“No one is cheering louder for me than the woman I used to be.”
— Clare M. Cusack, President & CEO, New York Bankers Association, at the HIA-LI Women’s Leadership Conference
The newsletter is really good this week, just letting you know. We cover single women in business who buy fake wedding rings to be taken more seriously, how I ran into Siela Bynoe in St. Kitts ten years before she was a State Senator, how David Solomon—the CEO of Goldman Sachs—is also a DJ, the New York real estate landscape, Staten Island meets Hollywood, Hamptons politics, and financial literacy for youth. I’ve been told Skye’s Scoops is often the only place people actually find out what’s going on, and I love that for us. Please share it widely, tell others to subscribe, and keep the intel coming… I’m always eager to highlight the fun side of government. By the end of this edition, you’ll see I’ve been this way for over a decade, it’s just how I’m wired, and I’m so happy I get to share it with you. Thank you – seriously.
While we bid farewell to the penny, Assemblymember John McDonald III is already asking what happens next to small businesses forced to round cash transactions without clear rules. He’s pushing state and local agencies to spell out how rounding should work for taxes, minimum pricing, and price accuracy laws so retailers aren’t penalized while consumers stay protected.
If you needed your fix of political personalities all at once, the opening of the National Urban League headquarters was the place to be. On Wednesday, the long-planned project finally opened in Harlem after decades of planning, fundraising, and building, with an estimated $300 million in economic activity projected. The program underscored the academic and civic firsts that laid the groundwork for institutions like this. Governor Kathy Hochul addressed the room, acknowledged how hard recent years have been for New Yorkers, announced $100 million in additional funding for food banks, and delivered sharp criticism of Donald Trump. She framed the event as a story of Black empowerment and New York success, with shoutouts to the-late Charlie Rangel and Dr. Hazel Dukes. In a room described as holding “every political name you can think of,” Rev. Al Sharpton and Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon were seated with Governor Hochul, with D-Sol between the governor and the reverend. US Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, Assemblyman Jordan Wright, Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg, and press secretary Adrien Lesser were among those spotted, along with Julian Fox Spector from the office of Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, who made it in late Tuesday from San Juan after his Sunday night flight was canceled!
Later that evening downtown, the New York Apartment Association held its first annual cocktail reception and gala at Tribeca Rooftop, drawing what felt like 2,000 guests into a grand space with more food and drinks than anyone could reasonably keep track of. At check-in, Cleveland Stair greeted attendees while NYAA CEO Kenny Burgos stepped up to address real estate anxieties about the incoming mayor’s proposed rent freeze and broader policy uncertainty. He offered an optimistic message and pointed to his time in the Assembly with Zohran Mamdani, describing him as someone who listens and is willing to sit down and engage—a deliberate reassurance for an industry bracing for tough conversations. On the floor, X star Jay Martin worked the room along with NYAA team members Michael Johnson, Andrew Holt, Sam Weprin and Kade Buci… Also spotted: Charles Burton from LeFrak; Assemblymember Brian Cunningham fielding questions about rumors he could be Governor Hochul’s next lieutenant governor, with staffer Jachelle Walker nearby; and Assemblymember Simcha Eichenstein, in his bekishe, already declaring himself “ready for Style Across the Aisle 2026.”
Out on Long Island, the annual HIA-LI (Hauppauge Industrial Association) conference, Women Rising: Fearless & Focused, turned the Hilton Long Island into a hub of business leadership and mentorship. Hosted by Terri Alessi-Miceli and Anthony Forgione, the event drew around 400 attendees—mostly Long Island business leaders and a handful of Northport High School seniors. Keynote speaker Clare Cusack, President & CEO of the New York Bankers Association, shared the story of being an unmarried female CEO who once bought herself a wedding band just to be taken more seriously at conferences, culminating in her standout line: “No one is cheering louder for me than the woman I used to be.” (That line resonates with me more than anyone could possibly understand.) I was proud to be on the one-hour breakfast panel alongside Dawn Cagliano of IVCi, Katherine Fritz, the new CEO of Long Island Cares, Teresa Ferraro of East/West Industries, Inc., and Davi Tserpelis from City National Bank, moderated by employment attorney Domenique Camacho Moran of Farrell Fritz P.C. Also in the room: Lisa Black; Michelle McCarthy Conroy, chief of staff to Huntington Town Supervisor Ed Smyth; Jill Seplowitz, founder of Champions for Childhood; Lety Algeri, founder of Plant Up; and Ken Egan from SafeGuard Combatives.
