The Race

With the Democrats’ demoralizing defeat in 2024 still fresh in many people’s heads, Zohran’s campaign has come as a breath of fresh air—a renewed sense of hope that Kamala Harris was unable to achieve in the last presidential race. And on the surface, it seems puzzling why the two candidates had such drastically different levels of success. After all, Harris found herself up against billionaire, now approaching trillionaire Elon Musk’s donations of nearly $300 million. Zohran, too, faced astonishingly high donations against him from the three largest super PACs in the race, all supporting Cuomo. Most notably, Fix the City spent $5.3 million to run just one attack ad against Mamdani—the most expensive ad of the 2025 election cycle. These super PACs were funded by major corporations like Airbnb and Doordash, as well as wealthy individuals like billionaire Bill Ackman, five members of the billionaire Lauder family, and former mayor Michael Bloomberg. In lieu of this information, what allowed Mamdani to beat the odds and not Harris?

Some argue that Mamdani’s victory was an inevitable result of electing Trump. As the entire federal government seemed to swing right, they reasoned that an equal swing to the left must follow, especially given the political chaos of the Trump administration. Others point to Mamdani’s unique social media campaign and vibrant campaign communications. But to chalk up his historic win as just a reaction to Trump would be an oversimplification—after all, Andrew Cuomo was a former Democratic governor. Zohran didn’t even receive endorsements from key figures in the Democratic Party. One must look to the details of the race to find the full answer.

When Mamdani first announced his candidacy in October 2024, he was a complete nobody. In February 2025, his support in the polls was at 1%. But four months later, he defeated former governor Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary by thirteen points. While Cuomo, the frontrunner and Mamdani’s foremost opponent, campaigned in the way most expect political campaigns to be run—from a distance—Zohran began to distinguish himself over time with his focus on speaking directly to voters. His field operation was extensive; over the course of the primary election alone, his volunteer base knocked approximately 1 million doors across New York City. In the general election (June-November), the Mamdani campaign more than doubled this number, canvassing 3 million voters. For reference, the Mikie Sherrill for Governor campaign here in New Jersey knocked about 1.5 million doors during the general election season. When the TV ads and mailers got exhausting, it was clear that many voters found a face-to-face interaction with a volunteer to be far more persuasive. This authenticity was also felt in Zohran’s campaign appearances. The week leading up to the primary election, June 24th, he embarked on a walk across the length of Manhattan, beginning on a Friday night and continuing over the next few days, during which he interacted directly with voters. When posting footage of the walk, he asserted that “New Yorkers deserve a Mayor they can hear, see, and even yell at if they need to.” After winning the primary, Mamdani’s campaign also hosted several events directly engaging their voter base, including a citywide scavenger hunt, the Cost-of-Living Classic soccer tournament, and campaigning at the NYC marathon. During the first general election debate, they released bingo boards for supporters to print and play while watching the debate (I did not win). And throughout the race, Mamdani could be found across New York City speaking to voters. In September, he made a surprise appearance at the All Things Go festival with performer Lucy Dacus. At the start of November, he appeared at a Brooklyn LGBTQ+ bar at 1 a.m. to campaign. He also visited various senior centers, dancing and even doing tai chi with residents. Mamdani’s record as an Assemblyman reflects this same focus. In 2021, he participated in a 15-day hunger strike with NYC taxi drivers in front of City Hall. Crushed with debt from the high cost of medallions, permits required for taxi drivers to be able to transport passengers in the city, the strike began after several drivers committed suicide, and ended with an agreement that secured debt relief. But not only was Mamdani a “people over politics” figure, in the Assembly and the mayoral race alike, his campaign was hopeful. His campaign, in many ways, was fun. What other politician was running a soccer tournament in the middle of a race for mayor of America’s largest city?

