2025 PRIMARY ENDORSEMENTS

BKForge is excited to announce our endorsements for the 2025 New York City Primary Election!

Mayoral Slate:

Rank #1: Brad Lander
Rank #2: Zohran Mamdani
Include In Your Top 5: Adrienne Adams, Zellnor Myrie, & Michael Blake
DO NOT RANK: Andrew Cuomo or Scott Stringer

City Council Endorsements:

Crystal Hudson for District 35 City Council Member
Alexa Avilés for District 38 City Council Member
Shahana Hanif for District 39 City Council Member

NYC Mayor

Because of ranked-choice voting, voters will have the opportunity to rank up to five candidates in order of preference. BKForge encourages voters to use their full ballot and rank five mayoral candidates who align with their values.

Rank #1: Brad Lander
BKForge is proud to endorse Brad Lander as our #1 ranked candidate for Mayor! Lander is currently the New York City Comptroller, serving as the City’s chief financial officer and chief accountability officer and managing a team of roughly 700 professionals. He has consistently held the Adams Administration accountable, uncovered waste and abuse, and saved hundreds of millions in taxpayer dollars. Lander has a decades-long record of progressive accomplishments and community engagement: As Council Member for District 39 in Brooklyn, he helped expand workers’ rights, strengthen tenant protections, invest in public schools, and strengthen our democracy. Lander co-founded Get Organized Brooklyn (where BKForge was initially formed in 2016), co-founded the Council’s Progressive Caucus, and co-founded Local Progress, a movement of local elected officials advancing a racial and economic justice agenda through all levels of local government. We’re excited to talk to voters about Lander’s unique leadership experience and demonstrated progressive values, and we encourage all Democratic voters in NYC to rank Lander #1 for mayor! Show your support now at landerfornyc.com.

Rank #2: Zohran Mamdani
Mamdani is the first South Asian man to serve in the New York State Assembly as well as the first Ugandan and only the third Muslim to ever be a member of the body. Since assuming the role of Assemblymember in 2021, he has fought for the working class in and outside the legislature: hunger striking alongside taxi drivers to achieve more than $450 million in debt relief, winning over $100 million in the state budget for increased subway service and a successful fare-free bus pilot, and organizing New Yorkers to defeat a proposed dirty power plant. Mamdani is running to freeze the rent, make buses fast and free, implement free childcare for every New Yorker aged 6 weeks to 5 years, and provide new parents and guardians with a collection of free essential goods and resources. We encourage all Democratic voters in NYC to rank Mamdani #2 for mayor!

BKForge also encourages voters to include Adrienne Adams, Zellnor Myrie, and Michael Blake in their top 5!

Adrienne Adams is the first Black Speaker of the New York City Council and leads the first woman-majority and most diverse Council in the body’s history. During her tenure, the Council has passed new laws to strengthen maternal health support and improve transparency of maternal mortality information. She also established the first-ever city funded guaranteed income program, which supports expectant mothers experiencing housing insecurity with monthly unconditional income to improve maternal health and reduce child poverty. Additionally, under her leadership, the Council passed laws to protect and expand access to abortion and reproductive healthcare and allocated nationally historic $1 million in Council funding per year to expand affordable access to care.

Zellnor Myrie has served in the New York State Senate since 2019. During his time in the Senate, Myrie has focused on issues ranging from gun safety and criminal justice to voting rights and abortion rights to health care and affordable housing. His major legislative accomplishments include passing the New York State John Lewis Voting Rights Act, the Clean Slate Act, and a law protecting homeowners from deed theft. In 2021, Senator Myrie wrote the nation’s first gun industry accountability law, allowing civil suits in state court against reckless gun companies. In 2024, he passed a law that will allow banks to detect and deter suspicious gun purchasing patterns. His central mayoral campaign platform, Rebuild NYC, includes a mandate to build one million homes in NYC, rebuild public safety and the public square, and implement an opportunity agenda, including afterschool for all.

