Having lived in New York City for over forty years, I have never known the United States to be so divided as it is now. At times, when following news reports, this divide seems wide and vicious and it can be difficult to keep one’s spirits up. But in my daily life, spent mostly in Manhattan, I constantly encounter good people helping each other out.
In just the past week I have attended a protest in cold weather (–8 degrees C) and also spent time as a poll worker at a small but significant (aren't they all?) local election, and at both these events I noticed a strong showing of young people. By that I mean people in their 20s and early 30s, who seemed absent from the protests I attended in the earlier days of the current presidency.
This re-engagement of the young can, I believe, be attributed to Zohran Mamdani’s campaign to become New York City’s mayor, as well as his time in office so far. Mamdani really seems to have captured the political and social hearts of those whose futures are most at risk. There seems to be a genuine belief that all is not lost and that we can work together to improve conditions for all New Yorkers.
It is of course in the early days for the mayor, his staff, and his followers, but this sense of hope seems real to me, and hope is contagious. I shall do what I can to help it grow!
— by Kosmo Vinyl (https://kosmovinyl.com/)