Hala Maroc
Hala Maroc is a multimedia personality, serial entrepreneur, culture curator, artist and wellness advocate. She owns #OntheBlockWithHalaMaroc, a full-service digital marketing agency servicing small businesses, influencers, artists, and creatives. She also has a wellness shop called #BADASSBOOTCAMP promoting self care and empowerment with events, workshops, collaborations with local & top brands, content, and more. Her wellness program was inspired by her 7+ years in the entertainment industry and the void she recognized in the "relentless dreamer lifestyle" WHEN IT CAME TO SELF LOVE, SELF CARE, SELF HELP, SELF DEVELOPMENT AND SELFAWARENESS.
Hala was born and raised in Astoria, Queens as a first generation citizen of middle eastern parents. Fun fact; Hala's first languages were Arabic & French, and only began to learn english in pre-school. Fast forward... her passion for communication and entertainment led TO her to vlogging, song writing at a very young age, dancing for 10+ years, and ultimately college radio... where she claimed to have caught the bug! Since then she's worked at several notable radio NYC stations including I Heart Media, and Hot 97. She's also covered other radio markets with her good vibes and playful tone by landing her own full time radio show doing nights in Philly ON BOOM103.9, and North Carolina ON FOXY99.
Today you can watch Hala on platforms such as MAINO'S KITCHEN TALK PODCAST & FOX SOUL, OR listen to her on DASH RADIO. SHE believes change begins in your own backyard. So aside from her pop culture content, Hala reaches a wide range audience with her wellness podcast DIVINE CHAOS and hosts a concert series promoting anti-bullying in schools through out the tristate area called Urban Block Party. This year Hala is focused on pushing the culture forward by creating impactful content & CONNECTING DOTS BETWEEN WELLNESS & CREATIVE INDUSTRIES
Roxanne Mustafa
Roxanne Mustafa is a Palestinian-American who was born and raised in Brooklyn and now lives on Staten Island. She is happy to call St. George her home for the last 20 years and lives in a renovated 100+ year old home with her husband, 2 boys, father-in-law, and her husky mix, Luna.
As a Product Designer, Researcher and Technology Consultant, she leverages her skills in research, facilitation, data analysis and consulting, as well as Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, to her work as an organizer and human rights advocate.
Roxanne has invested her skills into her community in many ways. She started the consulting company Rock Tech Data & Design to help the digital transformation of Staten Island nonprofits and small businesses. She co-founded and led the precedent-setting, progressive non-profit group SIWWM, which advocated for intersectional women’s issues and civic engagement. She currently works with several non-profits including Staten Island Urban Center, Bait al-Jumaat (House of Community) and the SI Environmental Justice Coalition. Most importantly, her passion lies with her work with Staten Island 4 Palestine, which aims to promote solidarity with the people of Palestine from within her borough. Her goal is to continue to build a network of socially conscious Staten Islanders who want to improve their understanding of collective power and liberation.
Today, Roxanne focuses her activism on pushing for American divestment from the Zionist state of Israel as the genocide of the Palestinian people has accelerated. Locally, she collaborates with many social justice groups across the city and country, like NYC 4 Ceasefire, Americans for Justice for Palestine, PAL-Al Awda and Ceasefire Now. In our community, SI4P, has already helped improve the narrative of the Palestine liberation and human rights on Staten Island.
Despite seeing many atrocities across our country and abroad at the hands of supremacist or colonialist ideologies, Roxanne still believes that all politics is local and that all activism starts in one’s own community. Starting grass-roots and staying human-centered is at the core of all of her work. Roxanne believes that if one does not heal one’s own heart and community, then one cannot expect to heal one’s nation, and certainly the world.
Kelly Vilar
Kelly Vilar, founder and CEO of the Staten Island Urban Center--a community development through community involvement organization has pursued cultural equity, thrivability, self determination and independence for marginalized and vulnerable communities. Her work centers youth development and community activism.
Kelly was named Top 100 Most Powerful People on Staten Island in City & State Magazine in 2023 and was honored in 2022 as the All In For NYC Awardee by Citizens Committee NYC. She was appointed to the 2019 NYC Council Waterfront Management Advisory Board helping to author NYC’s Waterfront Plan and in 2025 was appointed to the NYC Offshore Wind Advisory Council.
Kelly served as the Chair of the Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute, a multidisciplinary center for global afro descendent culture integrating arts, education and activism through 2020. Kelly is a former member of Community Board No. 1 where she chaired the Youth Committee helping to move forward a budget agenda for Staten Island’s youth that led to more funding for Staten Island youth programming. In 2015, Kelly formed Let’s Rebuild Cromwell Coalition and authored the proposal to develop a Maritime Education, Recreation & Cultural Corridor ( MERC) on Staten Island's waterfront and produced a short documentary about Staten Island North Shore Waterfront called Our Urban Town. Today she leads the Environmental Justice Coalition of Staten Island and is a member of the NYC Environmental Justice Alliance.