Staying on Long Island, the NY League of Conservation Voters’ Long Island event honored IBEW Local 25 and Citizens Campaign for the Environment. In the room were Senator Monica Martinez, Julie Tighe (President of NYLCV and NYLCVEF), and Adrienne Esposito (Executive Director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment). The program framed conservation and climate work as long-term, generational advocacy—recognizing organizations that were pushing on these issues well before they were fashionable.
Another Long Island moment: at the EAC Network Gala led by Neela Lockel, keynote speaker Darcel Clark, the Bronx District Attorney, anchored the program. Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone was in the room, as was Lisa Black once again—the woman really is everywhere.
Meanwhile on the East End, Assemblymember Jodi Giglio’s ongoing Friday 2 p.m. salon at Bistro 72 in Hotel Indigo, Riverhead, continued its pandemic-launched rhythm as a gathering space for East End business leaders. The mix usually includes sod farmers, permit expediters, the Long Island Aquarium owner, and other local business figures, with Kristen Reyes linked to the hotel. This week, former Westhampton Beach Village Trustee Brian Tymann joined the conversation and talked about his work with formerly incarcerated individuals, highlighting Ladies of Hope Ministry in Harlem as a standout reentry nonprofit. “Jim,” a hotelier and Long Island Aquarium/Riverhead hospitality figure, was present and fully engaged in the conversation.
In the political backdrop of the East End, the 2025 general election saw Democrat Greg Doroski win the Suffolk County Legislature’s 1st District seat over Republican incumbent Catherine Stark – a result many read as evidence of families moving from New York City to the East End and shifting the Hamptons a bit more blue than red…
A separate Urban League of Long Island gala brought the focus to justice, equity, and community empowerment. Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado attended and participated, aligning the evening with the themes of the National Urban League opening in the city—two related stages, one regional and one national, both centering Black advancement and institutional strength.
Up in Albany, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman reportedly flew private to the State Capitol, knocking on doors to deliver criticism of Governor Kathy Hochul’s policy direction. Afterward, he met with the Albany press corps and community leaders to focus on affordability, public safety, and a redirection of state spending—an effort to shape the narrative around residents’ concerns and, perhaps, to softly test the waters for a future gubernatorial bid.
Back in New York City, the Variety Boys & Girls Club of Queens annual gala drew support from Senator Jessica Ramos, who attended to back the organization and spotlight Costa Constantinides for elevating the program. The core themes were youth safety, creativity, and community support—tying after-school spaces and enrichment to a broader civic agenda of opportunity and security for young people.
On the labor and education front, the Local 202 Scholarship Fund Dinner at Marina del Rey in the Bronx gathered supporters from Local 282 and Local 294. Assemblymember Robert Carroll worked the cocktail reception, and Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson arrived for the main program, delivered remarks that drew strong applause, and then worked the room in her widely praised hands-on style—very much rooted in visibility and direct public service.
Over in Brooklyn, the New York Business Council hosted a Black Economic Mobility Forum at Medgar Evers College, moderated by Assemblymember Brian Cunningham. The conversation focused on Black economic mobility—affordability, advocacy, policy, and access as tools to close the wealth gap and open pathways to stability, ownership, and wealth for Black New Yorkers. Coming on the heels of Assemblymember Cunningham’s appearance at the NYAA gala, it highlighted how some elected officials are moving between capital-heavy rooms and equity-focused convenings with intention.
At the intersection of identity and memory, an LGBTQ Equality event in Times Square celebrated equality advocates, explicitly honoring past leaders while lifting up the next generation. Assemblymember Tony Simone and Council Member Erik Bottcher were present—two openly LGBTQ electeds whose presence reinforced the theme of continuity between earlier activism and current leadership.
In the cultural sphere, Council Member Kamillah Hanks appeared on stage at the St. George Theatre on Staten Island during a LaGuardia High School alumni event featuring Marlon Wayans. The caption read, “When North Shore Staten Island meets Hollywood by way of LaGuardia Arts,” and on-screen text and remarks highlighted Kamillah Hanks as an “amazing councilwoman,” blending local governance with alumni pride and entertainment.
