Albany’s Dorcey Applyrs made history last week when she was elected to become the first Black mayor in the city’s history. I sat down with the Albany NAACP’s President Debora Brown to talk about the moment’s significance.
I think it's monumental for the black community. But I want to say, and I'll get in that a little bit, I think, for the community, for Albany as a whole, because she represents everyone, I think the fact that she is the first black woman to be elected for Albany, that's what makes it exciting for Albany, for the community, for people to see her in that position, to understand, for students to know that they too can be that. For our young people to see her aspire, run and ultimately win and win by a significant amount in this position and in this time, where it's so difficult, where everybody is so divided, and the move is to keep us divided by some. That it, this makes the case that we all that there is a possibility to work for the needs of all people and address all people, and what the person looks like doesn't take away from that.
Yeah. I mean, could you talk a little bit about what this means, kind of in the in the backdrop of the context you just mentioned?
Yes, yeah. Well, when you see Tuesday was a last Tuesday was a significant day for Democrats as a whole, in terms of people who believe in certain rights for all people, and the need and respect for all people and addressing everyone's needs, I think her winning at this time, in this environment where it is so divisive by in terms, not only of color, of class of culture, that people are being put down because of what they look like, separated out because of what they look like that it's important to see a black woman stand up in front and first. And also in this time, where, you know, when the new administration came in, there's concern that a number of women of color, black women, were laid off or fired from their jobs, from positions that they held, and it was a targeted approach the concerns in those areas again, now to see a woman of color, the president, excuse me, the Mayor-elect Dorsey to be in this position.
Last week, I was I went to rally for Dorsey, of players that I was covering as part of my job here, and one of the speakers that had mentioned that the media would be focusing a lot on the fact that she was the first black woman mayor, and do you think that the media, like, focuses too much on that and puts her like, qualifications and stuff like secondary or what is your take on that?
I think it's a yes and a no, you know to be the first in anything automatically brings you, brings attention, and in this country as a whole, where people of color have not been in, have not been seen or not seen in positions where they're hold qualifications for It's a natural draw for that to be one of the the things touted about a win, but it doesn't erase the skill and the knowledge and abilities what she brings to the table. And I think that's important. If the media is to cover this, you must cover it in balance and in fullness. Not just to speak to her, about her because of her color, yes, that is, she is the first. You can't take that away, but also to talk about her accomplishments, her skills, her education, her knowledge that she brings to the table.
And are you excited to see the mayor elect kind of enter into these next, to start the job. What do you what are you looking forward to seeing from her?
Well, I think seeing from her some of the things that she has talked about that I've heard her mention, in terms of working for the fullness of all the people in Albany, I think also the focus on being able to address some of the issues that are impacting our young people, and the some of the concerns with environmental and the safety of the residents and Albany, I think all of those play into having an environment, a place to live that works for everyone. And I think that has been her approach. That's what she has spoken to, and that's what I look forward to, that happening.
And what do you think Albany needs right now? From from a new mayor?
I think what Albany needs a place everyone feels that there's a space for them, that there's a place for them, that they belong, that people are looking at in terms of housing, how they live, the environmental that we all have access to the highest standards of living, that we all have opportunity to for employment and jobs, and that our young people have a place to go, where they can have a good time, where they can learn, you know that they can be engaged. And that they're not caught up in the pull of the streets and negative behaviors. You have to have something for them to do. And I think that that's something and the expectations across the board, that we all care about each other, that we all hear from one another, and I think that's what we will see from her.
Do you think that that hasn't really been happening in the past?
I think, some to some degree, but maybe not to the fullness. I think, you know, there's push and pull with different things everybody, depending on where you sit. You know, when we had the DA race, you know, there was different issues. And pulled there in terms of what they thought some of the some of them thought some of the new laws were and how it impact them being able to do their jobs, targeting certain areas as areas of problems, instead of uplifting across the board, knowing that there have been issues, knowing that you know, in order to face the issues that people deal With, you have to be honest about what's happening. You have to acknowledge what people experience in their specific communities. And it may not be the same in every place, but you got to acknowledge that it does happen, and the impact of that on how people engage and experience their community. And so if you start from there, and then you work forward to okay, how can we address these issues? How can we work together collectively? Because there isn't just one answer. You know, it is a combination, and it takes a collective involvement of everyone to be and to see the type of change we want to happen in Albany.
What are you hearing from members and other people in the community about up Applyrs' win last week?
I've not heard anything but a positive excitement for her. Here, there's opportunities brewing here in Albany with the money and that the governor is funneling into the downtown area, what we're looking at in terms of the environment and changes that could happen in environmental justice and the, you know, down in the 787, and what that may look like. These are exciting times that are coming before us. The ability to be engaged, I think, is expanded. There's more opportunity for inclusiveness and involvement in everyone. So people excited to see what that will look like and where they fit in the overall planning of the future of Albany. actually,
So and then at her, at her win, when she was giving her speech, she had said that she was not somebody that shied away from the words diversity, equity and inclusion, which kind of struck me, as you know, with the current administration. I mean, that's been kind of done away with, or in a large portion people have tried to do away with that. Could you speak to that a little bit? What maybe hearing something like that from the new mayor elect?
Well, I think it's her recognition that we are diverse. There are many cultures here, and equity is the goal. Inclusiveness is the part of the goals in order for us to work together. I think you're correct. In terms of the new administration, there's been a target on that, and so people to shy away from it. But there are realities. When I one of the points I just made, we have in order to begin to work through you got to be honest. You got to be honest. In terms of the different experiences. You got to be honest in order to deal with that, and you have to respect that there are different cultures. Doesn't make anyone better or worse. It's just that there are a variety and a difference. How do we bring them all to play and begin to look at all of them to be able to move forward for the best for everyone?
And so what would you like to see from her to kind of bring it like, recognize those differences in kind of, I think what you're saying in recognizing those differences, you bring people together?
You bring them to the table. You bring the different thoughts to the table. You go out to people, because not everyone will come to the table in the same way, you know, so understanding that there's difference, that those differences sometimes require us to reach out differently, require us to engage people in a different format, you know, town hall. Maybe the town hall is in the community, you know, where the different groups are that you go to them. But the willingness and the understanding that that needs to happen is the first step, you know, and I think we will see that from the mayor a lot.
