Zohran Mamdani Visits Greater Allen A.M.E. Church to Reconnect with Black NYC Voters
By EEW Magazine Online Political News Editors
Zohran Mamdani spoke recently at an African Methodist Episcopal church in a neighborhood that did not support him in the June primary. (Credit: Angelina Katsanis/The New York Times)
Key Facts:
Zohran Mamdani won the Democratic nomination for NYC mayor but received less than 30 percent of the vote in some predominantly Black precincts.
During a visit to Greater Allen A.M.E. Church in Southeast Queens, he pledged to make the city affordable and asked congregants to hold him accountable.
Mamdani is seeking support from prominent Black leaders, including Rev. Al Sharpton
(EEW Magzine News) New York City mayoral candidate and state assemblyman Zohran Mamdani recently appeared at Greater Allen A.M.E. Church in Southeast Queens in a meaningful effort to rebuild connections with Black voters after falling short in that demographic during the June primary, according to a Black Enterprise report.
At the historic African Methodist Episcopal church, where The Reverend Stephen A. Green is the Senior Pastor, Mamdani delivered a heartfelt message: “I will govern with a simple goal: to make this city affordable and to make a good and dignified life possible for each and every New Yorker. And what I ask of you is to hold me accountable in that promise.”
Despite winning the Democratic nomination, Mamdani struggled to gain traction in low-income, predominantly Black neighborhoods. In precincts where over 80 percent of residents are Black, he garnered less than 30 percent of the vote. More broadly, in majority-Black precincts, his support reached only about 42 percent.
New York Attorney General Letitia James backs NYC mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani (Credit: Adam Gray/Getty Images)
In contrast, Mamdani performed strongly in gentrified areas where Black populations have decreased, such as central Harlem, Fort Greene, and Crown Heights—often receiving over two-thirds of the vote in those neighborhoods.
One policy point that stirred concern among some parishioners was Mamdani’s proposal to freeze rents in rent-stabilized apartments. Many of the congregants were homeowners, and the idea drew noticeable whispers and groans. Black business leaders have expressed worry that a rent freeze could hinder building generational wealth through property ownership.
Yet Mamdani continues to garner support from prominent Black Democratic leaders. New York Attorney General Letitia James and Brooklyn Democratic Party head Assemblywoman Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn have endorsed him and joined him on his Brooklyn outreach tour. “Once Black voters really get to know who he is, I don’t think it will take much for them to support him,” Hermelyn said.
Mr. Mamdani has also worked to strengthen his relationship with the Rev. Al Sharpton, one of New York’s most prominent Black leaders, as he seeks his endorsement.
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