‘When I was onstage, the first few minutes were extremely nerve-racking, but when everyone was singing along, it gave me a lot of confidence.’

Emma Kim, East Norwich

“I first realized I enjoyed performing when I was in the third to fourth grade. I was Moana for a revue, and I was so happy about it that I kept trying to improve my voice so I could get a big role in a full production — and I did! In sixth grade, I got the role of Moana in ‘Moana Jr.’ at [James H.] Vernon School. My favorite moment onstage was when I sang the lyrics ‘I am Moana…’ in ‘Song of the Ancestors.’ When I was onstage, the first few minutes were extremely nerve-racking, but when everyone was singing along, it gave me a lot of confidence.

“I was also Jasmine in ‘Aladdin’ at Cultural Arts Playhouse in Syosset. I love to play music, too. In my house we have a lot of different instruments, including acoustic, electric and bass guitars, a piano, a cello, a drum set and a xylophone. I’ve tried to play all of them. I started cello in school, and I ended up really liking it because it has a smooth sound. I have gotten into all-county for cello and twice for my artwork. I love drawing anime.

My advice for other kids is that if you’re not good at things at first, you’ll get better without realizing it. You should always keep trying.

“Through all of my art, I have realized I really like the feeling of working hard and getting stuff right. When I finally get it, I forget about the times I completely struggled. I’ve learned that it’s important to try many different things because you have to find what you like most and keep doing it. It’s a lot of pressure if you stick to one thing your whole life; everyone will be expecting you to be amazing at it. You don’t want to be stuck doing it. It’s good to experiment, experience a lot and have fun.

“The Oyster Bay-East Norwich schools fine and performing arts program has helped me realize this. I see how my older brother and sister have practiced really hard and performed at school, and I see how good they got in everything. I like how our schools have a ton of programs, and everything is on a really high level. When I grow up, I think I want to use my enjoyment for drawing to become an architect because I like how your work has to be exact and you have to achieve perfection. I’m only in the seventh grade now, so I have time to think and explore. My advice for other kids is that if you’re not good at things at first, you’ll get better without realizing it. You should always keep trying.”

Interviewed by Iris Wiener

‘When we moved here, Upper Brookville was right below the final approach path for aircraft arriving into JFK. I loved the airplanes passing by.’

Amin Khwaja, Glen Head

“Aviation is a fascination that any child might have no matter where they are in the world; just look up in the sky. I was born in Kabul, Afghanistan, in late ’79, just as the Russian tanks were rolling down Kabul streets. We emigrated as refugees, living in New Delhi, India, for about a year, then made our second move, following my dad’s side of the family to Saudi Arabia.

“My mom’s family had already emigrated to the U.S. at that point, so we came to Long Island around late ’84. Initially we lived from house to house in Dix Hills with family until we were more established, from there we moved to Upper Brookville and have been here ever since 1987.

“The funny part is when we moved here, Upper Brookville was right below the final approach path for aircraft arriving into JFK. I loved the airplanes passing by. I made up a chart, I was fascinated by the whole aviation perspective of airplanes coming through. I got hooked on airplanes, and being under the flight path, I got a little more intrigued. It was just one of those bugs that just stayed with me.

“It wasn’t easy to persuade my parents. I was the only one in our family who decided to pursue this path; everyone else was in business. My dad had no knowledge of aviation at all. Every time I asked him, he never said no, and he never said yes. He gave a silent OK. My mom was pretty vocal; she thought it was too dangerous.

“I actually started flying when I was in 10th grade, I took my first lesson at Nassau Flyers at Republic Airport. I took one lesson every three weeks. My parents thought I would give it up. I had different things in mind, of course. I continued on and actually got my pilot license when I was a freshman in college.

“There’s a lot of training. I went to Dowling College, studying aviation management. I loved it, I was part of the National Intercollegiate Flying Association, kind of like the NCAA for aviation. You compete with other aviation colleges within the region; there about 10 throughout the United States. For two years I was named the top pilot of Region VII.”

It was around 3 in the morning, and those C-130s were coming in from Kabul. You could see the people coming out of the back of the airplane, and just a couple hours before they were in Kabul.

