From Hunger Strike to Mayor: How Zohran Mamdani's 15-Day Fast for NYC Taxi Drivers Launched His Historic Political Career

When Zohran Mamdani announced his hunger strike at City Hall Park in 2021, he had served as a Queens Assembly member for less than twelve months.

New Delhi:

Zohran Mamdani, who recently became New York City's youngest mayor and first Muslim to hold this prestigious office, made headlines in 2021 when he undertook a significant political action as an Assembly member representing Queens.

At age 30, Mamdani stood boldly at City Hall Park and declared his intention to fast until city officials provided debt relief for New York City taxi drivers. "I will be on strike for as long as it takes," he proclaimed, according to Mother Jones. "We are going to be moving all of my meetings. All of my calls. All of my office duties. I will be taking them from this protest site."

This dramatic step came when he was still a political newcomer, having held office for under a year.

The hunger strike addressed the devastating financial burden of taxi medallion loans that had pushed many drivers into economic crisis, with some tragically taking their own lives. As the strike reached its fifth day, Mamdani and fellow elected officials escalated their protest through civil disobedience, blocking traffic in Lower Manhattan. Their actions led to arrest by NYPD officers, who secured them with zip-ties and transported them in police vehicles.

By the thirteenth day of the protest, taxi driver Richard Chow, who lives with diabetes, had deteriorated to requiring a wheelchair. "We don't have a choice," he explained to Mother Jones. "I don't know how long I can stay here. This is our last moment to fight."

The fifteen-day hunger strike ultimately achieved its goal when Mayor Bill de Blasio conceded to an agreement capping medallion debt at $170,000 with monthly payments of approximately $1,100.

At the victorious celebration, Mamdani declared passionately, "This is just the beginning of solidarity. We are going to fight together until there is nothing left in this world to win."

The resulting program enabled taxi owner-drivers to restructure their loans with a $30,000 grant, fixed interest rates of 7.3 percent or below, and city-backed guarantees protecting their assets. Applications were accepted between September 19 and October 31, 2022.

Mamdani reflected on the achievement, stating, "On November 3 of last year, we broke our 15-day hunger strike with the news of a tentative agreement between the City, the New York Taxi Workers Alliance, and Marblegate, the largest taxi medallion lender in the industry. Today, we celebrate as that dream comes alive – finally providing NYC taxi drivers the relief they deserve… I am proud to have stood with NYTWA through the fight for this program, and I am grateful to all who helped bring this agreement to fruition."

This advocacy continued to influence his political career. In 2025, during his mayoral campaign, taxi drivers' support remained crucial. While visiting night-shift workers at LaGuardia Airport, Mamdani greeted drivers in multiple languages – English, Hindi, and Urdu. He observed, "For South Asians growing up in New York City, taxis were one of the ways we would see ourselves as part of the fabric of this city."

In a touching moment captured in a campaign video, Richard Chow embraced him, saying, "Hello, Mr Mayor Mamdani. I love you. We miss you." Mamdani responded warmly, "I miss you, too."