Now, not only is the presiding officer of the county's governing body, the Suffolk Legislature, black — Mr. Gregory — but he sits on the 18 - member panel with Dr. William Spencer, also an African - American and a physician (chief of otolaryngology at Huntington Hospital), professor of medicine at Stony Brook and
an active ordained minister, The legislature includes, too, a Latina, Monica Martinez.
On the one hand, they served as
ordained ministers subject to the authority of the church; on the other hand, they played an increasingly
active role as leaders of a popular movement.