Another major contributor to Zohran’s initial victory was his competition. The Democratic primary was crowded—with candidates ranging from a former governor to the city comptroller to a former hedge fund manager—but with New York City’s rank-choice voting system, Zohran was able to effectively form coalitions with other candidates, most notably Brad Lander and Michael Blake. With rank-choice voting, voters can rank candidates in order of preference, preventing “vote-splitting.” This allowed many of the candidates running in the primary to cross-endorse each other, with Mamdani and Lander issuing cross-endorsements and directing their supporters to rank them first and the other second. Mamdani and Blake later did the same. Lander also actively campaigned with Mamdani in the later half of the primary and throughout the general, appearing at Zohran’s victory party in June and later remarking, “People, it turned out, were so hungry for a more hopeful and collaborative form of politics.” Other progressive groups, like the Working Families Party, also endorsed Mamdani as their #1 choice, along with Lander as #2, and a slate of other candidates, including Adrienne Adams, Zellnor Myrie, and Jessica Ramos (Ramos was later removed from this slate after she endorsed Cuomo).
Mamdani and his allies also made sure to emphasize: “Don’t rank Cuomo” to ensure that if multiple rounds of rank-choice voting were needed, Zohran would likely come out on top. Aside from the unique cross-endorsements, Zohran gained further traction in the race with endorsements from well-known progressive figures in the Democratic Party: namely, Senator Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Other local politicians included former Rep. Jamaal Bowman, NY Attorney General Letitia James, and City Councilman Chi Ossé, along with out-of-state figures such as former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich and Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, a progressive Democrat who lost to and later endorsed Mikie Sherrill for governor of New Jersey. But what may have contributed just as much to Zohran’s success was the endorsement not received. Following his primary win, NY Governor Kathy Hochul declined to endorse Mamdani, as did Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Both would eventually issue endorsements, but many other prominent New York Democrats did not. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer did not endorse any candidate, and the other NY Senator, Kirsten Gillibrand, claimed Mamdani supported “global jihad” on the Brian Lehrer show, facing significant criticism and accusations of Islamophobia. Rep. Ritchie Torres, who represents the Bronx, endorsed Andrew Cuomo in the primary. Rep. Laura Gillen, Tom Suozzi, and Dan Goldman all released statements condemning Zohran for what they deemed antisemitism. Ironically, Mamdani won Rep. Goldman’s congressional district by over thirty points. Even in New Jersey, there seemed to be an unwillingness to accept Mamdani as the Democratic nominee. Rep. Josh Gottheimer remarked on CNN that Mamdani “should be in the Socialist Party, not in the Democratic Party.” Initially, Mikie Sherrill expressed tentative support for Zohran, saying she would back him in the general election if he were the Democratic nominee and that some of his affordability policies were “interesting.” Mamdani had said in an interview that he would “absolutely” support her. However, she later decided to keep her distance, claiming in a July interview, “I haven’t weighed in, I haven’t made endorsements in New York, because I’m running in New Jersey.” NJ Senator Cory Booker said the same, declining to endorse and saying he was focused on New Jersey, although some pointed out that he had previously endorsed Michael Bloomberg for NYC mayor in 2009 and has since endorsed several other out-of-state candidates. But while the lack of these endorsements doesn’t look good at first, it may have been a blessing in disguise for the Mamdani campaign. The Democrats’ approval rating fell to record lows of 34% earlier this year, with approval for party leaders like Schumer being even lower, even among the Democratic base. With Zohran presenting himself as a changemaker and an anti-establishment candidate, the backlash he received from moderate, “establishment,” Democrats may have strengthened, rather than hurt, his credibility.

There was also the special case of Zohran’s general election opponents, Democrat-turned-independent Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa (not to mention the various “anti-Mamdani” candidates, like incumbent Democrat-turned-independent Eric Adams and independent Jim Walden, who dropped out of the race). The presence of so many “anti-Mamdani”s in a race without rank-choice voting certainly helped to split opposition against Zohran. However, the conservative crowd eventually coalesced behind Andrew Cuomo, with only a few stalwart Republicans supporting Sliwa in the end—likely due to the endorsements of Trump, Elon Musk, Ted Cruz, and various other right-wing figures that Cuomo received the day before Election Day. Trump also threatened to pull federal funding from NYC should Mamdani win. After the Democratic primary, Cuomo had already begun courting conservative voters, claiming at a closed-door fundraiser in August that he was confident Trump would tell the Republican base to support him over Sliwa. He was later endorsed by Eric Adams, who had also become more friendly toward the Trump administration, likely due to the Trump DOJ’s dismissal of the corruption charges—an incident that led several prosecutors to resign in protest. Regardless of the boost Cuomo got, he still faced attacks from Sliwa, who adamantly refused to drop out and claimed that, if anything, Cuomo should step aside and endorse him as the “anti-Mamdani” candidate. The lack of cohesion in the conservative base, along with Cuomo’s record being riddled with scandals—from sexual harassment allegations from thirteen women, undercounting senior nursing home deaths by nearly 50%, and haphazard management of the MTA, to joining Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s legal defense team against the ICC—certainly helped Mamdani succeed and stood in stark contrast to his relatively tame history.

