Melisa Chioma Emeghebo Rousseau, educator, NCC professor, of Huntington, dies at 53

In the signature of Melisa  Chioma Emeghebo Rousseau's email was a quote by cultural anthropologist Margaret Mead that read: "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed individuals can change the world. In fact, it's the only thing that ever has."

According to her family, Rousseau's mission was to spearhead change and ensure she was "honoring the legacies of those who came before her and preserving their histories."

"Melisa was an original, that's the first thing that comes to mind," said her husband, Dr. Reginald Rousseau, a pain medicine physician and anesthesiologist. "Most people who met her did not forget her."

The Huntington resident died on Oct. 4 after complications from a brain aneurysm. She was 53.

Melisa Chioma Emeghebo Rousseau was born in Brooklyn on July 21, 1972. Her nickname was Sunshine as she "brought light, warmth, and laughter to every life she touched," her family said.

A lifelong learner, Rousseau earned her bachelor's degree from Boston College in 1994, followed by a dual master's degree in English and education from LIU Post in 2000. First and foremost, Rousseau was an educator, who worked with elementary- to high school-level students and also served as an adjunct professor at Nassau Community College. According to her husband, Rousseau "always loved teaching but over time she realized her influence could be broader than that."

She obtained a second master's in sociology from The New School in 2022. At the time of her passing, Rousseau was a third-year doctoral student at Molloy University, researching the resilience of Black girls in schools.

"She went through a lot of racism and persecution where she was isolated, so that experience growing up is what made her want to change the world in a way where she could have an impact on public policy," said Rousseau's husband, whom she met in 1996 through mutual friends. "She had such a strong empathy for people who were mistreated, voiceless and left out. She wanted to pass on the virtues of fairness, equality and looking out for each other."

Rousseau and her husband were married in May 1999 and raised their son, Xavier, and daughter, Olivia, in Huntington.

'Passionate advocate'

"My first impression of her was 'who is this girl?' She had the biggest brown eyes and was just colorful in every way," he said. "She was an extremely devoted wife and mother, and my closest friend, adviser and confidant."

Pia Alexander met Rousseau in 2007, at a children's play class, which "started us on the path to a true lasting friendship," said Alexander, of Manhattan.

"Melisa was loyal, generous, and inspiring," she said. "She would want to be remembered as a passionate advocate for social justice, an inspired college educator and a scholar-researcher focused on improving the lives of Black women, particularly adolescents and emerging adults."

As a daughter, Rousseau's parents said she was "always there for us at the drop of a hat."

"She would sleep over if anyone got ill; she was always there to support her mom and dad," said Rousseau's mother, Lorraine Emeghebo, a registered nurse and college professor, of Huntington. "She was such a wonderful, caring person who gave her all to anything that was troubling us."

"She was always so bubbly whenever we saw her," said Rousseau's sister, pediatric oncologist Dr. Kristina Emeghebo, of Huntington. "She was a storyteller, a wordsmith, a poet."

Rousseau deeply enjoyed reading, trips to the Museum of Natural History, public speaking and presenting her work.

"She loved poetry. Her house was filled with books; it looked like she lived in a library," her sister said. "She was a wonderful speaker; she could convince you of anything. Her words are the legacy she would want to leave behind."

According to her family, Rousseau was very proud of her work, and "dedicated her life to social justice and equality."

"She didn't care what or who you were; she just cared about the betterment of people and wanted people to love and respect each other," said Rousseau's father, pediatrician Dr. Ignatius Emeghebo, of Huntington.

Rousseau was an active member in Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Jack and Jill of America, The Links, Preservation Long Island, the Huntington Historical Society, and several other organizations. Her husband said Rousseau was "a very dynamic person, who kept busy and lived life to the fullest."

"She was a fighter, and she would want people to take action," he said of his wife's legacy. "She would want people who miss her to take the torch, go out and fight injustice and any type of mistreatment of people. Speak up."

Funeral services took place on Oct. 11, followed by interment at Pinelawn Memorial Park and Arboretum in Farmingdale. In addition to her husband, parents and sister, Rousseau is survived by her two children and brothers Kenneth Emeghebo, of Rego Park, Queens, and Michael Emeghebo, of Brooklyn.