[Opinion. I was not in “my” city on 911. “My” city existed before the WTC. But New Yorker’s came together in the face of tragedy and I have no doubt they will also come together to make a city full of joy. Bravo, Zohran! This is exactly what “my” city is thirsting for in the desert that is now America.] Zohran Mamdani and the Politics of Joy And it’s backed up by actions and initiatives that seem designed to genuinely foster a joyful city. Katrina vanden Heuvel The Nation: July 28, 2026 SOURCE: https://thenationmagazine.substack.com/p/zohran-mamdani-and-the-politics-of During his mayoral run, Zohran Mamdani’s opponents warned that he was inexperienced, idealistic, and sure to be ineffective. But, just over six months into his term as New York City’s chief executive, Mamdani and his team have made demonstrable progress on his banner campaign promises—freezing the rent, universal childcare, public grocery stores, fast and (eventually) free buses. They are proving—most recently by appointing trust-busting former FTC commissioner Lina Khan to the city’s Economic Development Corporation—that they are serious about making New York fair and affordable. But perhaps the most visible shift that Mamdani has so far brought to the office has to do with lighter, yet no less serious, concerns. This mayoral administration is improving life for everyday New Yorkers through a politics of joy. Rudy Giuliani’s administration made little affirmative effort to cultivate joy. In a New York Times piece titled “No-Fun City,” Rudy Giuliani was described as spending much of his second term “shadowboxing against errant cabbies and jaywalkers” before being thrust into the national spotlight by 9/11.mmunity fields. Least publicized, but no less impactful, the administration has also highlighted the city’s many free and affordable leisure opportunities that may otherwise go under-utilized. City Hall launched an interactive “Summer in NYC” website designed to help youth find nearby activities, from free movie screenings to craft classes at local libraries—all of which have underlying public safety benefits. As Renita Francois, the new deputy mayor of community safety said, “Safety is not just the absence of violence, but the presence of opportunity, dignity, and community.” That is exactly the philosophy of governance that Mamdani is demonstrating with each and every pro-joy action he takes. “I like that he stands for making sure nobody seems to feel marginalized, like we’re all in this together, we all win together,” one small business owner and former Adams supporter told The Guardian. “If that’s what socialism is, I’m all for it!” “So often, when this city comes together, it is because we are forced to by a moment of tragedy or adversity. What a gift it is to be brought together by pure, unfiltered joy.”
