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NYC students and teachers’ union plan walkout to protest ICE raids across the nation

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A protestor in NYC makes their opinion known about ICE during a protest for Renee Good who was shot and killed by an ICE agent.

Photo by Lloyd Mitchell

Parents and teachers are reacting to students’ planned walkout of NYC schools on Friday to protest the country’s ongoing ICE raids and stand in solidarity with the people of Minnesota.

Get Free America is leading the citywide student protest on Jan. 23. The self-described “youth-led movement” is encouraging both high school and college students to join the morning walkout, which will coincide with a similar protest happening in Minnesota. Organizers said the walkout is also in protest of the fatal shooting of Renee Good by ICE agents in Minneapolis on Jan. 7.

“We’re walking out of school to free NYC and free America from slave patrols 2.0, from Trump-Crow and from white supremacy,” a social media post from the organizers states. “The MAGA regime is unleashing modern day slave patrols on our communities, terrorizing Black, brown and immigrant communities from Minneapolis and Memphis to LA and DC to Chicago and Charlotte. Now they are threatening to escalate attacks on New York City.”

Although many parents and teachers respect the students’ concerns about the killing of Good and the ongoing ICE raids, they also said the students should remain in class that day.

“Students should focus on learning,” Rich Candia, a retired NYC school teacher, told amNewYork. “And if they want to protest, it should be on their own personal time and not impede the school day.”

Another New Yorker, Patricia Borello Foggin, said she “absolutely does not” support students leaving class to protest.

“And the schools shouldn’t allow it,” she said.

A request for comment was sent to both NYC Public Schools and the City University of New York to find out if administrators were aware of the pending walkout and whether or not they support it. amNewYork is awaiting responses from both entities.

UFT organizes the walkout

Meanwhile, the United Federation of Teachers (UFT), NYC’s teachers’ union, issued an emergency resolution to demonstrate in solidarity with Minneapolis teachers during the protest.

“The UFT will call for an emergency demonstration and day of action here in New York, in solidarity with our fellow unionists and with students, faculty, staff, and immigrant communities in Minnesota on Friday, January 23rd,” the union said.

amNewYork contacted the UFT for more comment on the walkout and is awaiting a response.

It is not clear right now if any public school teachers plan to participate in the walkout. However, Get Free held at least one “training session” for students who want to participate in the event.

“We just held our first student walkout training! Students are organizing. Learning their rights and preparing to walk out this Friday,” the organizers wrote in a post.

It is unclear if the protest training was held during school hours.

Although Jan. 23 is a school day, many students will be busy taking the Regents exams, which are being administered this week.

Protecting Freedom of Speech

Meanwhile, many parents in New York City, upon hearing about the walkout, said they will make sure their children remain in class that day.

“My child is there to learn, not participate in protests, peaceful or otherwise,” Dawn Marie, a mother from Staten Island, said. “I have no issues with standing up for your beliefs, and my children are taught to do so; however, do it on your own time, not time designated for education.”

Zhena Revich, of the Upper West Side, echoed a similar sentiment.

“Schools are for unbiased education, and the safety of the students is their only job. They want to March they can do that outside of school and work hours,” she said.

But another NYC educator said the best way to learn more about something, including the country’s protected First Amendment of free speech, is to take a hands-on approach.

“What better way to understand something than to use it? The right to protest is best learned by using,” she said.

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Barbara Russo-Lennon

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January 20, 2026

Framber Valdez, Ranger Suarez latest: Mets considered favorites to land a star southpaw – amNewYork

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Sep 14, 2025; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Houston Astros starting pitcher Framber Valdez (59) pitches against the Atlanta Braves during the second inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

The New York Mets have yet to make any legitimate additions to a starting rotation that disintegrated over the final three and a half months of the 2025 season, but one big reinforcement could be on the way.

ESPN’s Buster Olney and Jesse Rogers reported on Tuesday that it is “inevitable” that New York lands one of Framber Valdez or Ranger Suarez, the free-agent market’s top left-handed pitchers available.

Suarez hit the free agent market at the best possible time, as he was coming off a career season with the Philadelphia Phillies behind a 12-8 record and 3.20 ERA. He isn’t as proven over an extended stretch as Valdez, though; the soon-to-be former Astro has a 3.20 ERA and averaged 180.2 innings pitched with 175 strikeouts over the last five seasons.

Valdez is also a two-time All-Star and a World Series champion who has toed the rubber on the game’s largest stages.

The pedigree would likely be seen on the price tags of each starting pitcher, though Suarez is two years younger than the 32-year-old Valdez. There is something to be said, at least at this point, about Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns spending this offseason as more of a bargain hunter rather than making a big splash in free agency. His largest move in free agency was signing Jorge Polanco to a two-year, $40 million deal.

