The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

Zoya Nabeel

About Zoya Nabeel

Zoya Nabeel is a sophomore at Horace Greeley High School. She is elated to be writing her second article for the Inside Press! In her free time, she loves to read, listen to Taylor Swift, and spend time with her sisters.

Reflections on the Historic Inauguration of Victoria Bayard Tipp, First BIPOC Town Supervisor of New Castle

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Town of New Castle
January 11 Inauguration Ceremony
Photo by Mia Brown 

To be given a life lesson as a young child is to be handed an envelope entailing the answers to life within it. For Victoria Bayard Tipp, her childhood is imperative in understanding how she came to be the well-respected elected official that the Town of New Castle prides itself on being governed by. An immigrant from Haiti, Tipp became the Supervisor of the Town of New Castle in a moving ceremony on January 11th, 2024. She came from humble beginnings and worked hard to be the compassionate leader she is today.

After her father got a job at the Barclays Bank and her mother started working for the United Nations, Tipp was enrolled at the United Nations International School, where from the age of six, she was exposed to a diverse group of peers. Even as a young individual, Tipp was aware of the many experiences made available to her remarking, “My parents had the privilege of a good education back then and that’s why education has always been so important to me. It does level the playing field, and that’s why I spent so much time on equitable funding for education when I was on the school board. I just want to say how incredible it is that this country did afford me these opportunities.”

Road to Local Government

President Clinton swearing in Victoria Bayard Tipp as New Castle Town Supervisor  Inside Press Photo

After receiving her bachelor’s degree from Barnard College and her J.D. from Harvard Law School, Tipp worked as a lawyer before embarking on her public service career. She served her community in a multitude of capacities, including Chappaqua PTA Vice President and President, President of the CCSD BOE, President of the Westchester Putnam School Boards Association, and Deputy Town Supervisor of the Town of New Castle. Her most esteemed title is a culmination of the work she has done to get to this point; The first BIPOC Town Supervisor of New Castle.

The experiences that shaped Tipp’s civic career were on full display at the prestigious inauguration where a packed room of town residents congregated at the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center to witness the event. Among the many esteemed attendees, the most prominent were President Bill Clinton and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton! They performed the swearing in ceremony of Town Board Members Alexandra L. Chemtob, Jennifer Naparstek Klein, Town Justice, Douglas M. Kraus, Westchester County Legislator & Chairman of the Westchester County Board of Legislators, Vedat Gashi, and New Castle Town Supervisor, Victoria Bayard Tipp.

This inauguration was a poignant moment in the affirmation of our country’s democracy, with attendees such as Senator Peter Harckham stressing how important it is to “affirm the will of the voters.” Each speech echoed the importance of local government, local officials, and their connection to the people they represent and serve. Former NYS Senator Stephen M. Saland, who participated in swearing in his son, Deputy Town Supervisor, Jeremy Saland, stated, “There’s really nothing more significant in our system than local government. It’s the building block of the foundation of our democracy.” Assembly Member Chris Burdick reinforced these words, remarking “It’s a new group, it’s a new government, and it’s reflecting the will of the people. The will of what you, in New Castle, want from your government, and that truly is a mark of American democracy.”

Public Praise for Tipp

At the outset, heartfelt speeches from members of the Westchester Black Women’s Political Caucus (WBWPC) powerfully attested to the strength of Tipp’s leadership. Subomi Macaulay, President of the WBWPC, spoke to Ms. Tipp’s “quiet disposition and class,” stating, “She is the best person to be the Town Supervisor for New Castle.” Macaulay shared in her speech that Victoria Tipp has long worked to continue to implement DEI in our community. While on the CCSD School Board, she was the liaison to the committee on anti-racism, equity, and social justice.Tipp is adamant on advocating for communities of color in our town, expressing how her early childhood shaped her outlook and perspective.

Every individual who spoke about Victoria Tipp had the kindest words to say about her. Members of the WBWPC all shared a similar message, namely that it is a new day for their members, “as we come together to celebrate a Black woman becoming the Town Supervisor for New Castle, and we know that the town will be well managed under her direction.”

