About Celeste  

This city has long been run by a few, for the sake of a few. I want a Utica that works for all of us. 

I originally moved to Utica to teach at Hamilton College. I fell in love with my South Utica neighborhood through Café Domenico. It was there that I made my first Utica friends and imagined myself putting down roots here. I think of the Café as my gateway to Utica, and I bought a house right up the street.

I currently teach classes on society and politics at SUNY Polytechnic Institute. I also own a small business, Celeste Friend Designs, where I design, produce, and market my own line of sterling silver jewelry. Through my business, I have been engaged in the local arts community, and for years I have been a member of Cazenovia Artisans, a regional arts gallery and cooperative. I operate my business out of Four Elements Studio in downtown Utica, where I have a bird’s-eye view of City Hall. 

My work has made it clear that the arts drive the economy, and there is great potential to transform South Utica into a successful arts district. I’m lucky to live where Genesee Street intersects Emerson Avenue. Just a short walk from my doorstep there are restaurants, a café, a gallery, and a theater. 

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Contacts

Email:   celeste4utica@gmail.com
Phone:      315-725-5987
​Facebook:  Celeste Friend: Utica Common Councilperson for the Third Ward​