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 at the SoHo Playhouse 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 journalist Ross Barkan 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.
Ross Barkan – Opposition
Ross Barkan is a journalist and writer based in New York City. He is a contributing writer at New York Magazine’s Intelligencer and has also written for The Nation, The Guardian, and The New York Times. His reporting and commentary focus on New York politics, housing, and media. He is the author of several books, including The Prince: Andrew Cuomo, Coronavirus, and the Fall of New York.
The Oxford-style debate will be moderated by the Director of Young Voices Debates, Hekmat Matthew Aboukhater.
