Jacobin Radio: The Grassroots Coalition Behind Mamdani

Jacobin Radio

Jacobin

Socialism, History, News, Left, Jacobin, Alternative, Socialist, Politics

4.7 • 1.5K Ratings

🗓️ 18 November 2025

⏱️ 62 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Zohran Mamdani’s decisive mayoral victory was powered by a coalition of tenants, immigrants, and workers. Suzi talks to Alina Shen, organizing director of CAAAV Voice, Jagpreet Singh, political director of DRUM Beats (Desis Rising Up and Moving), and Alicé Nascimento, political director of NYCC (New York Communities for Change) — representatives of three organizations that, along with the New York City branch of the Democratic Socialists of America, helped make this victory possible.

They discuss how grassroots groups expanded the electorate and built the People’s Majority Alliance, a movement for housing, justice, and democracy.

Jacobin Radio with Suzi Weissman features conversations with leading thinkers and activists, with a focus on labor, the economy, and protest movements.

Transcript

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0:00.0	This is Jacobin Radio. I'm Susie Wiseman.
0:16.5	Today, we look at a historic victory in New York politics.
0:20.6	The election of the dynamic,
0:22.4	talented, and charismatic democratic socialist Zora Mandani as mayor of New York City.
0:28.9	It wasn't just a campaign.
0:30.6	It was a movement.
0:32.0	In the finance capital of the world, home to Wall Street, corporate landlords and real
0:36.3	estate developers, organized
0:38.6	people won against organized money.
0:41.5	Mamdani's 10-point victory was powered by years of base building in working-class, immigrant,
0:47.0	and marginalized communities, on-the-ground organizing, leadership from grassroots groups, and
0:52.6	a strategy to expand the electorate, not simply target
0:56.0	likely voters, changed what was politically possible.
0:59.7	Today, we're joined by three of the organizations that helped make this victory real,
1:04.2	along with New York City's DSA, Zauron himself is a longtime member, and who are now shaping
1:10.7	what accountability and governance will look like.
1:13.9	Our guest, Alina Shen, is the organizing director of CAAV voice, the Coalition Against Anti-Asian Violence.
1:22.3	Jagpreet Singh is the political director of drumbeats, and Alise Sanascimento is the political director of New York communities for change.
1:32.2	And they'll be with us to reflect on the left's contestation for governing power in New York City
1:38.2	when our program returns in just a moment. Welcome back to the program. Welcome back to the program. I'm Susie Wiseman.
1:57.3	Despite everything happening nationally under the Trump administration, it's been a very good week plus for New Yorkers and by extension for the country.
2:06.4	Mamdani's victory has rekindled hope and energized resistance beyond New York City.
	...

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