Teachout had a similar experience running against Cuomo in 2014. She recalls being heartened by how many people across the state seemed ready to give up on the status quo. “It's like we have these two visions of New York politics. For a long time, it's been Cuomo's New York, and that means austerity. That means lies. And that means abusing power,” she says. “Now, it's not like we're totally into a different era but we're starting a new one, which is much more decentralized power, much more power in the assembly, much more power in the Senate, but also much more empowering grassroots organizations. And it's really exciting.” I felt pathetic and ashamed that there might be magic for a marginally famous white man to work his way into a detention facility where others are powerless to escape, so I smiled desperately and, before I opened my mouth, I tried to hold Vilma in my mind. She and I had not yet met. She was, at this point, only an idea that I had real trouble connecting with because our experiences and lives have been so different.Twitter contentView on Twitter When I met Vilma on December 14, she wept openly during our visit as she wondered what she had done wrong. She passed me colorful handmade bracelets through the plexiglass barrier and asked if Shana and I thought her daughter would like them. One read, "Feliz Navidad" — just in time for Christmas. is clearly an empowered-female story but we can also do something new in this reimagining, make it a little more muscular, stronger, with touch of Ridley Scott."Vulture