“Becoming a pilot for a commercial airline was my pursuit from day one. Before I even started training, I knew that’s what I wanted to do. I had my heart set on flying for the airlines. It’s a long process; those that want to pursue this passion really have to love what they do. Once you start, there’s no looking back.

“It’s challenging; you have to get all these certificates, then you have to build the flight experience. I had almost 3,000 hours of flight experience as a flight instructor. I was director of fight operations at Dowling [College] for about four years after I graduated; they had their own aviation program. I got turned down by the first airline I interviewed at. Then in 2006, I got hired by American Eagle, flying out of LaGuardia and JFK. I was with American Eagle for about 8½ years.

“What I did to make sure I was more competitive than others was that I became an educator. I was an adjunct professor teaching aviation classes at Dowling. Then I got very lucky; I got hired by United Airlines in 2015. I was able to fly Boeing 757 and 767 aircraft, primarily routes to Europe and South America. In 2020, I changed over to fly the Boeing 777; that has allowed me to fly long-haul flights throughout the world, from the Far East to the Middle East, all over Europe. I just got back from Dubai on Tuesday morning.

“One of the highlights of my career so far was with the United Airlines flights to pick up Afghan refugees about two years ago. Because I was from Afghanistan and was able to speak the language, I volunteered to be a translator. It was an incredible journey. I remember we landed in Kuwait. It was around 3 in the morning, and those C-130s were coming in from Kabul. You could see the people coming out of the back of the airplane, and just a couple hours before they were in Kabul. They didn’t have anything with them, maybe a bag.

“I had made that same journey back in the early ’80s with my parents. Not under the same conditions, it was a little bit different, but for me to actually be there was fascinating. I did two of those flights, and then the third flight that I flew myself, we transported troops back from Afghanistan. That was an incredible experience.”

After 9/11, that put a lot of us on the fence to come out and say, this is who we are. We are not what the media portrays or what some crazy person across the road portrays. We have been living here, we are part of the community.

“I’ve been part of the community at the Islamic Center of Long Island for the past 20 years. Until about eight years ago, I was busy with family and trying to pursue my career. As a pilot, we interact with so many people, so many cultures; that’s the best part of the job. You interact with so many different individuals from so many fields, religions; it’s ever-changing.

“When things kind of settled down, I said it would be wonderful if I could give back to the community since I’m now set on my own way. It’s time for me to give back. Around 2015-16, I got more involved with the center. Now I’m ending my three-year term as president of the center.

“Being involved with the community, the interfaith community, our local politicians and leaders, with the county executive’s office, the police commissioner, has just been an incredible opportunity for us to give back individually and as a community. Also, to really represent our faith as Muslims, because after 9/11, that put a lot of us on the fence to come out and say, this is who we are. We are not what the media portrays or what some crazy person across the road portrays. We have been living here, we are part of the community, we are part of the thread. We’re here to be Muslims, but beyond that to participate and be assets to the entire community.

“This is very meaningful; the Islamic Center of Long Island is one of the most active centers in the tri-state area. We have an incredible community that does wonderful work, from the food pantry that we opened about two years ago to funeral services to wedding ceremonies, to Ramadan, which just passed, where we had a full house. The center is exceeding our expectations. It has grown, and it’s wonderful to be part of that community. In my free time, a lot of my dedication goes back to the center.”

Interviewed by Barbara Schuler

‘I like to spread positivity and have an impact. The colorful vibes and happy messaging do that.’

Corey Paige, Old Westbury

“I like to say that I specialize in making happy art, and that my work is proven to give an immediate mood-booster, with the goal to brighten up your day. I love when people tell me that my art made them smile or feel better when they were having a bad day.

“I mainly enjoy spreading positivity and having an impact on others. The colorful vibes and happy messaging in my artwork helps me to do that. One project that is a perfect example of this is when I created artwork for exam rooms at a pediatric office. When the children come in for their doctor appointments and see fun imagery on the walls, it makes their doctor’s appointment less scary. I also value giving back and have donated murals to Sunrise Day Camp on Long Island, which is a camp for kids with cancer to attend for free with their siblings. I am also currently working with Cohen Children’s Medical Center to donate a mural for one of their wings.

