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1. Eric Adams

New York City Mayor

New York City Mayor Eric Adams started his term with a pledge to get stuff done. As far as getting Albany on board with some of those priorities, hes had mixed results. While the states leaders signed off on bail reform changes that he backed, he only managed to secure a two-year extension of mayoral control of schools. Throughout June, hell be keeping busy trying to get the New York City Council to sign off on his budget proposal, which would boost spending for police and set aside $5 billion for affordable housing.

State Senate Majority Leader

State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins had a busy legislative session. The Westchester lawmaker passed legislation protecting abortion access and combating gun violence, which became a high priority after the deadly Buffalo supermarket shooting. And thats after an already busy state budget process, which brought her successes such as increased funding for child care and disappointments such as bail reform rollbacks.

Assembly Speaker

New Yorks redistricting snafu left the states political leaders in a tough position, though Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie avoided contending with changes to the Assemblys new district maps and any threats to his unsurmountable majority. Meanwhile, the Bronx legislator delivered a major victory to survivors of sexual abuse by passing the the previously stalled Adult Survivors Act and has kept laser focused on other progressive legislative priorities.

State Attorney General

State Attorney General Letitia James excited many New Yorkers with her gubernatorial aspirations last year. But James said she wanted to finish the job on various ongoing investigations she has spearheaded, shifting her focus to securing a second term as attorney general. With multiple court rulings in her favor, James' probe into the business practices of former President Donald Trump and his associates remains one of her top priorities.

Chair, House Democratic Caucus

As New Yorks court-appointed special master redrew the states electoral maps, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries went on the offensive. The House Democratic Caucus chair said the initial draft maps would make Jim Crow blush and decimate Black districts. In an effort to get the maps changed, the top-ranking Democrat spent tens of thousands of dollars in advertising to denounce the proposal. The final maps ultimately ensured that Bedford-Stuyvesant remained in one district as Jeffries insisted, but he still decried the process, calling it a constitutional travesty.

New York City Council Speaker

New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams has faced down her first budget negotiation process as the legislative bodys leader. The Queens lawmaker outlined several priorities in her State of the City speech in May, including increasing capital funding for housing to $4 billion, ensuring youth employment programs run year-round and expanding curbside organics collection in the five boroughs. Now, she has to square those goals with the mayors own budget proposal ahead of the July budget deadline.

Assembly Majority Leader

A white 18-year-old driven by racism shot 13 shoppers at a Buffalo supermarket in a predominantly Black neighborhood in May, terrifying Western New York residents. Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes called the attack in her district an act of terrorism on the Black community." She has joined other New York officials in pushing for a stronger response to racism and gun violence, while also urging the federal government to do more to regulate access to guns and other military-grade equipment.

Member of Congress

As chair of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Rep. Gregory Meeks has played a key role in Congress monitoring developments in Ukraine. He and other congressional leaders met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv earlier this year and worked with colleagues to pass legislation making it easier for the United States to lend the country military equipment. Meeks also criticized the process for redrawing electoral maps in New York in May, calling it a disaster and anti-democratic.

Chair, Bronx Democratic Party

Throughout state Sen. Jamaal Baileys five years in office, he has been committed to criminal justice reform and greater police oversight. That includes sponsoring the Clean Slate Act and legislation that Gov. Kathy Hochul signed into law in December that raises the minimum age for arrest and prosecution of juveniles from 7 to 12 years old. Bailey also continues to play a key role shaping political developments in the Bronx as the head of the Bronx Democratic Party.

Founder and President, National Action Network

After a white teenager killed 10 shoppers and injured three in a predominantly Black neighborhood in Buffalo, the Rev. Al Sharpton immediately headed to Western New York to console the families of the shooting victims and plead for change. The veteran civil rights leader pledged that his organization, the National Action Network, would cover the funeral expenses for those killed in the racist attack. He also called on President Joe Biden to hold a summit on hate crimes.

President, 1199SEIU

George Gresham was pleased with this years state budget, praising the meaningful pay raise allocated to home care workers in New York and increased funding for safety net hospitals. Supporting health care workers throughout the COVID-19 pandemic has been a top priority for Gresham, who was elected president of the 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East in 2007. The leader of New Yorks largest union also joined the attorney general in calling for additional protections for nursing home workers.

