DEBATE: Is Zohran Mamdani’s Political Program Radical by Mainstream Measure?
Watch VIRTUALLY here:
https://x.com/whatthehekmat/status/1970302837595787739?s=46
What is Zohran Mamdani’s political program? Is it a bold new vision for New York’s future, or is it, as some argue, radical by any mainstream measure? As we near November, Mamdani’s platform is drawing both passionate supporters and fierce detractors. These questions and more will be debated at length during our next Young Voices Debate in New York City.
The resolution: New York Mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani’s political program is radical by mainstream measure.
Young Voices Contributor Daniel Idfresne will be taking the proposition, and NYC DSA activist Alex Pellitteri will be taking the opposition.
Tuesday September 23rd, 2025
Doors — 7:00PM (EST)
Debate — 7:30PM - 9:00PM (EST)
Wine Reception — 9:00PM - 10:00PM (EST)
Meet the Debaters
Daniel Idfresne – Proposition
Daniel Idfresne is a contributor with Young Voices whose work focuses on urban policy, criminal justice reform, and the future of American cities. He has written extensively on New York politics and culture, with bylines in New York Post, Newsweek, The Free Press, Reason, and RealClearPolitics. Daniel brings a sharp libertarian perspective to questions of governance and urban development.
Alex Pellitteri– Opposition
Alex Pellitteri is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America and a volunteer on Zohran Mamdani's mayoral campaign He previously served as a political campaign manager, an organizer in DSA's student section and recently completed a term on DSA's National Political Committee. He is a native New Yorker, holds a BA from Hunter College and has written about electoral politics for socialist publications such as The Call and The Activist.
The Oxford-style debate will be moderated by the Director of Young Voices Debates, Hekmat Matthew Aboukhater.
Watch VIRTUALLY here:
https://x.com/whatthehekmat/status/1970302837595787739?s=46