Someone Worth Having Faith In

111th Mayor - elect for NYC

The Smirk That Said Everything

As I was scrolling through TikTok, I stumbled across a video clip of the NYC Mayor Debate, where three men are standing speaking about why they believe they are the best fit for the position. Cuomo – a politician whose reputation precedes him, though I didn't know the specifics at the time since I never really kept up with politics and just recently am being informed about what is happening within our government and other countries – instead of focusing on his strengths and skill set, though undiscoverable, threw jabs at another candidate, someone I later recognized as Zohran Mamdani, claiming he lacks experience and how it is not a job for a first timer. Cuomo essentially was saying a whole bunch of bullshit.

What delighted me, though, was that while Cuomo was spewing nonsense, Mamdani smirked and I knew what that meant. He was about to read a motherfucker. Mamdani responded, "And if we have a health pandemic, then why would New Yorkers turn back to the governor who sent seniors to their death in nursing homes. That's the kind of experience that's on offer here today. What I don't have in experience I make up for in integrity. And what you don't have in integrity, you could never make up for in experience."

I was delighted by his response because that's how you read someone down in such a professional manner without having to get outside of your centered self for a deplorable being who simply lacks.

When Policy Feels Like Lifelines, Not Fantasy

The following day, I discovered that he made history as NYC's first Muslim and Asian American 111th-elected Mayor. He is a 34-year-old democratic socialist, who was able to pull in a lot of votes, including 78% of voters under 30 and 66% between 30 to 44 years old. Mamdani's message of affordability resonates particularly now, as federal workers face furloughs without guaranteed backpay, over 40 million Americans see their SNAP benefits paused, and healthcare costs continue rising amid threats to Medicare and Medicaid. In this landscape of economic anxiety—where the current administration has caused irreparable damage to working families—his straightforward policy proposals felt less like political fantasy and more like lifelines.

Mamdani has been a beacon of hope and someone worth having faith in. He is focused on affordability, promising to freeze rent increases, increase minimum wage, build affordable housing units, implement free universal child care, and much more. Now, I'm aware of many politicians who have made false promises before and have not kept them. The difference between them and Mamdani are several key reasons: his straightforwardness and actually answering the questions he's been given instead of talking in circles, his upbringing, and his wife Rama Duwaji.

Someone Who Actually Answers the Question

In a recent interview following his win in being elected as mayor, he sat down with ABC Good Morning America providing clear answers to every question asked. He stated how the message behind his win is to transform NYC into an affordable place of living. The interviewer addressed Mamdani's agenda and asked pointed questions about how he is going to accomplish such ambitious goals. Mamdani was able to answer everything, providing us his strategy and also showing that he is not planning to work alone – that he will work with NY governor Kathy Hochul (who endorsed him by the way) and Commissioner Tisch because of her ability to enact accountability within the NYPD despite being appointed by the previous NYC mayor Eric Adams, who is another deplorable being I will not get more into.

In that interview and many others, you can tell that this man has done his research, took many things into consideration while creating his strategic approach to accomplish his goals and has also looked at what other states are doing. He plans to raise taxes by 2 percent on New York's top income earners. When it comes to taxing corporate companies and businesses, he will implement what New Jersey is doing—raising the corporate tax rate from 7.25 to 11.5 percent to match New Jersey's rate.

His ability to rely on precedent but not too much where it doesn't leave space for the unexpected – an affordable NYC for those living there – is simply perfect. He is quick-witted and has an exceptional taste of humor that amuses me and cues me into his intellect and thought-process.

Something that struck me most during his interview with Good Morning America following his win was when the topic was brought up about how one of the demographics of New Yorkers that didn't vote for him was majority Jewish and how there was a 30 point gap between him and Cuomo, and he was asked how his vision for NYC includes them as well. His response to the question was great.

The interviewer, however, followed up saying that his response was what he already said during the campaign, but it still didn't resonate and asked what more could he do now. His response was that for most voters, trust comes from the actions that you take and that this is his opportunity to deliver his promises.

