Introduction
Are you disillusioned with the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and the Democratic Party? Do you recognize that the federal government is often a hostile entity with little interest in protecting the working class and marginalized individuals? Do you feel hopeless, lost, or incapable of making change at a national level? Are you an American citizen or otherwise eligible to vote and protest freely without threat of deportation?
Then this guide is for you.
It’s easy to get overwhelmed when you focus on national (and international) politics. The two major political parties in this country largely do not serve the working class. However, we need to understand the money, power, and reach the DNC has. The intention here is not to make enemies of the DNC, but instead to understand how they operate and co-opt their infrastructure at a local level — with the goal of primarying (challenging in primaries) established DNC politicians with candidates who actually serve their constituents and the working class in NYC.
How do we make change at a local level in a two-party system? The good news is that New York City is the largest city in the United States with ranked-choice voting (RCV). Our mayor (in primaries), public advocate, comptroller, borough presidents, and city council members are all elected via RCV.
Ranked-choice voting undermines the power of the two-party system — so much so that as of June 2025, 17 states have enacted laws banning or restricting RCV. These bans are relatively new: Tennessee was the first state to ban RCV in 2022. However, in NYC, 73.5% of voters voted yes for ranked-choice voting when it appeared on the ballot in 2019. It remains a popular measure.
Ranked-choice voting gives communities real power to choose candidates who represent them locally. At present, RCV does not apply to state or federal elections in New York. Changing that would require state-level legislation or a statewide ballot measure — and that work starts locally.
Make Friends, NOT Enemies
One thing that stood out to me while I was canvassing for the Democratic candidate for NYC mayor (Zohran Mamdani), was that the canvass leaders emphasized positivity in all interactions with the public. People remember how you make them feel. People vote with their emotions as much as (if not more than) logic.
Condescension, sarcasm, mockery — while funny to your in-group — are alienating to outsiders who could become potential members of your movement or community. The internet is not real life. While it influences how people think and vote, utilizing tactics common in pseudo-political online spaces (shaming, cancelling, doxxing) will alienate potential voters in real communities. Most people do not care how many likes you get on your edgy meme. They care about how they’ll feed their family next week, how they’ll afford to house their children, and whether they’ll have reliable transit to work.
Virtue signaling (signaling to your in-group that you’re “a good person”) is not going to win elections or help local communities. It’s a performative measure that speaks only to people who already agree with you. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it — solidarity pins, flags, or small acts can help create visibility — but it should be paired with real organizing.
Progressive and leftist groups often struggle with coalition-building. You cannot simply hold good opinions and like memes online and assume that you are making change.
Another issue with younger progressive movements is purity testing. Leftists love purity tests. They are not useful when you’re talking to average people. Average people might not have the “right opinion” on every single item that you deem important. BUT if you can get them to vote based on simple, everyday issues like housing, food accessibility, and transit, then you might be able to make inroads on more niche issues later. Meet people where they’re at, not where you want them to be.
Do not talk disparagingly about groups you need support from. Alienating people based on race, income, education, or neighborhood is not useful if you want their support.
How Do Political Groups Get Organic Support?
The Republican National Committee (RNC) operated in a different way from the DNC during the 2022 and 2024 election cycles. While the RNC is still a top-down organization, they recognized the power of providing community care. They used this as a way to attract marginalized and vulnerable communities.
The RNC ran community centers throughout the country in 2022 and provided access to canned food, baby formula, judo lessons, and financial literacy workshops.
Note: These “RNC community centers” were largely shut down by 2024, often because they were underfunded or intended primarily as short-term election strategies.
Republican voters can be swayed. I know several individuals who voted for Trump in 2016 because they were not fully informed on the chaos he would create in this country. Most people are not deeply informed on political issues. If you truly want to make change, you must be patient with them. Listen to them. Ask them questions. Do not make assumptions about why people vote — ASK.
When I speak with individuals who run for office as Democratic candidates in their small towns, they often note that they get zero support from the DNC. The DNC often asks for money, but it is hard to see how much of that money is routed back to communities. The RNC has large donor bases filled with wealthy, established individuals. But their actual policies are not popular.
As noted above, people remember how they were treated — and they will vote for a Republican if that candidate’s party gave them baby formula. Leftist memes that demonize Republican voters are not useful to anyone but your in-group. Ask yourself: do memes feed babies?
One group that wielded tremendous power (and struck fear into the establishment) was the Black Panther Party. What did they do? They provided free food for kids. The Free Breakfast for School Children Program fed thousands of kids in the late 1960s through the early 1970s. They also provided free medical and legal clinics.
How did the U.S. government respond? With hostility. The Black Panther Party was systematically dismantled. However, the free breakfast program was so popular that the federal government caved to public pressure and created the official School Breakfast Program in 1975.
What can we learn from the Black Panthers and the RNC? You gain support by giving back. You don’t demand things from your community. You support your community. You make their lives easier. You make them like you.