New York City Public Advocate

In this years gubernatorial election, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams is the left-wing foil to Gov. Kathy Hochul. He has been critical of the governors decision to change the states bail reform laws, saying that she was feed(ing) the fearmongering to win the election. The public advocate has also been an avid critic of criminal justice policies on the local level, lambasting New York City Mayor Eric Adams for reinstating the plainclothes anti-gun unit of the NYPD.

Commissioner, New York City Police Department

Mayor Eric Adams said he wanted an emotionally intelligent and compassionate leader when he interviewed a handful of high-ranking female officers last year. He ultimately chose then-Nassau County Chief of Detectives Keechant Sewell to serve as police commissioner. She immediately had to grapple with several severe crimes, including the shooting deaths of two young police officers. Sewell has also criticized the Manhattan district attorneys prosecution policies as soft on crime and successfully lobbied for tougher bail reform measures in Albany.

U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York

Under Preet Bharara, the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York successfully prosecuted a string of corrupt state lawmakers. Damian Williams, the first Black occupant of the office, has brought renewed attention to Albany misdeeds, bringing a bombshell indictment against Brian Benjamin, a former state senator who had been appointed lieutenant governor, on campaign finance charges. Benjamins subsequent resignation shook up the New York political landscape.

Chief Adviser, New York City Mayors Office

Ingrid Lewis-Martin is one of few people in City Hall who can say with authority she speaks directly for the mayor. Adamss closet adviser also happens to be his longest-serving aide. She handled hiring decisions and operations for Adams during his tenure as a state senator and was appointed deputy borough president when Adams was in Brooklyn Borough Hall. Now she preapproves budgets, recruits candidates for administration jobs and liaises with city agencies and public officials on Adams behalf.

New York City Schools Chancellor

As New York City Mayor Eric Adams made his pitch to state lawmakers that mayoral control of the citys public schools should be renewed, Schools Chancellor David Banks was right alongside him. Banks joined other Adams administration officials on a trip to Albany in May, aiming to assuage legislators concerns and pledging to ensure parents voices are heard. Banks also spearheaded an expansion of the citys Gifted and Talented Program.

New York City Deputy Mayor for Strategic Initiatives

Sheena Wrights track record helping vulnerable New Yorkers attracted the attention of Eric Adams, who put the United Way executive in charge of his transition committee last year. Wright said she would prioritize diversity when filling out posts in the Adams administration and she scored a top position of her own when Adams tapped her to be a deputy mayor. She has since administered a scholarship account for 97% of kindergartners and helped secure $100 million to make child care more accessible.

Chair, Brooklyn Democratic Party

Assembly Member Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn has been busy leading a Brooklyn Democratic Party at war with itself. And this years primary elections, in which many reformer candidates are seeking to unseat incumbent district leaders, will play a key role in determining whether she comes out on top. Yet the Brooklyn Democratic leader continues to maintain strong ties at City Hall, backing Mayor Eric Adams as resolutely as she backed his predecessor, Bill de Blasio.

Bronx District Attorney

Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark has been vocal in calling for more flexibility in charging teenagers with gun possession and other limits prosecutors in New York City face. The boroughs top prosecutor who was also the first Black woman to be elected as district attorney in the state was pleased to see the governor and state Legislature take up many of those issues in this years state budget. That includes making it easier to prosecute gun trafficking and making changes to the states discovery laws.

Member of Congress

Rep. Ritchie Torres made history as the first openly gay Afro-Latino person elected to Congress two years ago. Since then, Torres has kept busy in New York City and on Capitol Hill. The Bronx lawmaker has pushed congressional leaders to ensure funding is in place for public housing and rental assistance, and together with U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer introduced legislation strengthening fire safety after a devastating Bronx fire killed 17 people earlier this year.

Member of Congress

On Capitol Hill, Rep. Yvette Clarke remains focused on cybersecurity issues and pressing local challenges in New York. Clarke, along with fellow representatives, sent a letter urging the Internal Revenue Service to halt the agencys plan to require anyone trying to access records online to use facial recognition software. After a fire in the Bronx killed 17 residents early this year, the Brooklyn lawmaker and Rep. Ritchie Torres also introduced the Safer Heat Act, which would establish safety standards for space heaters.

