Mike Stevens: Well, joining us now is New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Thank you for being with us once again on the BIN.
Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani: It is such a pleasure to be back. Thank you for having me.
Stevens: What is your Juneteenth message to the city?
Mayor Mamdani: First and foremost, it's a day of celebrating freedom and also the dedication to freedom that we've seen so many Black Americans and Black New Yorkers be at the forefront of. And it is a special day in that it marks 161 years specifically since Union General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston and enforced the Emancipation Proclamation.
But we also know that Juneteenth is not just a celebration of laws being enforced; it's also a celebration of joy, of determination, of resilience of Black Americans over centuries of delayed freedom, of withheld rights [and] of restricted opportunities. And I'm so excited to be celebrating this incredible day with New Yorkers across the five boroughs.
Stevens: There was pushback of even getting Juneteenth to become a national holiday, and perhaps there are some in New York City of various ethnic groups who don't really see its importance. What is your broader message to all of New York, to everybody of different backgrounds?
Mayor Mamdani: That we cannot tell the story of this city without also telling the story of Black New Yorkers. That so much of what we love and pride ourselves on are in fact the results of not just years or decades but frankly centuries of Black New Yorkers writing not just Black history but New York history and American history. And we know that to be the case across this country.
Stevens: Switching gears a little bit here, I've been hearing about a new childcare program that you have going on, a collaboration between New York City and the State of New York, and it's something that many African Americans or Black people will potentially benefit from. Tell us about that.
Mayor Mamdani: You know, it's exactly as you say; we were so excited on just the eighth day of our administration to secure a $1.2 billion source of funding from Governor Hochul at the state level to deliver free childcare for two-year-olds for the first time in New York City history. And we've seen that for far too long in moments of significant investment, Black New Yorkers are faced with the choice of either being last in line or not at all. And we are seeking to rectify that with this program.
And so, in this first year where we deliver 2,000 seats, we made the decision that we would deliver those seats in neighborhoods that are often left behind. Like Brownsville, Canarsie [and] East New York in Brooklyn or the Rockaways in Queens or Fordham in the Bronx or Washington Heights in Uptown Manhattan. We are looking to finally relieve that stress of paying at least $20,000 a year for childcare that so many working families are facing in this city.
Stevens: So, this would be free childcare?
Mayor Mamdani: Yes, free, high-quality childcare. 2,000 seats this year, 12,000 seats next year, and then a seat for every two-year-old by the end of four years. And right now, the applications are open. We're almost in the final third of the application period. It closes on June 26th, and if anyone listening is interested and lives in these neighborhoods, please go to myschools.nyc.
Stevens: Well, thank you for being with us. We're glad to have you today.
Mayor Mamdani: Truly thankful for the opportunity to share this with your listeners.