However, the Mets’ starting rotation requires significant investment due to its uncertainty. Nolan McLean is projected to develop into an ace, and Clay Holmes performed well as a middle-of-the-rotation option in his first year moving from closer to starter. But Sean Manaea was derailed by a spring-training oblique injury while Kodai Senga’s June hamstring pull was the flashpoint at the start of the Mets’ collapse. Upon his return, his mechanics were never the same, and he was unable to find them during his demotion to Triple-A.

David Peterson went from an All-Star in the first half of the season to looking like the young southpaw who could not put it all together in years past.

For more on the Mets and Framber Valdez, visit AMNY.com

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Joe Pantorno

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January 6, 2026

FARE HIKE: New Yorkers will begin having to pay $3 to ride the subway or bus starting Sunday – amNewYork

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R211A trains and customers 14 St on the A/C/E lines. Monday, Dec 22, 2025.

(Marc A. Hermann / MTA)

The fare is going up again this Sunday.

Come Jan. 4, most New Yorkers will have to pay $3 for a single subway or bus ride, up from the current price of $2.90. Reduced fare rides will rise from $1.45 to $1.50, according to the MTA.

Express bus fares will go up from $7 to $7.25, while reduced fares during off-peak hours will climb from $3.50 to $3.60.

The increase, which was approved by the MTA board along with tolls on the agency’s bridges in late September, marks the first since the fare rose to $2.90 in August 2023. It was initially supposed to take effect last March, but was delayed to align with the agency’s full switch from the MetroCard to OMNY — its tap-and-pay system — at the start of the new year.

The MTA increases fares and tolls, which go toward the agency’s operating budget, every couple of years to keep pace with inflation, according to the agency.

With the fare hike, the MTA’s fare-capping system will make it so riders do not pay more than $35-a-week. Under the fare cap, riders who take 12 trips during a given week will get any additional rides within that period for free.

Reduced fare riders will not pay over $17.50 in a week.

The price for a new OMNY card, which the MTA says can last up to five years, will increase to $2. Previously, it had cost $1 for a new OMNY card or MetroCard.

For the Long Island Railroad and Metro North Railroad, monthly and weekly ticket prices will increase by 4.5%. The prices of all other ticket categories will rise by 8%.

The peak and off-peak prices for CityTicket, which allows riders to use the LIRR or Metro North within the five boroughs, will go up from $7 to $7.25 and $5 to $5.25, respectively. The same charge will apply to the Far Rockaway ticket.

Furthermore, those who buy tickets on one of the commuter rails will now have to pay an $8, rather than $2, surcharge.

Tolls on most MTA bridges will increase by 7.5% on MTA bridges and tunnels.

The MTA also has 4% fare hikes planned for both 2027 and 2029.

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Ethan Stark-Miller

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January 2, 2026

Striking Starbucks barista rally for contract – amNewYork

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It looks like there may be some clouds in Starbucks coffee.

More than a month after unionized Starbucks workers went on strike calling for a contract, seeking more pay and better conditions, workers and supporters rallied on Christmas Eve outside a downtown Manhattan unionized store.

As holiday music played inside and customers sipped coffee at the Starbucks Reserve Roastery at 61 Ninth Ave., striking workers picketed outside, chanting and carrying signs saying, “No contract, no coffee,” “They make billions. We make beans,” and “What’s outrageous? Starbucks wages.”

The baristas, whom Starbucks calls “partners,” sought to attract attention to an ongoing strike that started nearly 40 days ago.

Recent rallies were held outside other New York City stores and nationwide, including the same day at Starbucks’ Seattle headquarters.

“They are operating with borrowed partners,” Morgan Pagan, a Bronx resident and striking shift supervisor who has worked for Starbucks for seven years, said of some stores. “That means they are essentially sourcing partners from other stores in the district to fill the coverage of baristas on strike.”

Kai Fritz, a barista at 8973 Bay Parkway in South Brooklyn, said her store is operating with workers and managers from other stores. “My entire team is on strike. Our staff is completely on strike,” Fritz said.” Because workers are on strike, we’re asking people not to buy Starbucks.”

Starbucks baristas went on strike on Christmas Eve.Photo by Claude Solnik

State of the Union

Starbucks Workers United, an affiliate of the Service Employees International Union, said more than 1,000 workers are on strike in an “unfair labor practice” (ULP_ strike that started Nov. 13 in what they call the “Red Cup Rebellion.”

There are more than 170 unresolved labor complaints before the National Labor Relations Board.

The union said they are protesting “Starbucks’ historic union busting and failure to finalize a fair union contract,” including six months without new proposals to address “better staffing, higher pay, and resolution for hundreds of unfair labor practice charges.”

Starbucks Workers United, which represents over 11,000 baristas at more than 550 stores, said they are calling for “better hours to improve staffing.”

“Too many baristas still aren’t getting enough hours to pay the bills or meet the threshold for benefits,” the union said.