Of course, Mamdani still faced many attacks throughout the race, which only ramped up as he began to gain national attention. This began with the first debate, where Democratic primary candidates were asked where their first foreign visit as mayor would be. While Cuomo, Tilson, Adams, Stringer, and others declared they would visit Israel, and some other candidates named Ukraine, Zohran pledged to remain in New York City, prompting the moderators to press him on his position on Israel. This debate clip would go viral, drawing praise and condemnation from both Democratic and Republican voters. Support from the progressive left, which has been the most pro-Palestine, was expected, but even far-right figures like Tucker Carlson and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene commented on the clip, noting that, among the candidates, Mamdani gave the “correct answer” and was the only “America First” politician there. On the other side, Mamdani began to face criticism from the pro-Israel base and accusations of antisemitism for refusing to recognize Israel’s “right to exist as a Jewish state” (Mamdani would continue to assert that he supports Israel’s right to exist as a state with equal rights). This would not be the last of attacks related to his supposed antisemitism, however. Following his primary win, he faced significant condemnation—much of it coming from his own party—for not denouncing the phrase “globalize the intifada.” This is what prompted Senator Kirsten Gillibrand to claim he supported “global jihad,” a comment she apologized for in a private conversation with Mamdani. Other Israel-related stances of Zohran would fuel this criticism, from his Not On Our Dime! Act to his support of the BDS movement and his pledging to arrest Netanyahu were he to visit NYC. His opponent, Andrew Cuomo, and Whitney Tilson, during the primary, capitalized on these criticisms, along with what they claimed was his position on defunding the police, to present Mamdani as a radical. Cuomo would also pursue other lines of attack, such as Mamdani’s rent-stabilized apartment, which he claimed was something that a “poor person is supposed to have.” Both Cuomo and Tilson released AI-generated ads attacking Mamdani. Cuomo depicted “criminals for Mamdani,” and featured what many deemed racist caricatures, including Mamdani running through NYC and eating rice with his hands, a Black man in a keffiyeh shoplifting, and various other “criminal” figures. The video was deleted, but not before receiving scathing condemnation. This incident was not a one-off event, with Cuomo and many conservatives invoking Mamdani’s ethnicity and religion. Cuomo was similarly condemned when during an interview with conservative radio host Sid Rosenberg, he remarked: “God forbid, another 9/11—can you imagine Mamdani in the seat?” and seemed to laugh and agree when Rosenberg claimed Zohran would be “cheering.” In the weeks leading up to the general election, his campaign focused on Mamdani’s connection to the leftist Twitch political commentator Hasan Piker, who had interviewed him earlier this year. Years earlier, Piker went viral for a clip of him declaring, “America deserved 9/11,” which he was promptly banned on Twitch for. Far-right figures like Laura Loomer and Rep. Andy Ogles have also attacked Zohran on his faith, calling him a “communist terrorist jihadist” and “little Muhammad.” Ogles, specifically, called on Mamdani to be denaturalized and deported, and his fellow Republican representatives Nancy Mace and Marjorie Taylor Greene followed suit. Mace remarked on Twitter, “After 9/11, we said ‘Never Forget.’ I think we sadly have forgotten.” When Mamdani won the Democratic primary, Greene posted an image of the Statue of Liberty wearing a burqa. Other right-wing figures like Charlie Kirk mocked Mamdani for eating with his hands. And throughout the race, the New York Post would publish pieces attacking Mamdani, with headlines like “F in ethics: Zohran Mamdani laughed off stealing a table in college” and “Zohran Mamdani doesn’t recognize this famous New Yorker in quiz about famous Gotham songs.” Even after the election, they’ve released articles about the price of beer at his victory party, his posture during his meeting with Trump, and more. Earlier this year, the New York Times also published an article about Mamdani’s Columbia application, which was provided through an intermediary known as Crémieux—a white supremacist—where Mamdani had indicated he was both “Asian” and “Black and African American.” Mamdani is of Indian descent and immigrated to the U.S. from Uganda as a child. Other attacks against Zohran include his background as a “nepo baby,” as his mother Mira Nair is an acclaimed filmmaker and his father Mahmood Mamdani is an academic, and critiques of his previous tweets, such as a photo he posted of himself giving the middle finger to a statue of Columbus.

Despite the election season strife, Zohran emerged victorious, defeating Cuomo by approximately 9 points. Given that this win was achieved against all odds and the vast amount of money spent against him, it was a well-run campaign. That brings us back to the original question: what set Zohran apart from Harris? It wasn’t just social media, like many would claim. It was a campaign that spoke directly to and engaged the average person, energized its supporter base, relied on people rather than donors, and distinguished itself from “more of the same.”

His Policies & Their Practicality

Perhaps the most well-known aspect of his politics is that Mamdani is a self-proclaimed Democratic Socialist. While this label does not have a solid definition, it is loosely described as an ideology that supports socialist reform within a political democracy — as defined by Carlo Invernizzi Accetti, a professor of political science at the City University of New York, it is “…an attempt to establish a rupture within the left wing movement against the experience of Soviet style communism, and invent a different way of doing socialism that doesn’t necessarily involve authoritarianism.” As a member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), Zohran’s platform is built on left-wing populist ideas, most notably a pledge to make buses fast and free, deliver universal childcare, and freeze rent for rent-stabilized tenants throughout the five boroughs. In a time where rent is skyrocketing (in 2024, an average New Yorker spent 31% of their income on rent) and families are being pushed out of their homes because of it, Mamdani’s promises have assured voters that a future in the city they love is possible.

More widely contested, however, is Mamdani’s plan to deliver on these promises; in interview upon interview, he is pressed over how the funding for these ideas will come about. Addressing this, he reiterates the same points on his website: his plan to tax billionaires at 2% and to raise corporate taxes would generate around $10 billion, nearly 9% of the total NYC budget. Despite Governor of New York Kathy Hochul’s initial resistance to this plan, she has recently indicated that she would consider allowing him to do this during his administration. His head start in a push for approval of his agenda has also been headlined by his dialogue with President Trump, whose friendly meeting with the mayor-elect is in stark contrast to the President’s previous malice in which he threatened to cut funding to the city if Zohran was elected. Meanwhile, Mamdani has stated that he will campaign persistently in Albany to fight for approval for his tax raises.

Besides his focus on the affordability crisis, his refusal to compromise on more controversial topics, such as the conflict in the Middle East, has seemingly allowed him to garner more support despite challenges with the more conservative voter base.

In an atmosphere where support for Israel seems to be dwindling among both Republicans and Democrats, Mamdani’s stance could be more appealing than that of establishment Democrats such as Andrew Cuomo. According to Pew Research Center polls, the share of Americans expressing discontent with Israel’s military operation against Hamas has been steadily growing. Compared with 27% in December 2023, a September 2025 poll shows a more solid 39%—over 10% increase. More shockingly, in a New York Times/Siena poll, support for Israel among Republicans has fallen 12% since 2023. Evidently, Israel’s military campaign has tarnished its reputation among Americans, as the U.S. government has continued to supply the state with $17.9 billion since October 7, in a war that has leveled the Gaza Strip and killed upwards of 69,000 Palestinians.

