During an Instagram Live last Wednesday evening, rising Democratic star Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas took to her followers to endorse Adrienne Adams, Speaker of the New York City Council, who has just entered New York’s mayoral race.
“New York is symbolic of liberty and freedom and so the last thing that we need is old Donald trying to run the show up in New York,” Crockett said alongside Adams. “I want to introduce you to my friend who is running to be the next mayor.”
Adams entered the race last weekend and must quickly raise significant funds to remain competitive in a crowded field led by former Gov. Andrew Cuomo. One key strategy she’s considering ahead of the June 24 Democratic primary is leveraging support from the Divine Nine—a network of historically Black sororities and fraternities that strongly backed Kamala Harris during her White House campaign, according to a recent report in Politico.
Last summer, the Divine Nine helped Harris raise over $1.5 million within hours of her campaign launch through a call titled “Win with Black Women.” Though Harris ultimately didn’t win, she outpaced Donald Trump by 38 points in the city Adams now hopes to lead.
“Thank you so, so much, my amazing D9 sister, Jasmine! I just want to let you know I wore this color for you,” Adams said.
Just days earlier, more than 40 Black women dressed in the signature pink and green of Alpha Kappa Alpha filled the seats at a Queens shopping center to support Adams at her campaign kickoff event. “If anybody is running, they really better get used to that color, pink and green,” state Sen. James Sanders said.
Entering the race at a financial disadvantage, millions behind her competitors, Adams faces additional hurdles—lacking the name recognition of Cuomo and others while sharing a last name (but no relation) with embattled incumbent Mayor Eric Adams. She is counting on the unwavering support of more than 2 million Black men and women nationwide to help make history as New York City’s first female mayor.
Born and raised in Queens, Adams attended Spelman College, a historically Black college in Atlanta. Now, four decades later and nearing the end of her tenure as City Council speaker, she has launched a last-minute bid for mayor. Kicking off her campaign on March 8, months after most of her competitors, Adams is positioning herself as a steady, drama-free alternative to scandal-plagued Eric Adams and Andrew Cuomo—though she faces formidable challenges of her own.
Financially, she enters the race at a steep disadvantage. In addition to the $128,000 raised in her first week, she transferred just over $200,000 from a separate account—far behind her rivals. The leading challengers to Eric Adams have already secured 20 times that amount, having qualified for the city’s 8-to-1 public matching funds program. As of last month, City Comptroller Brad Lander led with $3.9 million on hand, while Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani, former Comptroller Scott Stringer, and Eric Adams each had over $3 million. State Sen. Zellnor Myrie reported nearly $2.5 million.
Still, Adams isn’t relying solely on the Divine Nine for support. As City Council speaker until the end of 2025, she wields significant influence over legislation, land use decisions, and negotiations for the city’s $115 billion budget—factors that could attract donors, according to a source close to her campaign.
Her candidacy has already drawn attention from influential figures. A New York City real estate executive, speaking on condition of anonymity, said they recently received a call from Attorney General Letitia James, who expressed support for Adams—though she did not solicit donations. The executive speculated that such endorsements could help accelerate Adams’ fundraising efforts.
For now, the Divine Nine remains a cornerstone of her strategy, much like it has for fellow mayoral candidate Michael Blake. However, past candidates with similar networks, such as Maya Wiley in 2021, ultimately fell short.
Despite the challenges, Adams’ supporters remain optimistic, insisting that her entry into the race has sparked buzz across the city.
“The word is definitely spreading like wildfire, not even just amongst AKAs, but the D9 in general,” said Nupol Kiazolu, a 24-year-old AKA from Brownsville, Brooklyn, who came to Adams’ kickoff rally told Politico. “I just got a phone call, and I pulled up.”
