NYC NOW Black Voters, Gentrification, and the Race for NYC Mayor
Nov 1, 2025
Elizabeth Kim, a WNYC City Hall reporter, dives deep into the complex dynamics of gentrification and its impact on Black voters in the NYC mayoral race. She highlights how candidates manipulate 'real New Yorker' rhetoric to appeal to this critical demographic. Kim also discusses the shifting political landscape, revealing how grassroots movements challenge established norms. Local voices, like Renee Collimore, share opposition to progressive candidates, raising vital questions about the future of representation and the true meaning of a Black agenda in the city.
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Gentrification Shapes The Mayoral Narrative
- Gentrification became a central theme in the mayoral race as candidates accused each other of representing either "real New Yorkers" or gentrifiers.
- Mamdani won in many gentrifying neighborhoods but lost ground in historically Black areas, revealing shifting political coalitions.
Brownstone Price Journey In Clinton Hill
- Renee Collimore recounts her family's Clinton Hill brownstone buying it in the 1950s for $6,000 and seeing it now appraised at $4 million.
- She remains a Black moderate active in local politics and opposes Mamdani, citing fears about socialist policies and costs.
Shift From Establishment To Grassroots
- Political power is shifting from the Democratic establishment toward grassroots movements energized by younger and newer voters.
- This shift worries politically active residents in gentrifying Black neighborhoods who feel their influence is eroding.