Kelly’s received awards such as 2018 SI NAACP William A. Morris Humanitarian and named as SI-NAACP’s Top 25 Most Influential People in the African American Community. She received the 2019 Alice Austen & Gertrude Tate Award For Community Service, Staten Island Women’s Political Caucus Elizabeth Connelly 2020 Award and in 2021 received community service awards from Central Family Life Center and in 2023 from Staten Island Soroptimist. Nonprofit Staten Island awarded Kelly the Community Service Award in 2024. Kelly has a deep love for art and art expression and has weaved curatorial work into her projects curating social and environmental justice centered art exhibitions at the Newhouse Center For Contemporary Art and Governors Island Nolan Park such as the Landfill Fashionista: Image, Environment & Culture through the Lens of Young Girls of Color of Staten Island; Paper Doll Revolution: Flipping the Script on the Female Stereotype and Abuela’s Kitchen: Social Justice Storytelling.
Kelly earned her Master’s Degree in Urban Policy from New School for Social Research and has over 30 years of experience in youth leadership, urban development and community organizing.
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Lori Love
Lori Love is a dynamic creative and entrepreneur committed to fostering connections and collaborations. She has successfully launched and managed multiple ventures, skillfully integrating innovation and artistic flair with a dedication to supporting others. As the proud owner of 5 Borough Clean-Up, a family-owned restoration company operated alongside her husband and two homeschooled children, they provide essential services to individuals facing unexpected disasters, such as fires and floods.
Furthermore, Lori serves as a respected local curator, organizing a diverse array of events, including art exhibitions, painting experiences, protests, and fundraisers Her unwavering commitment to building relationships and inspiring collective growth establishes her as a trailblazer in both entrepreneurship and community development.
Over the years, she’s released two albums, performed at the United Nations, and led songwriting workshops and artist residencies at institutions that believe in the power of storytelling. While also working for over 10 years as an events manager and recently used her insights to start a consulting group to help institutions bridge the gap between employee well being and their enhanced customer experience. But at the end of the day, she’s just someone who believes that pain has a purpose, vision needs a voice, and we are all capable of building something greater than ourselves.
Gené doesn’t have all the answers—just a deep love for the journey and a passion for helping others turn their struggles into something meaningful. And if there’s one thing she hopes you take away from this book, it’s this: your vision is worth carrying.
Gené Jones
Raised by first-generation Haitian-American parents, Gené’s story started in Long Island, but by 13, she was navigating the subway to attend the Professional Performance Arts High School in New York City. That’s where she learned two things: hard work beats talent when talent stops showing up, and faith will take you places hustling can’t reach.
She went on to study opera performance at The Boston Conservatory of Music, learning how to bring stories to life through music. But more than technique, what’s always mattered to her is truth—the kind that makes you feel seen, heard, and just a little braver than before.
Elaine Messi
Elaine Messi is a powerhouse in Staten Island real estate and a true community champion. In her very first year as a Licensed Real Estate Salesperson, Elaine closed an impressive 23 transactions, earned the prestigious Rookie of the Year and Diamond Elite Award, and successfully sold a $2.8 million commercial property. Her deals have spanned across sellers concessions, HUD homes, VA loans, short sales, relocations, and both residential and commercial rentals.
Elaine is known for her relentless dedication to her clients—offering more than just real estate expertise. Whether it’s pulling weeds, walking dogs, discarding old furniture, or driving clients to the airport, Elaine goes above and beyond to ensure a smooth and stress-free experience. Her motto? Every client is family.
Beyond real estate, Elaine is deeply rooted in her Staten Island community. A Former member of the Staten Island Economic Development Corporation (SIEDC), she has made it her mission to uplift others through activism, mentorship, and charitable work. She’s the former owner of Bubbles Playhouse, where she brought joy to thousands of children for over a decade—and at one point was the most requested performer for the Brooklyn Public Library. Elaine has also traveled abroad to provide humanitarian help and resources to underserved communities, further showcasing her passion for giving back on a global scale.
She’s been seen on the Dr. Oz Show and Million Dollar Listing New York, and has led countless fundraisers—raising well over $50,000 for causes including March of Dimes, Breast Cancer Research, and many more local and national organizations. For her humanitarian efforts, she was honored by David Wright and the New York Mets. She was named “Humanitarian of the Year” by Zumba Fitness, awarded the Staten Island Community Health Hero Award and multiple awards by several different organizations.
Currently, Elaine serves as campaign manager for City Council candidate Jozette Carter Williams, sits on the board of Visions, and continues to be an unstoppable force as a performer, emcee, and community engager.
If you’re looking for a real estate agent or community engager with unmatched drive, heart, and hustle—Elaine Messi is your go-to.