Matilda Cuomo
{{Short description|Former First Lady of New York State}}{{Infobox officeholder
| image =
| caption =
| office = First Lady of New York
| term_label = In role
| term_start = January 1, 1983
| term_end = December 31, 1994
| predecessor = Evangeline Gouletas
| successor = Libby Pataki
| governor = Mario Cuomo
| office2 = Second Lady of New York
| term_label2 = In role
| term_start2 = January 1, 1979
| term_end2 = December 31, 1982
| predecessor2 = Katherine Wilson Carey
| successor2 = Mary Anne Krupsak
| lieutenant_governor2 = Mario Cuomo
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1931|09|16}}https://www.womenofthehall.org/inductee/matilda-raffa-cuomo/ National Women's Hall of Fame
| birth_place = New York City, U.S.
| spouse = {{marriage|Mario Cuomo|1954|2015|end=died}}
| children = 5, including Andrew, Margaret, and Christopher
| party =
| education = St. John's University 1954
| occupation = Advocate for women, children, and families
}}
Matilda Cuomo (born Mattia Raffa on September 16, 1931) is an American advocate for women and children, former First Lady of New York from 1983 to 1994, and matriarch of the Cuomo family. She is the widow of Governor of New York Mario Cuomo and mother of Andrew Cuomo who also served as Governor of New York before resigning in August 2021 and former CNN presenter Chris Cuomo. The founder of the child advocacy group Mentoring USA, Cuomo was inducted to the National Women's Hall of Fame in 2017.{{cite news |last1=Grondahl |first1=Paul |title=Matilda Cuomo thrilled by National Women's Hall of Fame induction |date=12 February 2017 |url=http://www.timesunion.com/tuplus-local/article/Matilda-Cuomo-thrilled-by-National-Women-s-Hall-10926137.php |newspaper=Times Union |access-date=22 November 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180120165143/http://www.timesunion.com/tuplus-local/article/Matilda-Cuomo-thrilled-by-National-Women-s-Hall-10926137.php |archive-date=20 January 2018 |url-status=live }}
Early life and education
Cuomo was born Mattia Raffa in New York{{cite news |first=Paula |last=Cohen |title=A Lady First |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1997-07-13-9707130085-story.html |work=Chicago Tribune |date=1997-07-13 |access-date=2019-01-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190114194846/https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1997-07-13-9707130085-story.html |archive-date=2019-01-14 |url-status=live}} to parents, Mary ({{née|Gitto}}; d. 1995){{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1995/06/23/obituaries/mary-raffa-cuomo-s-mother-in-law-91.html|title=Mary Raffa; Cuomo's Mother-in-Law, 91|date=1995-06-23|work=The New York Times|access-date=2020-03-30|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}} and Carmelo "Charles" Raffa (d. 1988), who had immigrated to the United States from Sicily.{{Cite web|url=https://politi.co/2qKG4oW|title=Cuomo's talk of undocumented immigrant roots draws scrutiny|last=Vielkind|first=Jimmy|website=Politico PRO|date=19 April 2018 |language=en|access-date=2020-04-05}} After arriving in the United States in 1927, her father Charles worked to establish his own firm, making supermarket shelves and refrigeration units and later invested in real estate. Cuomo is the third of five children, with older brothers Frank and Sam and younger brother Joseph and sister Nancy.
Cuomo's mother attempted to register her daughter for kindergarten at a Brooklyn elementary school. However, the principal and school registrar threw both out of the registration because her mother could only speak Italian at the time. Years later, Cuomo recalled the registrar yelling, "Get Mrs. Raffa out of here and tell her she can come back when she can speak English," at her mother. During elementary school, Raffa's teachers called her Matilda, rather than her birth name, which was Mattia, which she accepted initially out of fear. The name stuck and she has used Matilda ever since.
Cuomo attended Midwood High School.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ny1.com/nyc/brooklyn/news/2017/02/16/state-s-former-first-lady-matilda-cuomo-returns-to-her-alma-mater-to-launch-mentoring-program|title=State's Former First Lady Matilda Cuomo Returns to Her Alma Mater to Launch Mentoring Program|last=Ramirez|first=Jeanine|date=February 17, 2017|website=Spectrum News NY1|language=en|access-date=2020-03-29}} A capable student who was accepted at Columbia Teachers College, Brooklyn College, and Hunter, she was persuaded by family to attend school closer to home out of concerns for her safety. She further pursued her studies in teaching at St. John's University in Queens, graduating in 1954 from St. John's Teachers College.{{Cite web|url=https://www.stjohns.edu/about/news/2016-10-19/lewis-avenue-alumni-turn-back-clock-59th-annual-reunion|title=Lewis Avenue Alumni Turn Back the Clock at 59th Annual Reunion {{!}} St. John's University|date=October 19, 2016|website=www.stjohns.edu|access-date=2020-03-29}}
Matilda Raffa Cuomo met Mario Cuomo in 1951{{cite web|url=https://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2014/12/mario-cuomos-all-star-family-feud.html|title=From the Archives: Mario Cuomo's All-Star Family Feud|last1=Blauner|first1=Peter|date=February 13, 1989|publisher=NYMag|access-date=22 November 2017}} in the cafeteria at St. John's University in Queens where they were both enrolled in school.{{cite news |last1=Sack |first1=Kevin |title=AT HOME WITH Matilda Raffa Cuomo; Working to Renew the Lease |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/07/21/garden/at-home-with-matilda-raffa-cuomo-working-to-renew-the-lease.html?pagewanted=all |work=New York Times |date=21 July 1994 |access-date=22 November 2017}} The couple married on June 5, 1954. Cuomo worked as a teacher and supported her husband while he completed law school at St. John's, graduating with a Juris Doctor degree in 1956.{{Cite news|url=https://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Matilda-and-Mario-An-enduring-love-story-6000594.php|title=Matilda and Mario: An enduring love story|last=Grondahl|first=Paul|date=2015-01-08|website=Times Union|language=en-US|access-date=2020-03-29}} Reported as "one of the great love stories," their close public and private partnership lasted 61 years until her husband's death in 2015.{{Cite web|url=https://www.oprahmag.com/entertainment/a31945095/mario-matilda-cuomo-love-story/|title=Andrew Cuomo's Mom and Dad Had an Incredible 60-Year Marriage|last=Janes|first=DeAnna|date=2020-03-27|website=Oprah Magazine|language=en-US|access-date=2020-03-29}}
Notable achievements
Cuomo served as First Lady of New York State, where she was highly active in advocating for women, children, and families.{{Cite web|url=https://www.womenofthehall.org/inductee/matilda-raffa-cuomo/|title=Cuomo, Matilda Raffa|website=National Women’s Hall of Fame|language=en-US|access-date=2020-03-29}} She created initiatives that mentored children at-risk, facilitated finding long term homes for foster children, and strengthened families through providing education, including nutrition and immunization programs. Cuomo founded the New York State Mentoring Program in 1984 with the aim of creating one-on-one mentoring opportunities for children and young adults.{{Cite web|url=http://amsterdamnews.com/news/2018/apr/26/hunter-college-partners-new-york-state-mentoring-p/|title=Hunter College partners with The New York State Mentoring Program|date=April 26, 2018|website=New York Amsterdam News|access-date=2020-03-31}} The state run program served over 10,000 students and was active with Cuomo as chair until 1995.{{Cite web|url=https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2017/03/03/new-york-state-mentoring-program/|title=Matilda Cuomo Breathes New Life Into Mentorship Program That Touched Thousands|date=2017-03-03|website=CBS New York|language=en-US|access-date=2020-03-31}} After the New York State program was discontinued, she transitioned the initiative into Mentoring USA, an international nonprofit child advocacy organization serving to create mentor relationships for youth ages 7–21.{{Cite web|url=https://brooklyneagle.com/articles/2016/10/05/midwood-high-schools-75th-anniversary-jubilee-to-honor-former-n-y-first-lady-matilda-cuomo/|title=Midwood High School's 75th Anniversary Jubilee to honor former N.Y. first lady Matilda Cuomo|last=Alexander|first=John|date=2016-10-05|website=Brooklyn Eagle|language=en-US|access-date=2020-03-30}}{{cite web |title=Our Founder: Matilda Raffa Cuomo |url=http://www.mentoringusa.org/about-mentoring-usa/our-founder/ |publisher=Mentoring USA |access-date=22 November 2017 |archive-date=8 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171208163650/http://www.mentoringusa.org/about-mentoring-usa/our-founder/ |url-status=usurped }} The New York State Mentoring Program was reinstated in 2015. She also chaired the New York State Decade of the Child initiative.
