As a girl Lucky Longo wanted short hair, but she was rebuffed by a men’s barbershop. This inspired her to provide a more inclusive and non-gendered approach to cutting hair. Like all barbers and stylists, Lucky has been shut down since March, but now she’s scheduling appointments again with phase 2 and phase 3 reopening. 

Ciarda Hall and Justice McCray are two of the youth leaders of the Beacon 4 Black Lives team that has organized a series of marches for racial justice. Their next rally takes place this Friday June 19th – Juneteenth – at 6:30pm.

Melanie is a writer and editor of books about ceramics, woodworking, knitting, metal smithing and other kinds of "handwork." She talks about the importance of making things in a post-industrial society and especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Aisha Benson is the senior executive at TruFund Financial Services. TruFund is a non-profit financial organization that facilitates loans and economic development in underserved communities, including minority-owned businesses. Along with her husband Pastor Edward Benson, Aisha has six kids and two grandkids. She talks about family life and her work on behalf of disadvantaged people. 

Jeff is the Beacon beat editor at The Current, covering issues like education, development, business, land use and the impact of Covid-19.

Matt Montleon owns the Honorable Ink tattoo shop on Main Street. He had to move into a motel after storm winds damaged his building. He talks about the one-two punch of closing his business during Covid and losing the roof over his head, as well as the evils of gentrification.

Sergio is a teacher, artist, drummer and parent to two young kids. He talks about coming down with COVID-19 and life under lockdown. 

Barbara Fisher is the owner and operator of Barb’s Butchery, a local butcher shop that sources all its meat from local producers within about 60 miles of Beacon. Barb's is reopening this Friday after shutting down during the first phase of the COVID-19. 

Lifelong gardener Cary Baker shares her horticultural experiences and the challenge of running a garden design business during a virus outbreak. And she offers advice and tips for Beacon's amateur gardeners, including local sources for seeds, vegetable starts and berry bushes.   

Robert Rodriguez Jr is a photographer and teacher whose landscapes of the Hudson Valley have appeared in the New York Times and been featured by Scenic Hudson. He talks about Hudson Valley light and weather and his creative mindset.