Zohran Mamdani, a self-proclaimed socialist and vocal anti-Israel activist, has gained national attention following his victory in the Democratic primary for New York City’s mayoral race. Contrary to popular belief, his rise is not welcomed by all New Yorkers. Alongside #WalkAway founder Brandon Straka, I’m working to bring this city back to reality, decency, and strength—before it’s too late. Mamdani’s candidacy isn’t merely a political concern for Jewish New Yorkers; his platform poses a direct threat to the values, livelihoods, and future of every resident of this city.
“I came back to New York for one reason—to fight for the city I love,” said Brandon Straka. “Watching people like Zohran Mamdani try to turn NYC into a socialist experiment is unacceptable. This is my home, and I’m not going to stand by while radical ideologues try to destroy it.”
Nowhere is that threat more visible than in Mamdani’s education agenda. He has consistently opposed the expansion of charter schools—even though they deliver real results. According to the New York City Department of Education’s 2022–2023 performance data, charter schools outperformed traditional public schools in both English Language Arts and math, with proficiency rates around 60%, compared to just 49% in district schools. For low-income Black and Latino families, these schools often provide the only path to upward mobility.
Yet Mamdani continues to claim that charter schools “steal” resources from public education. In reality, the New York City Independent Budget Office found that charter schools receive 15–20% less funding per student than traditional public schools—while serving higher proportions of disadvantaged students. The same report showed that charter students in grades 3 through 8 achieved greater year-over-year growth in both reading and math than their district school peers.
Mamdani’s hostility to educational excellence doesn’t end there. He has endorsed legislation that would eliminate the Specialized High Schools Admissions Test (SHSAT)—the single merit-based standard used to admit students to Stuyvesant, Bronx Science, and Brooklyn Tech, three of the highest-performing public schools in the country. These institutions have graduation rates above 99% and college placement rates exceeding 90%. Mamdani and his allies claim they want to increase diversity, but replacing merit with subjectivity doesn’t solve inequality—it simply lowers the bar. The real issue isn’t admissions tests; it’s the failure to adequately prepare students in K–8 education.
Even more alarming is the budget bill Mamdani co-authored, which allocates $8 million in taxpayer money to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) hiring programs for teachers. These funds prioritize demographic quotas over merit—even as 18% of the city's classrooms still lack air conditioning. Meanwhile, New York’s teacher population is already significantly diverse: a 2023 report showed that 42% of teachers identify as Black and 29% as Hispanic—figures that exceed those communities' representation in the city’s overall population.
On housing and the economy, Mamdani’s record reflects the same ideological extremism. He has backed rent freezes—measures that may sound tenant-friendly but, in reality, discourage investment, reduce maintenance, and worsen living conditions. A 2022 Manhattan Institute report found that such policies shrink the rental supply and fuel black-market subletting. Small landlords—often reliant on rental income—are hit hardest, leading to fewer, lower-quality housing options and a worsening affordability crisis.
Brandon Straka has long warned about where this ideology leads. “Democratic socialism is just the gateway drug to full-blown communism—and I will not allow it to take hold in New York,” he said. “If we lose this city, the rest of the country is next. We must fight it here, now, with everything we’ve got—not just for New York, but for the soul of America.”
That’s what makes this Sunday’s rally at Union Square Park so important. “This Sunday’s rally is more than just an event—it’s a turning point,” Straka said. “We’re drawing a line in the sand and saying: Not in our city. This is a call to every New Yorker who loves freedom, safety, and sanity.”
Straka created the #WalkAway movement in 2018 after witnessing how millions of Americans—especially in marginalized communities—were manipulated by a political machine built on fear and division.
“We grew into a national movement, but the fight hasn’t been easy,” he said. “We’ve been attacked, silenced, and targeted every step of the way. But I never stopped pushing forward. And now, we’re coming back bigger, better, and stronger than ever—because America needs us. New York City needs us. And we are not backing down.”
New York cannot survive under Mamdani’s vision of top-down control, failed socialism, and anti-merit extremism. That’s why I’m proud to join Brandon Straka—and thousands of New Yorkers from every background—to stand up before it’s too late. No matter your race, religion, or politics, this fight belongs to all of us. If you care about New York—if you care about America—then I urge you: join us this Sunday.
Follow Gregory Lyakhov on X @GregoryLyakhov