‘I hoped to be an author. As a child, I often dreamed that my books might be in libraries one day.’

Melissa Marshall, North Massapequa

“Writing was always easier than speaking for me, especially in my early years. I was a late talker, which many people find hard to believe because I am very verbal now!

“I grew up in the ’70s, and my local library was one of my favorite places to go. Books took me to many magical places. I hoped to be an author. As a child, I often dreamed that my books might be in libraries one day.

“In May 2015, my life took an unexpected turn: While running errands with my husband, I had said that I wished I would be able to find a job where I could help children. I needed a sign to point me in the right direction. Well, we were in traffic behind a We Transport school bus. This bus had a sign on it that said they were hiring. I laughed because it was a real sign. I contacted the bus company and … I was hired as a monitor. I found that bringing and reading library books onto the school bus would help ease the transition for the young children who are often anxious and nervous. I often drew pictures to make our young bus riders happy as well.

It’s wonderful sharing the love of books with others.

“A few years ago, our bus always passed pigeons each day on our route. The children were enamored with them. Before long, I had created a story, and this bird family became a book, ‘Sharing is Caring with the Pigeon Family,’ followed by ‘Thank You Pigeon Family.’

“I also wrote ‘It All Started With a Box of Crayons,’ which shows that you can find ways to do things that make you happy, and that you should always believe in yourself. I drew the pictures — with background illustrations and technical support from my son, William.

“I have been visiting libraries with my books now and love getting to read to children and their families. Working with children has been so rewarding — both on the bus and providing my stories for them. I feel myself smiling every time I see the happiness a story or a ‘Good morning!’ greeting brings to our young bus riders.

“I guess We Transport has liked my work, too. It nominated me as bus monitor of the year in 2017 and 2019 — and I won. And I am so happy I became a writer and illustrator. I also love attending events with other local children’s book authors. It’s wonderful sharing the love of books with others.”

Interviewed by Saul Schachter

‘I’ve been able to save a lot more money than I would have by just working my regular 9-to-5 job.’

Alexandra Mahl, Plainview

“When I was 16 and my parents told me that they were going to move to Arizona, I decided that I was not going. So, I purged my closet to see what I could sell. I listed a few Free People items on Poshmark. Everything sold, and I made about $500. So,I was like, what else can I get rid of? I listed some boots, Michael Kors bags and ex-boyfriend jewelry, which sold within days, too.

“It started as a hobby. When I went to college, it became a side hustle. Then COVID hit, and I started helping other people on Long Island list their items at an hourly rate. At that point, I was making between $700 to a $1,000 worth of clothing a month on top of working full time. It was a good extra paycheck.

Now I’m meeting Sports Illustrated models, E! News reporters and all these crazy famous people.

“Then Poshmark came out with live-selling apps. That’s when it became a second full-time job for me. I started selling up to $15,000 a month. It was a huge takeoff and opened for so many opportunities for me. Poshmark sent me to New York City to meet with news reporters at The New York Times, Vogue and Business Insider.

“What none of the articles covered is that now celebrities contact me through social media to promote my side hustle. I started doing consignments for these celebrities, who basically get PR packages from well-known designers that are worth hundreds of dollars and can’t sell them on their own. Now I’m meeting Sports Illustrated models, E! News reporters and all these crazy famous people. That wouldn’t have happened without me working my butt off. Now I work at a law firm’s accounting department while juggling Poshmark as a second full-time job. I am a one-woman show: I do everything. I list, pack everything up, then I do it all again the next day.

“But I can’t do it all. I have hired people in Illinois, California, Arizona, Connecticut, New Jersey to thrift for me. They see things that they think I would like, then send them to me, and I pay them. I’ve been able to save a lot more money than I would have by just working my regular 9-to-5 job. And I was able to buy my dream car with the money that I put aside. It’s a Porsche, and I bought it brand new myself. Without working so hard, none of it would have been possible.”

Interviewed by Shoshanna McCollum

‘…If sick, please stay home or be considerate, trying not to infect others.’

Kathleen Addiss Simonetti, Medford

“Our story isn’t just one of things that have happened to us as in past tense. It’s a story of things still happening to us on a daily basis. While our son Noah at 2½ looks and acts like a normal kid, he’ll never be a normal kid. He knows he’s different but doesn’t yet understand why.

