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Grassroots group backing Mayor Mamdani's policies is down to 1 staffer
By
Elizabeth Kim
Published Apr 24, 2026
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Andrew Lichtenstein/ Corbis via Getty Images
By
Elizabeth Kim
Published Apr 24, 2026
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A nonprofit created by Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s allies to harness the grassroots energy of his historic campaign is facing a crisis after all but one of its staff members have stepped down.
Top leaders at Our Time NYC, which is not officially affiliated with the mayor but aligned with his goals, have left in recent months. The group was announced in November by members of the Democratic Socialists of America, the mayor’s political base.
But observers said Our Time’s goals overlapped with those of DSA and other leftist groups seeking to recruit Mamdani’s supporters — many of whom are young and new to politics.
“You’re setting up a group that is in some ways set up to fail,” said Democratic strategist Matt Wing. “It’s competing for resources, talent and it lacks clear direction.”
The shakeup at Our Time was first reported by City & State. Emma Saltzberg, a member of the group’s board, told the outlet that Our Time was currently “in a moment of pausing, reflecting, adjusting to meet the moment.” She did not respond to questions from Gothamist.
From the outset, some supporters expressed concerns that the group could face pitfalls that befell another charismatic politician who inspired a movement. Organizing for America, which was founded by President Barack Obama in 2008 to maintain his grassroots momentum, was later criticized for being ineffective and serving as a tool of the White House that wound up undermining local Democratic Party organizations.
Other observers warned that Mayor Bill de Blasio’s Campaign for One New York, a similar nonprofit created to advocate for de Blasio’s policies, became the center of a major federal investigation over fundraising that marred much of de Blasio’s first term.
Our Time was formed in October as a tax-exempt 501(c)(4) social welfare nonprofit. Documents filed with the state said the group intended to both lobby and fundraise. The group’s executive director, Jeremy Freeman, had been contracted for the year to lobby for a sum of $137,500, according to filings. The group listed education, budget, labor, affordable housing, taxes and transportation as issues it intended to lobby.
Wing said that Mamdani’s decision to endorse Gov. Kathy Hochul only made it harder for Our Time to generate energy and excitement. In February, Our Time organized its most high-profile event: a “Tax the Rich” rally in Albany to pressure Hochul. The gathering was smaller than organizers had hoped and Mamdani did not attend.
Filings for that month show the group reported roughly $15,000 in expenses.
“If you’re a true believer in the DSA, you join there, if you support Zohran because you believe in the mayor, you’ll engage in direct action supporting his agenda,” said political consultant Jon Paul Lupo. “Our Time lives in a middle area that can be very tricky to build sustainably and we’re seeing that here.”
Our Time also faced the challenge of the political calendar, with multiple competitive primary candidates kicking off campaigns in early 2026.
Mamdani's historic campaign succeeded in part by engaging new, young voters.
Zohran for NYC
Isaac Duarte, 28, of Inwood, canvassed for Our Time in January and attended the lobbying trip to Albany in February. That was his last event with Our Time. He said he had a positive experience, but for some volunteers, “they left wanting more.”
Duarte is now spending his time volunteering for Darializa Avila Chevalier, an NYC-DSA and Justice Democrat-endorsed candidate challenging U.S. Rep. Adriano Espaillat.
Nonprofit groups like Our Time are not generally required to disclose their donors, but the website lists seven donors who gave over $1,000. They include Leah Hunt-Hendrix, a wealthy heir to the Hunt family oil fortune who co-hosted a fundraiser for Mamdani last year.
Basil Smikle, the former head of the New York State Democratic Party, said the staff upheaval does not bode well for Our Time’s ability to raise money in the future.
“Donors are going to have to know where to give their money,” Smikle said. “If they feel these entities are dysfunctional, they are going to sit it out.”
Mamdani last week announced that his office would seek to raise $20 million from private donors through the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City, a city-run nonprofit.
Smikle said political groups that seek to ride the momentum of a successful campaign often struggle over where to direct grassroots supporters. “People are trying to figure out where they are going to have the most traction,” he said. “That means what’s next. Is it an expansion of the DSA? Is there room for the Working Families Party?”
Tascha Van Auken, Mamdani’s campaign field director who now heads his newly created Office of Mass Engagement at City Hall, spoke about lessons she learned from working on previous campaigns during a DSA Zoom call shortly after the election, according to political writer Micah Sifry.
“I don’t know if any of you have experienced campaigns in the past that had some energy and may have felt like a bit of a flash in the pan,” she said. “There’s all this energy, there’s all this excitement, and then it goes away, because people don’t know what’s next.”
She added: “It’s a pretty upsetting experience.”
Brigid Bergin contributed reporting.
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new york city
Elizabeth Kim
Elizabeth Kim is a reporter on the People and Power desk who covers mayoral power. She previously covered the pandemic, housing, redevelopment and public spaces. A native of Queens, she speaks fluent Mandarin. Got a tip? Email [email protected]
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