New York City Elects it’s Second Black Mayor in History: Eric Adams

Eric Adams, Brooklyn borough president and former state senator, has won the race for New York City Mayor. He will be sworn into office at Time Square, shortly after the midnight ball drop. He will be replacing Mayor Bill de Blasio.

Speaking in third person, Adams spoke at his victory: “This is not about Eric Adams becoming mayor. This is about carving out a pathway so people could enjoy the prosperity that this city has to offer,”

Who exactly is New York City’s newest mayor?

Adams says he is just like any one of us. From humble beginnings, Adams was one in six of children to be born Brownsville and raised in South Jamaica, Queens from their single mother. 

As a teenager, Adams was beaten in police custody. He says that experience is what led him to joining the police force. “I didn’t say, ‘Woe is me.’ I said, ‘Why not me.’ I became a police officer. I understand crime, and I also understand police abuse, and I know how we can turn around not only New York but America.”

During his time in the New York Police Department, Adams was vocal about racial injustices and prejudices he saw. He even formed the 100 Blacks in Law Enforcement Who Care which was an advocacy group that worked against racial profiling and police brutality. 

While he doesn’t believe in defunding the police department, Adams plans to appoint the city’s first female police commissioner. He also encourages for more POC to apply to the police department.

Recently, Eric Adams has made the headlines for keeping former Mayor Bill de Basio private sector vaccine mandates.  The mandate requires all in-person employees to be vaccinated against Covid-19. Since the mandate was first rolled out, businesses have been criticizing it for having a negative impact on them.

What does the future have for Mayor Eric Adams? We will have to wait and see.