“At 10 months old, Noah had a cardiac arrest while sleeping at 4 a.m. My husband and I performed CPR and saved him. He had surgery and an ICD [implantable cardioverter-defibrillator] was placed. He was frequently sick after that, more than other kids his age, and always got hit harder. He’d get a cold and be sick for weeks or have to go to urgent care. It was like a weekly thing. When he was 18 months old, we took him to the hospital; he had pneumonia and coded three times. We were in the PICU [pediatric intensive care unit] for 25 days, and he had to relearn how to eat, sit, walk again. We still had no answers as to why. In June, just before his second birthday, we received genetic results that Noah has a rare condition called PPA2, which can cause sudden cardiac failure. There are only about 60 cases worldwide. Very few cases have been identified worldwide, and even fewer people are living with the condition. It’s very poorly published, and it took us 18 months to get an official diagnosis.

Noah is the sweetest, strongest, most intuitive boy, and we’re so grateful to have him, no matter his condition.

“I’ve connected with other families. A lot of them have previously lost a child and now have a second child and finally got a diagnosis. It’s not something that’s easy to grasp, having a child that’s going to deal with this for the rest of their lives. It’s kind of just taking it one day at a time. We want to get the word out regarding PPA2, this rare mitochondrial disease, in hopes that it will spark interest in research. We think it should be considered in general genetic testing panels, not just after individuals experience events. This could potentially help better the outcome for individuals with this disease as they’ll know the diagnosis from birth. We’re also hoping others will be more considerate of those with suppressed immune systems, because even though Noah looks normal, a ‘minor’ cold could mean heart failure or death for him. So, if sick, please stay home or be considerate, trying not to infect others. Noah is the sweetest, strongest, most intuitive boy, and we’re so grateful to have him, no matter his condition.”

Interviewed by Liza Burby

‘We love our community, get involved in the local chamber and other events, and we’ve donated proceeds to various local organizations.’

Roberta Perry, Plainview

“So much of what I do now is because of my late sister. I started making sugar scrub because my own skin was so bad, and I hadn’t found anything I loved. I was just trying different combinations out on my own dry skin. My sister, Michelle, said, ‘Let’s go sell some.’ I had no intention of making it into a business — that I credit to her.

“In the beginning, I had my whole family involved. I was working side by side with Michelle. My kids were helping out; my parents, too. My mom’s 86 years old now, and she will still come in to put stickers on bags and jars. The fact that I got to work with Michelle and continue to work with my best friend, Wendy, is everything.

“I started selling ScrubzBody products at local craft fairs, expos, and any sort of holiday boutique we could afford and travel to easily. Business took off and, eventually, we were selling in stores like Whole Foods and online on our website. The amount of time I spent driving around to do demos in different stores, some in different states, to try and sell my products was exhausting. I was drained. I realized that I would rather put my energy into people. I wanted that relationship that small business owners have with their customers. We pivoted to retail.

“The timing of this all happening was so weirdly serendipitous and everything fell into place. We opened a storefront in Bethpage and then moved to where we are now, in Farmingdale. We love our community, get involved in the local chamber and other events, and we’ve donated proceeds to various local organizations.

“I am all about pampering and self-love. We use natural ingredients in our products, so I always say that Mother Nature made my recipe, but I made it easy for you to use and give yourself self-care.

“My sister had retail experience, and I had graphic design and business experience. I formerly worked in sales, and it made me realize how easily I could talk to people and how much I enjoyed it. Every piece of what I had done before led to this business – connecting with my customers and community members. There aren’t many places where people walk in and leave feeling better about themselves, and I’m happy my customers experience that at my shop.”

The parties are such a tribute to Michelle. She was always bouncy and so full of life.

“This place isn’t making me rich, but it makes me happy, and that’s worth everything. I get to own a shop that I started with my sister. I get to work with my best friend. I get to make people feel good about themselves. I get to work in this really cool town. How lucky am I?

“Before Michelle passed away, she would always push for hosting skin-care parties. I wasn’t as enthusiastic about them as she was, but I love them now. We host ‘Make Your Own Scrubz’ parties for people of all ages. Women come in with their friends or family, and we’ll pamper them with hand scrubs and lotions. Who doesn’t love a ladies night out? Even kids have parties here all the time. They love making their own signature scent of the Scrubz. We also love catering food from the Farmingdale area. One of Wendy’s great ideas was the phone box, where we tell parents that we’d like to take the kids’ phones away during their parties. It makes such a difference. They are so much more connected. I love seeing them talk and joke with each other rather than be glued to their phones.

“The parties are such a tribute to Michelle. She was always bouncy and so full of life. She radiated a beautiful energy, almost childlike. Every time we host a party here, I can hear her jokingly say, ‘I told you so.’

“After she passed, it was incredibly difficult. Her son lived with me for four years, so we got very close, and her daughter is truly like another daughter to me. I was fortunate to have a wonderful support system in my husband and family, and an amazing friend, Wendy, who stepped up tremendously with the business. Wendy has always shown up for me and for ScrubzBody, and I am so thankful. This business is a collaboration of everyone who ever supported it.