Victoria Tipp is part of something bigger than the community or positions held in New Castle. Through her work, she has helped pave the way for future women of color. Cynthia Ryan, Vice President of the WBWPC, described Tipp’s influence in broadening representation in government. “Tonight was really exciting to see Victoria sworn in by President Clinton. It was a proud moment for the WBWPC as we just created the Greater Bedford Chapter and Victoria was a part of that. The point is to help support and create representation in our community and in Northern Westchester – that’s important.”

Meaning to the Community

As a BIPOC high school student who has seen Ms. Tipp serve my community on the School Board and the Town Board, I felt a deep sense of pride attending the inauguration. To witness a woman of color being sworn into the highest rank afforded in our town is a win for our entire community. Years of movements, reforms, and change have led us to the moment where we have a seat at the highest table. Tipp’s voice will echo the cries of young BIPOC children who have ever felt marginalized in school and BIPOC individuals who have ever felt a sense of estrangement. Hearing Tipp’s upbringing and all that she endured, it is a given that she has worked incredibly hard to earn these opportunities.Tipp has shown immense dedication through her work in overcoming shortfalls while meeting the citizens’ expectations.

A woman of humble beginnings, Victoria Bayard Tipp emulates the standard of government that the citizens and voters of New Castle expect from their elected officials. She gets the job done while considering the demographics of her people. Tipp closed her speech by saying, “We hope for good people to help heal the world.” I believe that Victoria Bayard Tipp will use her platform to be a beacon – one that will lead us to a true democracy, representative of each and every individual who calls New Castle their home.

I believe that Victoria Bayard Tipp opened that envelope she received – and works each and every day to present her constituents with the lessons she keeps unfolding.

54th Anniversary & Still Just as In Love

Town Justice Douglas Kraus Ode to his wife Alice

Throughout New Castle’s historic Inauguration, words of affirmation for family members and loved ones were echoed by each public figure. One individual shared a particularly sweet sentiment about the person he holds dearest to his heart. Town Justice Douglas M. Kraus charmed the audience with poignant words he recited to his wife of almost 54 years. He describes that, “the minute I met her, I absolutely knew she was the one. I didn’t have to do any research, I just knew. But you know, Alice, those of you who know her, she’s a very tough grader, and well she was not so sure. She took a lot of convincing, and this was before I went to law school, so I wasn’t as persuasive then as I was now.” For Kraus, it was fate that he and Alice ended up together, as she was “the only person I’ve ever met who loved diagramming sentences as much as I did in the 6th grade.”

Having known each other for so long, Kraus adores Alice, sharing “I kid you not, this is Wonder Woman, and she is totally the best thing that ever happened to me,” going on to say that Alice is his “very best friend ever.” That sweet love story was on full display at the January inauguration, and for the audience, hearing these words was a tender and joyous moment. Alice and Douglas’ 54th anniversary is in the upcoming weeks, and we wish them many more “amazing and incredible” years right by each other’s side. – Zoya Nabeel

A Little Rain Couldn’t Stop Our Parade

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Authors Describe How the 10th Annual Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival Rocked their Worlds, too

Our author Zoya Nabeel (R) with the Chappaqua Library’s Cathy Paulson and ‘Bad Kitty’

The Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival is a tradition that we’ve marked in our calendars for 10 years. Once back to school season starts, I know I’m going to be whisked away into its magical world once again. Since 2013, this festival has been putting books into the hands of eager readers, along with an experience they will never forget. After years of attending as an avid reader myself, I had an amazing opportunity to interview six authors who are regular attendees of the festival. The stories they shared made me laugh, cry, smile, and feel so lucky to live in a town that holds this treasured event each year.

These authors experience their fair share of interesting and intriguing encounters with readers, parents, and other authors. They have made countless memories, and they describe how they take a mental polaroid picture of every individual they speak to!