On the international front, Governor Kathy Hochul made her first official visit to the Dominican Republic, where she was received by President Luis Abinader. The trip was framed as strengthening ties between New York and the Dominican Republic—“two communities united by history, work, and shared values.” Traveling with her were Assemblymembers Yudelka Tapia, Manny De Los Santos; Al Taylor, and George Álvarez, underscoring the depth of Dominican and Afro-Latino representation in New York State politics. Meanwhile, Assemblymember and pilot Anil Beephan Jr. traveled to Berlin, meeting with members of Parliament on the Transatlantic Cooperation Committee and with Hessischer Landtag President Wallmann, discussing mutual economic growth, increased defense cooperation, and new pathways for New York students to participate in Germany’s multi-year skills-training programs.
City Hall is leaning hard into financial inclusion: Mayor Eric Adams, DCWP Commissioner Vilda Vera Mayuga, NYC Public Schools Chancellor Melissa Avilés-Ramos, Deputy Mayor Adolfo Carrión Jr., and Council Member Kevin Riley are driving the “Financial Literacy for Youth” push, which will place financial educators in every school district by 2030 and pilot in-school banking at 15 high schools starting in 2026—with Bank of America, Brooklyn Cooperative FCU, Citizens, M&T, Neighborhood Trust FCU, PNC, Ridgewood Savings, TD, Santander, Spring Bank, Urban Upbound FCU, and Wells Fargo on board. Those schools, concentrated in districts with some of the city’s highest unbanked rates, will double as hubs for free counseling, workshops, and classroom resources expected to reach more than 350,000 students and family members over the first five years. Meanwhile in Far Rockaway, Assemblymember Khaleel Anderson announced that Municipal Credit Union, led by CEO Kyle Markland and COO Toni-Ann Sforza, has secured approvals to open a full-service branch at the Arverne-by-the-Sea shopping plaza by early 2026, with State Senator James Sanders welcoming the long-sought investment. With mandatory financial literacy education for New York public high school students sitting in committee for several legislative sessions now, these city and privately led banking pilots sketch an emerging strategy to color outside the lines of legislation—pairing classroom financial literacy with bricks-and-mortar access to safe, affordable banking for historically underserved communities. And we like things like that, now don’t we?
In Jamaica, NYC Planning chief Dan Garodnick posted from a celebration on Sutphin Boulevard marking City Council approval of the Jamaica Neighborhood Plan, raising a toast with Council Member Nantasha Williams and incoming Council Member Ty Hankerson.
And finally, back in Manhattan, Tilden’s holiday party on Sunday felt like local politics easing into its winter rhythm—a packed East End Temple room full of familiar faces and a ceremonial check for the Food For Families program anchoring the night. Representative Jerry Nadler, State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, Council Member Keith Powers, Senator Brad Hoylman, and NY-12 contenders Micah Lasher and Alex Bores all worked the crowd, offering thanks and brief remarks as the club highlighted its community work. And while it was framed as a celebration, you could feel the machinery humming just beneath the surface: Manhattan’s Democratic ecosystem already syncing up around the 2025–26 cycle, with the emerging NY-12 field quietly shaping conversations tucked between toasts and handshakes.
SKYE LIGHTS
In February 2016, I flew to St. Kitts to visit a college girlfriend who had moved there. I had just left Long Island after a few years in politics and government affairs, involved in Nassau County politics, and moved into New York City – like many 25-year-old-Long Islanders do. I wasn’t “the political personality” yet – I wasn’t even “The Fashionable Democrat” yet – I was just 25-year-old “@skyemadonna”, living my life and figuring out my next chapter in the big apple.
In St. Kitts at brunch, I spotted a woman across the restaurant who looked familiar in that weird, out-of-context way. My brain did what it’s always done: click, scan, match. I ended up following her to the bathroom (as one does, obviously…) and asked, “Are you Nassau County Legislator Siela Bynoe?” She was. We laughed. She later told me she thought I was spying on the Prime Minister of St. Kitts, Timothy Harris, who she was actually brunching with – but I wasn’t clocking the prime minister at all. I was just me, on a Caribbean island, recognizing a Nassau County legislator in the wild like it was the most natural thing in the world. And this was ten years ago!!!!!
Fast forward to recently at Blackstone’s in Melville, listening to — now Senator Siela Bynoe — tell that same story to a few people from her perspective, and it clicked: I’ve been this way my whole life. Long before anyone knew me for political personalities, I was always excellent at faces and names, even wildly out of context, already more excited about the “lesser-known” local official than the head of government at the table. Thank goodness for Facebook: I have the photo from that day!
