Friday, January 17, 2025
Marie McNair is a firm believer in spirituality as a great unifier. Viewing the world through the lens of spiritual unity has led her to a life devoted to knitting communities together — and that is just what she has done in Valley Stream.
Through her leadership in the Valley Stream Community Fest and the Valley Stream Religious Council, McNair has brought people from different faiths together, creating an understated legacy of inclusivity, service and cooperation that continues to inspire her adopted community.
That’s why the Valley Stream Herald is proud to recognize her as its 2024 Person of the Year.
From an early age, McNair has felt called to swim against the current of a society quick to dwell on and amplify its divisions. Shaping her own world early on was the Bahá'í faith, a religion that emphasizes the oneness of humanity and the importance of service to others. Introduced to the Bahá'í teachings by her grandmother, at 13, she attended a Bahá'í Youth Week program up in Maine, which she described as “transformative.”
“I felt so connected with other young people at the program, and feeling so strongly about concepts like the oneness of all human life,” she said.
Her parents, who had not yet embraced the Bahá'í Faith, saw the change in her. They, too, eventually joined the Bahá'í community. For McNair, it was never just about subscribing to a personal belief system — it was about a way of being in the world, of serving, giving back, making sure that everyone has a seat at the table.
Now at 77, McNair routinely sets the table for interfaith dialogue and solidarity. For years, she has been at the heart of the Valley Stream Religious Council, an interfaith coalition that brings together representatives from Christianity, Judaism, Islam and the Bahá'í Faith, among others. The council’s purpose is to foster understanding, build bridges, and show the people of Valley Stream that despite their differences, they share a common human bond.
The fruits of McNair’s convictions are clear to see: Valley Stream neighbors and spiritual leaders from different faiths sit side-by-side at an annual Thanksgiving service. In addition, each January, religious leaders from every tradition gather to commemorate Martin Luther King Jr. Day, not with speeches but in shared silence, as the sacred texts of diverse faiths ring out in a universal call for justice.
“When I heard the talk that was given tonight with passages from all the world’s religions and saw how they each have common spiritual foundational beliefs in gratitude and love, I was very moved, and this increased my understanding of how we really are one human family,” Bishop Claude Hibbert of Deeper Life World Outreach Ministries said of a recent interfaith Thanksgiving service. “I have asked for a copy of that talk so that I can meditate on it.”
In 2012, McNair first stepped into the logistical whirlwind of the Valley Stream Community Fest as one of its seven founding members. The spirit of the festival has grown from a modest gathering to a one-day celebration that attracts thousands, thanks in part to McNair’s steadfast leadership.
A few local volunteers had organized the event, but little did they know of its enormous potential in the coming years. McNair, who lives in East Patchogue, and had spent years as an educator, recognized the need for a steady hand to expand its community reach. With her calm leadership and meticulous attention to detail, she helped shape the festival into what it is today — a vibrant, inclusive celebration that welcomes people from all walks of life.
“Marie McNair is really the whole brains of the operations. I’m not sure how we’ll cope without her,” said Joosoo Kim, a Community Fest member.
But McNair isn’t one to claim credit. Instead, she speaks of the many hands that helped build it, always quick to acknowledge the volunteers, the businesses, and the local leaders who have shared in her vision.
“From the beginning, it was about bringing people together,” McNair said. “If we're living an authentic life of worship, then part of that is also being authentic in our service to each other and to our community.”
“There is such a community spirit in Valley Stream. You just feel it. You see people reach out to each other. They know each other,” she added.
McNair’s journey into community service was not something she planned. In fact, her path to leadership was more a gradual unfolding, shaped by a deep personal commitment to spiritual growth and a lifelong belief in the power of education. A fifth-grade teacher for 41 years, McNair spent her days shaping young minds in Suffolk County schools, teaching her students not only math and reading but also the values of kindness, empathy and respect.
“It was always about the whole child,” she said. “I tried to make sure that my students understood that their education wasn’t just about learning facts — it was about becoming good people. And that means understanding the world beyond their own little corner.”
Today, McNair continues to lead with that same spirit. As an administrator for the Bahá'í Center in Valley Stream, she helps guide programs that offer spiritual empowerment to youth, helping them understand their place in the world and their ability to create change.
“Spirituality allows people to serve and connect, even when we don’t have all the answers,” she said.
One of the center’s most important initiatives is the junior youth spiritual empowerment program, which offers guidance to young people ages 11 to 14 — a critical age for shaping their values and world view.
“We’re not just teaching them about faith,” McNair said. “We’re showing their beliefs in action by seeing how they can create positive change in their communities, how to be a force for good in the world.”
Even as McNair has stepped back from the day-to-day operations of the Community Fest, her commitment to service remains unwavering. The Valley Stream Chamber of Commerce has taken over the fest, but McNair continues to offer guidance, always with a focus on unity and collaboration. She is already thinking about how the Bahá'í Center can get involved in Valley Stream’s upcoming centennial celebrations in 2025.
“For me, it’s always about finding the next opportunity to serve,” McNair said. “There’s always more to be done.”