One of my mottos in how I move through life is that well done is better than well said. Having ingrained that into myself, it helps me spot out those who understand that themselves and have created a track record of being consistent in their actions—what they do matches what they say. Mamdani understands that and is willing to rise up to the expectations set for him.

The Making of a Postcolonial Mayor

Speaking of expectations, it makes sense to bring up Mamdani's parents and their influences on him. I learned with fascination that he was born in Uganda and that his middle name is Kwame, an ode to Kwame Nkrumah, the first president of Ghana.

More than that, he is the son of a postcolonialism academic (father) and a filmmaker (mother). While I'm of the belief of not making one's upbringing as an indicator of the kind of person they'll become, because as we become adults it's our responsibility to decide who we want to become and do the self-work, there is something to say about having parents whose work influences you when it comes to being aware of power, how institutions, borders, and identities are shaped by the systems set up, marginalized voices, culture, and community coming from the father. And from the mother, learning more on storytelling, understanding how narratives shape how people understand the truth – whatever that may mean – and the lived realities rather than an outsider perspective or interpretations.

The Price of Collective Care

His focus is centered around community, which fascinates me—the timing of this realization paired with a TikTok video of this person speaking about how to have community means understanding that you will be inconvenienced and that comes with the package deal. This resonates when thinking about his plans to increase the taxes on high income earners and corporate. It's an inconvenience to them in a way but it benefits their community, employees, and families—all of whom help stimulate the economy, improve the livelihoods of those in their vicinity, and provide resources to the less-fortunate.

The Creative Force Behind the Campaign

For someone in Mamdani's position who has an ambitious goal – to make NYC an affordable place to live – having a support system, community if you will, is important to remain sustainable and effective. I know we've already heard this saying that behind every successful man is a woman who supported him.

Meet Rama Duwaji, an animator and illustrator from Damascus, who also happens to be the wife of Zohran Kwame Mamdani. Her Instagram reveals that she is a creative individual who is not male centered, yet has created space in showing love to Mamdani and appreciation for him. I discovered through Instagram that she rebranded Zohran's campaign. The fonts, color palette, brand identity, and Mamdani's expanded presence digitally—that's all her.

There is something so beautiful about being in both positions: one where you're in Mamdani's position and have a partner who is not only a creative individual, but also has faith in you that they are willing to use their gift to support your dreams; the other, where you are Rama Duwaji, a creative individual, in a loving marriage with a partner you admire and respect and believe in so much that you just want to support however you can.

While much of this is observation and interpretation, it's important to mention this because we as Americans are always wanting a politician that is married or has a family to complete the look. While nowadays it isn't too much of an importance, it still is in a sense if you catch my drift.

The support of his wife, being his backbone, and his parents' influences on him, his ability to be straightforward and have a strategic plan that considers all aspects, and his willingness to collaborate with those who are ready to help him achieve his goals—this is what makes Zohran Kwame Mamdani someone worth having faith in.

Finding the Real Thing

The initial idea I had when I came up with the title for this blog was to write about anime characters who embody being someone worth having faith in—Tanjiro from Demon Slayers, Asta from Black Clovers, Naruto from, well, Naruto lol, Soma from Food Wars, Gon from HunterxHunter and the list goes on.

However, it didn't feel like the right time. Or maybe what was missing was a human being who embodies what these characters embody. Something that's not fantasy, but real and tangible. What has left me speechless is that I found people living in different states in the U.S., like myself, Canada, the U.K., the Jewish community, people of Desi descent, and many others in different parts of the world who have joined in the celebration of Zohran Kwame Mamdani's win in being elected the 111th NYC mayor.

There have been many devastating policies occurring in the state of our country done by deplorable ineffective beings. Still, we've found hope in the very few but mighty things occurring, such as the Mamdani win.

It's so necessary to find something, or in this case, someone to have faith in, in hopes that it will be well-worth it. Mamdani is a start.

As always, stay tricky, get curious, and be open-minded.

Until next time,

Tricky Sol