Welcome back to Mamdani Bulletin’s weekly newsletter.
Since October 26, the Mamdani administration:
… helped secure a visa for Javits Frimpong’s mother. The teenager was shot and killed in the Bronx on Thursday. Mayor Mamdani called President Trump, who agreed to let his mother fly in from Ghana to say goodbye.
… announced a safety upgrade on one of New York’s deadliest streets. Three people have been killed on Brooklyn’s Third Avenue since then-mayor Eric Adams shelved a plan to redesign it. The Mamdani administration’s transport department will begin work on it next year.
… expanded access to fresh fruit and vegetables. People on food benefits will get up to $14 a day in coupons for fresh produce, up from $10. A new city website helps them keep benefits as federal rules tighten.
… named a new racial equity leader. Chris Alexander, who heads the state NAACP, will lead the city’s Commission on Racial Equity. He previously led New York’s cannabis legalization rollout, putting equity and restorative justice at its core.
… broke ground on a $35M flood defense project. A new system in Central Park will capture stormwater to protect Harlem from flooding and save drinking water.
… brought sealed trash bins to Brooklyn. More than 700 curbside containers are replacing piles of trash bags, part of a plan to get all the garbage off sidewalks by 2031.
Election day is Tuesday
Mayor Mamdani backed three congressional candidates in June’s primaries, all of whom are set to win this week: Brad Lander in NY-10, Claire Valdez in NY-7, and Darializa Avila Chevalier in NY-13. All three beat establishment-backed Democrats, and Chevalier, a first-time candidate, unseated nearly decade-long incumbent Adriano Espaillat.
Mamdani is also backing Kathy Hochul for governor against Republican Bruce Blakeman. She’s resisted his push to tax the richest 1% and make buses free, but has been key to his free child care expansion and an ally against ICE. The two have been campaigning together.
Still undecided on who to vote for? Check out Soft Power Vote’s midterm voter guide, a cheat sheet for every New York race from governor down to judges. The volunteer-run guide marks the candidates it backs for a fairer city, and its full spreadsheet has the receipts on each one.
And there are five proposals on the ballot for New Yorkers:
Global ties
Leftist leader Lula da Silva won the Brazilian presidential election, defeating his right-wing opponent Flávio Bolsonaro. Mayor Zohran Mamdani met Lula in New York City last month, with the mayor saying he takes inspiration from Lula’s social programs to help low-income people navigate rising costs.
Here’s our post from September on the global ties that Mayor Zohran Mamdani is building: