On Thursday morning, on my way to a meeting, I crossed the Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Bridge—a vast span of steel and concrete connecting Westchester and Rockland Counties, and one of the busiest crossings in the nation.
Yet as I drove across, I couldn’t help thinking that the name might be incomplete. Perhaps it should be the Matilda and Mario M. Cuomo Bridge. Mario Cuomo, a three-term governor and one of the most eloquent political voices of his generation, built his career on intellect, conviction, and a belief in the moral responsibilities of government. But his wife, Matilda Raffa Cuomo, was equally influential.
The daughter of Italian immigrants, Matilda was a formidable advocate for education, mentorship, and family empowerment—initiatives that still bear her name today. Her intellect and leadership helped define the Cuomo family’s public identity as one rooted in service and idealism…