Rooted in Albany: Celebrating BHM with Mayor Dorcey Applyrs
This Black History Month, Hold Up Roll Up would like to take the time to recognize an influential Black figure of Albany, NY each week. This week we would like to highlight Albany’s first black mayor, Dorcey Applyrs.
Applyrs earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Delaware State University before moving to Albany, NY, where she went on to earn both her Master and Doctor of Public Health from the University at Albany. It was during this time that her interest in public service took shape through her involvement with the Center for Women in Government at UAlbany, helping her recognize her potential impact in the political arena.
Her political career began with her election to Albany’s Common Council, representing the City’s First Ward, in 2013. Re-elected in 2017, she later served as Chair of the Public Safety Committee, where she championed key legislation, including making Albany’s city parks tobacco-free.
In 2020, she was appointed Albany’s City Auditor. She went on to make history with a landslide victory in the November 4, 2025 mayoral election, earning 86% of the vote and becoming Albany’s first Black mayor.
Applyrs is deeply committed to improving Albany’s public health and safety, ensuring city funds are used efficiently and equitably, and advancing economic inclusion to meet the needs of all Albany residents. She consistently highlights the city’s diversity, vibrancy, strong sense of community, deep-rooted history, and the limitless potential of what Albany can become.
Hold Up Roll Up congratulates Mayor Dorcey Applyrs for all her outstanding achievements and looks forward to her leadership in building a brighter, stronger Albany!
Visit the website of the Mayor’s office here: https://www.albanyny.gov/214/Mayors-Office
About Hold Up Roll Up
At Hold Up Roll Up, our commitment to holistic education drives our mission. We empower our community with knowledge, transforming the cannabis narrative and enabling responsible choices. Beyond being a dispensary, we provide a supportive space for community members to connect, uplift one another, and create a legacy of positive change.