You figure things out as you go, you don’t have all of the answers at the beginning.

“Social media, specifically Instagram and TikTok, have been such a big help with getting my brand out there. I attribute a lot of the successes I have had over the past few years to putting myself out there on social media. I love connecting with my followers online and in person when I do live events. However, working for yourself can feel lonely at times. That is one of the downsides of working as an artist, but I do think the pros outweigh the cons. I have some great assistants and have always had the support from my family from the beginning of my entrepreneurial journey.

“You figure things out as you go, you don’t have all of the answers at the beginning. It’s a lot of trial and error and a little ‘fake it ’til you make it’. I do feel like I am constantly on and always thinking about work. So, I’m trying to incorporate things in my life for myself that aren’t business related – hobbies like reading and embroidery. I’m working to find more of a balance. But I am very lucky that I love what I do, not everyone can say that confidently.”

Interviewed by Tracey Cheek

‘I gave my boss two weeks’ notice, and she was shocked. I told her I was going to start a deli.’

BRANDYN WILLIAMS, Garden City

“I’m first-generation. My mom was right off the boat. She came from the Caribbean. She had me when she was 17 and fell into a coma when I was 7. She was in a coma until I was 21. She passed away. I never had a dad. I never really had a real childhood. My life was kind of like ‘The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.’ I grew up in Queens. My aunt and uncle – like my Uncle Phil and Aunt Viv – they brought me out to New Hyde Park.

“Doors kept closing for me in high school. My basketball coach sat me when college recruiters came. I graduated at the bottom of my class in high school. I didn’t get into any of the colleges I wanted to get into.

“I started at Nassau Community College. While I was there, I was bartending at McHebes, Dizzy’s, Nachos [in Hempstead]. After that, I wanted to go where the money was. That would make me happy. I got into Queens College. I became a manager for the bars while I was there. School during the day, work at night.

“I graduated Queens College and got an intro position at Northwell Health. While doing that, the bars closed down. I had nothing to do at night anymore. I wanted to move up quickly. I wanted my master’s degree.

“I got my master’s, and was ready for the money. No one ever thought I would get a degree. I was 23 and started moving up the ranks. I became a financial analyst and started making good money. I had a pension, health benefits, everything I wanted. It’s dope. But I couldn’t stand going there. I hated everything about it – the commute, the mental toll, the culture of corporate. I was 26. I went to my family and told them I can’t do this. My aunt said to create an exit plan, and I did. I gave my boss two weeks’ notice, and she was shocked. I told her I was going to start a deli.”

Last year, I thought of something called a “cannoleria.” At 3 a.m., I mixed cannoli cream and Reese’s Pieces together. I ate it with a cannoli chip and was like, “Wow.”

“I started a deli called Cherry Valley with two partners. We franchised it and opened up in Long Beach. I was my own boss. I gave up my 9-5 to work 18 hours there. That’s why I’m bald now. I sadly lost the business to the pandemic. But every door that closed on me, I came back and bought the building. That’s my saying.

“I had to figure out, do I go back to the corporate world, or do I try something else? I was young, no kids, no wife. So, I started a bread route. I was driving every night from 6 p.m. to 4 a.m. I would get baguettes, bagels. I went to 7-Elevens and grew it to 20 accounts.

“I had an idea at 4 a.m. There were no Italian ice carts on Long Island. With the little money I had, I built an ice cart. My aunt and uncle thought I was crazy. I built the cart and made it look luxurious. There were a lot of growing pains. Business was going good, but I wanted to do more.

“Last year I thought of something called a ‘cannoleria.’ At 3 a.m., I mixed cannoli cream and Reese’s Pieces together. I ate it with a cannoli chip and was like, ‘Wow.’ I went down a rabbit hole and drew up an entire business. There are no cannoli carts. Especially ones that do rainbow cookie, Oreo, unique flavors. I built a cannoli cart. Then I needed a partner.”

