Transcript: Mayor Mamdani Hosts "Talk With the People" Livestream
Zohran Mamdani on NYC Mayor's Office transcripts.
Passages
Good evening, everyone. Thank you so much for joining us with Talk with the People. So now I want you to think back to 2011. I want you to remember. You're on a train platform; you're heading home from work. There's no train times; there's no cell service. You've got no idea if the trains are even running. And you're not even sure when you're gonna get home. And then all of a sudden, from above, you hear a voice.
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the sourceIt's a voice millions of people across the world know as the sound of New York City. As the sound for those of us who call this city home, [the] sound of home. And today I am excited to talk to the person behind this voice, Bernie Wagenblast. Bernie. How are you? So good to have you. Thank you so much for joining us on Talk with the People. Well, Bernie, I think the first question is, how does someone discover that they have a passion for voice acting?
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the sourceThat's incredible. And when did you move from radio to the MTA?
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the sourceDid you ever have it on a day-to-day basis, someone who would know you as the voice without being able to quite place it?
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the sourceWhat is it like for you to be on the train when you hear — when you heard your own voice?
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the sourceIt's incredible. How did you — to the point that you just said, the voice that you have for the announcements, it's not the same voice that you are living with on a day-to-day basis in the way that you're living in the world. How did you develop that voice? How did you decide that that was the voice you wanted to have for the announcement?
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the sourceHow many words do you think you recorded for the MTA? Wow.
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the sourceAnd so, at that time, what had you done for the Port Authority? A similar kind of announcements?
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the sourceWell, I truly meant what I said, which is that your voice is the sound of home. It's an incredible thing to meet you, because it also, as you said, so many of us — I mean — even to know that it is a person — you kind of just hear it as the voice of authority. You know, life is what that voice is telling you. This is how far the train is, this is where it's going. Sometimes you would hope that voice could tell you more. What else is there? The one place of certainty. You know, I think we have a number of people who are here on the chat.
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the sourceAnd do people who do announcements sometimes do cartoons, for example? Is it flexible?
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the sourceYes, it was incredibly cold. To all those who remember, I had every conceivable heat patch on my body. It was unbelievably cold.
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the sourceI think the most surprising for me has been that even in a city like ours, where all of us are in a rush, many of us have been hardened by the difficulty of life in the nation's most expensive city, but how willing New Yorkers still are to believe in a better tomorrow if you just give them a reason to. You just have to show people that there's a reason. They should open up their hearts [and] open up their minds. And sometimes that reason can be the pothole that you just paved on their block. Sometimes the reason can be that they just got an offer for free universal childcare for their two-year-old for the first time in New York City history. Sometimes that reason can be that they're a worker who just got restitution back for having been taken advantage of by a bad boss. And sometimes it can be that you've just got help setting up a tenant union. And I think that all of those things, it's a reminder that in a world that can so often feel as if there isn't much reason for hope, that in fact, people want to. They're just looking for a reason. And I think to your question of what's the most difficult thing, I would say there are times when I meet people, and I'm meeting them in the worst moments of their life. I am meeting them when they have lost someone very dear to them. And when you hear the grief in their voice, it is a heartbreaking thing. You know, I recently went to a funeral for a young man, and I spoke right after we prayed together, and I then was saying goodbye to the family and his youngest brother; he gave me a hug, and he didn't wanna let go. And that moment when a 10-year-old is tugging at your clothes to try and remember their brothers — it's an incredibly difficult thing. And I think that we also know that while the world moves on from the tragedies of the week before, the families never get to. And that means the city also has to be sure that we're there for them. So that is some of the difficulty that comes with this and also the opportunity, though, to be there for these families in those moments.
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the sourceI think it shows how even in a city of 8.5 million people, even in the biggest city in the United States of America, we are a part of something bigger than ourselves. And as tempting as it is, and easy as it to feel alone in such a big place, there are also these moments where we feel like, actually, we're together. And I have a question for you as well. Which is, what is your favorite New York City subway experience?
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the sourceIs that planned? You do it with the MTA or you two choose to do it? Oh my God. I want to be there this year. I will have to follow up with you. You're doing this live? Have you ever done announcements in your MTA voice for non-MTA things?
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the sourceI can relate to that feeling because when I hear you speak, it's the same moment of recognition that this person lives and breathes among us and that we're here together in the same space. Oh, please.
