High-end businesses have become an increasingly visible part of the Hudson Valley landscape, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors to the region each year. As the character of local communities evolves, so does the role that commerce can play in shaping a sense of place. Join us at the Spark of Hudson for a panel discussion exploring how businesses can engage thoughtfully with the communities in which they operate — fostering a sense of belonging, and connection, for both residents and visitors.
The Spark of Hudson is providing this space in kind to support open dialogue within the Hudson community. The views expressed during this discussion are solely those of the individual participants. We are hosting this conversation as a neutral party committed to facilitating community dialogue, not to advancing any particular viewpoint.
Panelists:
Claire Cousin: Claire Cousin is a community organizer, artist, and fierce advocate in our community. Growing up in a working-class family in Hudson has shaped her belief that youth deserve not just support, but power, voice, and room to imagine beyond their circumstances. Claire co-founded and served as Executive Director of the Hudson/Catskill Housing Coalition, made history as the first Black woman elected to the Columbia County Legislature, and now serves as the 5th Ward Councilperson for the City of Hudson, advocating for working families and community-centered policy. She’s currently the Director of Youth Power at Kite’s Nest.
William S. Blowers: William Blowers is proud to call Hudson home and believes deeply in giving back to the community that has given him so much. As President of the Hudson Business Coalition, Hudson Literacy Fund, and Friends of the Hudson Area Library, he brings his love of books, local businesses, and community together in everything he does. For William, it has always been about people—bringing them together, creating opportunities, and helping make Hudson a place where everyone can feel at home.
Dr. Sara Black: Dr. Sara Black is a research scholar and Lecturer in Science, Technology, and Society at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Originally from Birmingham, AL, she came to Hudson in 2012 to work in agriculture and has since paid many bills thanks to the regional service economy — working front of house, back of house, around the house, and occasionally in Airbnbs (as a cleaner). Her NSF-funded PhD research at the University of Georgia examined gentrification in the Hudson Valley. Since 2019, she has been active in local affordable housing: contributing research to Hudson's $1M Anti-Displacement Learning Network grant, coordinating the Hudson Community Development & Planning Agency, developing cooperative governance models for Hudson Dots, serving as Treasurer of the Hudson Housing Authority board, and now serving on the Planning Board. She is the proud aunt of two Montgomery C. Smith Blue Hawks.
Yiyi Mendoza: Yiyi Mendoza is an interdisciplinary artist, culture worker, mother, and daughter of Mexican immigrants. She is the founder, creative director, and curator at Yesfolk Tonics - a family-owned brewery specializing in functional and fermented tonics in Troy, NY. Beyond a beverage company, Yesfolk is a project dedicated to platforming traditional fermentation knowledge and preserving culture. After relocating from Southern California to Upstate New York in 2016, Yiyi has remained deeply invested in supporting diasporic communities and driving positive local impact through community-building and traditional foodways.
Facilitator:
Hélène Lesterlin (she/her) fosters connection, social impact, and regenerative finance, helping community leaders, entrepreneurs, and activists envision, design, and build healthier economic and social ecosystems. Her current role at Good Work Institute spans program design and facilitation, communications, fundraising, and shared leadership, and she co-stewards the incubation of Kingston Common Futures, a community-designed grant fund. She serves on the boards of Start.coop, an accelerator for cooperative startups, and Co-op HV, a Seed Commons loan fund. In the past, she co-founded a cooperative coworking space, and helped launch and manage social impact startup accelerators. To this, she brings her early career as a curator, choreographer, and interdisciplinary contemporary artist. She lives in Saugerties, NY.