“Every time I come here it’s like I’m in a conversation for four hours with the best people, the kindest moms and dads, the most fun kids,” says author of Throwback, Peter Lerangis. That enthusiasm is reciprocated as every single kid who comes up to an author’s booth is genuinely ecstatic to be talking to the person who crafted their favorite book, or the story that made them fall in love with reading.

Leslie Kimmelman, author of Ready, Set, Run: The Amazing New York City Marathon, had a similar experience where she felt immense pride in the impact her stories have had on young kids, “I worked at Sesame Street for many years and I was one of the creators of the character Julia, who is autistic, and one year I was offering one of my books called We’re Amazing, 1,2,3 about Julia, and someone came over to me and she picked up the book and looked through it and said, “I’m a Julia”, and I thought that was so sweet. It really made my day.” It’s small but mighty moments like these all authors yearn to hear in their career, and the Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival facilitates hundreds of such conversations every year.

The September 30th festival featured 180 authors, with books that highlighted BIPOC characters, characters with disabilities, mental health challenges, characters from the LGBTQ+ community, and so much more. Every kid who attended this festival could envision themselves in the cover of a book, and that is so powerful in enhancing literacy.

This festival also gives adults a chance to re-find their inner child. Author Peter Lerangis stated: “Some adult comes up to me and says with a low voice, ‘hey remember me?’ and I’m like, ‘why would I remember you?’ And the reader, now 18, recalled meeting him in the fourth grade and how that changed his life. “That’s really moving.”

In fact, every single author offered a moving encounter during the festival that they say are a reminder of why authors even wake up every morning and do what they do!  Author Artie Bennett described how one kid came up to him and shared that their book is the reason they like to read. Another reader memorized the author’s entire book!  “A small girl came up to me and began reciting Poopendous. She had taken to it so greatly that she had memorized it… that nearly brought tears to my eyes, to see that someone could enjoy something I created so much to where she had clearly read it over, and over, and over again and had committed it to memory.”

Along with the connections the authors make with their beloved readers, the connections they make with one another can be just as profound. Nick Bruel, author of the Bad Kitty series, explained: “All of us here… we live in such insular worlds where we sit in our little hobbit holes and write and illustrate books all by ourselves, we don’t actually interact often, so events like these are great opportunities to do that.” Bruel said he met author Alan Katz, one of his closest friends today, because he had been seated next to him at the event.

“The last time I saw the wonderful, great Jerry Pinkney was at my house, after I met him at this event four years ago… I miss him terribly and I knew that every year I would see him. This will be the first year that I won’t.” Pinkney, the beloved author of The Lion & the Mouse unfortunately passed away on October 20th, 2021, at 81, however his legacy lives on in the books he wrote and the lives he touched. Hearing Mr. Bruel talk about him, and their meaningful friendship, was very touching.

It may be the 10th year of this book festival, but the magic that has been with the creators, authors, and readers lives on every year. Bennett, also the author of The True Story of Zippy Chippy: The Little Horse Who Couldn’t, summed it up well: “The Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival is where dreams come true, and they do the most magical job. During a monsoon, everyone was out to make sure that the authors, and all the young book lovers would have a festival – as well organized, as well put together, as if it were a 70-degree sunny day!”

On a personal note, it was a joy to talk with each of these authors and to feel their appreciation. Alan Katz, author of Got Your Nose! described “the energy, the spirit, the readers, the people who put it together. There’s no word in the dictionary to describe how awesome they are in bringing together, you know, over 150 authors, thousands of readers, and a way to celebrate literacy and a love of books.”

Jarrett Lerner, author of A Work in Progress offered: “It’s such a great literacy community.”

Leslie Kimmelman expressed her love for the festival from its very beginnings: “The volunteers are amazing. The crowds of people coming are amazing, the authors are wonderful and there are more of them every year. It’s just such a fun fair.”

Within the pages of this book festival lies the lessons, the shared experiences, the sacred places that exist in the hearts of every individual who steps foot under the tents or on the fair grounds. The smiles we leave with, the ones that have lasted 10 years, will hopefully last for countless more.

Save the Date for the next Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival: September 28, 2024. Follow ccbfestival.org.