I used to be deeply political. But like many of us, somewhere between the headlines and the heartbreak, I got jaded. Politics can feel like a never-ending carousel of disappointment. But life reminds me, over and over again, that just because I’ve tapped out emotionally doesn’t mean politics have stopped shaping my reality. Especially as a formerly undocumented brown woman, politics are always personal—even if I pretend they’re not.
Which is why I spent my weekend canvassing! My first time knocking doors in years!
Only one candidate could get me out of retirement, and that’s Zohran Mamdani, the 33-year-old democratic socialist running for mayor of New York City. If you haven’t heard of him yet, let me put you on.
Who Is Zohran Mamdani and Why Should You Care?
Zohran isn’t your typical New York mayoral candidate. He’s not backed by billionaires or making vague promises about “revitalizing” the city. He’s currently an Assemblymember from Queens who’s built a career by actually showing up for working-class New Yorkers. He went on a hunger strike with taxi drivers to fight for debt relief. He helped make the MTA fund full-service subway lines. He has plans– Excel-sheet, numbers-backed, “here’s how we’ll pay for it” plans—for things like:
Making buses free and fast
Freezing rent for stabilized apartments
Universal childcare
City-owned grocery stores
In a city run by real estate developers and “law and order” nostalgia, Zohran is leading with vision, clarity, and care. He’s polling second, right behind Andrew Cuomo (which is both terrifying and motivating).
My Day Canvassing
We started the day by meeting up at American Playground in Greenpoint, where we got a quick training and got paired off. Then we hit the streets.
Canvassing is basically organized yapping. You go door to door and talk to strangers about why you believe in a candidate. Sometimes people slam the door. Sometimes they tell you about their grandkids. Sometimes they invite you inside and feed you Polish candy.
Which is exactly what happened with Tessy, an 80-year-old Polish seamstress who showed us her tailoring work and adorable photos of her granddaughter. Moments like this will never be on campaign graphics, but it’s what canvassing is really about. And why it’s so important everyday people get out and knock doors. Not only do you get out the vote, but you get to know your neighbors and your home better.
I walked away from that day incredibly hopeful. I genuinely feel that if enough of us do something small—like knocking on doors, talking to aunties, reposting a flyer—Zohran may win. Local elections are small but mighty. The margins are tiny. Your ten conversations might be the difference between a landlord lobbyist getting re-elected and Zohran winning. And NYC could really use someone like him.
Here’s What You Need to Know About Voting
NYC Democratic Primary is on June 24, 2025.
You can only vote if you’re registered as a Democrat.
Check your voter registration or update it at nycvotes.org
Early voting runs from June 15–23. Plan ahead!
If you’re not eligible to vote in NYC: maybe you just moved, maybe you’re undocumented, maybe you’re 17—you can still canvas. You can text bank. You can post that graphic on your story. If Zohran wins, you win. Whether you’re in Jackson Heights or Jersey City, his policies will shape our subways, our rents, our child care, our future.
Learn more and volunteer: zohranfornyc.com
Follow Zohran: @zohranmamdani
See you in the streets ️