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the sourceYou know, I used to struggle with claustrophobia. And you may recall 2017 was called the summer of hell. Where we were at a peak in terms of train delays [and] stoppages. And that was exactly the time where I was living in Morningside Heights and commuting to Bay Ridge. So that was about an hour and a half each way, I would take the 1 to the 2 to the N to the R. And it was on the end, typically right before Atlantic Avenue, that there would almost always be a stoppage in the tunnel. And in those moments, I would start to feel this just like creeping paralysis and this anxiety reaching a fever pitch. And in these moments, something that would always calm me down is if I could strike up a conversation with somebody on the train. And you know there's a caricature of New Yorkers and that we are in a rush, that we are rude and all these things that people say about us. But in that moment of need, I just found so many people, whose names I have now forgotten, who were willing to give me one, two, three [or] four minutes. As I would say, “Hi, I'm Zohran. I'm struggling with some claustrophobia. Would you mind just talking to me about anything?” And then we'd have a conversation. And that's the generosity of spirit that I so love about our city and about our subway system. Which is that it is also an example of a public good that at its best is so good, that no matter how much money is in your pocket you choose to take it because it's the way of getting around the city.
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the sourceThat's the dream, that's the dream. And I know we have a few people from chat who are asking a couple of things. I think this one is for you. [Crosstalk.]
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the source[Livestream Username], you just committed a live crime live because you accused us of something that's not true. If we were pre-recording, could I do this? I could. But could I mention your name and then respond to you? I could not. So, still struggling with chat and streaming but not pre-recording. Not yet. That's when we get really lazy with it. But there is a question here for you. [Crosstalk.] Oh, a question for me.
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the sourceYes, absolutely I can. Thank you very much, my friend, for asking this and thank you very much for your advocacy on this issue. You know, we know that here in New York City, one of the many things that we're so proud of when it comes to our city is that we have been a haven for queer people across the country and across the world. And it's part of our city's history and it's a part of what so many love about this city. And we also know that this is a moment in time where we have a federal administration that is deeply hostile to very existence of queer people, and especially trans people. And so, we made a decision earlier this year when we put forward our budget, to invest $15 million to start to deliver gender-affirming care for trans New Yorkers. And this is part of a larger commitment to the health and wellbeing of trans New Yorkers, both by creating our first ever Office of LGBTQIA+ Affairs, headed by the incredible Taylor Brown. Which is finally giving a home to the needs of queer New Yorkers in a way that hasn't been done before in City government. And also, by registering our opposition to the federal government's attempt at being able to gain access to the private medical records of trans youth right here in New York City. And so, these are a few of the ways that we're standing up, but I thank you for your advocacy and for leading the way.
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the sourceI think a lot of that is also a reflection of the fact that you and your voice are a part of the tapestry of our city. And it's a city that means so much to so many of us. And it's a joy to be able to engage with that, especially when there's a lot of modern life that feels as if it's mechanical, that feels maybe even that it's automated. And then to have a living, breathing person who was this voice that gave you instruction, that gave you some clarity in a moment. You know, as I was saying in the beginning, there were times when we'd hear your voice, we wouldn't have a train time, we wouldn't have cell service, we wouldn't have any other way to know. And then there it was. And I'm so glad that you are living these multiple lives now, whether it be in arts and culture, MTA. It's amazing.
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the sourceWe hope that's how to pronounce your name. Let us know in chat if that's not.
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the sourceOkay, I will give you two goals. Goal number one is that I witness Bernie performing the announcements live on the holiday train. I want to make sure that I actually do that. Goal two, just earlier this week we announced that we had actually met the demand for the 2,000 free childcare seats for two-year-olds. We had about 5,700 applicants and we're rolling out these first 2,000 or so seats later in the fall. A year from now, our goal and our commitment to New Yorkers is we're going to go from 2,000 seats of free childcare for two-year-olds to 12,000 seats of free childcare seats for two-year-olds. And so, by this point next year, we will have finished the application process I would expect. And the reason this matters is we are talking about the subway. One of the beautiful things about the subway is that for many New Yorker it feels within reach. Childcare is something that doesn't because the average cost of childcare in our city is $20,000. That's considered a good deal in New York City. Some parents are paying up to $40,000. So, when you are able to deliver universal childcare for two-year-olds, you are saving those parents anywhere from $20,000 to $40,000. And we're starting with 2,000 families this year. The goal, the commitment is to deliver that for 12,000 next year. You know, that’s like — trying to do the math. How many subway rides into $20,000? Don't ask us, do not ask us. Okay, I've got a question from [Livestream Username]. Question for Bernie.
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the sourceAnd I think it's just a beautiful example of the fact that this is what home looks like and feels like. And to that person who asked that question, you too are at home.