“We’re asking customers not to buy Starbucks, which has an impact,” Fritz said. “We’re asking for a fair union contract.”

The union said more than 100 U.S. Senators, 180 state and local elected officials, various unions and more than 225,000 people signed a “No Contract No Coffee” pledge not to buy Starbucks coffee until union baristas “secure a fair contract.”

“I’ve had to choose between medications or rent,” Pagan said of what she and the union call insufficient wages.

Starbucks baristas went on strike on Christmas Eve.Photo by Claude Solnik

Starbucks’ side

CEO and Chairman Brian Niccol said he is implementing his “Back to Starbucks” plan to improve efficiency, sales and conditions, using algorithms to sequence orders, offering more free refills, writing customer names on cups and instituting worker-friendly changes.

He said they “have provided additional coverage hours in over 3,000 stores,” “doubled paid parental leave for our U.S. retail teams” up to 18 weeks, and are committed to “promote internally for 90% of retail leadership roles in three years. “

The company said they made a $500 million investment in additional hours and expanded rosters so that “there are more partners working during our busiest shifts.”

Chief Partner Officer Sara Kelly said, “85% of partners get the hours they prefer, and shifts are more consistent than ever.”

Starbucks, however, in December reached a $38.9 million settlement for violating New York City’s Fair Workweek law in what the City called “the largest worker protection settlement in New York City history.”

The New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection found that Starbucks committed more than half a million violations of the law since 2021, impacting thousands of workers across more than 300 locations regarding scheduling and hours.

New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection Commissioner Vilda Vera Mayuga said it’s important for the City to step in “when a multi-billion-dollar company like Starbucks chooses to systematically violate their employees’ rights.”

A working wage

Starbucks’ salary remains a sticking point with the median hourly pay for a Starbucks barista at $14.73 in 2025, including 10 percent at $10.83 and 90 percent at $17.38, according to Payscale.com.

Starbucks Calorie Calc said as of early 2025, the national average hourly wage at Starbucks was $15.23 to $15.55, translating to $31,000-$32,000 annually for full-time workers, with New York at $17-$20 an hour on average.

Kelly, however, said hourly pay and benefits average more than $30 for hourly employees, including healthcare, paid parental leave, mental health benefits, Bean Stock and a bachelor’s degree.

The union, however, said the “average barista doesn’t make a livable wage” with starting wages of $15.25 in 33 states “and too many aren’t getting the full hours they request.”

Niccol’s $95 million compensation in 2024, thousands of times that of the average barista, riled union members seeking higher wages.

“I don’t think any CEO who has workers struggling like that should be making money like that,” Pagan said. “Some baristas have to work two or three jobs just to make living wages.”

Pagan said baristas often enjoy the work and coffee culture as well as Starbucks’ global sourcing policies, but need and deserve higher pay and better benefits.

“I fell in love with the dream, the work they we’re doing with farms, the agricultural scene behind the scenes,” Pagan said. “We’re not fighting because we don’t like the company. We believe in the company, but they need to do better.”

Many tourists went into the store unaware of the details or demands bringing protestors to the picket line, while others said they support the picketers.

“They’re making noise,” said Brian Roman, a tourist from Montpellier, France. “They are right. They are heard.”

A passerby, who asked not to be identified, said he supported the strikers. “All I can say is that I sympathize,” he said. “I don’t think unions should be busted up.”

Kelly said the union informed them partners at 166 of the 215 coffeehouses on their strike list would like to “unconditionally return to work.”

Jaci Anderson, a Starbucks spokesperson, said they have more than 30 tentative agreements in place.

“More than 99% of our 17,000 U.S. coffeehouses stayed open and continued welcoming customers,” she said. “Fewer than 1% were ever affected, and more than half of the locations on the strike list never closed or reopened quickly.”

The union said it’s difficult for workers to sustain an open-ended strike, so some are returning to the job, but they do no wish to see the status quo.

“Recently, there was a shift change on the strike line,” striking barista Christi Gomoljak said. “Some baristas who were previously on strike have returned to work to organize their stores, secure their livelihoods, and continue improving their workplace.”

Starbucks last September closed hundreds of what Niccol called underperforming stores, including 34 in New York City and 26 in Manhattan, laying off 900, saying union status was not a factor.

More than 250 baristas won union elections at 13 stores since the strike began and 19 stores filed for union elections on December 23, representing over 300 baristas in 15 states.

“People are switching jobs a lot. People are struggling here in a lot of ways,” Fritz said of a constantly changing workforce. “The workers that have organized know it’s a good investment of your time.”

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By Claude Solnik

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December 26, 2025

Lang Lang International Music Foundation hosts concert showcasing young talent | amNewYork

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Photo: Alexander Von Bush

The Lang Lang International Music Foundation held an hour-long concert showcasing some of their students, representing the future of classical music.

