On a sunny afternoon in Marcus Garvey Park, different variations of life are in full swing. There are older men sitting on benches, kids running around, and teens playing on the basketball court. Community members greet each other with smiles, waves, and hugs—a sign of familiarity or comfort.
The park, a cultural hub for Harlemites, serves as a microcosm of gender and age. There are sprinkles of other cultures present— Asians, Hispanics, and other groups—a reflection of demographic shifts, but a strong sense of Black community remains. On the basketball court, that community is the loudest. The court is alive with energy—young kids shouting over plays, people placing bets, and others sitting on the benches watching with pride.
For years, the Black vote was a decisive force for the Democratic bloc in New York politics, but that unified loyalty is no longer guaranteed. Today, many older Black men in Harlem express a sense of growing political apathy, rooted in mistrust in the system and a belief that real change comes from community members. The result is a more complex political landscape, where the Black vote is not easily won.
Johnathan Barrow, or “Pills,” a 41-year-old lifelong resident who is a well-known hoopster mentoring youth in the community. He discussed how “our votes are controlled,” suggesting he feels that the voices of the community don’t matter.
Barrow’s reactions reflected a deeper conversation about the attitude that runs through Harlem as the upcoming mayoral race approaches.
For many residents, politics feels like a performance.
“The politicians don’t give a f*** about us, we’re Black and we’re male,” Barrow said.
He emphasized that kids and seniors are being disrespected. He also spoke about the effect of high prices on single moms—an issue he takes personally.
Glen, a 66-year-old, who declined to give his last name said politicians go to the office not knowing they are controlled. He also said that the status quo is the determining factor in New York City, where the rich and famous reap the benefits.
Given his doubts, Glen is willing to give one mayoral candidate a chance.
“I’ll give Mamdani a try this time because he’s a new voice,” he said.
Tony, another resident in his 60s, shared a similar sentiment, saying that the politicians are “fake, liars, and cheaters.”
He added that we have a buffoon representing us, a line he insisted I quote.
He declined to give his last name and exact age, but when asked about the mayoral candidates, he didn’t hold back.
He called Mamdani a “damn communist,” declared Adams as “done,” and said Cuomo is “a rapist and horndog like Donald.”
Ultimately, he questions whether there are any credible leaders right now.
For motivational speaker Dennis Rahiim Watson, issues like lack of jobs, stable marriages, and impactful churches aren’t just a New York problem.
“Whatever the city has gone through, the whole world has gone through,” the 61-year-old said.
Watson thinks the problem is a political disconnect.
“They are out of touch with the community,” he said. “They are good people, but they are out of touch.”
Watson has spent the last 15 years giving free lectures in Harlem to help drive civic engagement.
Those feelings of disconnect are echoed by Reverend Kevin Johnson, the 51-year-old pastor of Abyssinian Church, the first Black Baptist church in New York.
For many people, the church has been more than a place of worship – it’s a meeting ground where community members discuss Harlem’s social and political life.
Reverend Johnson referenced the church’s legacy of tackling housing crises and community development.
He said today, however, the unsolved problems are Black wealth, quality education, mental health, and homeownership.
The biggest issue he sees is political leaders not reflecting the community they serve.
“The challenge with the political leaders right now, in particular those who represent Harlem, is that they don’t really have what problem they’re trying to solve,” said Reverend Johnson.
He said Mamdani’s popularity stems from his focus on addressing affordable housing — an issue he’ll have to deliver on if he wins.
In contrast, he argued, Trump is solving the problems of the wealthy rather than those of Black and brown communities.
Others in the community question whether political leaders are truly representing them.
Gregory Bastien, a 49-year-old jazz singer and actor, said he feels like leaders choose a token Black person who is worried about their own state of being more than about the community.
He explained that he once admired former President Obama, saying that he gave Black men confidence—until, in his view, “the truth” was revealed.
“He was representing gay people’s liberation instead of Black people’s liberation,” Bastien said.
He questioned whether progress is ever beneficial for the people who have gone through the most struggle.
Nearly everyone brought up disappointment surrounding Mayor Adams’ administration.Yet, amid frustration, there’s one name that nearly everyone mentions with admiration: former Mayor David Dinkins.
His leadership represented a time when Harlem’s political influence matched its cultural heritage.
Harlem has a rich history in New York politics that stems from its cultural background.
During the American Revolution, George Washington fortified the area around Harlem to control land and river routes.
In the 1920s and 1930s, Harlem became a center of progress showcasing Black culture, art, and music (New York State Museum). Figures like Marcus Garvey, Jamaican political activist, and A. Philip Randolph, labor leader and journalist, emerged during this time, according to Columbia 250.
Harlem became a central stage for the Civil Rights movement, hosting both non-violent and “extremist” groups like Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and the Black Panther Party (The New York Historical). Politicians like Adam Clayton Powell Jr. and David Dinkins from Harlem became popular, wielding significant influence in local and national politics, according to Columbia 250.
Now, there is a shared theme of political apathy that runs through the borough.
Christian Matthew, the National President of the Youth and College Division of National Action Network, finds this unacceptable.
“To me, I think it’s unacceptable that people are not really using their right to vote, but it’s not just Black Americans, it’s a lack in every culture that needs to be looked into,” he said.
At the same time, people like Watson believe the solution lies in community involvement.
Watson sat on the bench in Marcus Garvey Park with a bag full of books, embodying the belief that knowledge is power. He said young people need to shift their focus away from things like weed and having multiple girlfriends.
As someone who regularly speaks with college students and has traveled to 30 countries in Africa, Watson said people cannot rely on Black politicians to carry the community.
Instead, he believes in holding conferences in Harlem, Brooklyn, and the Bronx to seek Black leadership.
For him, the community must worry about itself first.
“You can’t get an outsider to be worried about you if you’re not worried about yourself,” Watson said.
As the sun dips on Marcus Garvey Park, the game continues, and leaders must either win Harlemites’ trust or remain on the sidelines.