As previously mentioned, Zohran has not shied away from his criticism of the Israeli government, and despite earning criticism from Democrats and Republicans alike, he has received the support of more progressive New Yorkers — a support that had been lacking for candidates like Kamala Harris, who were more resolute in their support for Israel.

Social Media & Graphic Design

Besides the obvious difference in the number of voters to be convinced, Zohran’s exponential growth is due in part to his team’s savvy with social media and graphic design. Garnering youth votes through social media isn’t a new tactic; to reiterate, the Harris campaign used it as well. It is the content of the posts that has defined the differences in success. 

Mamdani’s primary medium is moderately paced, engaging videos that often break down a policy of his or ask for support through money and volunteering. While his acknowledgement and references to pop culture are present, they do not overtake the message and often point back to the bedrock of his campaign—addressing the affordability crisis. Most also have a vibrant energy that seems missing from other political campaigns; instead of static explanations, Mamdani engages his audience by walking around the city and doing ordinary tasks while reiterating his proposals in simple, understandable language. In an opinion piece for the New York Times, author Zaina Arafat described the sense of belonging embedded in his videos: “The sight of subway platforms, Gyro Kings and Foot Lockers and threading salons on a city block, so commonplace that they usually go unnoticed as we hurry by, all lit up in their distinctly New York-ness… It’s the same feeling you get when watching a movie set in New York and recognize a particular coffee shop. I’ve been there. That coffee shop belongs to me.” This presentation makes him appear approachable and relatable, in contrast to the more refined, pretentious persona that politicians often adopt to maintain their dignity and assert their positions. 

In accordance with his brand of being a common man, the iconography of his campaign is also unique in its vibrance and closeness to New York City. The main colors he uses for this logo—taxi yellow, an energetic red, and Metrocard blue—are eye-catching and easily identifiable, especially when compared to more subdued red, white, and blues that often represent general Democratic and Republican candidates. A drift from corporate aesthetics signifies a shift towards the people, appearing rooted in authenticity and culture. Even the typography was distinct, with “Zohran” in bright, bold letters, noticeably not in serif fonts. The graphic designer behind the visuals, Aneesh Bhoopathy, shared that the stylized font used and its primary colors were meant to evoke old-school, hand-painted signs, remarking, “Succinctly, it’s New York.” Others have noticed similarities between Zohran’s visuals and Bollywood posters, an especially important reference given Mamdani’s Indian heritage and the increasing political power of South Asians.

The Future of Leftist Politics

Many have hoped to paint Mamdani in a light that regards him as a turning point for Democratic politics—in Mike Johnson’s own words, “We are going to make Zohran Mamdani the face of the Democratic party.” During the New Jersey gubernatorial race, Republican Jack Ciattarelli also attempted to link Mamdani with Sherrill, claiming that “while she has tried to run away from it ever since, the fact is Mikie Sherrill endorsed Zohran Mamdani after he won the NYC mayoral primary—despite the fact that Mamdani is an anti-semitic socialist who wants to defund the police.” Despite widespread assertions from the far-right that the victory of the mayor-elect is a significant ideological shift for the Democrats, though, reality suggests otherwise; in a CBS News poll, just 22% of Democrats nationwide believed that their party should move toward more socialist positions, while a majority (60%) thought the party should maintain a mixture between socialist and capitalist ideas. However, the percentage of Democrats with a positive view of socialism has increased to 66%, and this number is similarly high for college students, with 67% holding a positive or neutral view. Even the Republican base may change its mind about Mamdani and his politics, given his warm exchange with the president last Friday, in which, in its aftermath, Trump and various conservative news outlets described Mamdani as “very rational” and wanting the best for New York City. On that front, only time will tell (MAGA for Mamdani?).

Whatever the future reveals, Mamdani’s win is no doubt remarkable for its time. As the first South Asian and Muslim mayor, his election represents a shift in political power and visibility toward South Asian voters, and an acceptance of America’s Muslim minority, which has been so ostracized in politics. And it is, of course, a win for the progressive left, inspiring other democratic socialist challengers within the Democratic Party to run against the establishment. These include Graham Platner, Abdul El-Sayed, Mussab Ali, Antonio Delgado, Saikat Chakrabarti, Kat Abughazaleh, Omar Fateh, and many more who have run or are running for local, state, and national seats. In just New York City, progressives are running to challenge more establishment incumbent Democrats. Michael Blake, Zohran’s former primary opponent who later cross-endorsed him, is running to unseat Ritchie Torres, a key aspect of his campaign being that Torres is too focused on Israel despite representing the poorest congressional district in the country. Brad Lander is rumored to be challenging Dan Goldman, another moderate Democrat who refused to endorse Mamdani despite his strong performance in his district. And although Zohran and DSA have discouraged it, progressive Chi Ossé may issue a primary challenge to the Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.

Regardless, congrats to Zohran! For better or for worse, his mayoralty will be watched from all over the world.

