REPRESENTED BY
Jennifer Unter at The Unter Agency Jennifer(at)theunteragency(dot)com
MEET MELISSA
Melissa Hart is an Oregon writer, teacher, keynote speaker & naturalist.
Melissa Hart grew up in Los Angeles with a two moms and a younger brother who has Down syndrome. She’s the author of two novels for middle-school readers—the Oregon Battle of the Books 2019 selection Avenging the Owl and the IPPY-award-winning Daisy Woodworm Changes the World—both of which have main characters with Down syndrome. She also wrote Better with Books: 500 Diverse Books to Ignite Empathy and Encourage Self-Acceptance in Tweens and Teens, and Down Syndrome Out Loud: 20+ Stories of Disability and Determination.
In Fall 2027, Timber Press will publish her book Find Your Nature: 40 Ways to Deepen Your Connection to Your Flora, Fauna & Community.
Melissa’s work has appeared in The New York TimesMagazine, Smithsonian, High Country News, Orion, Terrain, Nat Geo Kids, The Los Angeles Times, The Chicago Tribune, Real Simple, and numerous other publications. She teaches for the online MFA program at Southern New Hampshire University. Melissa lives with her husband and daughter, plus one dog, four cats, and six chickens. She’s an Oregon naturalist and loves to kayak, hike, bicycle, and cross-country ski.
Follow Melissa Hart on Substack
MELISSA HART’S ARTICLES AND ESSAYS
SOCIAL COMMENTARY
“The Pure Liberation of a Personal Urination Device” from The New York Times Magazine
“The Vaudevillian Ghosts of Liberty” from Hidden Compass
"Families Like Ours: A Reading List for the Children of Queer Parents" from Longreads
“About 120,000 U.S. Foster Kids are Waiting for Parents. One of Them is Now My Daughter” from CNN
“The Privilege to Raise Our Voices” from Oregon Humanities
“The Game was Rigged All Along” from Dame
“A Culinary Apprenticeship Fights Food Insecurity in Rochester, NY” from Next City
“Why We Write: On Pandemics, Heat Waves, Police Brutality & Resiliency” from Brevity
In My Grandmother's Wake - Los Angeles Times (latimes.com) The Los Angeles Times
Under the Big Top: My Great-Grandmother's Life in the Circus (nextavenue.org) Next Avenue
How to Use Diverse Books in Your At-Home Learning from We Need Diverse Books
I'm a White Cisgendered Straight Woman. 'Pose' Gave Me My History. (pridesource.com) Pride Source
TRAVEL & NATURE WRITING
“No Person Shall Keep Roosters” from Ambrook Research
“Across Generations, Willamette Ski Patrollers Embrace Uphill Battles” from Good Beer Hunting
“I made a multigenerational group of friends — from Gen Zers to Boomers — doing ski patrol” from Insider
"Regenerative Tourism Invites Volunteers to Get their Hands Dirty" from Smithsonian
“Immersive tour groups are helping Oregon heal from natural disaster—and trying to prevent the next one” from The Sunday Long Read
“Vampire Bats May have a Bad Reputation, but They are Smart and Social” from The Washington Post
“A Bird’s Song Adds Wonder to the World” from High Country News
“Sharing a Deck, Tales, and Tape: Adventures on the Alaska Marine Highway Ferry” from The Boston Globe
“Volunteer Vacation: Plan Your Next Trip to Give Back” from Via
“In the Pandemic, Feral Turkeys Unite a Neighborhood” from Humans & Nature
Souvenirs of Travel: Simple Ways to Enrich a Journey and Create Lasting Memories | AAA Oregon/Idaho AAA Via
DISABILITY INCLUSION
“How Down Syndrome Makes a Brain Beautifully Different” from Muse Magazine
“Beaches for All: Oregon’s Accessible Coast” from McCall Life
"For World Down Syndrome Day, Meet 3 Young People Who Dream Big and Achieve" from The Washington Post
“These Children’s Books Get Characters with Down Syndrome Just Right” from The Ability Toolbox
“Meet the Nonbinary Michigan Powerhouse Who’s Revolutionizing Gaming for the Disabled Community” from Pridesource
“Slow Mobility on the Accessible Coast” from The Oregon Coast
A fashion breakthrough for those with developmental disabilities (OPINION) - oregonlive.com The Oregonian
Allison Fogarty Bakes Natural and Homemade Doggy Delights · The Wildest The Wildest