President, 32BJ SEIU

More than 30,000 door attendants and building workers prepared to go on strike earlier this year. But Kyle Bragg of 32BJ SEIU managed to secure a contract deal with the Realty Advisory Board on Labor Relations, averting a strike. Bragg, who has served as the unions president since 2019, has been leading the push for increased wages for the workers to account for inflation. Having spent 35 years as a member of the 32BJ SEIU, Bragg has also been critical of high health care costs in New York.

Chair, State Senate Committee on Children and Families

The Democratic Socialists of America has made significant inroads in Albany in recent years, winning half a dozen state legislative seats and pushing for such legislation as higher taxes on the wealthy, single-payer health care and tenant protections. While progressive momentum on some issues, such as criminal justice reform, has fizzled this year, the DSA-backed state Sen. Jabari Brisport became the leading advocate of a push for universal child care and notched a victory when the governor got behind a record $7 billion in child care funding.

Manhattan District Attorney

Since making history as the first African American to serve as Manhattan district attorney, Alvin Bragg has struggled with a rocky transition. The district attorney faced backlash soon after taking office for no longer prosecuting people for minor offenses such as marijuana misdeameanors and prostitution. By March, Bragg drew national scrutiny after two prosecutors in his office resigned over disagreements about whether to bring criminal charges against former President Donald Trump. He maintains that the high-profile investigation is still ongoing, and that his office is exploring evidence not previously explored.

Host, Inside City Hall," NY1

New York politicos seeking insight on the latest developments in New York City and Albany tune into Inside City Hall on NY1. Errol Louis has hosted the nightly primetime show for more than a decade, interviewing prominent local, state and national elected officials about pressing political issues in the region. Louis also regularly pens columns in New York magazine, evaluating topics such as the mayors progress on tackling crime and redistricting.

Chair, Assembly Labor Committee

Assembly Member Latoya Joyner has been laser-focused on pushing forward legislation to support workers in New York. The Assembly Labor Committee chair introduced the Warehouse Worker Protection Act alongside state Sen. Jessica Ramos, and it would prevent employers like Amazon from penalizing workers for failing to meet work quotas because they used rest periods and bathroom breaks. Joyner has also been working to get New York to pass a bill that would increase minimum wage to $20.45 by 2025.

Bronx Borough President

Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson made history this year as the first woman and Black person to hold her position leading the borough. But soon after her tenure began, tragedy struck the Bronx, when an apartment building fire in Fordham Heights killed 17 people. Gibsons team mobilized to help other government agencies and organizations connect victims to resources and accommodations in the aftermath. The borough president has also outlined economic development, job creation and COVID-19 recovery as some of her priorities in office.

Member of Congress

The first-term progressive representative who made headlines for defeating a longtime incumbent in 2020 appears to be coasting to reelection this year after emerging unscathed from redistricting. Rep. Jamaal Bowman has drawn some criticism for his decision to break from his fellow Democrats by taking a stance against the Abraham Accords and for voting against the $1 trillion federal infrastructure bill. Bowman managed to avoid what wouldve been a tough challenge from Rep. Mondaire Jones, who had the option of running in his district after new congressional maps were finalized.

Chair, City University of New York

The former New York City comptroller has presided over the citys public university system during difficult times and has gotten it through the other side. Bill Thompson, along with CUNY Chancellor Flix Matos Rodrguez, also hauled in $879 million for capital repair costs for its senior colleges and $240 million in operating funds in the state budget this year. There was talk Thompson could serve as Hochuls lieutenant governor replacement, but hes finishing out his term instead, ensuring CUNY continues to lift thousands of students out of poverty.

State Senators

Eleven Black lawmakers currently serve in the state Senate, led by state Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins. Several of these senators hold key leadership positions, including state Sen. Leroy Comrie as chair of the Corporations, Authorities, and Commissions Committee, which involves overseeing important entities ranging from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to the New York City Housing Authority. State Sen. Kevin Parker of Brooklyn chairs the Energy and Telecommunications Committee and state Sen. Robert Jackson of Manhattan chairs the Civil Service and Pensions Committee. State Sen. James Sanders Jr., who chairs the Banks Committee, has been a champion of minority- and women-owned businesses, while state Sen. Roxanne Persaud is a key player in the nonprofit sector as chair of the Committee on Social Services. State Sen. Samra Brouk chairs the Mental Health Committee, state Sen. Zellnor Myrie chairs the Elections Committee and state Sen. Cordell Cleare who won a special election last fall chairs the Committee on Womens Issues.

