NY missive no 195 - Party Pope, and Mamdani's campaign

 

Crowds start to gather in Astoria Park before the annual July 4 celebration (which is always one Thursday before actual July 4)

For some reason a story about the new Pope deciding that he would open up the Papal Summer residency Castel Gandolfo - which his predecessor Francis had declined as a luxury - struck a chord with me. “Not a sin to swim” was the headline. Among the darkness that seems to be permeating much of the world these days, he decided that respite and reflection are ok, that he can take a pause before the serious work ahead.

Then the next bit of news I see about him he’s organizing a "Jubilee of Youth" in Rome, attended by a million young Catholics. (I'm agnostic myself, but like many have followed news of the new papacy). There’s a strategic dimension to reaching out to youth of course - he's vested in the survival and growth of the church . But it also sends a message of what he sees as a priority - creating space for young people, space for hope to be nurtured. 

Pope Leo's complex lineage reflects an important story too. There’s a much-needed shift underway more generally which recognizes that while many groups have traditionally been - and continue to be - subjected to oppression -  individual identifies are often multifaceted, and becoming more and more multifaceted. Multiplicity has meaning as well as the narrower identities of which it is composed.

Multiplicity has been prominent in Zohran Mamdani’s campaign for New York City Mayor as well, which my goodness has brought a new sense of possibility to NYC politics. It has galvanized people in ways that don’t presume politics on the basis of narrowly-defined identities. It has inspired many first-time voters to register and vote, tapping into one overarching reality that resonates with the majority of New Yorkers - affordability, particularly of housing, transit, food and child care. 

People are questioning whether all the specific proposals behind the platform are achievable, but look at how any savvy politician broadens support to win (which you need to do before you can actually change anything). Trump's “build the wall”, for example. It’s how it works, and it is working. It’s a campaign that prioritizes listening over preaching, with an emphasis on connecting with people where they are at - check out this walk down the length of Manhattan just before primary night. And it also leans towards hope, hope that does not ignore the deep divisions and dark directions of the world but that does recognize the power of joy.