When I started putting myself first, the universe started taking people out of my life that weren’t meant to be there.

“In the past, I would put everyone else first. I was drinking and overworking myself. It didn’t feel healthy. I stopped drinking. I exercise and meditate every day. I was never into manifestation. I’m big into that now. When I started putting myself first, the universe started taking people out of my life that weren’t meant to be there. It started rewarding me with people that are helping me get to another level. When I started being a little more selfish, better things started happening.

“One of those things was my partner, Big Red [Tim Downey]. He’s 450 pounds and6-feet-6. I told him, I’m starting a cannoli cart, and he was in. It blew up in the first three months. It started getting so busy that I couldn’t keep up with it. Now we have cannoli carts, gelato carts; we’re doing events. I still wanted to do more. People were seeing the desserts online and wanted to try them. I was having people come to my office to try it. I realized I need a brick-and-mortar location.

“I called Roosevelt Field Mall over and over to pitch them. This opened in October. I drew it all up and brought it to life. The first three months it wasn’t doing as well as it should. I was here every night, sleeping on the couches. During the holidays, I left the bread route and spent all my time here. I’m a little peon compared to Starbucks and Auntie Anne’s. Big Red and I started being here more and talking to people. We were being ourselves, and everyone started gravitating towards us and the business. It’s going great now. People come from Connecticut, Suffolk County, Staten Island.

“My lease here is ending. We’re relocating and opening two more locations. This chapter is closing, and it was awesome. In August, I’m going to start a new chapter. New people, new locations.

“You’re going to get rewarded by the brick-by-brick things you do. Every failure, I learned something and took to the next chapter. I thought the failures were a door closing, but it was just a new chapter.”

‘I always found nursing an amazing thing, working with the body and really seeing how it works.’

Lisa Muchnik, Commack

“I am a mom of two young kids. My daughter is 7 and my son is 4. I work part time as a nurse anesthetist three days a week, and right now I’m teaching aerial yoga consistently one day a week, but I also, you know, sub and do workshops, too. All those things came together when I released a children’s book about yoga.

“My original degree was a bachelor’s degree in dietetics. I’ve always had a really intense love for nutrition and fitness, but as a career, once I got into it, I felt like it wasn’t what I wanted. Career wise, it just wasn’t fulfilling, so I decided to go back to school to become a nurse.

“While working as dietitian, I got my associate’s degree in nursing, becoming a registered nurse. I liked that job but wanted more hands-on care with patients. When I was in nursing school, I had learned about nurse anesthetists, who administer anesthesia for surgery or in other medical settings. At the time, barely no one in the medical field knew about it, and it just sounded so interesting to me — to be able to do anesthesia as a nurse. So I got a job working in the ICU and applied to nurse anesthesia school. I had to finish my nursing bachelor’s degree, work in the ICU, and get my master’s to become a nurse anesthetist, which I did in 2011.

“I always found nursing an amazing thing, working with the body and really seeing how it works. The idea of being able to be part of fixing someone’s body was also fascinating to me. Also from the nursing perspective, I loved the autonomy of it. Just really being able to take care of your patient, being in control of what you’re doing and also the one-on-one of anesthesia. When you’re in the operating room, you’re taking care of one patient. All of your energy is focused on healing this one person.

“Around that same time, I started working as a yoga teacher. I have always been very into yoga, practicing yoga for many years. My husband and I actually went together to California and got our yoga certifications and started teaching yoga. After I’d been doing it for a couple of years, I became very interested in aerial yoga and then went for a bunch of certifications for that. And so now that’s the main yoga that I teach today, I teach at Sound Body & Mind in Huntington.”

My book is a story of little panda who goes to his yoga class one day, and he comes home really sad.

“My book, ‘Rainbow Panda,’ came out of my love of yoga and taking care of the body. In yoga, one of the things I always especially loved were the chakras, which are the main energy points in your body. [There are seven of them, and they each correspond to a color and part of the body from the crown of the head to your pelvic floor.] They had a special place in my heart. I just love the idea of the colors and the different energy and how those different energies could have healing properties. It kind of just all came to me to write the book because my kids always were so interested in the chakras. I would tell them little things about them and they loved it.

