New York City Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani is not only representing the Working Families Party, he was also endorsed by and is a representative of the New York City chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA-NYC). DSA-NYC is a 501(c)(4) membership organization whose primary stated purpose is to work toward “social and economic justice.” Though DSA is best known for its political posturing, the organization’s central mission emphasizes education, community organizing, and mutual aid functions that fall under a broad umbrella of promoting social welfare.
DSA-NYC boasts 90,000 members, and membership in the national DSA organization and residency in New York City are the requirements to be considered a member of NYC-DSA. It is important to note that the DSA-NYC is not a part of the Democratic organization, despite the title. NYC-DSA is organized into branches, which meet monthly, and “working groups” which focus on particular areas of interest, including electoral work, labor organizing, or anti-war activism.
In addition to its domestic focus, the DSA-NYC advances a foreign policy rooted in anti-Americanism, “anti-imperialism,” and “international solidarity.” Working group discussion topics include “the central role of the Nakba in the system of capitalism, imperialism and fascism,” and it has long advocated for the dismantling of the Jewish state. The DSA promoted a pro-Hamas rally on October 8th, 2023, in Times Square that involved a speaker listing the numbers dead to cheers, and the crowd chanting “Resistance is justified when people are occupied.”
More information about the NYC-DSA can be found on their website, and NPR wrote a detailed explainer about the organization following Zohran Mamdani’s victory.