Krista Long, an Oberlin native, is the owner and operator of Ben Franklin and MindFair Books. She is a highly active member of the Oberlin community. In addition to owning two small businesses, Long has children who went to Oberlin public schools. She has also participated in Cleveland 101, an orientation program that introduced incoming first-years to the area and taught them how best to navigate the Oberlin and greater Northeast Ohio community during first-year orientation. This interview has...

My first few classes at Oberlin were some of the most uncomfortable times of my life. I remember sitting in Econ 101, sweat covering my forehead because I desperately didn’t want to say or do anything that would draw attention from the other 100 people sitting in King 106. Things were different in high school. I would thrive off the attention I received from fellow classmates and did anything I could to make sure all eyes were on me. At Westlake High School, a little over 30 minutes away from Oberlin, I participated in football, track and field, musicals, plays, choirs, and pep rallies — anything that would make people notice me. Still, in that lecture hall on my first day of college classes, all I could think w...