“My book is a story of little panda who goes to his yoga class one day, and he comes home really sad. His mom asks him why, and he says it’s because he notices that he’s just black and white, and all his friends — a flamingo and an iguana and a giraffe — they’re all brightly colored, and he’s not. So his mother teaches him about his inner rainbow and all the colors he has inside. The book goes through each color and is accompanied by an illustration that reflects what that chakra is about. By the end of the book, when he sees himself in the mirror, his reflection in the mirror has all the chakras.

“Once the idea came to my head, it all just flowed. I would wake up at night and I would have an idea for one of them and I would write it down. And once I had it on the paper, it all came together. I started talking to people to find out how to get a book published — I had no idea! I learned about self-publishing, hybrid publishing and regular publishing. I took a chance, and I submitted my book to a bunch of traditional publishers. Most of them don’t write back. I got one or two that were specific rejections. But lo and behold, one relatively quickly wrote back and said, ‘We’re interested in this.’ They wanted to publish it, and it came out this spring.”

‘I felt like I was in a race against the world.’

Bay Shore

“My second child tried to commit suicide on May 16, 2019. I took her to Southside Hospital. They wanted to know why. She informed them she was being bullied. Everybody says bullying is typical, every kid has been bullied. I didn’t really think it was that serious until she told me who was bullying her, that specific teachers were bullying her.

“I was devastated. We send our kids to school, we trust them, we think they’re going to guide them and make sure they are successful. That didn’t happen for my child. They literally destroyed her. She was never able to go back to school for a full day. She ended up with anxiety, depression. It just never was the same for her.

“I felt like I was in a race against the world. I was trying to find help, trying to find resources. I know firsthand what it is to go down the mental health journey as a parent. I couldn’t get an appointment. They wouldn’t see her. They didn’t take my insurance. I had to go through 16 counselors. I didn’t know anything about that.

“I knew from the start my daughter was different. At not even two weeks, she stopped breathing. She went into the hospital; she was hooked up to all these machines. It turns out she had really bad acid reflux. She couldn’t lay down for a long period of time. She never really cared for school. School was not her friend, she used to cry all the time.

“In third grade, they wanted me to take her for a follow-up because she failed her eye exam. You believe as a parent that your child is seeing, until this doctor tells me she should have been wearing glasses as a newborn. I guess that was the first sign of her having trouble in school. She just learned different.

“We placed her in special education. That was not the best decision. Everybody kept saying she was learning disabled. When she was in sixth grade, I found out she was dyslexic. In the midst of all that, I had a set of beautiful twin girls. That really shook things up. How I was going to cater to my second child and newborn twins? I was juggling the whole world.”

I see myself doing this for the rest of my life. What happens if moms don’t know the system, if moms don’t know the resources? I want everybody to remember Bernice.

“We tried to get some type of normalcy, but then Bernice’s behavior changed. I don’t know what happened — 90-degree weather, she was wearing a sweatshirt. That was the first time I knew my daughter was self-harming. She was having such a hard time. She wanted a tattoo, a green ribbon that says, ‘I’m still here.’ And she wanted me to get one, too. That’s the day I became a warrior mom, the day I survived that self-harm with her. She knew I was on that journey with her. She called me her fierce fighter.

“We were in such a good place mentally. We had a counselor who understood her. And then she passed. She had a pulmonary embolism. It was July 19, 2020. Even before my daughter died, I was an advocate for other kids. They would call me ‘Moms.’ If they needed food, if they were having a hard time, my daughters would say, ‘My mom’s coming.’

“I never want there to be another Bernice. Not every kid has a mom like me, that’s able to listen and understand. I told them my job is to move mountains and earth for you.

“I never thought this would be my role in life. I was going to be a mom, a wife. I went to Albany to change how we treat our children. I really wanted a mental health bill. If our kids go into a hospital for mental treatment and we put them back in schools, the teachers are not equipped to deal with that. One little thing can send these kids over the edge.

