Caucus Weekend kicks off in Albany

Thousands of New York political players are heading to Albany for Caucus Weekend – a three-day legislative conference hosted by the New York State Association of Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic, and Asian Legislators.

Assembly Member Latrice Walker, the association chair, said the weekend is about celebrating the association’s legacy, honoring members’ achievements and reflecting on the journey. It’s also the 55th annual conference — which is special to Walker, who represents Assembly District 55 in Central Brooklyn.

“It allows for me to think about how to connect the dynamics with the 55th Assembly District in dealing with all the issues that we have to think about,” Walker told City & State. 

The weekend is the culmination of months of planning, packed with networking opportunities, 82 workshops and a scholarship gala. There are also parties, like City & State’s Friday night event recognizing our annual list of Black Trailblazers shaping the state’s future. Lobbyists and other New Yorkers advocating for issues come in from across the state on buses, trains and cars to gather with legislators, government staffers and other policy makers. There’s even a youth summit Saturday, featuring a performance by Gen Z rapper Cash Cobain. 

Caucus Weekend happens in the middle of February, in the midst of weeks of public hearings lawmakers hold to prepare to make a counter offer to Gov. Kathy Hochul’s executive budget proposal. That timing is intentional, Walker said.

“Historically, Caucus Weekend was an opportunity for members of the Legislature, Black and brown members of the Legislature, to be able to have their collective constituencies descend on to the state's Capitol and as it relates to the budget,” Walker said. “Which is why the weekend happens sort of in the height of the budget process.”

One former member of the Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic & Asian Legislative Caucus will be returning to Albany in a new role. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who represented a western Queens district in the Assembly from 2021 to 2025, is planning to join a mayor’s forum Saturday afternoon alongside newly-elected Albany Mayor Dorcey Applyrs and others, moderated by state Attorney General Letitia James.

Walker, who endorsed former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary for mayor last year, talked with Mamdani earlier this week while he was in Albany for Tin Cup Day to petition lawmakers for state aid. Walker said they discussed supportive housing – a top legislative priority of hers – and that political differences will be put aside to get things done.

The pair collaborated while Mamdani was in the Assembly to provide a free bus line through her district, the B60, Walker said, and he served on the Election Law Committee she chairs.

“I look forward to continuing the work that we started together,” Walker said about Mamdani. “There's always a time when we are involved in a political conversation, but when it comes to governance, we put our political differences that may have existed aside to be able to do the thing that we were each elected to do.”