Noshin, 16: As a hijab-wearing South Asian Muslim, I find Mamdani’s victory empowering—and surprising. It makes me feel that more people can see me without seeing 9/11, without fear. Mamdani is one of the bravest men I have ever seen. Speaking out as part of a targeted group with little power is dangerous. Yet he does it all with a smile.
He proved everyone wrong. He was a man of color, a Muslim, without the backing of the very wealthy or corporations, running against a former governor. The odds of him winning seemed so slim—until Tuesday night. I apologize for not believing more in my brother, and I thank him for making me feel like this city belongs to all of us.
Avital, 18: In the weeks leading up to the New York City mayoral election, I felt surrounded by vastly opposing views. “Mamdani’s socialism will ruin this city!” one side yelled. “That’s exactly what will save it!” shouted the other side. Though I am glad not to have an alleged sexual predator as mayor, I still cannot, as a left-wing Jew, celebrate Zohran Mamdani’s victory.
Many of his proposals speak to my core values: his passion for affordability, his care for immigrants, and his commitment to universal childcare. I fear, though, that his funding relies far too much on taxing New York’s ultra-wealthy, which Governor Hochul has said she would not do.
I am not against criticizing Israel and its government; I do it all the time. I worry, though, that Mamdani’s commitment to the Palestinian cause will affect his policies regarding New York’s Jewish population.
After attending Jewish school for my entire life, I will be attending Columbia University, a school now notorious for its pro-Palestinian campus movements. While I support everyone’s right to protest peacefully, I worry that Mamdani, who founded his university’s Students for Justice in Palestine, one of the organizations responsible for the controversial campus encampment at Columbia, will not step up to protect Jewish students from the antisemitism that sometimes arises as a byproduct of these student movements.
I believe some of the more extreme accusations against Mamdani are rooted in racism and Islamophobia. However, two things in particular alarm me. One is his willingness to sit down and speak with Hasan Piker, a controversial Twitch streamer with a history of comments against Israel and Zionism, including justifying the October 7th attacks and calling Ultra-Orthodox Israelis “inbred.” The other is Mamdani’s past reluctance to condemn the phrase “globalize the intifada.” When I and many other Jews hear that phrase, it is a reminder of two periods of intense and constant terror attacks against Jews and Israelis, and it sounds like a call to bring that movement to New York.
All this being said, I wish Mamdani success as mayor, and hope he will be open to hearing the views of all New Yorkers.
Rose, 17: For about a year, starting in the fall of 2023, one bus in each of New York City’s five boroughs offered free rides. The pilot program specifically chose the Bx18A, B60, M116, Q4, and S49/96 because they were in the top 25% of ridership and had routes within underserved, low-income neighborhoods. This plan was introduced in the state legislature by a little-known Assembly Member from Queens, Zohran Mamdani.
This election makes me want to fight for more possibilities, opportunities, and representation.
This program changed lives, including mine. I live near Jamaica Avenue, and the Q4 was one of my options to get to the subway or Long Island Railroad. During the week, my school-issued MetroCard provided me with four daily trips, but on weekends, I was on my own.
Traveling to and from my debate competitions cost $2.90 per ride, and while that may seem small to some, the money added up quickly. I considered quitting the debate team.
Then, one weekend, I stepped onto the Q4 and saw the OMNY and MetroCard reader covered with a cloth that read “FARE FREE.” That simple cloth meant I could travel to debate tournaments without worrying whether I was burdening my father.
Since then, student OMNY cards were expanded to give all New York City public school students four rides a day, year-round including weekends. But I know what free buses mean for working-class families. Mamdani has been one of the strongest advocates for fare-free transit, arguing that public transportation should be a public good, not a privilege. People like me who depend on the MTA and don’t have a lot of money now have a mayor who understands our struggles.
Javier, 18: Zohran Mamdani’s victory replenished my faith in the system. Those who hold political power are so often prone to corruption, allowing money and social status to maneuver their moral compass. Zohran’s work with underserved communities showed humility and an understanding of the adversity that the majority encounter. Zohran aims to uplift everyday people and make the city more inclusive, with food, housing and transportation affordable for all. It is for this reason that I have hope Zohran can do what many deem as “impossible.”
As a first-time voter, I recognize my privilege to become the political voice for my undocumented family. First-generation citizens can be advocates for our parents and fight to protect their rights through the exercise of our citizenship. When Zohran won the election, my father said, “gano por mayoria, por la gente asi como ustedes,” implying that a large number of voters were first-generation citizens. Presenting both of my last names at my polling site reminded me that I must be the political voice of their aspirations and dreams.
Tasfia, 16: Zohran Mamdani’s victory is a moment I’ve been dreaming of. As a South Asian Muslim, seeing someone who represents my communities gain such a large political influence is fascinating for me.
