Dear New York: A Love Letter from Jackson, Mississippi

We join the world in celebrating your election of Zohran Mamdani as mayor. Congratulations! So many of you showed up and showed out. Some of you have been building toward this victory for decades—organizing, talking with your folk, and building the trust they needed to believe their voice mattered. Regardless of how pundits try to erase your work in the spin, and even as the state comes after your groups for the work the public doesn’t see, we see you. Thank you for your vision and tenacity. You did that—for New York, for all of us.

We remember the glow, the unbridled hope, the cheer and well-wishers from around the globe. It is thrilling to break through long standing political barriers; to confront coordinated hate and powerful opposition and… win. As two Jacksonians with deep connections to the city, we are cheering you on and wishing you well.

We have a little experience with the “socialist mayor” thing. In 2017, the first year of Trump I, Jackson elected its own young “socialist” mayor. He was also 34 years old with a name people struggle to pronounce—Chokwe Antar Lumumba. Then, Jackson was a beacon of hope as people wondered aloud what more was possible if Mississippi, of all places, could elect a socialist mayor. So, with eight years of hindsight, we offer three wishes as you start this governance journey.

We wish you continued solidarity and collaboration. High hopes can dash quickly. Change takes time. Lots of time. For people new to the process, they need support in understanding how messy governing can be and why it’s important to keep standing together in the face of shifting timelines and attacks. May their inevitable disappointment never be weaponized against what you have built. May the veteran politicos who have supported you stay true to the movement’s values and never undermine your hard work with cynical, transactional politics. May the optimism and faith that inspired you remain through the hard times ahead.

We wish you space to govern and organize. We know that New York has about 50 times the population of Jackson. You have plenty of brilliant people with the skills and ideas to hit the ground running. Yet, there is always tension between the “inside” and “outside” game.  Crises happen. They can refocus our best efforts. We are all under an administration that revels in creating crises and chaos for “urban” places like ours. May you always be grounded in what got you to this place—the people—and the critical importance of ever building the power you need to continue to hold the power you’ve gained.

We wish you love. The media are fickle. They can twist the story, ignore your existence (yes, even when you’re mayor), and foment the wildest notions. Kudos for outwitting them so far, but we both know that they are relentless. They work with our opponents to create all manner of spectacle because they know if they can break our hearts, they can break our movements. Like any relationship, we all need a little courting, some attention that reminds us of why we chose each other in the first place. May you always know the love despite the spin, mean bots, and rumor mongering. May you keep choosing change, even when it’s hard and inconvenient, because you know authentic democracy is worth it. 

So, here’s to you, New York. We can’t wait to see the amazing work you will do.

Love,

Your friends in Jackson, Mississippi.