New York's First Muslim Mayor Zohran Mamdani Assembles All-Female Transition Team for Revolutionary Administration

New York Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has unveiled an all-female transition team on Wednesday as he prepares to assume office on January 1, 2026.

"In the upcoming months, my team and I will establish a city hall capable of fulfilling the promises made during this campaign," Mamdani stated during a press conference in Queens, according to The Guardian. "We will create an administration that balances capability with compassion, guided by integrity and committed to working as diligently as the millions of New Yorkers who call this city home."

Mamdani will make history as the city's first Muslim mayor, first of South Asian descent, first born in Africa, and youngest in over a century. "We have an obligation to this city to be prepared on January 1 to begin delivering results," he emphasized. "We have 57 days, and those days are crucial for preparing the groundwork."

The 34-year-old Democratic socialist appointed political consultant Elana Leopold as executive director of his transition team. The co-chairs include former first deputy mayor Maria Torres-Springer, former Federal Trade Commission chair Lina Khan, United Way of New York City CEO Grace Bonilla, and former deputy mayor for health and human services Melanie Hartzog.

Khan gained prominence for her rigorous anti-trust enforcement during former President Joe Biden's administration. "Some of these individuals will have familiar names, while others may not," Mamdani noted, "but they will be united in their dedication to addressing longstanding problems with innovative solutions."

Mamdani expressed confidence in his ability to implement his campaign platform, which includes a rent freeze, free bus service, universal childcare, and city-operated grocery stores funded by taxes on corporations and wealthy individuals.

He called for additional donations to support his transition team. "I'm enthusiastic about the fact that it will be funded by the very people who brought us to this point, the working people who have been overlooked by city politics," he said, as reported by CNN.

Regarding potential discussions with US President Donald Trump, Mamdani stated, "I look forward to those conversations and to making it clear that if there's ever anything to discuss that could benefit the city's residents, I am prepared and willing to speak with anyone about it."

"On January 1, when our city celebrates the inauguration of a new administration, let us also celebrate a new beginning for our city," Mamdani declared.