Transcript: Mayor Adams Calls In For Live Interview On WBAI 99.5 FM’s Annual LGBTQ + Pride Special

June 2, 2024

Jeff Simmons: We've got the mayor of the City of New York ready to be patched in, in just a moment. We want to thank Mayor Eric Adams for making time on this busy day because I also know that he has got, in a very short while, the State of Israel parade that he's going to be marching in. Mayor Eric Adams, welcome to WBAI.

Mayor Eric Adams: Hey, how are you? Good to speak with you.

Simmons: Very good to speak with you, mayor. Thank you so much for joining us again. 

On today's show, we have really been talking a lot about the wave of anti-gay legislation across the country, with close to 500 bills introduced this year alone. What message do you think this sends about the current climate in our country?

Mayor Adams: I'm glad that you raised that because I think it's all connected, this energy of hate that we're seeing across our country. Really, when it comes down to members of LGBTQ+ community, you've seen it across the globe. Here in New York, where you have one of the largest members of the LGBTQ+ communities, we wanted and always will send a strong message, not only in substance but in symbolism when we just say gay. 

A movement, and advertisement campaign we did in Florida when the Florida governor attempted to use this anti-gay voice there, we were very strong here, and we're going to continue to do that. We have a long, rich history, and part of what we must do, as I stated, it has to be symbolism and substitutes. That is our primary focus.

Former Councilmember Carlos Menchaca: Mr. Mayor, I'm really curious about the kind of work that New York has to do to keep this vanguard of support alive while we're seeing the fires in other states. You're in the middle of a budget negotiation right now, and we just talked to Council Member Ossé, who really looked at some of the areas of opportunity, like HIV prevention, for example, as we're seeing rates increase in our state, that has a lot to do with how we fund initiatives. 

I know that you proposed a lot of cuts this year, including some HIV prevention programs. How are you holding that question about the budget and the power of the budget to support communities like people who are living with HIV?

Mayor Adams: That's so important, as you raised it, what we're dealing with, as a former councilman, you really understand, how do we balance the budget by law. We have been devastated by what the national government has done. When you look at [over 190,000] migrants and asylum seekers, over $4 billion that was taken out of our budget, the resources of the city, and added to that, we had billions of dollars of sunsetting programs that the former administration put in place, permanent programs with temporary dollars. Those dollars had a fiscal cliff that ended in 2024.

We had to search high and low of managing and closing the budget. When we looked at the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, some of these cuts that they wanted to do, and we're still in negotiation, around HIV services, had nothing to do with the delivery of services. We need to be clear on that. It had nothing to do with the delivery of services. It had to do with some of the organizations that were getting the word out on HIV prevention. We're still in negotiation. We still want to see if we can find other dollars. I cannot tell you the challenge we are having by having 190,000 migrants and asylum seekers that are here that can't work, want to work.

I say to my Council colleagues and my other lawmakers, they can't merely say that we should not be cutting anywhere because we've got to cut from somewhere. They should be joining me and going to Washington, D.C., and saying, "This is not right. New York should not have to be picking up the course of a national problem. It's unfair." Far too many have not done that. I know if you were a councilman right now, the way you fought for immigration before, you would be in Washington, D.C., saying, "This is not right to treat not only the city but those migrants and the silent speakers that are going through this."

Simmons: Mayor, we asked the Councilman about this as well. I want to pose this question to you. The US State Department recently warned about potential terrorist attacks, demonstrations, or violence against the LGBTQ+ communities at Pride events, especially overseas. Have there been any threats here in New York City, and are there specific measures being taken this Pride Month?

Mayor Adams: No known threats. We have been monitoring. People often critique some of the actions of the police department, but one thing we know for sure, no one does it better on how to secure groups in the city. We are on heightened alert. This is an important month. As it's Pride Month, many events are taking place. We have been sitting down doing several briefings with our intelligence division, as well as the chief of the department, Chief Maddrey, and the other executive team. We are going to be monitoring all of these events.

We're monitoring social media. We're using all of our intelligence, gathering information with our partners across the globe. We're extremely sensitive about this. We do not take anything for granted. If a threat is made of this magnitude, we make sure that we are on heightened alert. You're going to see that, not only visible, the visible presence of the uniformed officer but there's a lot of things that happen that you don't see to ensure that we are going to secure the safety of the members of the community as they celebrate Pride. They're going to do it in a safe way.

Former Councilmember Menchaca: Something else that brings to mind is that tension between police and the LGBT community. Really, I know you mentioned my previous work in the council, I would definitely be there with you fighting for migrants in D.C., joining you, and I do join you in that effort. Your MOIA team has been incredible working with you to organize with other mayors. There's a recent letter that you put out that really honed in on what's actually happening here in the city. I give you incredible props for that, but I would also tell you, if I was a council member, to cut the police budget, but we can talk about that another time.

I'm more curious about how you're thinking about New York City really impacting state legislative procedures because New York City does it well on health care, HIV prevention, et cetera. Are you taking this to Albany in its session before it closes? What's your agenda in the state?

Mayor Adams: Well said. That's the joy when I'm on with you, you have that deep knowledge of what many people don't quite understand how we are creatures of the state. Oftentimes, people will look at MTA issues, they look at all sorts of things and say, "Hey, City, why aren't you doing more?" We take our orders from the state in many areas that really, we don't have control. It's about that partnership. I have to acknowledge that Speaker Heastie, Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, and the governor, they looked at many issues we are facing here, and they have really stepped up for us.

I cannot thank them enough, but for many of these issues, we have to partner with our state partners. Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar has been a real partner in pushing some of these important issues, but we're going to need help from the state of dealing with many of these issues, from health care to funding for many of these services, to pick up the slack for our city. We're the economic engine for the state, and the way goes this city, goes the entire state. In some cases, probably goes the entire country, and so it's important that New York City succeeds.

Simmons: Mayor, we only have a few minutes left. I know last year when you had the Pride celebration at Gracie Mansion, you had, one of your guest speakers was Tom Duane, who's someone I have just admired for years. When you think of a prominent LGBTQ+ leader who's made a lasting change in our state or in our country, who comes to mind and why?

Mayor Adams: The one sitting in the studio with you because I think when people think of LGBTQ, they forget the fact that they also want housing. They also want effective policing. They also want to have funding and diversity in the schools. They also are the immigrant population that came here and made their lives. 

When you look at the holistic approach of Carlos, what he has done, and being the first Mexican American to be elected to office, I found Commissioner Castro from him. I reached out to him. Little did I know Commissioner Castro was going to become such a partner for me, traveled with me to the Darién Gap, traveled with me to the border. He's my top advisor on these issues. I think that right in the studio, we really don't fully understand the magnitude that the former councilman has had in our city and nationally.

Then you look at Tom Duane. Tom, I served with him in the city. He was just an unbelievable voice for many of these issues when it was not popular. I was so proud to stand with him when we did the first marriage vote, and then later, was able to get it passed. This was Tom Duane's doing. There's so many things that these individuals have used government to really fortify that we have to be a city and a country that's fair to everyone.

Former Councilmember Menchaca: Thank you for the flowers, and I'm also a big fan of Tom Duane and his incredible, incredible service to this country, really, from New York City. 

Mr. Mayor, we're going to leave it there. Enjoy your day, enjoy Pride Month, and we'll hopefully see you on the streets celebrating this summer.

Mayor Adams: Yes. Thank you. Take care. Be well.