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the sourceYes, I can. Absolutely. So, as some of you may know, we've made a commitment to build 200,000 affordable homes over the next 10 years. And recently, we actually went on a double-decker bus tour of the Bronx because what better way to see the Bronx? Come on, you've got to get on a double-decker bus. Which is actually the first time I've ever been on a doubled-decker bus in New York City, because usually, you don't move around the city that you live in as a tourist. And double-decker busses are primarily for tourists, but it was great. Very close to the stop signs. And the reason we went on that bus was to bring to life something called the LIFT Tracker, the LIFT Report. Now this is a report about the city-owned pieces of land that we have where we can build affordable housing. And we saw three different sites. And these were sites that were designated as sites for affordable housing, some even up to eight years ago, and yet they look as they did then. There's been delays, there's been the kinds of inaction that for too many people have come to typify local government. And what we showcased is that thanks to the work that we've done through our SPEED task force, through our LIFT Report, these are the kinds of places where we're going to be delivering new housing. It's going to be on places that are currently vacant. It's gonna be the transformation of a library into a library that has affordable housing built on top of that library. And we're gonna be able to do this by also cutting delays by up to two years, because the big question for us is, how can we move at the speed of this city? Because we know that working people — especially those who know Bernie's voice — are ones who never have an extra minute to waste. But for too long, it's felt as if City government has nothing but time to waste, and we're looking to make it clear that those days are coming to an end. Yes. Yes, yes, yes, it does. So, I have a couple more questions. What is your favorite subway line?
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the sourceIt is one that is also a bit of a nostalgic pick for me, but I'm gonna go with the 9 train. For that real heavy dose of nostalgia. So, I used to live by 116th Street, and so it was the 1 [and] 9. And those are the trains that I grew up with when I first moved to New York City. I was seven years old. And that's how I really remember those early, early days.
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the sourceThis is a Casio watch, given to me by my wife. And you can find this pretty much anywhere.
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the sourceOkay, I have to tell you something. I'm a little bit nuts, and I set my watch to like three or four minutes ahead. And I thought that would make sure that I would always be early. And instead, it has wasted so much of my time in trying to calculate what the actual time is. Because I'm looking at it and I'm like, “X minus 3.5, where are we right now?” So, I've recently admitted defeat and I have set the time to what the time actually is. Currently 6:28, 24 seconds on the dot. I recommend you all do the same.
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the sourceThat is a lovely and important question. When we were talking about housing, like the conversation we were just having, one of the critical parts of it is also building housing for those who are both currently and formerly homeless. Just recently — actually, I think it was on Monday of this week — I was at Casanova Residences in the Bronx where we were breaking ground on a number of supportive housing units for formerly homeless New Yorkers. And for those who don't know, supportive housing is housing that also comes with the kind of programming and support that helps people not only stay in those homes but also ensure that they have all that they need to live a productive and a full life. And it is critically important that we build all of these different kinds of housing in our city because to be frank, we haven't been building enough housing since 1961. We started at that point to reduce the amount of housing we were building; and as much as we are the biggest city in America — if we don't grow as a city, we die. And so, what we need to do is to ensure that we go back to the early days when we could build the Empire State Building in 13 months and not what we've seen over the last few decades, which is an ever-dwindling sense of ambition when it comes to how much housing we can build in the city.
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the sourceI'm gonna first touch wood, as we are seven months into the first term. But if I were to accept your premise, I think a few things. I want this city to be one that is affordable for queer New Yorkers to live in and for queer people to move to as well. Because we celebrate our city as a place of incredible queer history and we also want it to be a place where that history can keep being written. Because so much of this city, it feels like the stories that we love about it are stories that might not be able to be told today because those icons would not be able to have afforded life in the city. And we know that queer New Yorkers are facing disproportionately high levels of poverty and unemployment. And that is but one example of what happens when we aren't taking action on this. I think the other part of this is to ensure that we're using every tool at our disposal to both protect queer lives and also advance an affirmative vision of what queer life can look like in the city. And I've found that so much of those ideas can actually come from listening as opposed to lecturing. And I look forward to doing that for the next, you know, three and a half years and hopefully beyond that. So, thank you, thank you so much. This has really been lovely. Thank you so much Bernie for being a part of this.
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the sourcePlease — it's been a joy. Thank you all everyone and to the hater who said that it was prerecorded: 6:32 in two seconds, come on. Have a great evening, everyone. ###
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the source
Every passage above is taken from this recording: NYC Mayor's Office transcripts, Transcript: Mayor Mamdani Hosts "Talk With the People" Livestream.