundreds of Latinos work on farms here.

"When we arrived here we liked the scent of the countryside, it reminds us of our country and it was easy to adapt because farming was what we did there," he says nostalgically. He told us that he has not been able to return since he came to the United States.  He added that the owners of the vineyards were impressed by their great capacity to work and their dedication, giving them a good reputation in the surrounding areas: "Nobody works harder than Latinos," he says.

Continuing along Route 25, towards the east, passing Riverhead, Jamesport, Mattituck, Peconic, Southold, and Cutchogue, one can see vast fields of cultivated land. It's hard not to notice Latinos at work, whether they are driving tractors, collecting fruit, pruning grapevines or harvesting vegetables, their presence is indisputable.

Latino entrepreneurs

Sound Avenue runs parallel to Route 25, with trees and green pastures on both sides. It seems to be the center of what could be called the "West Side" of the eastern end of the island. The property owned by Ecuadorian Hugo Rios is a peaceful oasis filled with blooming flowers with a nearby waterfall and a charming little house at an entrance. Rios, who has lived in Riverhead for almost 20 years, owns one of the best known businesses in the area, specializing in gardening and brickwork that brought Rios notable recognition for his work. The company has caught the attention of media, and Rios has been interviewed by Newsday and other American media outlets.

"My father inspired me to start this company. He instilled in us the idea of starting our own businesses. I share my business with my colleagues and encourage them to do the same, before deciding to work for other people," he said.

Rios, who is from Azuay Province [in the highlands of Ecuador], said that Latinos need to overcome their selfishness and work together with common goals in mind: "I always advise my colleagues to continue trying, to learn English and they will move forward, but that takes a long time because we have to move past conformity."

As this Latino entrepreneur demonstrates, small businesses with a visible Latino population, such as beauty parlors, bodegas and others, show the growing entrepreneurial momentum of Latinos in the United States.