Kara Desiderio grew up in the town of Taconic in the 1980s and ‘90s. After leaving the Hudson Valley for several years, she returned to the area with her partner, with whom she shares two children. She now lives across the street from her childhood home, originally owned by her grandfather, and works as a nurse practitioner.
In this interview, which took place on May 30, of 2026, Desiderio talks about her family’s deep roots in both the Hudson Valley and New York City, starting with her great-grandparents, who moved to Taconic during the Great Depression. Desiderio attended Taconic Hills School from kindergarten through 12th grade. She characterizes her childhood as highly independent. In high school, she contracted Lyme disease. The illness forced her to leave physically demanding jobs like restaurant serving that she’d previously held. She found part-time work as a shop sitter at a variety of antique shops and art galleries on Warren Street. She reflects on that experience, which exposed her to a range of personalities and influenced her understanding of beauty.
After graduating from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst with a degree in ethnomusicology, she moved to Berkeley, California, where she became the director of a student housing cooperative and, later, worked at a queer health clinic. During that time, she helped start a transgender health initiative that provided medical and legal services to trans people and trained other healthcare clinics to support trans patients. Eventually, Desiderio returned to New York with her partner and became a nurse practitioner. Eleven years ago, they moved to the Hudson Valley, and Desiderio gave birth to their first child.
In this interview, Desiderio discusses her complex relationship to the Hudson Valley and reflects on the ways it has changed since she was a child. She describes Hudson as racially and economically diverse, but says that different parts of the community struggle to see each other. At the same time, she observes an increase in social and economic opportunities for young people and a decrease in racism and homophobia. She expresses a belief in the power of personal storytelling to improve the world, while implying that the intimate nature of a small town can make it feel scary to talk openly about one’s self.
In this interview, Desiderio touches on the meaning of home; Hudson Valley in the 1980s, ‘90s, and 2015 to present; Hudson’s economy, including its antique stores and art galleries; mid-20th century immigrant life in Brooklyn; queer identity; healthcare and health access for transgender people; countercultural aesthetics and ideals; child rearing; Lyme disease; name-changing and self-determination.