Sources

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/11/04/nyregion/zohran-mamdani-wins-nyc-mayor-election-timeline.html
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/commentisfree/2025/nov/08/zohran-mamdani-win-non-voters
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/04/nyregion/nyc-mayor-mamdani-elected.html
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cew44175vklo
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/08/nyregion/zohran-mamdani-israel-palestine.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/25/opinion/zohran-mamdani-democratic-party.html
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/11/07/how-zohran-mamdani-won-nyc-mayor/86580734007/
https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2025/10/despite-a-surge-in-support-for-cuomo-mamdani-still-leads-nyc-mayoral-race-in-money-and-polling/
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/05/12/cuomo-super-pac-investigation-00341740

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Grace Fu '26 and Laura Blandon '26

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On November 4th, the Democratic Party was found victorious in numerous elections. This “blue wave” was apparent in the results of Virginia, New York, California, and, of course, New Jersey. Specifically, former navy pilot and congresswoman Mikie Sherrill won the governor’s race in New Jersey, marking the first time in roughly six decades where one political party remained in power for 3 terms in a row. 

The results of the election were interesting: Sherrill won 56.6% of votes compared to Jack Ciattarelli’s 42.8%, giving her a comfortable lead. However, many early polls indicated a much closer race between the two candidates; an underestimated turnout and large share of undecided voters at the time seemed to have affected the results of early polls and predictions. Given the results of this election, what can we expect for the future of New Jersey? 

Sherrill’s Campaign Promises

Sherrill’s campaign focused heavily on issues regarding the cost of living, and ways to drive it down. She pledged to reduce taxes through tax credits such as the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit, which would help working families. She also planned to freeze utility rates and invest in projects on solar power, as well as streamline housing development to promote affordable housing. These plans, if executed successfully, could help middle and lower class families keep up with the cost of living and allow New Jersey to become more livable.

Sherrill promised to fix NJ Transit, which has been criticized for subpar service. The NJ Transit system is the third largest in the country, moving 720,000 people across the state via trains and buses; it is clear why this is one of her top priorities. She specifically wants to push into transit-oriented development to create compact neighborhoods around transportation centers. This would reduce dependency on personally owned cars to improve efficiency of transportation flow and create sustainable communities. She also intends to modernize rail infrastructure and improve the Gateway Tunnel, which on top of bettering transportation can also create critical jobs; all these things, she believes, will positively stimulate NJ’s economy and create a better NJ.

Sherrill has plans with regards to social programs as well. To achieve more accessible education, she proposed more universal pre-K, free school lunches, as well as stronger mental health programs. Regarding healthcare, Sherrill aims to require insurance companies to have better justifications for higher pricing so that she can ultimately lower drug prices. She also wants to defend reproductive and abortion rights and expand contraception access, and hopefully, Sherrill’s progressive agenda will better the lives of many New Jerseyans.

NJ Politics Moving Forward

With such a strong performance by Mikie Sherrill in mind, what is the future of New Jersey’s politics? Will NJ continue to be a Democratic stronghold, or is there a possibility the state will accept conservative ideals? Well, the truth is: it’s hard to tell. The political parties are constantly changing, and drastic shifts in the support for each party can occur. With that being said, the current Democratic support in NJ is stronger than it possibly ever was, so the Republicans will have a hard time overtaking them in the foreseeable future. 

Looking Ahead

Regardless of the quality of the promises, execution is key to a better New Jersey; likewise, regardless of political party, all of us want a better New Jersey. All we can do is hope that Mikie Sherrill gives us the New Jersey we want and deserve. 

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Ali Cherry '27

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On September 29th, 2025, Electronic Arts (EA), the video game company behind games such as “Madden NFL,” “Battlefield,” and “The Sims,” announced the company would be going private in a $55 billion leveraged buyout by an investor consortium including Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund. The deal has received large amounts of backlash due to potential censorship, humanitarian concerns, and the impacts on EA employees. 

Leveraged Buyout

The $55 billion deal is the largest leveraged buyout (LBO) since the $45 billion buyout of Texas utility TXU in 2007. But what is a leveraged buyout? It’s defined as the acquisition of a company using mainly borrowed money to finance the purchase. The goal is to use the company’s future profits or sell parts of it to pay off the debt. 

LBOs provide certain risks and benefits. They allow smaller investors to buy companies with borrowed money and can provide big returns if the value of the company increases. However, due to the debt that the company takes on, leading to increased pressure to cut costs in order for increased growth. If the company struggles with paying off its debt, it can lead to bankruptcy. 

This pressure is now placed on EA, raising concerns from employees about how this LBO will impact them. In a filing from the SEC, EA stated in a FAQ given to their employees that “there would be no immediate changes” to their jobs or daily work; nevertheless, EA also stated they would be “working with the Consortium to review [their] programs and adjust if necessary,” leaving many employees in suspense about the future of their jobs. However, EA will be keeping its headquarters in Redwood City, California, and Andrew Wilson will be remaining as CEO. 

Investor Consortium

The investor consortium acquiring EA comprises Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), Jared Kushner’s Affinity Partners, and Silver Lake, a private equity firm. After the purchase, EA will become a private company, meaning it will no longer be listed on the stock exchange. EA becoming a private company holds many implications for the future of the company. For example, private companies face fewer government restrictions, especially if they have fewer than 500 investors. Additionally, owners have more control over business decisions, operations, and strategy.