Four Lang Lang scholars took to the stage at Steinway Hall, all playing different, intricate pieces that they gave more information about before playing. Alexander Liu, Ryan Huang, Taiga Wang, and Sencheng Zhang certainly put on a performance that many of the teachers and family members won’t forget.

All four of the pianists are part of the Young Scholars program, which embodies the goal of what the Lang Lang Foundation intended to seek out: redefining music education across the country. The flagship program has scholars in a three-year intensive initiative designed to empower young pianists from ages 13-18.

Since the start of the program, back in 2008, they have churned out dozens of musicians, nurturing them with high-profile performance opportunities, unique community engagement experiences, and world-class mentorship opportunities with not only the founder of the foundation, Lang Lang, but with faculty across the country from different music schools such as Juilliard, Manhattan School of Music, and The Royal Academy of Music.

Lang Lang International Music Foundation hosts concert showcasing young talent 2 — Photo: Alexander Von Bush

With the scholars’ experience from local venues to concert halls, their skills were shown Nov. 12, and the CEO of the Lang Lang Foundation, Lukas Barwinski-Brown, commented on seeing these scholars explore classical music across the world.

“It’s deeply moving,” Barwinski-Brown expressed. “Every time I see one of our young scholars on stage, I’m reminded why the Foundation exists, to give extraordinary talent the chance to grow and be heard. These performances aren’t just concerts. They’re proof that music still has the power to inspire, unite, and bring out the best in us.”

With the talent that was showcased that night, it is clear that music indeed still embodies the themes of unity. Everyone’s breath was stolen when The third pianist of the night Teige Wang, briefly touched on how he cut down the 12-minute piece of Night on Bald Mountain to just eight minutes.

Lang Lang International Music Foundation hosts concert showcasing young talent 3 — Photo: Alexander Von Bush

“Classical music needs new energy and new voices to stay alive,” Barwinski-Brown continued. “They’re essential. Programs like ours help young artists believe that their art matters and that there’s a place for them in the world. It’s not just about preserving tradition but keeping it vibrant and relevant.”

Their artistry was shown throughout the night as each and every one of the four gave a brief description of what they would be playing. For example, Alexander Liu play an amazing four piece (No.1 B-flat Major, No. 2 E minor, No. 3 A-flat Major, No. 4 A minor) and explained to the audience why he chose Mazurkas, Op. 17.

“We focus on more than just technical skill,” Barwinski-Brown commented. “We help them find their artistic voice, their own story to tell through music. It’s about guidance, mentorship, and creating experiences that challenge and inspire them, on and off stage.”

Lang Lang International Music Foundation hosts concert showcasing young talent 4 — Photo: Alexander Von Bush

Each of the pianists got to perform a solo piece of their choosing, and then a collaboration with each other. Liu paired with Ryan Huang, who had a unique mix of ragtime classical pieces that contained the only percussion of the night (using his hands to clap and thump atop the piano).

Wang partnered with Sencheng Zhang, who performed the amazing pieces Liebeslied, S. 566 and Sonata No. 3 Op.58, 4th Movement. With each of the pieces, it keeps you on your seat with the way all four of the young pianists are able to move like lightning speed and have intensive focus while also feeling the emotions of the piece, almost as if it were coming alive within their heads.

Going beyond their solo pieces, connection is a core value that matters to not only the scholars, but the Foundation and what it represents.

“We spend real time together. I listen to them, ask questions, and try to understand who they are beyond the piano. With their professors I share that same spirit, it’s a community built on respect, curiosity, and care. That connection is what makes everything we do possible.” Barwinski-Brown explained.

This is just the start of their musical journeys for the four pianists, who have already performed at the Great Wall of China in Beijing. With the support of the Lang Lang Foundation, Barwinski-Brown hinted that he wants to keep planning unexpected venues for the scholars to perform at.

“I’d love to see them play somewhere unexpected, maybe an open-air concert in a city square where anyone can listen. Bringing classical music out of concert halls and into people’s everyday lives feels important.”

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By Jaeqwon Suarez

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November 28, 2025

Here’s how you can ring in the New Year around New York City | amNewYork

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Looking for New Year’s plans? There’s plenty to do in NYC.

Photo via Getty Images

As the holiday season quickly approaches, planning ahead can make New Year’s Eve in New York City even more magical. While the holiday is celebrated around the world, nowhere does it quite like NYC— where tradition, spectacle, and community come together to take the celebrations to the next level.

This year, the iconic 7ft “2026” numerals will arrive in Duffy Square mid-December, giving visitors a chance to snap some pictures before taking their eyes to the sky. The famous Times Square ball drop takes place on top of the One Times Square building, and viewers are encouraged to arrive early— very early— to secure the best viewing spot possible.

To catch the best view of the ball, head to Broadway, between 43rd Street and 50th Street, or along Seventh Avenue up to 59th Street. The ball is raised at 6:00 p.m. on December 31, and at 11:59 p.m. sharp, the ball will start its 60-second descent, signifying the start of the new year.

