New York – 2Shades Magazine

Zohran Mamdani: A New Dawn for New York — and a Setback for Trump’s America

By Steven Smith

Let’s get one thing straight: Sadiq Khan is a terrible mayor — but not because he is Muslim. He’s a terrible mayor because, quite simply, he hasn’t done the job well. Faith has nothing to do with competence.

I would like to think I ever judge anyone by their religion. Yet when I hear from certain extreme right-wing Christians, my instinct is that they’re often deeply uncomfortable with the LGBTQ+ community. Many cherry-pick verses from the Bible to justify their prejudices, conveniently ignoring the passages about kindness, humility and turning the other cheek — a principle that seems to have lost all meaning for them. As are extreme Muslims and many other religious devotees. I do not want them in power.

And how many of these self-proclaimed moral crusaders have later been exposed as hypocrites, caught in scandals that betray the very values they preach? No one wants to live under Sharia law, but equally, most of us are not rejecting Eastern culture or faith. Jewish politicians, for instance, aren’t out trying to convert everyone. The truth is simple: people should be judged on their integrity, their empathy, and their ability to lead — not the faith they were born into.

Historically, the right wing has struggled with LGBTQ+ acceptance. Look at Reform’s Ann Widdecombe, a devout Christian who remains openly opposed to gay rights, or Nigel Farage, who rails against same-sex marriage yet hasn’t exactly been a shining example of domestic harmony himself.

When Zohran Mamdani swept to victory as New York’s new mayor, he didn’t just win an election — he ignited a cultural and political shift. At just 33, the Ugandan-born, Queens-raised son of Indian immigrants and the first Muslim to hold the office, Mamdani represents a fresh, progressive vision of leadership grounded in empathy, equity, and inclusivity. For women and LGBTQ+ citizens, his victory signals something powerful: a mayor who sees diversity not as a slogan, but as the city’s greatest strength. And for Donald Trump and the hard-right movement that thrives on fear and division, Mamdani’s rise is a direct ideological defeat.

Mamdani’s political roots run deep in social justice. Long before his mayoral run, he made his name in the New York State Assembly by fighting for tenant protections, affordable housing, and workers’ rights. But what sets him apart is his understanding that social equality must include gender and sexual equality. His policies go beyond token representation — they promise tangible protections and support for women, LGBTQ+, and trans individuals who continue to face discrimination and economic barriers in one of the world’s most diverse cities.

During his campaign, Mamdani declared: “New York must be a sanctuary — not just for immigrants, but for every person whose existence has been politicised.” That message resonated strongly with LGBTQ+ voters and women’s advocacy groups, weary of years of policy rollbacks and toxic rhetoric at the national level.

His mayoral platform includes one of the most comprehensive pro-equality agendas ever proposed for New York City. At its heart are three major commitments: establishing an Office for LGBTQIA+ Affairs to coordinate inclusive policies and investigate discrimination; pledging $65 million for gender-affirming healthcare and reproductive rights clinics; and strengthening women’s economic and reproductive rights through expanded paid family leave, subsidised childcare, and increased funding for domestic violence shelters and legal aid. These policies represent not just symbolic progress but systemic reform, tackling the intertwined roots of inequality and positioning New York as a beacon for progressive governance in a deeply divided nation.

Some observers initially wondered whether a devout Muslim mayor could fully champion LGBTQ+ and women’s rights. Mamdani’s leadership has already answered that question decisively. He has stated repeatedly that his faith teaches compassion, justice, and respect for human dignity — values entirely consistent with protecting the vulnerable. By separating personal belief from public duty, he embodies the pluralism that defines modern New York. His election sends a potent message that faith and equality are not mutually exclusive.

To understand why Mamdani’s victory is such a blow to Donald Trump, one must look beyond New York’s borders. Trumpism thrives on nostalgia — a yearning for a rigid, exclusionary version of America defined by dominance and division. Mamdani represents the opposite: a confident, multicultural future where inclusion and equality are strengths, not threats. Under Trump, the federal government rolled back protections for transgender people, restricted abortion access, and emboldened hate groups. Mamdani’s success proves that this politics of fear no longer holds sway everywhere — especially not in America’s largest city.

What happens in New York often echoes nationally. Just as Fiorello La Guardia’s social reforms and Michael Bloomberg’s urban policies shaped national conversations in their eras, Mamdani’s agenda may set the tone for a new wave of progressive mayors. His approach fuses social justice with fiscal realism — leveraging the city’s enormous budget to create measurable improvements in equality and opportunity. His administration’s first-year priorities include making the Metropolitan Transportation Authority free for students and low-income riders, expanding affordable housing projects on city-owned land, increasing investment in public schools with inclusive sex education, and introducing gender-balanced representation in city boards and commissions.

Mamdani’s election is also a cultural moment — one that renews New York’s identity as a sanctuary for those who dream of freedom in all its forms. From Stonewall to suffrage, the city has long been a crucible of progress. His leadership promises not only policy change but also a revival of civic optimism: a belief that governance can be both compassionate and competent. His first speech after victory captured this perfectly: “We are not here to manage decline. We are here to imagine abundance — for women, for queer and trans people, for every New Yorker who has been told to shrink their dreams.”

Nor would I ever judge anyone by their religion. Yet when I hear from certain extreme right-wing Christians, my instinct is that they’re often deeply uncomfortable with the LGBTQ+ community. Many cherry-pick verses from the Bible to justify their prejudices, conveniently ignoring the passages about kindness, humility and turning the other cheek — a principle that seems to have lost all meaning for them.

