Our Time NYC's progressive push stalls amid internal strife and weak turnout
A nonprofit created by Mayor Zohran Mamdani's allies to harness the grassroots energy of his historic campaign is facing a crisis after all but one of its staff members have stepped down.
Top leaders at Our Time NYC, which is not officially affiliated with the mayor but aligned with his goals, have left in recent months. The group was announced in November by members of the Democratic Socialists of America, the mayor's political base.
But observers said Our Time's goals overlapped with those of DSA and other leftist groups seeking to recruit Mamdani's supporters - many of whom are young and new to politics.
"You're setting up a group that is in some ways set up to fail," said Democratic strategist Matt Wing. "It's competing for resources, talent and it lacks clear direction."
The shakeup at Our Time was first reported by City & State. Emma Saltzberg, a member of the group's board, told the outlet that Our Time was currently "in a moment of pausing, reflecting, adjusting to meet the moment." She did not respond to questions from our website.
From the outset, some supporters expressed concerns that the group could face pitfalls that befell another charismatic politician who inspired a movement. Organizing for America, which was founded by President Barack Obama in 2008 to maintain his grassroots momentum, was later criticized for being ineffective and serving as a tool of the White House that wound up undermining local Democratic Party organizations.
Other observers warned that Mayor Bill de Blasio's Campaign for One New York, a similar nonprofit created to advocate for de Blasio's policies, became the center of a major federal investigation over fundraising that marred much of de Blasio's first term.
Our Time was formed in October as a tax-exempt 501(c)(4) social welfare nonprofit. Documents filed with the state said the group intended to both lobby and fundraise. The group's executive director, Jeremy Freeman, had been contracted for the year to lobby for a sum of $137,500, according to filings. The group listed education, budget, labor, affordable housing, taxes and transportation as issues it intended to lobby.
Wing said that Mamdani's decision to endorse Gov. Kathy Hochul only made it harder for Our Time to generate energy and excitement. In February, Our Time organized its most high-profile event: a "Tax the Rich" rally in Albany to pressure Hochul. The gathering was smaller than organizers had hoped and Mamdani did not attend.
Filings for that month show the group reported roughly $15,000 in expenses.
"If you're a true believer in the DSA, you join there, if you support Zohran because you believe in the mayor, you'll engage in direct action supporting his agenda," said political consultant Jon Paul Lupo. "Our Time lives in a middle area that can be very tricky to build sustainably and we're seeing that here."
Our Time also faced the challenge of the political calendar, with multiple competitive primary candidates kicking off campaigns in early 2026.
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