The reason this weekly newsletter exists is because mainstream news media can’t help but report the negative news about New York state and city officials. The more down people feel about our democracy and government, the less likely they are to stay engaged, to vote, to be overall happy about their quality of life. The goal here is to elevate the positive, the ways we work together, the events that make us smile – to showcase the good news.
Like how cool it is that the MTV Video Music Awards were held in New York this week, at the UBS Arena in Elmont, and that the Nassau County Legislator from Elmont, Carrié Solages, personally knows and greeted many of the staff members there who have good-paying jobs from working at the arena?
Or that New York City Council Member Kevin Riley is inspired to lead the way and set an example for Black fathers to be involved in their childrens’ lives through “The Dad Gang” and even authoring his own children’s book called because his own dad was incarcerated when he was young?
Or that a first-of-its-kind, bipartisan, fundraising fashion show took place this week at Gracie Mansion where elected officials modeled the runway wearing local New York designers?
Style Across the Aisle, emceed by yours truly, alongside chief advisor to NYC Mayor, Ingrid Lewis-Martin, raised money for the Gracie Mansion Conservancy, “The People’s House,” this week, on the Upper East Side on Manhattan. Did you know this was the very location where Alexander Hamilton created what we know today as the New York Post?
Seated for the bipartisan fashion show was Netflix’s My Unorthodox Life star, Julia Haart; Sex & The City creator, Candace Bushnell; RHONY’s Ramona Singer; public relations guru R. Couri Hay; Manhattan GOP Chairwoman AJ Catsimatidis and Executive Director of Lee Zeldin’s Zeldin Cares, Vanessa Simon; ABLI’s Kyle Strober, former Deputy Suffolk County Executive Lisa Black; Elias World Media’s Monica Elias; RAISEFashion’s Felita Harris; Queens Chamber of Commerce’s Tom Grech; Commonpoint Queens CEO Danielle Ellman; ReThink Food’s Matt Jozwiak; EmblemHealth’s Ann Marie Adamson and Lauren LaChance and Minority Millennials’ Andrew Ayodeji… amongst a crowd of 200 guests from all walks of life… taking in the sights of the rich history of the grounds of Gracie Mansion combined with the taste of Aphrodise sparkling rosé, the artistry of local designers, showcased by local officials… all to the tune of melodies played by DJ Suave Luciano…
Let’s take a moment to recognize and thank each model and designer for their dedication to moving New York City forward in a united and bipartisan fashion – literally!
- Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright who wore Victor dE Souza
- Senator Robert Jackson who wore Rachel Richardson’s House of Parish
- Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine who wore Gina Newman’s Bond & Bari Bespoke
- Rep. Carolyn Maloney who wore Karolina Zmarlak’s, KZ_K Studio and Gigi Burris O’Hara’s Gigi Burris Millinery – and was spotted later in the week at the Amtrak lounge in Washington D.C. rocking the same ‘fit from head to toe!
- Council Member Kevin Riley who work Mugzy McFly’s Signed by MCFLY
- Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson who wore April Walker’s Walker Wear
- Assembly Member Landon Dais who wore Amaurys Grullon’s Bronx Native
- New York State Inspector General Lucy Lang who wore Simply Ravishin
- Council Member Farah Louis – who is recovering from a surgery and still walked! wearing Sofia Gorenstein’s Heart of Darkness
- Senator Kevin Parker who wore Sherlon Stephenson’s Okaigo
- Council Member David Carr who wore Tariq Zaid’s Richmond Hood Company
- Assembly Member Jake Blumencranz who wore Max Siegelman’s Siegelman Stable
- Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney who wore Warren Cohn’s Amity Menswear
- Council Member Vickie Paladino who wore Elfida Artinoff Atelier
- Assembly Member Alicia Hyndman who wore Cloyette Harris-Stoute’s ALLIYETTE and
- Troy Anthony
- Council Member Shekar Krishnan who danced down the runway wearing Sunil Chugh’s Rahul Arora
- Deputy Queens Borough President Ebony Young who posed at the end of the runway with both of her designers, Alice Franco of Alice Franco Design and Taheed Watson of HEED NYC
- Council Member Inna Vernikov who wore Irina Shabayeva Couture, the same designer who made her ‘famous’ Israeli flag dress
- Council Member Dr. Nantasha Williams who wore Roopa Pemmaraju’s RP New York
- Council Member Julie Won who wore Nicole Porto’s Nutral Attire and Julia Ingall’s LASSANAI jewels
- NYC Office of Nightlife Executive Director Jeff Garcia who wore Johan Balbuena Hernandez’s JH Atelier
- Commissioner of Cultural Affairs Laurie Cumbo who wore Troy Anthony
- Gracie Mansion Conservancy’s Chioma Ohakam who also wore Rachel Richardson’s House of Parish – and walked down the runway with -cide’s adorable children
- Rhonda Binda from the Gracie Mansion Conservancy who wore Saima Chaudhry Couture
While the fashion show is what guests saw – here’s what happened behind the scenes:
Suffolk District Attorney Ray Tierney, who was in attendance with his wife Erica, was overheard telling a story about a recent appearance he – trying to recall the name of the song he recently walked out to, he said “something by DJ Khaled… ‘I never lose?’” (All I Do Is Win!, Ray! Who made headline news this week in the court hearing involving Justin Timberlake’s DWI)
Long Island-based Assemblyman Jake Blumencranz introduced himself to Council Member Vickie Paladino and ask for a photo together… Deputy Queens Borough President met Council Member Inna Vernikov in-person for the first time in the downstairs bathroom of Gracie Mansion
Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson showed up dressed and ready to go, immediately before showtime, after finishing a phone call in the parking lot of Gracie Mansion…
And oh how cute it was to see the public officials lining up single file in their outfits, waiting to be called onto the stage!
Style Across the Aisle wouldn’t have come to life without the efforts and determination of the inimitable Adrien Lesser, Manhattan designer mama Gina Newman, In The Room Media summer intern Ally Chun, the reason we even know of these talented designers, Mano Samaras, commercial retail expert Sara Armet, and the one who made sure each and every day that our seatbelts remained fastened on this roller coaster until showtime… Carolyn Vaeth.
Coming up:
“Power & Personality” cocktail party in Albany on Tuesday, September 24th