This year’s Times Square festivities include performances by Mark Ambor, Mickey Guyton, Carrie Underwood, Megan Moroney, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, the Jonas Brothers, TLC, Rita Ora, Greeicy, De La Ghetto, Kapo, and the dance group AGNEW.

But Times Square isn’t the only way to celebrate— NYC is full of incredible alternatives for every budget and vibe. Here you can find some private hosted parties.

If you’re looking for a budget-friendly way to ring in the new year, Grand Army Plaza in Prospect Park will be hosting a fireworks show around midnight, launched in Long Meadow. The event has been going on for 45 years, with New Year’s cheer, live music, and fireworks! This is a cherished Brooklyn tradition that has been bringing the community together for decades on end. RSVP is encouraged.

Central Park is hosting its annual Midnight Run, the healthiest way to jump into 2026. Partake in a 4-mile run winding through New York’s very own Central Park. To participate in the race, runners must register, but if you aren’t interested in running, Central Park will be hosting a fireworks show of their own, accompanied by music, dancing, and thousands of community members coming together to ring in the New Year.

Another core memory moment is walking the Brooklyn Bridge at Midnight. Here, you’ll see an array of fireworks lining the New York City skyline. If you’d rather be stationary, the Brooklyn Bridge Park in DUMBO is a great ground-level view of the fireworks, which will light up the bridge.

No matter what vibe you choose to ring in the New Year— amongst the crowds of Times Square or under the glowing fireworks at the Brooklyn Bridge, NYC offers countless ways to welcome the New Year.

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By Bridget Sawyer

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November 28, 2025

City Council Speaker’s Race: Julie Menin and Crystal Hudson emerge as two favorites as they vie for colleagues’ support | amNewYork

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With the mayoral election in the rearview, Big Apple politicos have turned their attention to another important contest: the race for City Council speaker.

The current speaker, Adrienne Adams, is term-limited at the end of this year, meaning the body’s 51 members must choose her replacement come January. Next to the mayor, the City Council speaker may be the most influential figure in city politics — as the chamber’s leader sets the body’s agenda, works with other parts of the municipal government, controls what legislation gets voted on, and wields great power in negotiating the yearly budget, which the Council controls.

So far, five candidates are running to replace Speaker Adams, who was first elected to the post in early 2022 and has served for the duration of outgoing Mayor Eric Adams’ (no relation) tenure: Council Members Julie Menin (D-Manhattan), Crystal Hudson (D-Brooklyn), Amanda Farias (D-Bronx), Selvena Brooks-Powers (D-Queens), and Christopher Marte (D-Manhattan).

Although there is still over a month to go, the race appears to have narrowed down to two candidates: Menin and Hudson. Whoever becomes speaker will need a majority (26) of the 51-member council in the election at the start of the new session in January.

A council source told amNewYork it is hard to say exactly how many members currently support Menin and Hudson. However, they provided an assessment of where the members from each borough stand, noting that Queens is mostly aligned with Menin, Brooklyn and Staten Island are mostly aligned with Hudson, and Manhattan and the Bronx are split between the two.

Julie Menin: Why she’s running

City Council speaker candidate Julie MeninEmil Cohen/NYC Council Media Unit

Menin took office in 2022 and represents a significant portion of the Upper East Side and Roosevelt Island. She told amNewYork she is vying for the post both to counter aggressive federal actions by Republican President Donald Trump toward the five boroughs, such as his threats to send in the National Guard, and to lower soaring costs across the city.

“We’re clearly in a crisis in New York City in terms of some of the threats that we face from Washington with draconian federal cuts, the risk of ICE raids, the potential for military deployment,” she said.

Menin said her experience of serving as commissioner of the Departments of Consumer and Worker Protection, Media and Entertainment, and as census director under former Mayor Bill de Blasio — prior to being elected to the council — has prepared her for this fraught moment.

“I’m running for speaker based on my experience running three city agencies, my legal experience in these very choppy waters that we’re in right now,” she said.

Crystal Hudson: Why she’s running

City Council Speaker candidate Crystal HudsonGerardo Romo / NYC Council Media Unit

Hudson is a progressive who has represented Brooklyn neighborhoods, including Crown Heights, Fort Greene, and Clinton Hill, since 2022.

“We are in a pivotal political moment, locally, nationally, even globally,” Hudson told amNewYork about why she is running.

“I think it’s really important that we have strong and steady leadership that’s rooted in action and accountability,” she continued, “that shows New Yorkers that they have strong leadership in City Hall that will always stand up for them, that will fight back against any interference with the laws of this land.”

Prior to being elected in 2021, Hudson was a staffer in both the Council and the Public Advocate’s office. Before entering government, she worked in sports marketing and advertising, and then was inspired to become a public servant after having to navigate complex bureaucracies for her mother, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.

