{"id":445,"date":"2026-06-25T22:11:29","date_gmt":"2026-06-25T22:11:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/atlaslivingmedia.com\/?p=445"},"modified":"2026-06-25T22:11:29","modified_gmt":"2026-06-25T22:11:29","slug":"progressives-are-winning-big-heres-how-we-keep-it-up","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/atlaslivingmedia.com\/?p=445","title":{"rendered":"Progressives Are Winning Big. Here\u2019s How We Keep It Up."},"content":{"rendered":"
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This week, New York City beat the odds again. A year after Mayor Zohran Mamdani\u2019s historic primary win, a new wave of progressive candidates swept the city, shattering long-standing conventions regarding what an elected official should look like or stand for.<\/p>\n

Read more 17 Rappers Have Supported Trump<\/a><\/p>\n

Aber Kawas, a fellow Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, native whom I have been proud to mentor, is on her way to becoming the first Palestinian American elected to the New York state Senate. Darializa Avila Chevalier, who helped organize Columbia University\u2019s encampments protesting the Gaza genocide, is now poised to represent the university in Congress. Brad Lander, a Jewish candidate who pledged to cosponsor the Block the Bombs Act, restricting military aid to Israel, unseated two-term Representative Dan Goldman. And Claire Valdez, who inspired voters with her appetite for championing big, bold domestic- and foreign-policy changes, is also heading to the House of Representatives. And that\u2019s just a partial tally; strong progressive candidates won big in elections at every single level of government.<\/p>\n

Many people were absolutely shocked by the scale of these victories. I wasn\u2019t\u2014because I know what it took to get here. I\u2019ve seen a narrative play out in some circles online, alleging that gentrifiers (code for privileged white newcomers) should get the credit for New York City\u2019s primary wins. This narrative erases the many native New Yorkers, communities of color, and working-class people who backed these candidates. I\u2019ve worked with hundreds of these volunteers over the years, and I am one of them.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve spent the last 25 years as a part of this movement, beginning with my early days helping to organize Muslim and Arab communities in New York City and cofounding the city\u2019s Muslim Democratic Club. A decade ago, I founded MPower Change and MPower Action to take that work national, registering and mobilizing tens of thousands of voters across the country through our nonpartisan My Muslim Vote campaign.<\/p>\n

The results of this movement are plain to see. Muslim Americans\u2014who comprise a mosaic of racial and ethnic identities\u2014are registering to vote in increasing numbers, and many more are running for office as part of a larger multiracial progressive coalition that is challenging the status quo We are fueled by a desire to challenge decades of US policies that have disproportionately harmed our communities: ICE raids, travel bans, racial profiling, and support for Israel\u2019s ongoing genocide in Palestine and terrorizing of families across the region.<\/p>\n

Read more Arab Americans Have Always Been Here<\/a><\/p>\n

As we dive deeper into the 2026 midterms and dip our toes in the 2028 presidential race, these fights will only become more important. On Saturday, thousands of us will gather in Washington, DC, to mark America\u2019s 250th by offering a Declaration of Interdependence\u2014a collective vision for the America we want to build as we look ahead to the next 250 years. We know that if we want to bring this declaration to life, we must back values-aligned candidates and mobilize values-aligned voters.<\/p>\n

Based on my experiences activating voters and advising campaigns in New York and across the country, these are the five core issues I believe that voters and candidates need to focus on now to make our vision of an interdependent America a reality:<\/p>\n