As stated in a press release from EA, PIF, Affinity Partners, and Silver Lake will bring “deep sector experience, committed capital, and global portfolios with networks across gaming, entertainment, and sports that offer unique possibilities for EA to blend physical and digital experiences, enhance fan engagement, and create new growth opportunities.” However, concerns have been raised over the involvement of PIF specifically in this buyout. 

PIF Backlash

PIF is the sovereign wealth fund of Saudi Arabia, created in 1971 for the purpose of investing funds on behalf of the Saudi Arabian government. Its current chairman is Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia since 2015. PIF has become one of the most active sovereign wealth funds over the past decade, investing in companies such as Uber and Nintendo, a part of the country’s “Vision 2030” initiative, which seeks to diversify the country’s image away from oil. 

However, critics argue that PIF’s involvement in these companies (and now EA) serves as a form of reputation laundering – a way of distracting from Saudi Arabia’s outstanding human rights violations and authoritarian policies through performative actions in the entertainment and gaming industries. PIF’s stake in the EA buyout has sparked controversy and raised ethical concerns about the impacts on EA and their benefit from authoritarian regimes. Many have expressed concerns that this influence could lead to censorship in regards to politics and ideas that the PIF does not agree with, with prominent figures in the community cutting ties with the company. 

Future Implications

Due to the recent nature of this buyout, it is hard to determine exactly what kind of implications this transaction holds for the future. However, it does raise questions about corporate social responsibility and creative freedom in the gaming industry. For players and employees, the future of EA will signal whether the company will prioritize profit and expansion over transparency and creative independence. 

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Hania Shafqat '27

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On Wednesday, October 1st, the United States government announced their first shutdown in over six years. President Donald Trump is now responsible for two government shutdowns during his presidency, and both times, he blamed it on the Democratic Party. But is there some truth in that? Read along as we dive into the government shutdown, analyzing why and how the shutdown happened, and how it impacts the average US citizen. 

Why did the shutdown occur?

The 2025 government shutdown happened for one reason: the government was spending too much money, much of it directed towards funding the Affordable Care Act. The Affordable Care Act provides healthcare for 44 million Americans, and the Republican Party sought to repeal the act, in turn, significantly reducing government spending. While the Democrats did block the repeal, this wasn’t the main cause for the shutdown, but a government funding bill. The Republican Party proposed a funding bill that would, although carry Congress into late November, would also make major cuts to healthcare and insurance funding. While the Democratic Party again blocked the bill, protecting healthcare for millions, the block caused the government to go into shutdown. 

How does the shutdown affect government employees and provisions?

As of October 2025, 22.8 million Americans nationwide are government employees. Although they may not be members of congress, these positions include: law enforcement (ICE, police officers), military personnel, social workers, and air-traffic controller specialists. Even though the shutdown completely cuts off their pay, government workers are all required and expected to return to work in the meantime. They will only start to receive their paychecks after the shutdown ends, which could last from two days to even two months. On the other end of the spectrum, unlike low-level government employees, members of Congress will continue to receive their paychecks in full throughout the shutdown. These pay cuts deepen the unfair flaws of the federal pay system and the lack of accountability in government. While government employees will struggle to cover basic everyday expenses, the people responsible for the shutdown continue to receive their pay in full with no punishment. This doesn’t only expose the flaws of the federal pay system, but also deepens the public distrust of the government, calling for the urgent need for reform.

Along with paychecks being cut, government provisions like grocery vouchers, medicaid, and insurance costs will either be discontinued and/or prices will escalate astronomically. Everyday requirements for more than 180 million Americans like those with: critical health conditions, disabilities, and low-income will see extreme inflation in prices for their treatment, in the end crippling the economy with almost 40 million Americans projected to lose their healthcare. The widespread cuts of pay and provisions doesn’t just hurt a handful of households, it ripples through the entire economy. When these essential programs are cut, hundreds of millions of Americans are negatively impacted, significantly deepening the distrust between US citizens and government.

The Bigger Picture

The 2025 government shutdown revealed deep divisions in Congress, while also exposing the fragile federal funding system in the process. While members of Congress are still being paid in full with no repercussions, millions of average Americans are being left in the dust. The shutdown not only cuts the paychecks of government workers, but also skyrockets the prices of vital health programs like insurance, medicines, and healthcare. Beyond the numbers, the government shutdown highlights how any instability in Congress can easily cause the government to tip over completely, effectively destroying the economy within days. Unless the members of Congress use this government shutdown as a learning lesson, Americans may even see deeper divisions in Congress, leading to more detrimental shutdowns in the upcoming years.

