Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani spoke about building a city “created by everybody” at a Transportation Alternatives event, days after skipping the Israel Day Parade, a major public event for New York’s Jewish community and its supporters.
What You Should Know
- Mayor Mamdani attended Transportation Alternatives’ Streets for People Party on June 1, 2026.
- In his prepared remarks, he spoke about safer streets, McGuinness Boulevard and a city “created by everybody.”
- The mayor recently skipped New York’s Israel Day Parade, breaking with a long-standing mayoral tradition.
- The parade drew major public officials and community leaders, including state and city leaders.
- The question for City Hall: can a mayor call himself a servant of all New Yorkers while appearing selective about which communities receive public recognition?
NEW YORK — Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani attended Transportation Alternatives’
Streets for People Party and delivered prepared remarks focused on safer streets,
the redesign of McGuinness Boulevard, traffic victims and the idea of building a city
that “provides something for everybody.”
The mayor’s remarks emphasized public safety, pedestrian protection, protected bike lanes and the work of
advocates who have pushed City Hall to redesign dangerous streets before more New Yorkers are killed or injured.
On those issues, many New Yorkers can agree: safer streets matter, and city government has a responsibility to protect pedestrians,
cyclists, drivers, children, seniors and families.
But the speech also raised a broader political question. If the mayor says New York must be a city created by everybody,
why did he not publicly embrace one of the city’s largest and most visible civic gatherings for New York’s Jewish community
and supporters of Israel?
BigNY Opinion: The mayor of New York is not a king. He is a public servant — a servant of the city’s residents.
A mayor does not have to agree with every foreign government, every slogan or every political banner at every parade.
But the mayor does have a duty to show respect to the communities that make New York what it is.
A Mayor for Everybody?
New York’s Israel Day Parade is not a small private event. It has long been one of the most important public expressions
of Jewish identity, American-Israeli friendship and civic participation in New York City.
Reports said Mayor Mamdani did not attend the parade, breaking with a decades-long tradition of mayoral participation.
At the same time, the parade drew elected officials and public leaders, including New York state leaders, senators,
Democrats, Republicans, former city officials and community figures.
That contrast matters. City Hall does not belong to one ideology, one activist network, one foreign-policy faction or one political base.
It belongs to New Yorkers — Jews and non-Jews, Muslims and Christians, immigrants and native-born Americans, Democrats, Republicans
and independents.
“Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody only because, and only when, they are created by everybody.”
Mayor Mamdani used that Jane Jacobs quote in his Transportation Alternatives remarks. It is a powerful line.
But it also creates a standard for the mayor himself.
Selective Solidarity Is Not Civic Leadership
In his speech, Mayor Mamdani honored New Yorkers lost to traffic violence and praised advocates who fought for safer streets.
That is appropriate and important. City government should listen when citizens organize, grieve and demand change.
But many Jewish New Yorkers are also grieving. They are living through a period of rising antisemitism, public tension
and fear for their families and institutions. For many, the Israel Day Parade is not simply about a foreign government.
It is about identity, survival, community and the right to stand publicly as Jews and as Americans.
A mayor who appears at one civic event and speaks about “everybody” should also understand why his absence from another civic event
can be read as a message. Silence can speak as loudly as a speech.
The Role of a Public Servant
New York’s mayor is the manager of a city of millions, not the ruler of a political tribe. He serves people who voted for him,
people who voted against him and people who never voted at all. That is the American meaning of public office.
The mayor can support safer streets. He can support bike lanes. He can support public transit. He can quote Jane Jacobs.
But he should also recognize the full civic life of the city — including the Jewish community and the broad coalition
of New Yorkers who marched in support of Israel.
If New York is truly a city “created by everybody,” then every community deserves dignity from City Hall.
The mayor’s job is not to divide New Yorkers into favored and unfavored groups. His job is to serve them all.
Read Original Prepared Remarks Excerpt
Remarks as Prepared: Mayor Mamdani Attends Transportation Alternatives’ Streets for People Party
June 1, 2026
Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani: Good evening. It’s great to be here with you. Thank you to Ben Furnas,
Board Chair Janet Liff and Transportation Alternatives for bringing us together, and Mary Beth Kelly
for the kind introduction.
The fight to improve McGuiness Boulevard — the fight to imagine a safer New York City, one where every child
can be safe crossing the street, where every cyclist can be safe biking to work — was one waged by so many people
here this evening, people who called for change even when change seemed far out of reach.
City Hall holds a deep, unwavering commitment to delivering the safer streets across our city that New Yorkers deserve.
On the third day of my administration, I announced that we would follow through where past administrations had not —
that we would complete the redesign of McGuinness Boulevard.
Parking-protected bike lanes will be installed along the entirety of McGuinness Boulevard, from Meeker Avenue
to the Pulaski Bridge. Pedestrians will have shorter crossings. This work that an entire community has called for
for years will be completed before the end of the year.
As Jacobs once said: “Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody only because, and only when,
they are created by everybody.”
Mayor’s Office prepared remarks: “Remarks as Prepared: Mayor Mamdani Attends Transportation Alternatives’ Streets for People Party,” June 1, 2026.
Transportation Alternatives — Streets for People Party
Associated Press — NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani skips annual Israel parade
The Guardian — Democrats split on Israel parade as Mamdani skips event