________________ LONG BEACH _______________
HERALD Also serving Point Lookout & East Atlantic Beach
Families given winter coats
City discusses parking updates
Allegria helps the needy
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Vol. 35 No. 51
DECEMBER 12 - 18, 2024
$1.00
She brought art to the West End The Ivy, a studio and event space, is all about creativity, inspiration and fun brain,” she said. “I realized from a very young age that I liked that, so art became kind of a Rachel Byer g rew up in therapy for me and a savior as I Cedarhurst, where her vivid started navigating through life.” During her formative years, imagination and passion for art were evident from a young age. Byer faced additional challenges Her creativity ultimately led her as her parents went through a to fulfill her childhood dream by difficult divorce. And living next to Lawrence High opening The Ivy, an School, where she art studio and event was enrolled, had its space at 1050 W. pros and cons. She Beech St. Despite often skipped classf a c i n g nu m e ro u s es, and felt disconchallenges along the nected and frustratway, Byer persevered ed with her environto turn her vision ment. By her senior into reality. year, she had left the When she was high school, but she growing up, Byer, re m a i n e d d e t e rwho’s now 39, often RAChEl ByER mined to graduate, struggled to focus, so she joined an and found traditionalternative program al academics difficult, which was later attributed in the Long Beach school system to a diagnosis of attention-defi- and earned a diploma in 2003. After a few years off, Byer cit/hyperactivity disorder. Art was her much-needed sanctuary, decided to study for a graphic offering a means of self-expres- design degree at Nassau Comsion and a way to quiet the clam- munity College, initially taking individual courses before she or in her mind. “When I was creating — enrolled. Unlike high school, she whether it was performing, writ- thrived in college, enjoying the ing, painting, drawing — the subject and receiving praise noises in my head kind of went from her instructors. She comaway, and I was focused, I felt pleted her associate degree in inspired, and it definitely tapped 2010. into a different part of my Continued on page 5
By ANGElINA ZINGARIEllo
azingariello@liherald.com
Courtesy City of Long Beach
It’s a jolly time in long Beach Community members gathered to see Kennedy Plaza and its Christmas tree illuminated on Dec. 6. Residents and visitors — including a large man in red — celebrated the event with songs, lights and one another’s festive company.
Eric Dunetz/Herald