S8, Ep. 41 Raina Lipsitz on Mamdani, DSA, and the Rise of a New Left

Writer Raina Lipsitz joins co-hosts V.V. Ganeshananthan and Whitney Terrell to discuss Zohran Mamdani’s surprise win in the Democratic primary for New York City mayor. Lipsitz explains how Mamdani, a 33-year-old Muslim politician supported by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), appealed to a wide swath of voters to upset three-term governor Andrew Cuomo. She talks about volunteering for Mamdani’s campaign, the racist and Islamophobic attacks he faces, his advocacy for Palestine and for immigrants, and the powerful response he got from 18- to 29-year-old voters, as well as many people who voted for President Trump. Lipsitz considers the DSA’s rapid growth on college campuses as progressives seek to build community, and reads from her book The Rise of a New Left: How Young Radicals Are Shaping the Future of American Politics.   To hear the full episode, subscribe through iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app (include the forward slashes when searching). You can also listen by streaming from the player below. Check out video versions of our interviews on the Fiction/Non/Fiction Instagram account, the Fiction/Non/Fiction YouTube Channel, and our show website: https://www.fnfpodcast.net/. This podcast is produced by V.V. Ganeshananthan, Whitney Terrell, Hunter Murray, and Janet Reed. Selected Readings: Raina Lipsitz The Rise of a New Left: How Young Radicals Are Shaping the Future of American Politics “The Little Super PAC That Could (Stop Andrew Cuomo)” | The New Republic  "Sheriffs Already Have Too Much Power. Who Will Stop Them Now?" | In These Times  “Media Obscure Message of Oscar-Winning Documentary No Other Land” | FAIR "Lefty Groups Making It Possible for Families to Do Politics" - The Nation  Others “Republican Tells Zohran Mamdani: 'Go Back to the Third World'” - Newsweek “Mamdani: ‘So many of our victories’ were in Trump neighborhoods” - The Hill "Trump Ramps Up Threats to Arrest Mamdani" - New York Magazine Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices