Opinion: The next City Council Speaker should be a woman of color

In 2021, the New Majority NYC was proud to help usher in the city’s first majority-women Council –  and even prouder that it was a majority women of color Council. Under the leadership of  extraordinary women, the Council has advanced historic progress on housing, workers’ rights,  public safety, and equity. That’s why we believe women's understanding and lived experience  should be reflected in the Speaker’s office. 

As New York City prepares to elect its next City Council Speaker, we have an opportunity and  responsibility to ensure that the next person leading the Council reflects the diversity, strength  and experiences of the people of this city. That means it is more important than ever before for  the next Speaker to be a woman, and more importantly, a woman of color.  

Over the last decade, women of color have redefined leadership in City Hall. Their presence has  transformed the Council and, by extension, our city. They’ve brought new perspectives, fought  for long-overlooked communities, and shown that a deep understanding of the challenges facing  working New Yorkers is exactly the kind of leadership our city needs. 

The legacy of women as Speaker is extraordinary. Christine Quinn broke barriers as the first  woman and first LGBTQ Speaker. Melissa Mark-Viverito made history as the first Latina  Speaker and co-founded The New Majority to ensure women’s voices would never again be sidelined in city politics. Adrienne Adams, the first Black woman Speaker, has built on that  legacy with steady, principled leadership – so much so that she became our first-ever citywide endorsement. Each of these women led with strength, empathy, and a deep connection to the  people they serve. 

Now, as we look ahead to the next Speaker, there are several exceptional women of color in the  running – leaders who have delivered for their communities and demonstrated the skill and  vision to guide the Council through the challenges ahead. Their records speak for themselves. 

And yet, we’re hearing troubling reports of behind-the-scenes efforts pressuring members to  rally behind a preferred candidate. Let’s be clear: this kind of political maneuvering doesn’t  serve the city or the communities that make it great. It’s disheartening to see some of our  colleagues – people who understand the barriers to representation – lack the solidarity they often preach, and in doing so, undermine women who have fought tirelessly to lead. 

As always, the decision on the next Speaker will ultimately be made by the Council early in the  new year. But that choice will shape not only the direction of city government – it will define the kind of leadership we value. That’s why it is critical for members to resist backroom deals and  the pressures that perpetuate old hierarchies.

The council process should be a member driven process and outside leaders should consider  the council body a space that can deliver on the vision of what voters want—an affordable and  accessible New York that will defy the Trump Administration and protect our city.  

Rather than splintering support across multiple candidates, it’s time for members to coalesce  around a candidate who can continue the extraordinary legacy of representation and progress  that has defined this Council. 

We trust that the Council will make the right choice—one that honors the path-breaking women  who came before and ensures that the voices of women of color remain at the center of power  in this city. 

New York’s future depends on it.