Opinion: Black women leaders announce NYC priorities and back Zohran Mamdani

For more than 100 years, Black women have led America’s progress on human rights. Now – as New York City faces a pivotal mayoral election – we have come together to make sure our voices are front and center.

We are leaders of major New York City labor, political and community organizations representing hundreds of thousands of working people. We are keenly aware of the challenges facing not just low-income Black women, but all working people in a city where the American Dream is quickly becoming out of reach.

On the national level, we are under attack. President Donald Trump’s job cuts have “laid off or pushed out” 300,000 Black women from the workforce. With Medicaid and SNAP reductions on the horizon, we face impending Trump cuts to our safety net. Locally, 1.78 million people receive SNAP and 4 million use Medicaid.

To elevate the voices of Black women in New York politics, Community Voices Heard started a project called Follow Black Women, which surveyed the political engagement and issues of concern for Black women to create a policy agenda. Hundreds of respondents identified key priorities for the next mayoral administration: affordable housing and rent relief; education and public schools; economic opportunity and jobs; and health, mental health and social services.

In September, we had the opportunity to share these priorities with Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani, and we are excited to work with him to make New York City a place where working people can afford to thrive.

We have to make sure the experiences and expertise of New Yorkers who do our city’s essential work are front and center: The cleaner who polishes our office floors who is struggling to find an affordable place to stay. The nurse whose schedule conflicts with their child’s homework time. The hospital maintenance worker who can barely afford healthy food and the bus.

Low wages mean more overtime shifts or having to pick up a second job. That leaves less time to spend with family and friends and to simply enjoy this beautiful city.

Our members are on the front lines of our city’s affordability crisis. 

When searching for solutions, listening to Black women helps everyone. Research tells us that when we listen to and engage with the most disadvantaged groups to solve social challenges, the impact goes far beyond the group it intends to serve.

Like most New Yorkers, Black women want more affordable housing. Rent relief. Programs that prepare our kids for the job market. Mental health services. Justice for our elders so they can afford to remain in their homes. An end to discriminatory practices.

These are popular priorities – our members are not the only people who don’t want to have to choose between paying rent and paying for child care, medication or food.

Mamdani has exhibited an authentic dedication to the issues we care most about. His proposal for a $30/hr minimum wage would put food on the table. His proposal for faster and free buses would improve the lives of millions of working people. His priority of free child care would be transformative for hundreds of thousands of families.

A Mayor Mamdani will fight so families not only have enough money to cover the basics, but to live abundantly.

Black women in America have documented political power that uniquely positions them as participants and political leaders. Across the nation, many critical elections have been determined by the turnout of Black women. And history shows that Black women vote, they are politically engaged and they bring others along. We are one of the most active voting populations, and we vote for candidates who care about our issues.

In 2025, that means we’re voting for Zohran Mamdani, because he has shown us to be someone who will not forget our voice once elected.