About Post Author

Sam Bruderle '27

mliddle@mlschools.org

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Context:

In United States Government, midterm elections are usually held halfway through a president’s term. They determine local elections, like governor, as well as federal seats in both the House of Representatives and Senate. They are crucial to not only gauge whether public sentiment for the President is high, but also critical to see which party controls the Legislative branch for the next couple of years. In the midterm elections, voters decide all of the seats in the United States House of Representatives (about 435) and about one third of the United States Senate (33 or 34 seats). Looking at historical contexts, the president’s political party typically loses seats in Congress during the midterm elections. Midterms also help to fund presidential campaigns, and help them to get a headstart in the vote gathering process. While most midterm elections (to decide governors) are still fairly far away (late November of 2026), NJ’s gubernatorial (state governor) elections are not. This is because New Jersey, unlike other states, holds them on odd numbered years (similar to Virginia). This atypical norm is due to a clause in a constitution devised by some delegates in 1947. On the other hand, most states have gubernatorial elections on the midterm ballot including New York, Arizona, etc. With that being said, it is important to understand who are the candidates running in New Jersey’s early “midterms.”

New Jersey Governor:

For the past few months, many candidates have been running in primaries, campaigning, and debating. As a result of their work, two candidates have emerged: Jack Ciattarelli of the Republican Party and Mikie Sherrill of the Democratic Party. Ciattarelli’s message is that he wants to decrease the cost of living in New Jersey. That looks like reducing the Corporation Business Tax (CBT) and prohibiting property tax increases on homes that were “improved.” He also wants to decrease energy costs by building nuclear reactors and installing solar power. Not to mention, Ciattarelli was personally endorsed by Trump, with some of his main campaigning points being: strong immigration restriction policies, and lenient gun rights. Regarding schools, Ciattarelli wants to ensure fairness and restructure school funding formulas. Sherrill also agrees with Ciattarelli insofar as both want to reduce costs. However, the ways in which Sherrill wants to accomplish these goals are different. Sherrill wants to make costs more affordable for the everyday family as opposed to businesses. This can look like the Child Tax Credit or an Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). Sherill also plans to make healthcare premiums more transparent and enforce reproductive rights. Regarding energy, Sherrill plans to freeze energy rates, as she has done before, and implement clean energy initiatives. Elections begin on Tuesday, November 4th, 2025, with early voting beginning on October 25th.

You As A Voter

It is important to vote. Even if you are not politically aligned, the votes casted will impact you and the future of the country. Doing proper research from nonpartisan news sources are important as well. Anything else encourages dogmatism and bias for a certain side. We are all hoping for a better America.

About Post Author

mlmadmin

mliddle@mlschools.org

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Introduction

After six years of Governor Phil Murphy, it’s time for New Jersey to select its next governor. In Jersey, governors serve three-year terms and are limited to two terms—a limit that prevents Murphy from running again. This means that for both the Democratic and Republican parties, the primary election is crucial in determining who will serve as the party’s official nominee.

Swing State?

Aside from the general importance of choosing the individual who will serve as the state’s executive, however, this year’s New Jersey governor’s race holds additional gravity. While New Jersey has been viewed as a safe blue state and Democratic stronghold—currently, the state government consists of a Democratic trifecta—Republicans gained significant ground in the 2024 election. While past Democratic presidential candidates won the state by double-digit margins, Kamala Harris squeaked by with just five percent. When Phil Murphy ran for reelection in 2021, he won by an even smaller margin of three percent—his opponent being the current Republican frontrunner, Jack Ciattarelli. And that same year, truck driver Ed Durr pulled off a stunning upset, ousting the Democratic Senate President Steve Sweeney—who is also currently running for the Democratic nomination—despite being outspent about $300,000 to $2,000. All these recent events point to a rightward shift in New Jersey that may culminate in this year’s governor’s race. As a result, Jersey’s governor’s race could serve as a litmus test for the political future of the state—will it remain a blue stronghold, or will Democrats need to dedicate the same level of effort to Jersey as it does to Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, and the other swing states?

NJ shifts right

Of course, it’s also important to consider that these rightward shifts occurred in response to Joe Biden’s presidency. Given that President Trump’s approval rating is currently underwater by three to five points, voters in Jersey may respond accordingly. We saw this shift in Wisconsin two months ago, when Democrat-backed judge Susan Crawford was elected to be a state Supreme Court justice, defeating her opponent Brad Schimel—who was backed by the Republican party—by roughly ten points. Similarly, two Republican stronghold congressional districts in Florida experienced an upswell in Democratic support. Although Republicans held the congressional seats, Democrats Gay Valimont and Josh Weil improved the 2024 Democratic margin in the districts by seventeen and nineteen points, respectively, with Valimont even flipping Escambia County, a Republican stronghold that had not been won by a Democrat since 1992. And closer to home, a Pennsylvania special election in late March saw Democrat James Malone flip a state legislative district that voted for Trump by a fifteen-point margin in 2024. Wisconsin, Florida, and Pennsylvania all turned out for Trump last election cycle. These instances of Democratic overperformance may signal an end to the momentum that Republicans gained during the Biden presidency, which will play out in New Jersey.

New ballots

Democrats

On the Democrat side, the race is particularly contentious, with a six-way primary essentially unprecedented in New Jersey. The candidates are as follows:

Mikie Sherrill

Mikie Sherrill is the current frontrunner in the primary race, with the most recent Emerson College poll placing her at 28%. Sherrill is the current U.S. representative of NJ-11, our congressional district. NJ-11 comprises parts of Morris, Essex, and Passaic counties. As governor, Sherrill has pledged to focus on addressing New Jersey’s affordability crisis—lowering the cost of housing, healthcare, groceries, etc.—and fight Donald Trump’s policies at the state level. For instance, she strongly supports enshrining the right to an abortion in the state constitution. Another highlight of Sherrill’s campaign has been the emphasis on getting votes. At a time when many Democrats are concerned about the rightward shift in Jersey, Sherrill has pointed out her record of winning over more moderate voters. Her first 2018 victory was the largest red-to-blue swing in the nation. NJ-11 at the time was considered fairly conservative, having had the same Republican representative for over twenty years, and went for Trump in 2016. Sherrill’s feat—flipping NJ-11 blue—continues to be a major reason why many Democrats today support her in her bid for governor.

