Brooklyn – and two wonderful women with a knack for multi-tasking – are in the spotlight on this month’s “Victoria’s Stars,” as host and co-publisher of this paper, Victoria Schneps, chats with Ingrid Lewis-Martin, senior advisor to Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, and Toni Yuille-Williams, director of public affairs at Con Edison and Brooklyn Arts Council Board Member
Both working women agreed that while juggling is crucial in their careers, family always comes first.
“My secret is that I make sure one thing builds on another and then I have a clear path,” said Toni, stressing the importance of the “now” philosophy. “If my child is sick, that’s a now. If we have an emergency at my job at Con Edison, that’s a now. Things that I can put off, those things are less urgent.”
Toni balances being a mom and raising her family with both her job at Con Edison and also her role as creator, host and executive producer of “Brooklyn Savvy” — a community-produced talk show that gives voice to social issues from a woman’s perspective. In the past, the Brooklyn mom has hosted Brooklyn Independent Television’s “Brooklyn Reporter Roundtable” and received a Telly Award for “Raising Sons of Color,” a production which explored the challenges of raising boys in an urban context.
Ingrid, the borough president’s right hand, got her knack for community activism at a young age.
“My parents were nurturing and always very giving to others,” said Ingrid. Ingrid worked with a staff of seven to eight people when Adams was a state senator and now works with a staff of over 60 people at Brooklyn Borough Hall.
“It’s our goal to get some good, smart development in those areas that are hurting just as Williamsburg hurt in the past,” stressed Ingrid, adding that the beep’s agenda is “to make Brooklyn a better place for everybody.”
For more on these power women and their roles in bettering Brooklyn, tune in to this episode of “Victoria’s Stars.” It will air on Friday, September 12 at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. on BCAT, which can be found on Time Warner channel 34, Cablevision channel 67, RCN channel 82 and Verizon channel 42.
Gregori Romenski is the show’s producer.
