AF-NYC: Lights Up on Mamdani’s New York

With Mayor-elect Zhoran Mamdani set to take office on January 1, New Yorkers are bracing for a significant shift in leadership and political direction. One month into his administration, this timely conversation will unpack the mayor’s early policy moves, governing priorities, and what they reveal about the city’s trajectory in the year ahead.

The panelists will explore the broader governance challenges facing major American cities, how New York’s direction reflects national political and cultural trends, including the rise of Gen Z sympathy for socialism, and what a classically liberal approach to New York’s future could look like.

Date: March 18, 2026

Time: 6:30–8:30 p.m.

Location: Gadfly Bar, 258 W 15th St, New York, NY 10011

Ticket price: $10

Your $10 ticket includes an open bar and heavy appetizers. Questions? Email Emma at [email protected].

About America’s Future

AF is the premier talent accelerator and social club for liberty-minded young professionals. We equip rising leaders with the skills, experiences, and community support they need to become principled champions of classical liberalism throughout their careers. Our national network strengthens the people and culture that keep the freedom movement thriving.

About Our Moderator

Eric Kohn is Chief Executive Officer at America’s Future, the premier nationwide network of liberty-minded young leaders. For more than 10 years, he led the organization’s Chicago chapter.

Prior to joining AF, Eric was Chief Marketing Officer at Empower Illinois. He has also previously served as Director of Marketing & Communications at the Acton Institute, and Director of Community Management at the Illinois Policy Institute. He was also the Founder and CEO of Curious Task Strategies, a public affairs consulting firm.

Eric is a producer of the award-winning film The Hong Konger: Jimmy Lai's Extraordinary Struggle for Freedom, the 2022 documentary feature from the Acton Institute.

From 2019 to 2021, he co-hosted Sources with Knowledge along with Joe Kaiser on AM 560 The Answer in Chicago. From 2022 to 2023, he was the interim host of the nationally syndicated radio program Beyond the Beltway with Bruce DuMont, on which he was also a regular program guest and guest host. He previously hosted The Eric Kohn Program on AM 1530 WJJG, and has guest-hosted the nationally syndicated The Guy Benson Show, Illinois Watchdog Radio, and Chicago’s Morning Answer.

Eric grew up in Belleville, Ill., and is a graduate of Millikin University in Decatur, Ill. He lives in Grand Rapids, Mich., with his wife and two children. In his spare time, he enjoys (or attempts to enjoy) watching New York Rangers hockey, which he also writes and podcasts about for Blueshirt Banter.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Gadfly Bar, 258 West 15th Street, New York, United States

Concerts, fests, parties, meetups - all the happenings, one place.

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