Adrienne Adams is the speaker of the New York City Council, representing southeast Queens. She has defended the city’s sanctuary laws, advocated for the closing of Rikers Island and prioritized the rights of women and people of color.

She has also fought over city budgets with Mayor Eric Adams, to whom she is not related. She has sought to maintain spending on education and other public services and says she will build on those resources should she become mayor.

She worked in the private sector as a corporate trainer before focusing her attention on being an active member of southeast Queens’ Community Board 12. She unsuccessfully ran for state Senate in 2016, but rebounded a year later by winning the local City Council seat.