Commissioner, State Department of Health

Concerns about COVID-19, health care equity and other issues have kept Commissioner Mary Bassett occupied since December 2021. Though the doctor is not on the pandemics front lines, she constantly mans the informational front, providing New York state residents with the latest guidance on COVID-19, monkeypox and other health-related matters. Bassett has also been outspoken about New Yorks continued commitment to abortion access as many states other states prepare to ban the procedure.

New York City Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services

Anne Williams-Isom is Mayor Eric Adams go-to official when it comes to leading New York Citys initiatives around health and social services for vulnerable New Yorkers. That includes playing a key role in supporting an expansion of the citys doula program and broader efforts to improve maternal health care in the region. Williams-Isom, who has previously led the nonprofit Harlem Childrens Zone, also continues to monitor the citys continued response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Member of Congress

Rep. Mondaire Jones has an unusual midterm election coming up. The first-term lawmaker has represented much of Rockland and Westchester counties, but after redistricting upheavals, is now busy running for an open seat encompassing lower Manhattan and Brooklyn. The unusual primary will have him facing off against numerous candidates, including former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, New York City Council Member Carlina Rivera and Assembly Member Yuh-Line Niou. Jones has already managed to get the backing of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, among others.

Queens Borough President

Queens Borough President Donovan Richards successfully staved off a tough challenge in his reelection bid last year. Since beginning his first full term as borough president, Richards has been occupied bolstering diversity on Queens community boards and trying to get the Metropolitan Transportation Authority on board for a proposal to establish a ferry service connecting travelers to LaGuardia Airport. He also will continue to be a key voice in proposed rezonings across the borough, including a redevelopment project in Astoria.

New York City Council Members

One-third of the 51-member New York City Council identifies as Black or Afro Latino. Apart from Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, Black lawmakers in the legislative body hold some key posts, including Council Member Selvena Brooks-Powers as majority whip and transportation committee chair, Council Member Kamillah Hanks as chair of the Public Safety Committee and Council Member Rita Joseph as chair of the Education Committee. Apart from Speaker Adams, who has been in office since 2018 (and Council Members Darlene Mealy and Charles Barron, who returned to the council this year after serving in it previously), the largely youthful group is on track to make its mark in the months and years ahead.

Chancellor, State Board of Regents

Lester Young Jr. has worked to positively impact the lives of students throughout the state on the state Board of Regents since 2021, relying on his experience as a teacher, principal and official with the state Education Department. A public servant for five decades, Young has been focused on attaining educational progress and addressing educational inequities across about 700 school districts. The veteran educator is the son of the late jazz great Lester Young.

Buffalo Mayor

After dramatically losing the 2021 Democratic mayoral primary to candidate India Walton, Byron Brown saved face by securing victory in the general election with write-in votes. Now six months into his fifth term leading New York state's second largest city, he faced a tremendous challenge guiding Buffalo residents after a white teenager allegedly shot and killed 10 people at a supermarket in a predominantly Black east-side neighborhood. We won't let hateful ideology stop the progress that we are seeing and experiencing in the city of Buffalo, Brown said on CBS News in May.

Superintendent, State Department of Financial Services

Heading the state Department of Financial Services, Adrienne A. Harris plays an important role in overseeing and regulating New Yorks financial services industry. To that end, she established a climate division for her agency, which issued guidance pushing insurers to take into account the financial risks presented by climate change. The Department of Financial Services has also been expanding its team focused on regulating and guiding cryptocurrency companies under her leadership.

U.S. Attorneys, Eastern District of New York; Western District of New York

When he rolled out his U.S. attorney nominations last summer, President Joe Biden named Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton attorney Breon Peace to head the Eastern District of New York and Trini Ross, then an investigative director with the National Science Foundations Office of Inspector General, to lead the Western District of New York. Along with Damian Williams, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District, their ascension marked the 1st time that these 3 vital roles will be filled by 3 African American legal leaders at once!, as U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer noted in a tweet.

President, New York State Public Employees Federation

Wayne Spence has consistently proven hes got the right stuff to lead the state's second-largest public workers union, and the unions members concurred by reelecting him to a third term as president last year. Through his time as a state parole officer and beyond, hes been active with the New York State Public Employees Federation. Spence has gained member loyalty through concrete results, having negotiated three contracts with pay raises and no givebacks. Recently, Spence and union executives have been conducting a tour to meet with members in their workplaces.

