Eric Adams’s time as mayor was plagued with scandal — some of it his own doing, some of it the result of a Democratic Party that never fully wanted him in office. From federal investigations into campaign fundraising to mismanagement of the migrant crisis, Adams became a lightning rod. But here’s the deeper truth: when Adams stumbled, his party abandoned him. The same Democratic establishment that has closed ranks around others in crisis left a Black mayor to twist in the wind. For many in our community, that felt familiar.
Now, with Adams officially out of the race, Black New Yorkers find ourselves at a crossroads. The ballot offers two starkly different choices: Andrew Cuomo, weighed down by his own baggage but seasoned in governance, and Zohran Mamdani, a progressive darling whose platform excites activists but fails to address the bread-and-butter concerns of working-class Black families. This moment matters, because the stakes for Black New Yorkers could not be higher.
Read:Eric Adams Exits, Cuomo vs. Mamdani: The Battle for New York’s Future
Walk through East New York, Harlem, the South Bronx, or Southeast Queens, and you’ll hear the same concerns repeated: safer streets so children can play outside, schools that prepare our kids for college and careers, affordable homeownership instead of lifetime renting, stable jobs that allow families to build wealth, and lower taxes so working people can afford to stay in the city they built. These are not luxuries — they are survival issues. And yet, they are not the center of Mamdani’s platform. Instead, we hear about rent cancellation, debt forgiveness, and sweeping subsidies. These policies may sound bold, but they do little to move poor Black families from dependency to independence.
Free rent doesn’t create ownership. Debt cancellation doesn’t help the brother or sister who never got the chance to go to college. Universal subsidies may sound compassionate, but they leave us dependent on government lifelines instead of building the generational wealth our community has been denied for too long. As a small business owner, I can say plainly: a $30 an hour minimum wage will not liberate our people — it will put them out of work. Small businesses are the backbone of this city’s economy and one of the main paths for Black entrepreneurship. We are already struggling under high rents, inflation, and crushing taxes. Adding a mandate that doubles labor costs is a recipe for layoffs, closures, and fewer opportunities in neighborhoods that can least afford to lose them.
Black New Yorkers don’t need more slogans about survival wages. We need policies that actually grow wages by creating more jobs. We need targeted investments that help our children get trained for careers, not just service work. We need access to ownership opportunities — including mortgages, co-ops, and small business loans — that help us transition from dependency to independence.
Adams’s fall also teaches us something bigger: the margin for error is razor-thin when you are a Black leader in power. Every misstep becomes magnified, every controversy weaponized. Meanwhile, white or establishment-aligned politicians often get second, third, and fourth chances. This isn’t about excusing Adams’s mistakes. It’s about recognizing the political reality: a Black mayor who didn’t fit neatly into the party’s box was never going to be given the room to succeed. That should trouble us, because it means our leaders are disposable unless they conform to the political norms.
So where does that leave Black New Yorkers in this election? With no clear champion. Cuomo, for all his flaws, knows how to govern and can speak the language of economic development. Mamdani offers slogans that resonate with downtown activists but not with mothers in Brownsville worried about rent, or fathers in Queens concerned about crime. Black voters should not be reduced to a swing bloc, trotted out at the last minute with the tired warning, “If you don’t vote for this candidate, the other one will win.” Our issues are not afterthoughts — they are central to whether this city thrives or falls apart.
This election must be about more than ideology. It must be about outcomes. Black New Yorkers cannot afford another four years of leadership that talks past us. We must demand concrete commitments: real investment in our schools, a plan for affordable mortgages and homeownership, public safety strategies that protect without profiling, and tax relief that allows families to stay rooted in their communities. Without that, we are not partners in the city’s future — we are pawns in someone else’s political game. The message is simple: don’t just ask for our vote. Show us your plan for our block, our school, our shelter, and our future.
Brother Damon please call me my name is Oscar Dais Leticia James forced me to plea guilty to home equity theft last week. I never should have been prosecuted for that charge I would love to give you the full story with receipts
Haha, Damon hits the nail on the head! Its like the Democratic Party has a Black Mayor Survival Guide, and Eric clearly didnt read the chapter on When to Abandon Ship. 😂 But seriously, the choice between Cuomo’s experienced baggage and Mamdani’s progressive platitudes is like picking between two different types of political Kool-Aid. We need more than just rent cancellation slogans; lets talk real mortgages and jobs that don’t require a degree in juggling inflation! And yes, that $30 minimum wage sounds great, right up until your small business starts laying people off because they cant afford the higher costs. We need leaders who speak our language, not just the language of the downtown activists. Let’s demand some concrete plans for our blocks, not just empty promises. Enough with the political games; show us the strategy for our future!
Haha, right? Adams got tossed like last week’s flyers, and now we’re stuck choosing between the been there, bled that guy and the rah-rah rent cancellation hopeful? 🤔 My small biz needs a lifeline that’s not just a slogan, y’all! Let’s not get caught playing checkers while they’re playing chess. We need a real game plan for the block, not just soundbites from downtown. Give us results, not just rhetoric! 🗳️💸