A top official in Mayor Zohran Mamdanis administration is facing criticism after describing the mission of the citys Office of Mass Engagement as helping organize New Yorkers and develop leaders who could remain influential “long after this administration is over.”
Tascha Van Auken, commissioner of the Mayors Office of Mass Engagement, is an organizer whose background includes Barack Obamas 2008 presidential campaign and leadership in New York Citys Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). She spoke about the administrations vision for the new office during the Urban 20 summit, describing an effort to build organizational capacity for the future.
“Trying to help organize people, building the knowledge and organizational capacity that let New Yorkers shape outcomes, and developing leaders who we hope will still be leaders long after this administration is over,” Van Auken said Sunday during the Urban 20 summit in New York City, which brings together mayors and local leaders from major cities across the world.
“An organized tenant is a protected tenant, and that is the whole method. Knowledge makes people confident, and that gets them talking to their neighbors. Talking to your neighbors is how you find out your problem is not only yours. And that is where organization begins,” she added.
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Mamdani established the Office of Mass Engagement through Executive Order No. 7 on Jan. 2, his second day in office, describing the new City Hall office as an effort to change how New Yorkers participate in government decision-making.
He appointed Van Auken to lead the office, crediting her with spearheading the field operation behind his mayoral campaign, which mobilized more than 100,000 volunteers who knocked on more than 3 million doors across the city.
Van Aukens comments circulated on social media, prompting critics to accuse the administration of using City Hall to build political organizing power.
“One thing you notice about the DSA and socialists in general is their nonstop focus on ‘organizing’ — and not actually making things better for people,” NYC Councilwoman Vickie Palladino wrote on X.
“There is no plan to make things better. The only plan is to become powerful enough that nobody can stop them when they make things worse,” she added.
“Mamdanis Ministry of Truth & Propaganda,” said retired NYPD cop John D. Macari Jr.
“Office of Mass Engagement = Office of the Permanent Communist revolution, trying to whip up people into a killing frenzy over everything,” said one user.
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“She is outlining a permanent revolution in NYC. NYC is done. I grew up in NYC and recognize that it is finished,” wrote one user.
“Commie recruiting. Bet on it,” posted one user on X.
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Mamdani has defended the office as an effort to make public participation a larger part of city government decision-making.
“Oftentimes, the outreach and engagement of city government is done with an intention to justify a decision thats already been taken,” Mamdani said at the time. “The point of this office is, however, to make decisions with a large part being what the