Michael Blake represented parts of the South Bronx in the New York State Assembly for six years. He previously worked as an aide for the Obama White House. As a State Assemblymember, Blake also became vice chair of the Democratic National Committee, a role he held from 2017 to 2021. During his time in office, Blake took the lead on legislation in support of small, minority- and women-owned business enterprises. Blake is also the founder and CEO of Atlas Strategy Group, which focuses on policy issues affecting communities of color.

BKForge encourages everyone NOT to include Andrew Cuomo or Scott Stringer on your ballots.

We feel strongly that Cuomo and Stringer candidates should not be ranked as an option on any space on your ballot, nor did we reach out to them for consideration of our endorsement. BKForge trusts women who come forward to report sexual misconduct despite immense legal, financial, and societal barriers. We could not, in good conscience, support these men with multiple accusations of sexual harassment and/or assault against them. Additionally, their legislative records do not support the work that we do.

City Council

District 35: Crystal Hudson

BKForge is proud to endorse Crystal Hudson for City Council! Hudson has been a trailblazer in City government and a leader for her district. Her notable legislative accomplishments last session include establishing unrestricted cash assistance programs, laying the groundwork for universal childcare, increasing access to doula and midwife care, requiring reporting on all police consent searches, and addressing the growing discrimination against LGBTQIA+ communities across the country. A third-generation Brooklynite and daughter of Jamaican and Honduran immigrants, Hudson made history as the first out gay Black woman ever elected in New York City. Hudson chairs the Council’s Committee on Aging, co-chairs the Council’s Black, Latino, and Asian Caucus, and previously co-chaired the LGBTQIA+ Caucus. We’re excited to talk to voters about Hudson’s achievements for the community and her vision for a more just and people-powered NYC and Brooklyn. Show your support now at crystalforbk.com.

District 38: Alexa Avilés

BKForge is proud to endorse Alexa Avilés for City Council! Avilés grew up in East New York, Brooklyn, and has lived in Sunset Park with her family for decades. As a proud Boricua, education organizer, mother, and democratic socialist, she has fought for housing for all, fully funded public schools, and a people-centered budget at City Hall. Avilés has championed many pieces of legislation centering equity for working-class communities in Southern Brooklyn, from combatting cruise ship pollution and truck congestion in Red Hook to requiring greater transparency surrounding NYCHA management practices and NYPD stops of civilians. Avilés previously chaired the Council’s Committee on Public Housing and currently chairs the Committee on Immigration. We’re excited to talk to voters about Avilés’ commitment to her community and her vision for a city government that truly supports working New Yorkers. Show your support now at alexaforcouncil.com.

District 39: Shahana Hanif

BKForge is proud to endorse Shahana Hanif for City Council! Born and raised in Brooklyn to Bangladeshi immigrant parents, Hanif has dedicated her life to building a progressive New York City rooted in care, justice, and equity for all—inspired by her personal battle with Lupus, a chronic illness with no cure. Hanif has been a leader in reproductive justice, including leading a budget campaign to expand the city’s abortion funds to $1 million, in partnership with the New York Abortion Access Fund and the Brigid Alliance. Hanif has fought alongside NYCHA public housing residents; advocated for survivors of domestic violence; passed a law creating a citywide curbside organics program for residential buildings; secured $20 million in new funding for schools, parks, and infrastructure; and successfully resolved 3,000 constituent cases. Hanif co-chairs the Council’s Taskforce to Combat Hate and previously chaired the Committee on Immigration. As Council Member for BKForge’s home base, Hanif has also been a consistent supporter of our campaigns and events. We’re excited to talk to voters about Hanif’s proven record for her constituents, her deep engagement in the district, and her progressive vision for a city where all New Yorkers have the support they need. Show your support now at shahanafrombk.com.

Candidate Questionnaires

As part of our endorsement process, BKForge sent a brief questionnaire to all candidates considered for endorsement as of mid-February. Below are the responses received by BKForge.

Candidates listed alphabetically. An * denotes they are the incumbent.

Mayoral Candidates

Michael Blake

Brad Lander (BKForge endorsed candidate!)

Zohran Mamdani

Zellnor Myrie

Jessica Ramos

Council District 35

Crystal Hudson * (BKForge endorsed candidate!)

Council District 38

Alexa Avilés * (BKForge endorsed candidate!)

Council District 39