Volunteer to mentor youth. Volunteer to feed the elderly. Support causes that don’t directly affect you. I never intend to birth children, but I understand the worth in supporting free childcare for my community. I am not an immigrant, but I understand the value in supporting immigrant communities, who may have wealth and influence that can later aid causes I support. People remember how you made them feel.
Study the history of older political movements. Note their successes and note their flaws.
Strong Mayor vs. City Council
New York City has both a mayor and a city council. In this form of government, the city council acts as the primary legislative body (they write and propose laws), and the mayor serves as the chief executive. There are 51 city council districts in NYC. Only 6 are currently represented by Republicans.
Members are limited to two consecutive four-year terms and are elected every four years.
In some cities the mayor has as much power as any other member of city council. In NYC, the mayor matters a lot more. The mayor proposes budgets, signs legislation, appoints commissioners and board members, and possesses veto power over bills.
City council salaries are currently $148,500 per year, with most forms of outside income prohibited.
Council members serve on (and chair) committees that vary in topic. Community members — i.e., you — are entitled to attend and observe most committee meetings. You are also entitled to speak at them.
Committees range in topics from Aging, Children and Youth, Education, Finance, Immigration, Land Use, Public Health, Parks and Recreation, Technology, Veterans, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Public Safety. (Full committee list is here: https://council.nyc.gov/committees/)
The council posts agendas for committee meetings ahead of time and provides minutes and video after.
There are several city council members who took office after 2020 without establishment DNC backing. For example, Chi Ossé, one of the youngest councilmembers ever elected, gained support via Warriors in the Garden, an activist group formed during the 2020 BLM protests.
Other newer members have backgrounds in policy work and moved up through community boards or staff positions. Crystal Hudson, for instance, ran against the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) candidate in her race. Despite endorsements from establishment Democrats like Hakeem Jeffries, the DSA challenge pushed Hudson to distance herself from party orthodoxy and embrace more progressive positions.
Zohran Mamdani is currently a sitting member of the New York State Assembly. The Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature (NYSL), with 150 members elected to two-year terms. The State Senate is the upper house, with 63 members, also elected to two-year terms. Both houses currently have a Democratic majority. Legislators earn a salary of $142,000 annually.
Action vs. Reaction
The DNC often acts reactively. It is useful to think of politics as a game of emotional influence. You often don’t win because you have the most facts or the best logic — you win because of how you make people feel. This doesn’t mean lying or misrepresenting reality. It means considering what your end goal is, and choosing strategies that align with how people actually make decisions.
Stay two steps ahead of your opposition by researching the tactics they use — and how they spread division or create unity in your community.
Think Creatively, Gain Skills
What can you offer your community? What skills can you gain to better yourself and serve your community?
Toastmasters is a great way to gain confidence in public speaking and speech writing. Big Brothers Big Sisters is a great way to gain mentorship experience and learn how to connect with younger generations.
Graphic designers, historians, anthropologists, nurses, architects, farmers, etc. — all have unique skill sets that can be leveraged in some way for community benefit. Don’t underestimate everyday skills either: cooking, event planning, tech troubleshooting, or translation services can be invaluable in organizing.
Protect Yourself
I do not advocate engaging in illegal activities, nor do I advocate putting yourself into positions that could cause undue harm to yourself or others.
Realistically speaking, most forms of activism that make real change carry some level of risk. Be careful about who you share information with and where you share it. You do not need to broadcast everything you do on social media. A private win in your community counts just as much (and sometimes more) than a viral post.
You do not need to lose your job because you posted a meme on your public account. You do not need to get arrested if you do not have the financial means to make bail. There are ways for everyone to contribute. Mentoring, volunteering, and attending city council meetings are just as useful as protesting in the streets. Mutual aid organizers often say: “not everyone needs to be on the front line.” Find the role that’s sustainable for you.
Where to Start
Attend city council meetings. Join your community board. Volunteer in your community. Follow the two largest progressive parties in the city: the Working Families Party (WFP) and Democratic Socialists of America (DSA).
Canvass for your preferred candidates — canvassing is a legal right protected by the First Amendment, and it’s really not that scary. Encourage your friends and family to vote. Talk about voting. Talk about issues that matter to you. Remember that half of organizing is simply reminding people that their voice counts.
Canvass for Mamdani: https://www.zohranfornyc.com/volunteer/events
Local WFP Events: https://www.mobilize.us/workingfamilies/event/848057/
National WFP Welcome Gathering: https://www.mobilize.us/workingfamilies/event/428362/
Note: The WFP also announces borough-specific and neighborhood-focused welcome gatherings periodically — keep an eye on their calendar.
NYC-DSA Events: https://calendar.socialists.nyc/
Note: NYC-DSA 101 meetings fill up quickly. RSVPs for the Wednesday introductory sessions are booked until October 15th. They also offer free childcare, which is worth highlighting — it signals to new members that their family responsibilities are not a barrier to participation.