Assembly Member

As abortion bans are on track to take hold in numerous states across the country, Assembly Member Karines Reyes has been one of the key lawmakers bolstering access to abortion in the state. The Bronx legislator has sponsored a bill that would create a special fund New Yorkers could donate to that would help people from other states get abortions and reproductive health care in New York. She has also rallied fellow lawmakers to adopt a measure for single-payer health care statewide.

New York City Council Members

Although New York City Council Member Kristin Richardson Jordan narrowly won her primary battle with incumbent Bill Perkins last year, she has quickly become one of the most high-profile members of the legislative body. She has been outspoken in her calls to abolish the NYPD, and just notched a major land use victory when a housing developer scrapped the One45 proposal that she argued was unsuitable for her Harlem district. Jordan and New York City Council Member Charles Barron, a veteran politician from Brooklyn and ideological ally on many issues, form an informal, two-member Black socialist caucus.

President and CEO, Community Service Society of New York

The leader of the Community Service Society of New York for over 35 years, David R. Jones has long been one of the foremost defenders of low-income New Yorkers. In his column in the New York Amsterdam News, Jones has called on Gov. Kathy Hochul to sign legislation to tackle medical debt, demanded that New York City Mayor Eric Adams have the New York City Police Department destroy illegally gathered DNA samples and advocated for more effective alternatives to expanding gifted and talented enrollment in the city.

Editors note: David R. Jones is a member of City & States advisory board.

President, National Grid New York

Amid the push to wean New York off fossil fuels and transition to renewable energy sources, National Grid has another suggestion for fueling households. Rudolph Wynter stressed that the states gas infrastructure should have a role in the states energy portfolio and proposed using fossil-free gas sourced from methane from landfills and green hydrogen. The utility drew up the plans as an alternative to a state bill that would ban gas hook ups to new buildings starting in two years.

New York City Deputy Mayor of Public Safety

New York City Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Philip Banks found some success pushing state lawmakers to adjust bail and discovery reforms to crack down on crime. Mayor Eric Adams will also be banking on the deputy mayors support as he tries to make good on his plans to crack down on gun violence, which continues to plague New York City. His appointment this year came under scrutiny due the fact that he was an unindicted co-conspirator in a police corruption probe.

Co-Founders, Black Lives Matter Greater New York

The brother-and-sister duo of Hawk and Chivona Newsome arent afraid to make powerful enemies in their efforts to stand up for Black New Yorkers. The Newsomes in recent months have called for NYPD officers to be disciplined for their brutal actions during protests following the killing of George Floyd and for renewed urgency in combating police violence but Hawks warnings of riots, fire and bloodshed in response to a reinstated NYPD anti-gun unit prompted New York City Mayor Eric Adams to tell him to back down.

Executive Director; Chair, State Office of Cannabis Management; State Cannabis Control Board

The states new marijuana law has been a long time coming, but New Yorks cannabis officials Christopher Alexander and Tremaine Wright want to ensure its rollout wont take years to implement. Alexander, a Queens native who was the lead author of the legalization bill, has taken on the role of cannabis czar and held workshops to help entrepreneurs gain a foothold. Wright, a former Brooklyn Assembly member in charge of regulating the industry, has estimated that legal weed would hit retail shops by this fall.

President and CEO, One Brooklyn Health System

Appointed as CEO in 2017, LaRay Brown took a pivotal role in the successful clinical and administrative consolidation of three health systems into the One Brooklyn Health System, serving the heavily populated central and northeast sections of the borough. She now oversees three hospitals, 12 ambulatory care centers, two nursing homes, an urgent care center and other sites serving Brooklynites. Brown joined other health care executives in March to call on state lawmakers to ensure safety-net hospitals are sufficiently funded.

President, Patrick B. Jenkins & Associates

The well-connected Albany insider might be the best way to get on Assembly Speaker Carl Heasties radar in the state Capitol. Patrick B. Jenkins once worked for Rep. Gregory Meeks and as a special assistant to Heastie. These days Jenkins fundraises for Democratic candidates and is a top government affairs professional in Albany, lobbying legislative leaders on behalf of clients like DraftKings and del Lago Resort & Casino.

Read more from the original source:
The 2022 Power of Diversity: Black 100 - City & State