Working with the new mayor

Perhaps the biggest question looming over the race is who, if anyone, Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani will throw his support behind.

The new 34-year-old democratic socialist mayor-elect will need a willing partner as council speaker to help accomplish his sweeping affordability proposals — including fare-free buses and universal child care. Outgoing Mayor Adams had a very contentious relationship with Speaker Adams that often led to public fights over legislation and the balance of power in City Hall.

Hudson, who endorsed Mamdani in the mayor’s race, said she wants to be a speaker who balances a working relationship with the new mayor with the ability to also push back when necessary.

“I think that New Yorkers have made a clear mandate that they want and need a more affordable New York City,” Hudson said, referring to Mamdani winning the mayoral general election by just over 50%.

“We need to make sure that we’re doing everything we can to make the city a livable, affordable city for them,” she continued. “Now that doesn’t mean, of course, that we’re going to agree with everything that the mayor proposes, and when we don’t, I think it’s important that we are loud and clear about our opposition.”

While Menin is more moderate than Hudson, she sought to highlight the “many areas” where she and Mamdani can work together. She said those include countering the Trump administration and making the city more affordable — specifically by implementing free universal child care.

“We’ve got to focus on the issues and the threats that we have coming from Washington,” Menin said. “We need to focus on the affordability issues around universal child care and housing. We also need to focus on lowering skyrocketing health care prices…These are all areas of alignment.”

However, Menin also noted she would still ensure the council holds the new administration accountable through its oversight hearings.

Who’s backing Hudson and Menin?

When it comes to the level of support Hudson and Menin have at this point, they both project confidence in their ability to win — but declined to give specific counts of how many members are backing them.

Hudson said she has “support all across the city.”

The Progressive Caucus member has the vocal backing among many of the body’s more left-leaning lawmakers, including Brooklyn Council Members Lincoln Restler, Sandy Nurse, and Rita Joseph. Also standing with Hudson is Council Member Carmen De La Rosa, who abandoned her own speaker bid to stand with her colleague.

Nurse said she believes Hudson should be the next speaker based on the diversity of her district and her ability to balance being a progressive with standing up to parts of the left when they do not have “a clear path for solving a problem.”

“I think in that way, she represents a healthy check on the Zohran [Mamdani] administration,” Nurse said of Hudson. “I think she will be both a collaborative partner, but also someone who will work to build the council’s agenda and assert our agenda.”

Meanwhile, Menin said she has a “broad, diverse coalition of support,” including a mix of progressive and moderate Council members such as Shaun Abreu (D-Manhattan), Kevin Riley (D-Bronx), and Linda Lee (D-Queens). Menin also has the powerful Hotel and Gaming Trades Council, which supported Mamdani in the general election, and U.S. Rep. Gregory Meeks — the Queens County Democratic Party chair — standing with her.

One of Menin’s Council member supporters, Erik Bottcher (D-Manhattan), said he thinks she is “the right leader for our time.”

“She has a proven track record of leadership as a community board chair, a commissioner for various agencies, a City Council member,” said Bottcher, who on Thursday declared his candidacy for the Congress seat held by the retiring Jerry Nadler. “I think she’d be a steady and forceful hand of our body.”

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Ethan Stark-Miller

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November 14, 2025

NYC Mayor’s Race: Mamdani believes debate ‘went well’ for him, and that Cuomo has ‘narrow path’ to victory | amNewYork

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Democratic mayoral nominee and frontrunner Zohran Mamdani said the first general election debate ‘went well’ for him. Firday, Oct. 18, 2025.

Photo by Lloyd Mitchell

Democratic mayoral nominee and frontrunner Zohran Mamdani said on Friday he feels the first general election mayoral debate the night before “went well” for him.

Mamdani, a democratic socialist Assembly member from Queens, appeared prepared for most of former Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s and Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa’s attack lines on subjects including his experience level and Israel, while constantly shifting the focus back to his core campaign issue: affordability.

As for Cuomo, the independent candidate took to talk radio to tout his performance and argue that he had exposed Mamdani. Sliwa, meanwhile, rebuffed any notion that he would drop out of the race to potentially help Cuomo win, charging that the former governor has already given up based on his debate performance Thursday.

During an unrelated Friday campaign event, Mamdani told reporters that he was happy with his debate performance because it gave him a chance to show voters the choice between himself and Cuomo.

“I do feel that the debate went well because it was an opportunity to speak directly to New Yorkers about our agenda, to speak about our agenda,” Mamdani said. “To have that opportunity on the same debate stage as the architect of this affordability crisis shows New Yorkers the real choices as it comes on Election Day.”

The Assembly member slammed Cuomo over the upwards of $60 million the state has spent on legal matters related to the nursing home and sexual harassment scandals that led to his resignation — money Mamdani said could have been spent on programs to make the city more affordable instead.

