Guest
Watch the full conversation with Susan about Hamas here: New York State Assemblymember for District 36 Zohran Mamdani went on a five day hunger strike for Palestine with other state representatives as well as actor and activist Cynthia Nixon. But this isn’t his first first hunger strike. Zohran talks to Katie about the hunger strike he went on with cab drivers who were facing medallion debt that was having life or death consequences. Zohran Kwame Mamdani was born and raised in Kampala, Uganda, moving to New York City with his family at the age of 7. A graduate of the NYC Public School System, he attended the Bronx High School of Science and received a Bachelor’s Degree in Africana Studies from Bowdoin College. A few years later in 2018, he became naturalized as an American citizen. Prior to representing the 36th Assembly District and its neighborhoods of Astoria, Ditmars-Steinway, and Astoria Heights, Zohran worked as a foreclosure prevention housing counselor, helping low-income homeowners of color across Queens fight off eviction and stay in their homes. It was this job that led him to run for office. After having spent every day negotiating with banks that valued profits over people, he came face-to-face with the reality that this housing crisis – one which predated this pandemic – was not natural to our lives, but instead a choice. A choice that was the consequence of decades of pro-corporate policies enacted across our country as well as our state. Yet, like with any choice, we always have the opportunity to change and Zohran is excited to be a part of that. More than his professional experience, however it was the act of organizing that led to Zohran becoming politically active in the first place. In high school, Zohran co-founded his school’s first ever cricket team, which would go on to participate in the Public School Athletic League’s inaugural cricket season. This act, though not ostensibly a political one, taught him how coming together with a few like-minded individuals can transform rhetoric into reality. Prior to that, his politics had been expressed primarily through long Facebook posts whose impact was the same as the Yankees’ rings from the last 10 years. Taking that lesson with him, he went on to co-found his college’s first Students for Justice in Palestine chapter and later organize across the country with different progressive organizations seeking to win national elections as well as expand healthcare coverage. As life took its inevitable turns, with detours in film, rap, and writing, it was always organizing that ensured that the events of our world would not lead him to despair, but to action. ***Please support The Katie Halper Show *** For bonus content, exclusive interviews, to support independent media & to help make this program possible, please join us on Patreon - Get your Katie Halper Show Merch here! Follow Katie on Twitter: @kthalps
