The city of Albany is nearly 100 years older than the nation and holds the title of oldest continuously chartered city. It has changed a lot since Dutch colonists first decided to settle there. And it continues to change, since for the first time in 340 years, Albany has a Black mayor.
Mayor Dorcey Applyrs won her historic election in November, following a hotly contested Democratic primary earlier in the year. As a native of Washington, D.C., the rough-and-tumble world of politics that characterizes New York’s capital was perhaps not foreign to her – but was certainly one she initially didn’t see herself taking part in. After moving to Albany to continue her graduate school work, Applyrs unexpectedly made the city her home, and even more unexpectedly decided to run for office after earning multiple advanced degrees in public health.
Beginning her first term, Applyrs faces a plethora of issues. Crime, and in particular youth violence, is a major problem. A high-profile shooting on July 4 last year made headlines. Downtown Albany faces decades of disinvestment that has left many businesses struggling. And residents face a housing crisis that has no easy solutions. And if the weight of all those problems weren’t enough, Applyrs also carries the weight of being Albany’s first Black and only second woman mayor…