A Cuomo spokesperson did not immediately return a request for comment.

Cuomo thinks Mamdani ‘got exposed’

former governor andrew cuomo speaking at mayoral debate — Independent candidate and former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo speaks during a mayoral debate, in New York, Oct. 16, 2025.Angelina Katsanis/Pool via REUTERS

On Friday, Cuomo told conservative talk radio host Sid Rosenberg the opposite: that Mamdani exposed himself as a fraud during the debate.

“I think Mamdani got exposed, I think there’s no there there, he changes his answers, and I think it was obvious yesterday,” Cuomo said. “I got a chance to call him on a few of them and he did a total flip-flop.”

The former governor has gone after Mamdani for shifting toward the center on some of the harder left stances he embraced before running for mayor. For instance, Mamdani has disavowed past social media posts in which he endorsed defunding the police and called the NYPD racist.

Mamdani, who holds a commanding polling lead over Cuomo, expressed that he no longer sees the former governor’s candidacy as much of a threat to his winning the general election.

“He has a very narrow path to winning this race, because what New Yorkers saw is the fact that it’s more of the same with Andrew Cuomo,” Mamdani said about Cuomo’s debate performance. “It’s more of the same with the affordability crisis. It’s more of the same with the style of politics. It’s more of the same with the cow town to the very billionaires who gave us Donald Trump.”

The Democratic nominee’s comments came in response to Cuomo telling Rosenberg that it will be “very, very hard mathematically” for him to win the race if Sliwa stays in. The former governor picked up a significant 10% boost when current Mayor Eric Adams exited the race late last month, but that was not enough to catch up to Mamdani.

Cuomo insisted, as he has repeatedly, that Sliwa is “a spoiler,” who will hand the mayoralty to Mamdani by splitting the moderate and Republican votes between the two of them.

“There’s no way he wins, but all he can do is make Mamdani a winner,” Cuomo said, while charging that the Republican County party bosses who nominated Sliwa want Mamdani to serve as a GOP bogeyman. “That’s why the bosses are keeping him there.”

Sliwa, during a Friday morning interview on Pix11, rejected that notion, charging that Cuomo has already “tossed in the towel” by saying he cannot win unless Sliwa drops out.

“He’s already given up, going no mas, no mas,” Sliwa said of Cuomo. “He lost the primary, he’s just admitted he can’t win if I’m in the race. So, why not Andrew Cuomo drop out?”

However, a Fox News poll of likely voters out Thursday night showed Mamdani with over 50% of the vote for the first time. If those numbers hold, Cuomo would have a hard time overcoming him even if Sliwa were to drop out.

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Ethan Stark-Miller

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October 17, 2025

DOT’s ‘Open Streets’ hit legal roadblock as disability advocates say they are left out

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Courtesy of Open Plans and Transportation Alternatives.

A group of local disability advocates is making headway on a lawsuit against the City of New York that claims the city’s Open Streets program violates the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Federal Judge Eric Komitee will hear oral arguments on Thursday from the plaintiffs, many of whom are members of the ADA-advocacy group Access for All, and the defendants, including the NYC Department of Transportation (DOT) and other third-party groups. This marks a significant step in the lawsuit, which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, also known as the Brooklyn Federal Court, on April 24, 2023.

The plaintiffs claim that Open Streets does not provide equal mobility access to public streets. Some members of Access for All have called the program, which launched during the COVID-19 pandemic as a way for locked-down New Yorkers to enjoy open-air space, “ableist, ageist and elitist,” as it uses barriers and other heavy steel barricades that people with mobility issues can not lift or operate in order to enter the open-space area.

While the DOT declined to comment on this story due to pending litigation, agency officials have previously said Open Streets has benefits, including economic ones, for nearby businesses.

A 2022 DOT study, conducted with Bloomberg Philanthropies, found that during the first 18 months of the COVID-19 pandemic, restaurants and bars on Open Streets saw their sales grow by an average of 19% above pre-pandemic baseline levels, while those on “control corridors” saw a 29% dip in sales.

Open Streets are found in all five boroughs. Their hours of operation vary.

‘People can’t come and go through’ Open Streets

“What they actually do is use metal barriers or concrete blocks and obstructions to block the streets and the sidewalks in certain areas,” the plaintiffs’ lawyer, Matthew Berman, told amNewYork. “When those streets are blocked off, then you have a situation where there are no cars driving up and down the street, although the barricades have a sign that says ‘no thru traffic’ except for local traffic.”

Berman argued that disabled New Yorkers, or anyone with mobility issues, often have trouble lifting barriers to enter the zone.

“That’s really the issue,” he said. “People can’t come and go through these blocked-off streets.”

Volunteers with local civic groups typically manage open streets, some of which permit parking or deliveries. Barricades, such as steel barriers or cement blocks, are used to block off vehicular traffic, allowing room for pedestrians and cyclists, and in some cases, tables and chairs for relaxation.

