6 Long Island women who've made a difference in their communities share their stories in Riverhead

A common thread emerged in the stories shared by six women Saturday at a Women’s History Month event in Riverhead.

They all have devoted their lives to making a difference in their communities and becoming leaders others could turn to in times of need — even if some admittedly stumbled into their current roles.

During the 90-minute forum at Riverhead Free Library, the women shared snippets of their journeys, discussed people who inspired them to reach their goals and opened up about hurdles they faced and overcame.

Riverhead’s Anti-Bias Task Force hosted the event, titled (Local) Women Making History, as part of an ongoing monthly series.

Cyndi Clifford, the chairperson of the task force, moderated the event attended by about 35 people.

“These women, every day they’re making history,” she said.

Whether as a school board official, civic leader or journalist, the women all had ties to Riverhead and their lives and careers have often intersected.

Tijuana Fulford, who founded The Butterfly Effect Project in 2014 as a group to empower girls, recalled how one of their first meetings was held in the same room where she sat onstage Saturday. What started as a group of eight girls now has more than 600 participants.

She spoke about how she channeled the difficulties she faced as a child to create a group that could profoundly impact kids.

“I wanted to be honest and articulate and authentic to the girls,” she said.

Other panelists were Denise Civiletti, the co-founder and publisher of a news website RiverheadLOCAL; Laurie Downs, vice president of the Riverhead school board; Pamela Greinke, co-founder and executive director of Hope and Resilience Long Island; Toqui Terchun, president of the Greater Calverton Civic Association; and Tela Troge, an attorney for the Shinnecock Indian Nation.

Each women discussed the “invisible line” she had to cross.

For Civiletti, it was “always being told you can’t,” even by her father. Her mother, she noted, would quietly assure her she could do whatever she wanted.

She recalled being forbidden from wearing pants into a courtroom as a young lawyer in the not so distant 1980s.

Troge talked about obstacles that exist today as an attorney and the work she does to bring critical resources to the Shinnecock Reservation where she was born. She said her mother moved the family to Riverhead when she was a child so they could have better opportunities.

Greinke, who founded her nonprofit last year to help victims of domestic abuse and sexual violence, said she faced hurdles in starting an organization from scratch. She still works a full-time job in the health food industry to support the nonprofit.

“I’ll go to court in the morning and then head over to my job,” she said. “So I’m playing this dual role every single day.”

Terchun said she never envisioned herself taking on the role of civic association president.

“I found something in myself I didn’t know needed to come out as much as it does and that is to bring people together in a positive way,” she said.

Downs talked about the importance of the school board in her life. She ran for a board seat after her kids had graduated out of the district — and won on her third attempt.

Clifford said it was important as part of Women’s History Month to show what local women had accomplished.

“Lifting other women up and pulling people behind you,” she said.

By Joe Werkmeister

joe.werkmeister@newsday.com

Joe Werkmeister covers the towns of Southampton, East Hampton and Shelter Island. He is a graduate of St. Bonaventure University and previously worked as the editor of two North Fork community newspapers.

---