The Filipino American Democratic Club of New York (FADCNY) has announced its first-ever slate of endorsements for the 2025 New York City primary election, signaling a growing political presence for one of the city’s fastest-growing Asian American communities.
The endorsements, released Monday, June 2, span a wide range of offices, including mayor, comptroller, borough president, City Council and civil court. The group, which launched in 2022 to mobilize and empower New York’s Filipino American electorate, called the moment a significant step toward greater civic participation and visibility.
FADCNY President Michelle Amor said the slate of endorsed candidates reflects the values and priorities of the Filipino American community, including immigrant rights, in-language access to government services, affordable housing, public safety, healthcare, education equity, labor protections and support for small businesses. Amor emphasized that many Filipino New Yorkers are essential workers, nurses, service workers and small business owners and said their concerns must be reflected in city policymaking.
“What’s most important is that we’re doing everything we can to increase Filipino American visibility in New York City,” Amor said. “We’re proud to be building the political infrastructure needed to ensure Filipino Americans are seen and heard at every level of city government.”
Among those endorsed by FADCNY is Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani, who is running for mayor. Mamdani, who represents parts of Astoria in the 36th Assembly District, has been a vocal supporter of immigrant protections and housing rights. The club also endorsed Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine for city comptroller, alongside candidates for several Queens City Council districts: Erycka Montoya (District 21), Linda Lee (District 23), Shekar Krishnan (District 25), Lynn Schulman (District 29), and Dermot Smyth (District 30). In Queens civil court races, the club backed Eve Cho Guillergan, a longtime immigration attorney running in Municipal Court District 2. Additional endorsements include Council Member Harvey Epstein (District 2) and State Senator Zellnor Myrie, who is also seeking the mayoralty.
All endorsements followed a public candidate application process, a review by FADCNY’s member-led endorsement committee and a full membership vote. The process required each candidate to commit to supporting policies that benefit the Filipino American community, including expanding access to Tagalog and Filipino-language materials in city agencies and pushing for more equitable city budget allocations for underrepresented AAPI communities.
FADCNY, a volunteer-led organization, was co-founded by State Assembly Member Steven Raga, who made history in 2022 as the first Filipino American elected to office in New York State. Raga praised the club’s endorsements as an essential milestone in community-building.
“Releasing this first-ever slate of endorsements shows that the community isn’t just showing up — it’s building lasting infrastructure to influence decisions, support candidates and elevate Filipino American voices at every level,” Raga said.
The club’s announcement comes amid a broader national surge in Filipino American political engagement, particularly in states like California, Hawaii and Nevada, where Filipinos have become a powerful voting bloc. In New York City, home to more than 80,000 Filipino residents, the community continues to grow, particularly in Queens neighborhoods like Woodside, known as “Little Manila,” as well as Elmhurst and Jackson Heights.
