City & State New York: The 2025 Brooklyn Power 100

Published in: City & State New York

A lot has changed since New York City Mayor Eric Adams declared himself the “Biden of Brooklyn” in early 2022. Joe Biden dropped his reelection bid last year and was succeeded by Donald Trump, who didn’t dominate the Democratic stronghold but made inroads in key neighborhoods. Facing federal corruption charges, Adams distanced himself from Biden and aligned himself with Trump. The two Brooklynites who lead the Democrat conferences in Congress saw their clout diminished in Washington, D.C. This year’s mayoral primary and other election clashes are reshaping the local power structure as well.

The Brooklyn Power 100, which was researched and written by journalist Lon Cohen in partnership with City & State, documents the borough’s reshuffled political hierarchy. The mayoralty, held by a Brooklyn politician for over a decade, could be seized by a contender from another corner of the city. Another high-profile contest is underway for three downstate casino licenses, and the Coney Island bid is in the mix. Meanwhile, a number of local leaders have taken on important new roles, including taking charge at Green-Wood Cemetery, the city’s health department and the NAACP in New York.

We’re pleased to present the 2025 Brooklyn Power 100.

Dr. Jocelynne Rainey

President and CEO, Brooklyn Org

Jocelynne Rainey has pushed participatory grantmaking into the spotlight and championed racial justice through $130 million in total giving. A former Brooklyn Navy Yard executive, she helped double jobs and businesses there while designing workforce programs to uplift underserved communities. At Brooklyn Org, she’s made transparency and grassroots input central to boroughwide funding. In 2024, she oversaw $1.8 million in new grants to 18 grassroots organizations. She later called proposed federal tax exemption rollbacks “chilling,” warning they threaten the survival of Brooklyn’s community nonprofits.