“I remember going to Senator Monica Martinez’s office. I had asked her to support a bill, but there was a similar bill. I said we need to have a mental health panel, and she didn’t hesitate. That panel just happened. We had some really good questions. It was good to see other parents having the same issues.

“I see myself doing this for the rest of my life. What happens if moms don’t know the system, if moms don’t know the resources? I want everybody to remember Bernice. Everything that I do now revolves around how I’m going to honor her, because part of me does feel like I failed her. I’m a little late, but I’m starting a podcast called ‘The Warrior Mom.’ A lot of people don’t understand being a parent is so hard. It doesn’t come with a manual.”

Interviewed by Barbara Schuler

‘Long Island is home to the best bacon, egg and cheese sandwiches, so that became my niche.’

Merrick

“I walked away from my union job, and I haven’t looked back since. Everybody knows me as ‘Big Red.’ I weigh about 400 pounds, and back in college, I had long, red hair, so that’s how the name came about. I even have it tattooed on my body. The name has stuck since, and I created some skits on YouTube. I called it ‘The Big Red Show,’ and the skits were just about my life and the outrageous tasks I do daily.

“My younger brother and I started a podcast called ‘Red Hair Don’t Care.’ One day, we were jokingly arguing about something related to food. He’s the skinny version of me. He’s about 100 pounds soaking wet, and he was trying to tell me he knew food better than I did. I turned to look at him and I said, ‘Trust me, I’m fat.’ A light bulb went off, and that became the name of my food reviews and overall brand.

I’m doing exactly what I want to be doing right now. This is the best life I could be living.

“Long Island is home to the best bacon, egg and cheese sandwiches, so that became my niche. I try to fly under the radar — which is pretty hard, looking at me — but I visit local delis and review their bacon, egg and cheese sandwiches. I just set up my camera in my pickup truck and record my review.

“Aside from ‘Trust Me, I’m Fat,’ I’m also an entrepreneur. I co-own Dolce Bella, a luxury Italian ice brand. While working in security, I met one of my friends and now business partner, Brandyn. He started this business as an Italian ice cart and wanted me as a partner to help expand it. With the help of social media and the Long Island community, our business has grown tremendously, and we’ve even done private parties and weddings. We’re looking to expand into a storefront.

“We’ve spent the last six months together for 14- to 18-hour days, but it’s been great working with a friend. We can be really honest and bounce ideas off each other. Owning a business has its highs and lows. It’s a huge financial burden, and it takes a lot more to get started than most think. I’ve had maybe three days off this entire year, but watching our business grow makes it worth it.

“Being an entrepreneur was always in the back of my mind. I knew I wanted to be my own boss. I’m doing exactly what I want to be doing right now. This is the best life I could be living.”

‘I’ve become a better father and a better high school principal because of creating a podcast.’

Dix Hills

“During the pandemic, I was introduced to podcasts and fell in love with them because of their on-demand nature. I used to DJ as a kid, and I thought, ‘If I’m going to do it, I don’t want to be one of the 80% of podcasts that don’t make it. What do I have to offer people?’ I had just gone through the college decision process with two daughters. For my little one, the journey was difficult because school didn’t come easily. I had to advocate for her and talk to reps, who were so good to me and very accessible.

“As a parent it was emotional going through the process, truly not knowing if your kid was going to be accepted anywhere. When I had the idea for ‘The College Admissions Process Podcast,’ I realized that if the reps were willing to have these conversations with me, and we can give insight into their schools and into their process while providing advice, that might really help people! I’m now in my second year since launching. There’s been over 151,000 downloads. I’m averaging at least 1,700 per week. I’m also the proud principal of Syosset High School. Kids will stop me in the hall and ask what I think about colleges.

If you have an idea for something that is genuine and there to help people, no matter your audience, it’s worth it.

“The feedback from parents all over the country has been tremendous. Because my daughter has an IEP [individualized education program], I always ask reps, ‘What does your school have to help ensure that students with an IEP in high school continue to be successful while on your campus?’ The episodes will hopefully prompt people to come up with their own higher-order thinking questions so that when they meet with the reps, the conversations are going to be richer. I’m having so much fun! I love helping people and giving back. I think I’ve become a better father and a better principal because of the podcast. The creative part is so motivational to me.

