Celebrating Women's History Month

Women's History Month is a time to honor, celebrate, and remember all of the women in our history who have gotten us to where we are today. Since March began, I have seen countless stories of extraordinary women who have made lasting impacts on our country and around the world. This includes historic trailblazers like Rosa Parks, modern-day icons like the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg, and many others. While the immeasurable contributions of these women need no explanation, this month, I want to also acknowledge some incredible women right here on Long Island whose impact helps all of us, even if we may not realize it.

These women include heroes like Sandra Lindsay, an ICU nurse on Long Island who was the first American to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Women like Sandra make up 76% of the essential workers in healthcare, and last year, they sacrificed their health and safety to save lives. In many cases, they even did this without the basic protections they needed to do their jobs, like personal protective gear or hazard pay. We owe Sandra, and the many hometown heroes just like her, a debt of gratitude.

Let us also acknowledge women like Kesi Tolliver, an English Language Arts Teacher in Wyandanch Union Free School District. Teachers have done so much to support our children under the most challenging of circumstances this past year. Despite it all, Kesi, and so many other teachers like her, have gone above and beyond to make sure kids get the education they need. The next generation of heroes will not fall behind because of the tremendous work done by so many women in classrooms.

Speaking of that generation, let's thank them as well. There are so many young women whose contributions should not be forgotten. Whether it be the 1st grader from Massapequa who always wears her mask to make sure her grandparents do not get sick, high school students like Julianna and Gaby from Nassau's South Shore who volunteer their time in my office every week to help their community, or the college student from Babylon volunteering at the Sharing and Caring Soup Kitchen on her free time, you all deserve a round of applause. Amazing things happen when ordinary people come together to do extraordinary things, and every one of these contributions makes our world a better place.

All of these women deserve our recognition, our praise, and our thanks. We must honor them not only this month but every month after that. Let's resolve not only to praise them with our words but also to pay tribute to them with our actions. Let's get to work as so many of them have already done.