So, why shouldn’t New York — one of the most diverse cities in the world — have a Muslim mayor? The measure of leadership isn’t found in the label of one’s faith but in the breadth of one’s humanity. rise represents a decisive shift away from the politics of grievance and exclusion. His administration promises to put women’s rights, LGBTQ+ equality, and social justice at the heart of city governance. For a nation still grappling with polarisation, his victory is both an inspiration and a challenge: proof that diversity can win, compassion can govern, and inclusion can be a source of strength rather than division. For Donald Trump and those who profit from cultural conflict, Mamdani’s triumph is a warning shot: the future belongs to those who build bridges, not walls. He is a mayor for all and a flash that thinking Americans have had enough of the red hat .

END

Cinzi Lavin, an award-winning artist from the States reached out to 2Shades to tell her story

When I read about her, I was shocked to find out how she isn’t better known for her contributions. But that wasn’t the point, Cinzi’s calm yet captivating approach to life is a distinct voice that 2Shades is honoured to provide a platform for.

Here’s how Cinzi’s journey with life has taught her a great deal about the unexpected turns it might take, and how you can make it easier for yourself, in her own words.

“Everyone’s success story is different. As an award-winning musical dramatist and writer, my work involves telling stories, so I’ll gladly share mine in hopes of inspiring others.

I’ve seen life from many angles: as a child growing up in a wealthy Manhattan suburb and as a young woman eking out a living as an impoverished musician. I’ve been a New Yorker and a Texan. I’ve been an actress, playwright, educator, and lifelong student (and may I never graduate!).

My career path, if it were printed out like an EKG reading, would look like someone having a coronary seizure. Far from straight and uneventful, it included forays into multiple fields in every direction. However, all the paths I followed—from journalism to teaching to performing (and more)—played a crucial role in developing the skill-set I use today.

Early on, I wanted to do amazing things, and I was good at writing and had an ear for music. I took piano lessons for a few years with a neighbor-woman, and I was her worst student. A few decades later, I’d created and produced three full-length original musical dramas and performed by invitation at the White House.

The short answer to the question of how I achieved this is that I made bread out of straw—I created something out of nothing. Circumstances dictated that if I wanted to enjoy success, it would take more than hard work, luck, ambition, or even talent: it would require my humanity, my creativity, and my ability to recognize that obstacles are only illusions.

Here are my three crucial components for success:

1.) Helping Others – There is much to gain by the intentional, systematic, unselfish, and abundant donation of your time and talents. Imagine someone putting a teaspoon of vegetable seeds in a hole in the ground and returning to discover a football-field size crop has grown from it.

I’m a huge proponent of volunteering, because it represents an opportunity to learn valuable skills in a supportive atmosphere, boosts confidence and self-esteem, and encourages networking which may lead to furthering your goals. Additional ways of helping others include always striving for a win-win scenario and mentoring others in your field.

2.) Thinking Creatively – Particularly when you start with nothing, creativity is a powerful way to optimize your talent. Always do things the way you think they should be done, even if it’s not how everyone else does it. In addition, don’t be afraid to utilize unique or unusual ways of promoting your work, such as lecturing in local clubs or libraries.

3.) Ignoring Obstacles – My artist’s statement is as follows: “As an artist, my two most valuable tools are my index fingers; when someone tries to point out obstacles to my dreams, I place them firmly in my ears and say, ‘La la la! I can’t hear you!’ It works every time.”

One of my favorite stories involves a young man who took a job selling encyclopedias door to door many years ago. On his first morning at work, his employer provided him with six sets of the heavy books; he put them into his car, and set forth. Around noon, he returned, saying “I’m ready for the next six sets to sell this afternoon.” His boss and his fellow salesmen were shocked. Nobody had told him that the six sets he’d received that morning were intended for him to sell during the upcoming month. Thinking the six encyclopedias were his morning’s quota, he didn’t suffer any preconceived failure.

As for success itself, I recommend that anyone aspiring to greatness not only define what they want but why they want it. For example, if you want to make a lot of money, it’s not the pieces of paper or the multi-digit numbers on your bank statement that you actually want—you want something the money represents, whether that be financial security, power, or the freedom to do whatever you wish with your time.

I highly recommend practicing economy in your career—not necessarily of money, but of everything good that comes your way. Envision a pathway to success where not a scrap is wasted. During America’s Great Depression in the 1930s, when money and resources were scarce, there was a popular saying: “Use it up, wear it out; make it do, or do without.” People did what they could to make the most of whatever they had. They even created a recipe for a delicious dessert called “Water Pie”!

One of my favorite films is Apollo 13. It recounts the true story of America’s 1970 mission to the moon, during which things went terribly wrong. An oxygen tank ruptured two days into the flight, endangering the crew members, whose life-support system was disabled. The film shows how the three astronauts, with help from NASA’s ground control workers, improvised a means of reestablishing the carbon dioxide filter system using various materials foraged in the tiny spacecraft.

The first time I saw the film, I was spellbound, watching the men in outer space—whose only hope for survival depended upon whatever they had with them that could be used to make the necessary repair. Suddenly, inconsequential bits of plastic tubing or similarly unremarkable items literally meant the difference between life and death. It impressed upon me the importance of taking nothing for granted, and of utilizing everything at one’s disposal even when survival isn’t at stake. Put another way, if those astronauts could save their own lives more than 200,000 miles from our planet with a few bits and bobs they collected in their space capsule, what more could I do here on earth with a wealth of resources available to me? (Not least of which is oxygen!)

In pursuit of your dream, waste nothing; treasure every networking connection, every professional invitation, and every promotional opportunity. I rejoice for those for whom success is within easy reach, but those who are starting with nothing are the ones whom I congratulate, because the world of possibilities opens before them.”

Cinzi is the author of three books, The Taciturn Sky, Nemesis of the Great and A Strand of Truth.

Be sure to check them out until Cinzi returns with another insightful column.