However, I celebrate with cautious excitement. NYC is a hub of capitalism, and Mamdani’s socialist policies would put NYC on a completely new trajectory. Take the proposed free buses: To suddenly decrease MTA funding seems quite risky to me. His plan to increase taxes on the wealthiest New Yorkers is something I respect and agree with, yet what will happen if these people move out of NYC?
Additionally, his plan to phase out the gifted and talented elementary program sparked some controversy among my South Asian community. Neither my sister nor I went to the gifted and talented (G&T) program in elementary school, but I know students who entered middle school with more confidence from those programs. Many parents in my community gained a sense of ease when their oldest child entered G&T; they felt it put their children on a path to success.
Jinx, 17: The first time I heard Zohran Mamdani’s name was when my journalism professor in a City College class showed us a video explaining that Columbia and NYU were the biggest private landowners in the city but escaped paying high taxes through various loopholes. A certain Queens Assembly member had co-introduced a bill that would mandate the schools to pay the taxes they were required to, while also routing more funding to the CUNY system. His name stuck out to me even when I was a high school junior—Zohran.
A lot of my friends have phonebanked for Zohran, and I’ve seen them canvass for him during school breaks. Some of them have even met him in the street and got him to autograph their Charli XCX CDs. But I also have friends who oppose Zohran because they’re Jewish, and he is Muslim and pro-Palestine. It’s tragic that Zohran’s empathy can pit people against him, but that empathy is why his campaign has been such an extraordinary success. If I were old enough, I would’ve voted for him.
Mahawa, 16: It felt like I could finally breathe. After harboring so much distrust and disdain for the government and the system, I heard Mamdani’s acceptance speech as a lullaby, especially, “WE WILL FIGHT FOR YOU BECAUSE WE ARE YOU.” With his victory, I see my family’s struggles and worries finally being acknowledged. Maybe even in the midst of so much political chaos and polarization, things can be alright.
Mamdani has said he’ll stand up for immigrants, the homeless, the creatives, the racially discriminated, the poor, and the youth of New York City. After Trump first took power in 2016, I thought a day like this might never come. This election makes me want to fight for more possibilities, opportunities, and representation. Mamdani made me realize, for example, that I shouldn’t be afraid to ask my teacher to open the window when I am hot, because we all have the right to ask for what we want.
As invigorating as Mamdani’s speech was, it also concerned me. While I appreciate his “power to the people” sentiment, I worry that his speech came across as combative, “us against them.” I wondered how the wealthy and powerful heard it when he said, “The future is in our hands” or “New York will remain a city of immigrants, a city built by immigrants, powered by immigrants, and as of tonight, led by an immigrant, so hear me, President Trump, when I say this, to get to any of us, you will have to get through all of us.”
Mamdani’s acceptance speech resonated with me, however, especially what he said about hope and its undying presence.
I can’t help but wonder if the various concerns regarding aspects of his policies—namely how he plans to pay for [them]—are well-founded or are simply murmurs and disses from his opposition.
Nola, 16: I think Zohran Mamdani is the best choice to be our mayor, especially at a time like this. President Trump is actively making harmful changes, and Mamdani seems to be the only person who doesn’t fear standing up against him. I noticed how Mamdani often faces a lot of discriminatory backlash for being a South Asian democratic socialist—as well as being a Muslim. He presents himself as resilient against racist comments.
Mamdani is a man of the community. I often saw him campaigning at cultural landmarks all throughout the city—unique places I haven’t seen his competitors attend to. He builds emotional connections among groups of minorities, giving them hope that the many injustices in their city will soon be perished. I mean come on, what other mayor has attended a Tai Chi class and can speak Spanish, Urdu, Hindi, Arabic and Bengali? I wasn’t able to vote in this election, as I am too young—but if I could have, I would’ve voted for Mamdani.
Jorja, 16: I was in my living room when I first received news of Mamdani’s win. I quickly turned to my mom and told her the news. At first, she didn’t believe me, saying it was “too early for the results to come out.” I turned my phone to her and showed her the headline: “Zohran Mamdani claims victory in NYC mayor’s race,” right there in size 18 font on CBS News.
I wish I could tell you how excited I was for Mamdani’s policies and how they will change my life but frankly, I find myself confused about how a majority of his policies will actually operate. Don’t get me wrong, I’d much rather have Mamdani, as opposed to an alleged sex offender and the other candidate who always talks about taxi cabs and his gunshot wound from 1992. However, I can’t help but wonder if the various concerns regarding aspects of his policies (namely how he plans to pay for free buses, universal childcare, and the rest) are well-founded or are simply murmurs and disses from his opposition.
A.L., 16: I’m happy that this time a guy with a bunch of sexual assault complaints did not get elected. I am skeptical of what it means in terms of interactions with the federal government, since the president endorsed Cuomo. I also wonder how much Mamdani will deliver on his promises, because politicians rarely follow through, but I’m glad that the best option out of the three got elected.
I’d like Curtis Sliwa to get an insignificant role in the government, because that man makes me cackle every time. Bring him to every single debate please.
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