“Michelle was my biggest cheerleader. There’s not a shred of doubt of how much she loved me and how much I loved her. She would be so proud. She is so proud.”

Interviewed by Melanie Gulbas

‘Ben has sparked a movement that challenges us to see autism as a different way of interacting with the world, full of potential and promise.’

Angela and Ben Blanchet, Kings Park

“At 13, my son Ben’s journey took a pivotal turn after watching ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.’ Diagnosed with autism and being homeschooled partly due to his immune deficiency, he found a profound connection to the movie. Feeling sluggish one day, not well enough for regular lessons, I suggested to Ben, ‘Do you feel like you could write about the movie we saw?’ His face lit up, and he embraced the idea. ‘Sure, because I have superpowers too,’ he said. This was more than just a moment; it was a revelation. ‘Maybe autism is my superpower,’ he wrote. That sentence, so simple yet profound, struck me deeply.

Initially drawn to the sounds of pots and pans, his true potential was unlocked with a keyboard gift from my sister.

“Ben’s autism, a condition often misunderstood, had revealed an unexpected gift: perfect pitch. Discovered when he was about 3, his innate musical talent began to shine. Initially drawn to the sounds of pots and pans, his true potential was unlocked with a keyboard gift from my sister. It featured lights that guided him through songs, which he quickly learned to play by memory. This wasn’t just about music, but about how Ben perceived the world around him. The decision to self-publish a book on his insights came naturally. It was a family effort, with my daughter illustrating the cover. Designed to share Ben’s unique perspective on autism as his superpower, we aimed to illuminate the capabilities that autism brought into his life. The response was beyond anything we anticipated. Once shared, the story resonated, touching lives far beyond our immediate circle.

“Children across the country started sending videos, showcasing their ‘superpowers,’ inspired by Ben. Parents reached out, seeking advice, and sharing stories. Ben responded with videos offering insights into his experiences with autism, from the challenges to the strategies that helped him navigate. His message was clear: Autism doesn’t limit you; it reveals your unique strengths. ‘My child brings this book to school with him because he’s bullied for his autism but now, he feels like he has a superpower,’ one message read. Through his words, Ben has sparked a movement that challenges us to see autism as a different way of interacting with the world, full of potential and promise.”

Interviewed by Jay Max

‘I’ve seen firsthand how hard my colleagues work every single day. Working with children is much harder than people think.’

Romina Keper, Long Beach

“I’ve been a school speech pathologist for 13 years. I’ve seen firsthand how hard my colleagues work every single day. Working with children is much harder than people think. Between social, emotional and academic needs, there’s a lot to juggle at once. Teachers sometimes get overlooked and should be celebrated more. We love mugs and gift cards, but I’ve always felt there has to be a better way for parents to show their appreciation for the people who work with their children every day. Teachers love puns, and I decided to create something based on the popular trend gift of a charcuterie board.

I like to think he’d be proud to see me making things with my hands … things that brighten people’s days.

“I was putting together a retirement gift for a teacher’s party, and I thought, wouldn’t it be cute if it had school supplies on it instead of food? And just like that, CharTEACHerie gift boards were born. I always wanted to do something with my hands like my father, as well as generate some extra income because living on Long Island is incredibly expensive. Starting this business has been a tribute to my dad, who passed away two years ago. Designing these boards became a therapeutic process where I channeled my grief into something productive and meaningful for others.

“Making things brought him peace, so it was DIY all day every day in our house, aka ‘mini Home Depot.’ I like to think he’d be proud to see me making things with my hands, too, things that brighten people’s days, just like the little creations he’d put together for us, whether it was a table, swing or playhouse. It almost feels like we’re making the boards together. I’ve been in business for over a year and a half and sold over 220 gift boards thus far. I’ve donated several raffle gift boards to things like PTA nights, fundraisers, churches, networking events and continuing education conferences. I include commonly used school supplies and customize it with a personal element based on what the teacher likes and needs, like a favorite color, hobby or TV show. Balancing it all is challenging, but I love knowing that the gift is going to someone who needs the recognition, like the first one into school in the morning and the last one to leave. The best part is knowing that it’s going to someone who deserves it.”

Interviewed by Liza Burby

‘We are all human beings and we all live in the world, which is basically one village.’