“We don’t object to the fact that these spaces are being used for these purposes,” Berman said. “The issue is that our clients do not have equal access to the spaces because there is no way for them to get in and out.”

DOT's 'Open Streets' hit legal roadblock as disability advocates say they are left out 2 — DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez holds up his agency’s report on the economic boon of Open Streets on Oct. 25, 2022.Photo by Ben Brachfeld

Berman noted that in other cities with similar open street programs, accommodations are made for disabled people.

“Other cities that have done stuff like this have installed retractable bollards,” Berman gave as an example. “Some cities have used metal ones where they can be pushed down into the ground, go passed them, and lift them back up again.”

Still, there are other options, Berman said, such as having volunteer attendants assist people in entering or leaving the open street.

“There are different kinds of solutions, but nobody wants to do anything,” he said. “They just want to have this program, and not think about what the impact is on the disabled.”

Some of Berman’s clients have trouble accessing paratransit and rideshare vehicles that cannot drive through a closed street. Generally, employers do not permit drivers to leave their vehicles, even if an Open Streets barrier has to be moved. Disabled customers are often forced to meet Access-A-Ride, paratransit and rideshare vehicles on the corners of open streets, according to Access for All members.

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Barbara Russo-Lennon

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October 15, 2025

Thousands hail the Return of the ‘K-Pop King:’ G-Dragon holds two sold-out performances at Newark Prudential Center | amNewYork

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G-Dragon kicked off his tour at the Prudential Center.

Photos courtesy of GALAXY CORPORATION

K-Pop superstar G-Dragon burst into the Prudential Center like a fiery ball of confetti for two sold-out spectacular performances on Aug. 22 and Aug. 23.

Crowned the “King of K-Pop,” G-Dragon—the leader of BIGBANG—has solidified himself as a music legend. He is a forerunner of the historic wave of South Korean pop music that paved the way for groups like BTS and ATEEZ to become global titans themselves. Eight years ago, he enthralled thousands at the Prudential Center with his group BIGBANG and, without skipping a beat, gave that exemplary flair and energy only indicative of G-Dragon for his Übermensch World Tour last weekend.

Once again, this summer, thousands made the pilgrimage from the Big Apple across the Hudson River to Newark’s Prudential Center for an opportunity to see the “POWER” of G-Dragon in person and with a live band.

“Today is the first day, first show of the 2025 Übermensch World tour,” G-Dragon told the adoring crowd. “I’m so glad to be back. It’s been eight years, it’s been a long time, but we are here now.”

G-Dragon the King of K-Pop. — G-Dragon, the King of K-Pop.Photo: GALAXY CORPORATION

G-Dragon brought the drama, standing amongst a crowd of about 16,000 people on a pedestal wearing a golden gown and wrapped in a rose-covered jacket, with pyrotechnics shooting through the air and his talented dance team. The entire arc of his performance, featuring 20 songs, many of which were from his new album Übermensch, along with several classic hits, was told in a dramatic sequence of colors. From crimson lights emphasized with flames during “Home Sweet Home” to bursts of confetti in “Crayon,” G-Dragon held the crowd in the palm of his hand.

As the “King of K-Pop,” G-Dragon made sure to pay homage to Western icons with The Jackson 5’s “I Want You Back” during his performance of “Who You?” and Justin Timberlake’s “Like I Love You” with his song “Too Bad.”

Ahead of his second act, G-Dragon played a heartfelt cinematic “self-interview” during which he discussed the internal battles he faced working in the entertainment industry over the past 19 years. He reflected on the boy he once was, concerned about what others thought of him before evolving into the man he has become, confident in himself and his craft. He shared that he had to take a step back from the limelight so he could travel alone to find himself.

“I am you, and you are me. I hope you grow up in peace, feeling loved. You’re allowed to,” G-Dragon imparted to his fans.

Thousands held up their daisy lightsticks for G-Dragon.

This message resonated deeply with longtime supporter Karen Hong, who traveled all the way from Hong Kong to see G-Dragon live. She has been an avid fan of the charismatic leader for 14 years because of his musicality and ability to connect with his fans on a deeper level.

“The experience that he shared with us is equivalent to ours. Showing how a successful idol like him would also undergo a difficult time like us, a normal human. This confession he made during the show was a way of showing the fans emotional support and giving out suggestions to those who are going through difficulty now. There is always a way to deal with the issues. If not, take yourself out of the situation and review your environment…‘If GD could deal with it, I could do that too!,’” Wong said.

As thousands waved their Daisy-shaped light sticks, G-Dragon culminated the show with “Drama.”

G-Dragon left the crowd craving more. Holding up four fingers, he alluded to perhaps a reunion between his bandmates Dragon, Taeyang, Daesung, and maybe renowned actor T.O.P. for their 19th anniversary.

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Amanda Moses

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August 29, 2025