Zohran Mamdani officially took the oath of office as the clock struck midnight on New Year’s Eve, becoming the 112th mayor of New York City.
In a private ceremony at the abandoned Old City Hall subway station, Mamdani was sworn in by New York Attorney General Letitia James.
The 34-year-old democratic socialist, who served in the 36th Assembly District representing the Queens neighborhood of Astoria, is now the city’s first Muslim mayor and its first of South Asian descent.
“This is truly the honor and the privilege of a lifetime,” Mamdani said in a brief speech.
Yuki Iwamura / AP
Mamdani called old subway station a “testament to the importance of public transit to the vitality, the health and the legacy of our city.” He then announced the appointment of Mike Flynn as his new Department of Transportation commissioner.
Public oath to be taken Thursday afternoon
Mamdani will publicly take the oath of office, administered by U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, on Thursday at 1 p.m. at City Hall. CBS News New York will stream the ceremony live.
The new mayor’s public swearing-in will accompany a block party celebration in Lower Manhattan that runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Anyone planning to attend must RSVP online.
Dubbed the “Inauguration of a New Era,” it will take place in the famed “Canyon of Heroes,” from Liberty Street to Murray Street — an historic stretch along Broadway. The route is famous for ticker-tape parades that have honored athletes, astronauts, politicians and New York heroes.
The celebration will include music, performances and interfaith elements, Mamdani’s transition team said.
Mamdani’s inauguration is expected to draw media attention from across the country and around the world.
“I think there is really going to be a lot of energy. I think many of us who have had a chance to cover Mamdani and to photograph him have really seen the charisma up close, and I think he has really been able to like create these connections to so many different New Yorkers,” photographer Amanda Briggs said.
In preparation for the transfer of power, Mamdani appointed five new high-ranking members of his administration over the last two days, including a new city schools chancellor, Kamar Samuels.
What to know about new DOT Commissioner Mike Flynn
With more than two decades of experience in both the public and private sectors, Flynn will be counted on to help Mamdani achieve many of his affordability goals, including free buses, one of the new mayor’s signature policy proposals.
“It is an honor to have Mike here alongside me as we embark on an administration that will take seriously the responsibility and the opportunity we have to make this streetscape and the public transit of the city we call home the envy of the world,” Mamdani said during the swearing-in ceremony. “And it will require someone who’s experienced, who is fluent in the landscape as it is, and who is ambitious and imaginative towards the landscape, as it could be. And I can think of no better person than the man alongside me.”
Prior to his appointment, Flynn was a vice president and sector manager for TYLin City Solutions, where he, according to Mamdani’s transition website, “supported teams of engineers, planners, designers, and community outreach specialists working across disciplines to solve complex transportation, development, and infrastructure challenges throughout the New York City region.”
Earlier in his career, Flynn worked for the New York City Department of Transportation for almost 10 years, holding senior leadership positions, including Director of Capital Planning and Project Initiation, a role in which he “guided the planning and delivery of major capital street improvement projects supporting traffic safety, bus priority, and new public spaces citywide,” Mamdani’s website says.
“I am honored by the trust Mayor Zohran Mamdani has placed in me to lead the Department of Transportation and work alongside this team to deliver for New Yorkers. Transportation is essential to affordability and quality of life, it determines how people get to work, school, and home safely. I look forward to building a DOT that moves faster, puts safety first, and delivers real wins for working New Yorkers,” Flynn said in a statement.
What transportation experts say about Mike Flynn
Some experts on transportation in the Big Apple say Flynn is an excellent choice to lead the department going forward.
“RPA applauds the Mamdani Administration for appointing Mike Flynn as DOT Commissioner. He is a well-respected expert and leader in city transportation policy and we are excited to help him carry out a vision for better bus service and safer streets,” Kate Slevin, executive vice president of the Regional Plan Association, said in a statement.
“Mike knows the agency, the city and its streets from the inside out,” added former city DOT commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan. “Mike will be a strong voice for Mayor Mamdani and for all New Yorkers in making transportation work for them, and for turning proposals into projects in the ground that will make the city’s streets safer, more accessible and affordable.”
