My daughter and I were building Legos today and made a bunch of “friends.” In the moments I was building with her I thought of all the designers, engineers, factory workers, custodians, electricians, plumbers, etc. who through their work made that moment possible. I also thought of all the people who just by being themselves endure hardship and show others a more expansive perspective on human freedom and flourishing. I wanted to thank them all but don’t know any of their names! I’m very grateful for others’ work today.

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.

This year I married Andrew, a person who has taught me how to see the world and others in a new way. I have a complicated history that rendered me rigid and hypervigilant. I worried I'd never be able to love anyone deeply. At 36, I met Andrew. I noticed right away he was eager to suspend judgment; he would weave these humble narratives about why even a total jerk still deserved kindness. He never spoke ill of others. This absence of judgment became a type of sacred silence, which I hadn't really ever experienced before. Witnessing him day after day began to change me in subtle but magical ways, and I finally felt the safety I'd always craved. It allowed me to fall in love with him. I'm so grateful to Andrew for giving me a second shot at seeing the world as a place full of possibility.

Benjamin is an absolutely incredible person, husband, father, community member, friend, and neighbor. We welcomed our first child this year and as he was dealing with the sudden unexpected loss of his job (on the day I went into labor), he was still able to be patient, loving, supportive, and a rock. He took that sudden unexpected job loss and channeled it into not only being present for our family, but also towards working with the local university to mentor students, to provide mentorship and guidance to others in his industry, and to volunteer on our local community board in our small town, working to make things better, more accessible, more equitable and to be a young voice and perspective in an otherwise older town. He is dynamic, understanding, kind, and never stops moving.

Phil has always been supportive and loving but he stepped it up to a whole new level after finding out I was pregnant at the beginning of the year. When I was insecure about my changing body, he made sure I felt loved and adored. When I was suffering from extreme nausea and fatigued, he kept our household clean and cared for. When I couldn’t see our baby girl in the NICU following an emergency C-section, he went between our hospital floors to make sure she knew how loved she was from the start. Watching him grow from husband to father has been emotionally fulfilling in ways I couldn’t have imagined. He’s already a great dad two months in and I am so thankful to be on this crazy journey of parenthood with him. Thank you for being the absolute greatest, this year and every year.

During the WGA strike of 2023, he went out to the line and marched with me a few times a week, until SAG joined too and he was marching for actors' rights as well. From May-October, it was our ritual, going out to fight for our rights, and for protections for other actors and writers, even when it was depressing, sweaty, and repetitive, he never gave up. That support meant the world. His belief in trying to change things meant the world.

Alex brings out the best in everyone. He is so passionate about everything he does and radiates kindness to all his students, our dog Samson and myself (his wife!) I’m so lucky. We have been through so much together and I really do not think I could go through it alone. He believes in the power of relationships and wanting to get more involved in local movements where we live and he is a great role model to his students our nieces and the future generation. We need more kind men in our world and Alex is one of them!

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.

Priscilla has devoted years to cultivating and sharing earth-friendly practices in everything she does, from her work developing Rivers Edge Farm in the Hudson Valley, to her Substack @priscillawoolworth addressing the innovation environmentalists are doing around the world, to her book addressed to young women interested in all-natural beauty, toxin-free housekeeping, natural remedies, and overall healthy living, to her little shop, the Rabbit Hole, teeming with upcycled and hand made treasures. Generous and down to earth, she shares with grace and good will, and I'm so grateful for all the work she is doing. Environmental advocate, nature lover, organic food grower, forager of wild edibles, seed saver, teacher, photographer, writer, and mindful steward. Thank you Priscilla.

A few months ago, an incredible team of volunteers came together to host a food waste reduction banquet at the Prime Produce Apprentice Cooperative in NYC. We spent three days preparing a meal for 50 people in a tiny apartment and hauling suitcases of donated food through the streets, to create a fun food waste awareness event for our community. We even sent guests home with grocery goodie bags!I’m grateful for my climate community who volunteer their time (even outside their full-time environmental jobs!) to build a better world, every day. Craig Rye, a good friend and co-organizer of Repurposed Plates, makes events like this one possible. He is passionate, intelligent, knowledgeable, and hopeful. To more community-driven climate events!

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!

I so appreciate Kate and the entire team at Stout Oak Farm for everything they do to feed us so well all year. It is difficult, tiring, often thankless work but the intentional approach Kate takes to farming is really special and contributes to our community in so many ways. The fruits (or rather veggies!) of the whole team’s labor are incredibly delicious and deeply enjoyed and appreciated. Thank you!

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.

We live in the Hudson Valley, in a community that sits atop the 850-acre West Mountain State Park. We are surrounded by beautiful trees, lakes and animals in their natural habitat. Sam studied Forestry and works in that field. But, his job doesn’t stop when he goes home. Sam was on the Homeowners Association Board where he made sure the roads were clear of vegetation and trees. He was always available to advise neighbors.The Hudson Valley is currently experiencing a serious drought and Forest Fires are popping up in many surrounding Communities. Sam is always looking to prevent a problem. Last weekend a tree fell onto electrical wires and could have caused a Forest Fire. Sam was there in 10 minutes to see what could be done. To advise who to call and the tree was safely taken down within hours.

I didn’t think I would leave New York City. I lived there for 19 years. But with a little boy added to our family, and a little girl on the way, my husband and I needed space. So we picked a house around the corner from grandmommy. It needed a lot of work but it was a sunny five-minute walk from the only person I knew in town. Grandmommy JoAnn’s help and kindness has been invaluable. When she moved a few years ago we were all sad, but we still see her every Sunday for family dinner. And the fig tree she had tended so lovingly in her yard was gifted to us. Now, every summer when I pull these sweet juicy ripe figs off the thriving tree, I send grandmommy a picture of the harvest, and thank her. For fruit, yes, but I really should thank her for everything she has done for us, always.

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!!

I spent my childhood with the likes of James Herriot, fantasizing free range pet adoption centers. My friend Eliza feels like someone I dreamed up. She will derail days of her life to intervene on an animal in distress, can herbally treat most ailments, and seems to be able to communicate - and commune - with all species in their native tongue. Somehow she has the poise to resist brags, and brims with humor, orchestrating things like animal beauty pageants. All this while single-handedly keeping a big, diverse brood happy, safe, and stimulated, on her grandfather's land she's been diligently rewilding. We no longer share a city, but her sanctuary's become my go-to stopover on my bizarrely regular drives between New York and New Orleans. It's quite possibly the place I'm happiest in the US.

Denzel, and the whole New Orleans ferry crew, have instilled within our children a deep joy and appreciation for the water. Denzel offered to take Billy up top to see how he drives the ferry from Algiers Point to the French Quarter and back. The crew always move from their front seats when our 4 1/2 year old and 18 month old board, so that these little ones can see all the action: docking and undocking. They want to be ferry workers when they grow up! Thank you for sharing the magic of your job with our little ones.

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.

Hannah (left, in the Luigi outfit) and I (right, in the Mario outfit) became roommates during the pandemic, but more importantly and happily, we are now friends! Adventures are endless with her (paddle boarding at 4AM to observe a meteor shower, backpacking unexpectedly through snow to, again, observe a meteor shower, staying up way past our bedtime tearing up to classical music concerts on YouTube, etc.), but I am most thankful for her accompanying me joyfully, patiently, and authentically throughout my healing journey. I was working through some deep trauma from my past while living with Hannah, and her heart received the broken parts of my heart without ever running away or making me feel like I had to hide. Thank you, Hannah. With you, I am happy being truly myself!