Emmet O'Sullivan
Where do you live? Manhattan.
Current company and position? Student at Regis High School.
First job and what it taught me? My first job was helping my grandparents and cousins harvest turf from the bog in Offaly. Working alongside my extended family and neighbors, I experienced the beauty of community and learned how to be a good neighbor.
How do you embrace your Irish heritage? My Irish heritage is tangible to me. I look forward to my family's annual trips to Ireland and spending time with relatives there. In our New York City home, I'm surrounded by art by Irish artists, books by Irish authors, and even clothing by Irish designers.
Something people would be surprised to know about me... My first business was teaching classmates to solve the Rubik’s cube. It was third grade.
Biography: Emmet O'Sullivan is a senior at NY's Regis HS. Diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D) at 13, he is a prolific T1D community advocate. He was awarded the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation's 2024 Perseverance Award and serves as Chair of the DRIF Young Leaders Advocacy Group. He is the author of the Amazon best-selling children's book Drew Discovers Diabetes, appears on podcasts, and speaks at fundraisers.
He founded policyplayground.org, a platform to write to U.S. senators about bills before Congress.
Emmet is a NY State debate champion, co-editor of his school newspaper, and co-president of the school business club.