To help support her efforts to advocate for mentoring, Cuomo compiled and edited the book "The Person Who Changed My Life: Prominent Americans Recall Their Mentors," with proceeds going to the Mentoring USA nonprofit organization.{{Cite book|title=The Person Who Changed My Life: Prominent People Recall Their Mentors|publisher=Rodale|year=2012|isbn=9781605291222|editor-last=Cuomo|editor-first=Matilda}} Her mentorship book, first published in 1999, was reprinted in 2002 and 2012 featuring a foreword by Hillary Clinton, and later recorded as an audio book in 2016. Personal essays on mentoring by Joe Torre, Rosie O'Donnell, Dr. Mehmet Oz, Nora Ephron, General Colin Powell, and Cory Booker are included in her book.{{Cite web|url=https://www.wnyc.org/story/181190-matilda-cuomo-and-mayor-cory-booker-their-mentors/|title=Matilda Cuomo and Mayor Cory Booker on Their Mentors {{!}} The Leonard Lopate Show|website=WNYC|language=en|access-date=2020-03-30}} Cuomo has appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show to discuss her work in support of mentoring programs.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mcall.com/news/mc-xpm-2000-09-17-3315981-story.html|title=Sheehy, Speakers Share Experiences at Conference|last=Marshall|first=Genevieve|date=September 17, 2000|website=The Morning Call|language=en-US|access-date=2020-03-30}}
Cuomo co-chaired the Governor's Commission on Child Care and chaired the NY Citizens' Task Force on the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect. She led New York's role in the UN's World Summit for Children in 1990 and the USA's ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Awards and recognition
Cuomo has received numerous honors for her lifelong work as an educator and advocate for women, children, and families. In 1994, she was presented with the International Fellowship Hall of Fame award by the Coalition for Italo-American Associations in honor of her humanitarian efforts as an advocate for children.{{Cite news|last=Williams|first=Lena|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/09/16/style/chronicle-255980.html|title=Chronicle|date=1994-09-16|work=The New York Times|access-date=2020-04-02|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}
In 2010, she received the Lewis Avenue Alumni Legacy Award from St. John's University.
Cuomo was honored in 2011 with the Champion for New York's Children and Families Award by the Maternity and Early Childhood Foundation in Albany, New York.{{Cite news|url=https://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Former-First-Lady-Cuomo-feted-2266272.php|title=Former First Lady Cuomo feted|last=Grondahl|first=Paul|date=2011-11-12|website=Times Union|language=en-US|access-date=2020-03-30}}
She was the distinguished honoree in 2016 at the 75th Anniversary Jubilee for Midwood High School.
Cuomo was the recipient of the first Liberty Partnerships Program Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017 for her work to improve the lives of New York's children through education and mentorship.{{cite web |last1=Burman |first1=Jonathan |title=Matilda Raffa Cuomo To Receive First Liberty Partnerships Program Lifetime Achievement Award |url=http://www.nysed.gov/news/2017/matilda-raffa-cuomo-receive-first-liberty-partnerships-program-lifetime-achievement-award |publisher=NYSED |access-date=22 November 2017}} In 2017, she was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame.
"Matilda's Law"
{{main|Matilda's Law}}
On March 20, 2020, her son, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, announced a protective order for people over 70 in the state in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.{{Cite web|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/meet-the-cuomo-family-andrew-mario-new-york-politics-2020-3|title=Meet the Cuomo family, the New York political dynasty that's become the face of America's response to the coronavirus pandemic|last=Davis|first=Dominic-Madori|date=March 26, 2020|website=Business Insider|access-date=2020-03-29}} He called it "Matilda's Law" in honor of his mother, and appealed to all citizens to think of their mothers in abiding by the restrictions.{{cite web |url=https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-cuomo-signs-new-york-state-pause-executive-order |title=Governor Cuomo Signs the 'New York State on PAUSE' Executive Order |website=NY.gov |date=March 20, 2020 |access-date=March 22, 2020}}
Personal life
Cuomo and her late husband Mario had five children together: daughters Margaret, Maria, and Madeline, and sons Andrew and Christopher.{{cite web|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/matilda-mario-cuomo-long-life-article-1.2065014|title='One of the great love stories': Matilda and Mario Cuomo's long life together|last1=Evans|first1=Heidi|date=3 January 2015 |publisher=NY Daily News|access-date=22 November 2017}} Her elder son, Andrew Cuomo, was New York's 56th governor until his resignation in 2021. Cuomo's daughter Maria Cuomo Cole is a film producer whose projects include Newtown and The Invisible.{{Cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm4114735/bio|title=Maria Cuomo Cole|website=IMDb|access-date=2020-03-30}} Her younger son is journalist Chris Cuomo, and daughter Margaret Cuomo is a physician specializing in radiology.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{C-SPAN|28572}}
{{National Women's Hall of Fame}}
{{Mario Cuomo}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cuomo, Matilda}}
Category:First ladies and gentlemen of New York (state)
Category:American child activists
Category:American women's rights activists
Category:St. John's University (New York City) alumni
Category:American people of Italian descent
Category:People of Sicilian descent
Category:Spouses of New York (state) politicians
Category:Midwood High School alumni