Secretary of State Hillary Clinton

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

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.

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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