“As a high school principal, you have to be creative in many ways because you’re making a million decisions a day, but until now I’ve never had to create a logo or find an intro! I do all of my own editing. It’s extremely rewarding. If you have an idea for something that is genuine and there to help people, no matter your audience, it’s worth it. Pick a topic that is true to you, that you’re passionate about, but that also gives back.”

‘This was a turning point in my life where I realized that helping people was my true calling.’

Southampton

“I have always been involved in my community, especially during my high school days. There were many community events that took place, and it was easy for me to get involved. I was always interested in becoming a paramedic, and when I turned 17, I joined the Southampton Village EMS.

“I worked there as an EMT and finished my certification right before my high school graduation. This was a turning point in my life where I realized that helping people was my true calling. I saw the struggles of those in my community and realized I could do more to help.

“I went on to study at college and completed my bachelor’s in English ed. Later, I became a music history teacher before switching to special education. I ran the Southampton Village EMS for a long time and eventually became the chief.

As a special ed teacher, my focus is keeping my students safe and being there for them.

“I fell in love with special education when I was asked to help a student with autism during my time as a choir teacher. I enjoyed seeing how much of a difference I could make in someone’s life and knew that special education was where I wanted to be.

“Later on, I started teaching at Little Flower as a middle school special ed teacher. The position switched from English teaching to special ed teaching, which was a challenge. I love teaching all the subjects and the challenge of teaching eight students with different needs.

“The biggest difference from teaching general education to special education is the ability to adapt and change your approach based on the student’s needs. Each student deserves individual attention and care.

“As a special ed teacher, my focus is keeping my students safe and being there for them. My job isn’t just about teaching lessons, but forming a bond with each of my students. I have learned that it is essential to understand their individual needs and work with them in a way that is most effective. It is a different kind of challenge, but it is a challenge that has given me new purpose and meaning in life.”

Interviewed by Starr Fuentes

‘My parents got divorced, and I ended up staying home to help my mom, and I went straight into retail after high school.’

Port Jefferson

“I grew up in Port Jefferson. From a young age, I always wanted to be a business owner, but I wasn’t tremendously involved in school. During that time, my parents got divorced and I ended up staying home to help my mom, and I went straight into retail after high school.

“I worked in Target, craft stores and gift shops. That’s when I fell in love with every aspect of retail. I was even more inspired to open my own store one day. In my early twenties, I saw a little shop down in Port Jefferson. It was going for $500 a month. I said to myself, I’m going to rent this place and make it into a shop … but that never happened. I didn’t have the money. I kind of just stuck with working in retail. I would start off as a cashier, and within weeks or months I was a manager in some capacity.

Every bride that comes in has a reliving experience. I understand that anxiety, so it’s nice that I can help them feel better about the shopping experience.

“During this time, I started gaining weight. I used to go to the mall to buy a pair of sneakers or a piece of jewelry. Then I would go to Lane Bryant for my clothes shopping and put the items in the Express bag so that people wouldn’t know that I shopped at Lane Bryant. I had so much anxiety and just wanted to feel comfortable shopping.

“In my late thirties, I started to be more confident. I began looking for my wedding dress and realized there is no store that is dedicated to offering plus sizes as the default. Thats when I realized I wanted to open my own bridal shop, a place that specializes in plus sizes. I’ve been to other stores, and they say they have plus size, but it’s only an 18. So still, even if she’s a 20, she can’t try it on.

“When I created my shop, I wanted people to get the opportunity to try on their dream dress. My store has been open for five years, and I love everything about being a business owner in their industry.

“Every bride that comes in has a reliving experience. I understand that anxiety, so it’s nice that I can help them feel better about the shopping experience.

“Fast-forward, I’ll be opening my second location in Port Jefferson. It’s been almost 20 years since I have been back hoping to make something of myself. Being back and having a store in Port Jefferson is almost surreal and comforting. It’s almost like a homecoming. It feels really good to be back.”

Interviewed by Starr Fuentes