Khurshid Alam Saleem, Central Islip

“The natural inspiration to make art started at the beginning of my life; throughout my childhood I wanted to draw and paint. I grew up in Bangladesh and, when I was a young adult, I went to art school. Many of my teachers had spent time in America and Europe and they were fascinated by abstract art. They taught us students about it. I was fascinated by the work of Mark Rothko. In 1986, I immigrated to New York. While living on Long Island, I became very inspired by the ocean, and I started a series of abstract paintings called ‘Water Waves.’

“My current series of work is called ‘3D Abstraction: Hidden Beauty.’ These paintings are inspired by Rothko’s squares, but they have dimension. My goal is to create beauty using composition and color; I use the term ‘hidden beauty’ in my painting’s titles because their elements are inspired by forms that are found in nature, such as flower petals or even the human body. Not everyone notices these natural shapes, so their beauty is often hidden.

My roots are in South Asia, but my art philosophy is very Western.

“I have had 81 solo shows in 17 countries, including America, Japan, Sweden, Austria, Morocco, China, India, Bangladesh, Germany, France, Belgium, Iran, Greece, Netherlands, Italy, Uzbekistan and Russia. I won a gold medal award for my art when it was exhibited at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

“I also served as a visiting professor at a university in China, where I taught students modern art techniques. I personally know more than 5,000 artists from continents all across the globe. From 2008 to 2020, I owned the New York Art Connection Gallery, where I curated over 80 exhibitions. I am hoping to curate an exhibition of international artists at Westbury Arts in 2024 or 2025 and, in May of 2024, I will have a solo show at the Bayard Cutting Arboretum in Islip.

“My roots are in South Asia, but my art philosophy is very Western. We are all human beings and we all live in the world, which is basically one village. It doesn’t matter where you were born or where you work because the internet connects us quickly and easily; artists from anywhere can embrace art of any style. There are no limits.”

Interviewed by Meagan J. Meehan

‘I have worked on the waters my entire life. It is what I like to do. It is in my blood.’

Clint Bennett Jr., Montauk

“I am a 14th-generation bayman-slash-offshore commercial fisherman. I have grown up on the East End my entire life. I have worked on the waters my entire life. It is what I like to do. It is in my blood. It is all that I really know what to do. At the end of the day, I am a bayman.

“We work with the government, and the ways of fishing have changed a little bit, methodwise. We can’t use haul seine anymore. We have to use gillnets now. Poe traps are still the same. Pikes are still the same, clamwise, bull rakes, pretty much everything is still the same. It is just the limits. The limits are getting us. It’s always changing on certain parts of the year when you can catch a harvest stock.

“[My uncle and grandfather] worked up until the early 1990s, when they were told they could not fish anymore for striped bass, which they had done for generations with wholesale. They protested with Billy Joel and a lot of different baymen. Billy Joel carried a fish up to the beach with my uncle and my grandfather.

“I am a very professional person when it comes to the law. You have to go by the guidelines and do whatever they want you to do. I was only about 6 years old when all of this was going on. [Billy Joel] went with my uncle, my grandfather, and their crews and really got involved with those guys, with the baymen, you know? I was a young kid, and I did not realize what was going on.

“As I got older and read all the stories in the books we had, I really understood it. Knowing that my family got pushed out of their livelihood due to whatever circumstances they were in, they got frustrated and gave up their license, and they got jobs.”

We do what we do, and we are going to keep doing that; that is what Billy meant to me as a bayman.

“Billy Joel inspires me not to get an office job. He is a kindhearted man. He always stood by the fishermen to help us out in any way possible to sustain. He is a voice for the fishermen.”

“There are times that I want to sit down and tell him my thoughts and feelings. I sat down with many old-time fishermen about the subject. I try not to have those conversations because they are tough.

“‘Downeaster “Alexa”’ … I did not get to know Billy [Joel] at all because I was so young, and through the years, he has gotten older, and he became a song producer-writer and all that stuff. I have not really sat with him personally or spoken with him about everything that has happened in the past, but every time I hear his song, it is an inspiration to me to keep doing what I do.

“From him, that is enough to have that inspiration there in the waters, knowing that we worked so hard. We do what we do, and we are going to keep doing that; that is what Billy meant to me as a bayman.

“My father, my brother, and I still work the waters today. Ever since we were born, we have been around the water, worked the water, and brought clams and fish our entire lives. In my region, I believe there are about 30 guys who are still Baymen like my family.

“In 2016, my then-fiancée, Kim, and I were scalloping. We were opening our scallops in our kitchen when we decided to open a shop. That year was a good year for scalloping. We built Bennett Shellfish, and it has taken off, and we supply different numbers of food. We do clam, seafood, oysters, scallops, clam pies, all kinds of stuff.

“Kim inspired me to be a businessperson. She taught me retail and how to manage money, and how to market things.”

Interviewed by Christian Spencer