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Mamdani becomes first U.S. official to launch Twitch series
The mayor said the cross-platform livestream aims to make City Hall more accessible to younger residents.
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Malvika Choudhary - Thu, 21, May 2026
- 17:54 EDT
- 54
Series' poster / X/ @NYCMayor
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani on May 21 became the first elected official in the United States to launch a recurring Twitch series aimed at answering questions from New Yorkers in real time across multiple social media platforms.
The series, titled “Talk With The People,” is streamed on Twitch and simulcast on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, X, Bluesky and podcast platforms, according to the mayor’s office.
Also Read: Mamdani announces affordable $50 World Cup tickets for residents
The initiative draws inspiration from former New York City Mayor Fiorello La Guardia, who hosted the radio program “Talk to the People” in the 1930s and 1940s.
“In 1942, Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia spoke directly to New Yorkers through his radio program ‘Talk to the People,’ using the most cutting-edge technology of his era to break through traditional gatekeepers and connect with working people across the city,” Mamdani said during the opening of the livestream. “But I like to think that if Twitch existed back then, he would have streamed too.”
Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani becomes the first elected official to launch a regularly occurring, multi-platform interactive streaming series. https://t.co/WKl5WutHqg
— Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) May 21, 2026
The mayor’s office said the series is intended to make city government “more accessible, transparent and responsive” by reaching New Yorkers online and allowing residents to ask questions in real time.
“With the launch of ‘Talk with the People,’ we’re bringing City Hall directly to the platforms where New Yorkers already spend their time,” Mamdani said in a statement. “By hosting the country’s first recurring cross-platform stream led by an elected official, where New Yorkers can ask questions live on Twitch, we’re opening up a new conversation between government and the people it serves, especially younger generations who have too often been ignored.”
During the livestream, Mamdani answered questions about the city budget, public transit, housing affordability, flooding and childcare while interacting with viewers through Twitch chat.
“We have to balance our budget,” Mamdani said while discussing the city’s finances. “When we came into office, we inherited a $12 billion fiscal deficit.”
Discussing affordability in New York City, Mamdani said, “It is the most expensive city in the United States of America. You’re not imagining the fact that it’s difficult.”
The mayor also reiterated support for free public buses across the city.
“This continues to be a priority for us, because one in five New Yorkers can’t afford the cost of public transit in New York City,” he said. “We want to make buses free across the city.”
Mamdani also announced a discounted ticket program tied to the FIFA World Cup through a partnership with the New York-New Jersey Host Committee.
The livestream featured New York content creator Moose, who guided Mamdani through audience interaction and Twitch terminology while viewers submitted questions in real time.
Each episode of “Talk With The People” will remain available across social media and podcast platforms after the livestream ends, according to the mayor’s office.
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