New York's Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes announced on Monday her endorsement of Mike Bloomberg for U.S president.
Peoples-Stokes, the first woman and African-American to serve as New York State Assembly majority leader and one of the highest ranking members of the chamber, made the announcement, citing her enthusiasm for Bloomberg's Greenwood Initiative, "a plan for economic justice for Black America," as a key reason for supporting his candidacy
"For far too long, Black Americans have experienced insurmountable barriers in creating wealth," she said. "Mike's Greenwood Initiative outlines actionable steps to righting historical wrongs and ensuring every person in this country can maximize their economic potential."
"As someone who has been very lucky in life, I often say my story would only have been possible in America — and that's true. But I also know that my story might have turned out very differently if I had been Black, and that more Black Americans of my generation would have ended up with far more wealth, had they been white," Mike Bloomberg said during a speech he delivered in January in the Greenwood neighborhood of Tulsa, Oklahoma, once a most prominent district of Black-owned businesses in the United States.
In 1921, the community was destroyed in race attacks known as the Black Wall Street Massacre.
"Instead," he continued, "[Black Americans] have had to struggle to overcome great odds, because their families started out further behind, and excluded from opportunities — in housing, employment, education, and other areas."
The majority leader also cited Bloomberg's commitment to reducing gun violence, increasing affordable housing and investing in infrastructure as other reasons for her endorsement.
"Mike has proven he will stand up to the gun lobby, address the country's affordable housing shortage, build on the Affordable Care Act, and remove barriers to attaining a quality education," she said. "The impact of his proposed plans cannot be overstated, which is why Mike has my support in this race."
By announcing her endorsement, Assembly Majority Leader Peoples-Stokes became one of 20 New York State elected officials who have declared their support for Mike's candidacy. The full list of New York State elected officials who have endorsed the candidate to date is:
- U.S. Congressman Max Rose (NY-11)
- U.S. Congresswoman Nita Lowey (NY-17)
- U.S. Congressman Gregory Meeks (NY-5)
- State Senator Diane Savino (NY-23)
- State Senator Todd Kaminsky (NY-9)
- Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes (NY-141)
- Assemblymember Clyde Vanel (NY-33)
- Assemblymember Taylor Darling (NY-18)
- Assemblymember Michael Cusick (NY-63)
- Assemblymember Peter J. Abbate, Jr. (NY-49)
- Assemblymember Thomas Abinanti (NY-92)
- Mayor Lovely Warren (Rochester)
- Mayor Kathy Sheehan (Albany)
- Mayor Mike Spano (Yonkers)
- Mayor Gary McCarthy (Schenectady)
- Council Member Paul Vallone (NY-19)
- Council Member Joel Feroleto (Buffalo)
- County Executive Steve Bellone (Suffolk)
- Town Supervisor Brian Kulpa (Amherst)
- Town Supervisor Kevin Hansan (Pound Ridge)
