Life has been challenging as of late. I am in my first semester of law school, a beast in its own right that has me pouring over pages and pages of legal cases. It is a time of comparison, fatigue, and self-doubt. To keep me grounded, I am thinking about the people in my life that I love so dearly. The people that don't care whether I do my assigned readings or what grade I receive on my legal research memo. Rachel and Julia are incredibly special to me. They are my travel buddies, my shoulders to cry on, my motivators. They are selfless and caring. They make me smile and laugh. They are like sisters to me. I have so much gratitude for my friendship with them and for all the adventures we have had together, and for all those which lie ahead.

Our town’s clerk Valerie is a force of positivity and inspiration. She is personable and incredibly hardworking and always has a smile and a kind word handy to gift others. When she asks for volunteers to help at the polls or for another reason, we come running because it feels like a privilege to follow her lead.

Ray Henrion was born in 1930 and spent a life selflessly helping others. Ray's devotion to our community garden, which provides produce to our food pantry, was daily. Even during Covid, he worked every day to grow fresh vegetables for the community. He worked with joy, peace, and devotion and was an inspiration to all. He was committed to our local food system. Ray passed away last January (two days before his 94th birthday) and I would like to nominate him for recognition.

Megan puts her all into everything she does -- in her own business, Sullivan Country Store, as community coordinator at Monadnock Food Co-op, and all the community initiatives she supports. She's passionate about equity and inclusive communities and so very giving. I admire her so much!

Rosa is the heartbeat of the catering kitchen I assist at. She truly is irreplaceable. Every week she comes in with a beaming smile, a wise crack and/or a hug for everyone. Rosa is the reason why the kitchen can produce hundreds of meals every month for our community’s Meals on Wheels program. Without her many wouldn’t have lovingly made sandwiches, snacks or hot meals to look forward to. We refer to the MOW’s members as “Los Amigos” (The Friends) and she truly puts her all into making nourishing food for them each and every week. Rosa is one of the most hardworking, caring community members I know and she definitely deserves her roses every day. Thank you Rosa for feeding our community with integrity and devotion.

My 94-year-old grandmother is brilliant, and my rock. This weekend, feeling weighed down by worries about the future—the health of our planet, the fight for justice, what lies ahead—I traveled nine hours to spend a single afternoon with her. In her cozy living room, she spoke of many things, including her mother, a fierce suffragette who rallied women to vote, and of living through sit-ins, civil rights marches, and countless struggles for change. With nearly a century of experience, she shared her pride in how far we’ve come and her faith in both the earth’s resilience and our own. “We’ve overcome so many bumps on this road,” she said. I left with a raw, overwhelming love for her—her perspective, her fire, and her unshakable hope. Nana, I am so grateful for you!!

I live in New York City, but I am originally from Ireland. When my baby niece, Thea, was born, I was in a really bad place with my mental health. I ended up having to go off work for 3 months and travel home to try to get better. When I got there, I met Thea for the first time, and for the first time in months, I felt a glimmer of something that wasn’t sadness. Her simplicity and love radiate from her tiny little being. She is truly a guardian angel for me, sent here to help me and keep me going. Now, I have returned to NYC, so when I talk with Thea, it’s via her mummy’s phone and FaceTime. As soon as she hears my voice and sees my face, she literally tries to make her way through the phone to get to me, and reminds me that the world isn’t all bad.

Smokey and their coworkers run MUTINY, a queer-run hair styling/barber collective. It is the safest place I have ever been to get my hair cut - anyone of any age, gender, presentation, pronouns is treated with kindness. Plus, they cut hair based on length, not a gendered "menu" of overpriced "women's haircuts" and cheap "men's haircuts" (industry norm) and offer pay-what-you-can appointments for anyone with no expectation of any payment for folks who cannot pay but need an affirming haircut. I love them and what they do!! And their cuts are dope!!

It is an honor to know Kisha Zullo. She is a pioneer in supporting others and making this world a better place. Over 19 years ago, she founded the Women In Business Summit. She saw a problem and felt the urge to fix it, as so many who have a dream and a vision to create something new often do. After facing wage inequality at work, she needed an outlet to channel her frustration and bring together women to discuss this and support each other in learning how to advocate and flip the conversation. Knowledge is power and she knew that if she could provide the platform for others then the information sharing would happen and there would be better outcomes for women in the office and beyond. Kisha has also experienced profound unexpected loss. Despite this, focuses on and lifts others up.

Carlos is a quiet miracle in this loud, hurried city. Every day, he settles into the heart of Central Park and shares his gift of guitar music for hours, not for recognition or fame, but to weave small, unexpected moments of beauty into people's lives. I’ve watched him observe with attuned presence—catching fragments of conversation, intuitively tuning his guitar to a stranger’s heart, offering songs that touch people to the bottom of their soul. A teenager sings along, a couple shares a tender moment during a proposal, a passerby relaxes in contemplation. He reminds me that art doesn’t need to shout to be noticed; sometimes, the most profound connections are the ones that bloom in fleeting, unspoken encounters. Carlos gives us this gift every day—soft, simple, and full of grace.