Ras Baraka

After Sherrill, the second place in the polls is slightly mixed. The Emerson College poll indicates a three-way tie between Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, and U.S. representative Josh Gottheimer—all at 11%—for second place. However, other polls mostly point to Baraka as second place. Ras Baraka is the current mayor of Newark and is widely regarded as the most progressive candidate in the Democratic field. As governor, Baraka has pledged to tackle systemic challenges in Jersey—whether that be in housing, education, transportation, or more—and address wealth and racial inequities. Along with his progressive platform, Baraka has highlighted his achievements as the mayor of Newark: reducing crime and homelessness, prioritizing development of affordable housing, supporting small businesses—particularly those that are Black and brown and women-owned—and more. Baraka was recently arrested by ICE for allegedly trespassing on the property of the Delaney Hall detention center in Newark, though this charge was subsequently dropped. Baraka and fellow Democrats have argued that he, along with the three other Democratic representatives with him at the time of the incident, were exercising their duties to conduct oversight over the facility. This may be a factor that some Democratic primary voters deeply concerned about the Trump administration’s deportation policies will consider when casting their ballot in the next few weeks—after all, 24% of voters are still undecided.

Steve Fulop

Steve Fulop is the mayor of Jersey City. Fulop is a former U.S. Marine who served in Iraq following the September 11th attacks, and as Jersey City’s mayor, touts a record of progressive policies. Fulop has pointed to these achievements throughout the race, one of them being instituting paid sick leave in Jersey City—making the city the first in the state to do so. Aside from his record, Fulop’s campaign is unique in that it centers around government reform; he has declared that he will break down New Jersey’s political machine system. Criticizing some county parties for corruption, Fulop has advocated for greater regulation around state and local party chairs—from conflict of interest legislation to reducing the influence party chairs have on county commissioners and legislators. It is for this reason that Fulop refused to compete in any Democratic county conventions earlier this year. Many view this “anti-establishment” attitude towards the current New Jersey political system as the defining characteristic of his campaign, and as a continuation of Andy Kim’s efforts to abolish the county-line ballot. Some of his other priorities as governor are to improve transportation, infrastructure, and housing, and tackle New Jersey’s affordability crisis.

Josh Gottheimer

Congressman Josh Gottheimer represents New Jersey’s fifth congressional district, which comprises parts of Bergen, Sussex, and Passaic counties. Gottheimer originally worked for the Clinton and Obama administrations, and in 2016, unseated a Republican incumbent in a longtime red district—similar to Sherrill. Compared to the two other candidates he is tied with at 2nd place, Gottheimer is certainly much more moderate. His campaign is centered on lowering costs—particularly through tax relief and similar tax policies—and in Congress, Gottheimer is one of the Vice-Chairs of the bipartisan Problem Solvers caucus, which consists of an equal distribution of Republicans and Democrats.

Sean Spiller

Polling slightly behind Baraka, Fulop, and Gottheimer at 10%, Sean Spiller is the president of the New Jersey Education Association (NJEA), the largest teacher’s union in the state. Spiller was also a former public school educator, and the mayor of Montclair. As governor, his primary goal is to prioritize investing in and improving public education, as well as make New Jersey more affordable through various initiatives targeting the cost of housing, healthcare, childcare, higher education, and more. Recently, however, Spiller was the only candidate out of the six to fail to meet the fundraising requirement to attend the latest debate.

Steve Sweeney

Polling at 5%, Steve Sweeney is the former Democratic Senate President who represented New Jersey’s 3rd legislative district, which is made up of Salem, and parts of Gloucester and Cumberland counties. As mentioned previously, Sweeney was ousted from his seat in 2021 by Republican Ed Durr. He is the only Democrat running who is from South Jersey. Sweeney was a union ironworker, and has been endorsed by a number of unions in this race. His agenda as governor will be—like all other candidates running—to lower costs, whether that be in property taxes, healthcare, childcare, housing, or more. He has already promised no tax increases whatsoever as governor, and is a strong supporter of the Stay NJ program, which gives property tax relief to seniors. Throughout this race, Sweeney has emphasized his experience working in Trenton. His position as the only South Jersey candidate in the race has also helped his performance in that region.

Republicans

Unlike the Democrats, the Republican primary seems to have a clear frontrunner, but anything can happen leading up to Election Day.

Jack Ciattarelli

Jack Ciattarelli is the leader in the race, holding a substantial lead over his opponents at 44%. Ciattarelli is an entrepreneur and small business owner, and has served in his local government and the New Jersey State Assembly. His name might sound familiar. In 2021, Ciattarelli also ran as the Republican nominee for governor, and although he lost to Phil Murphy, made significant gains and lost by only three points. As governor, he plans to lower costs through various tax policies—including capping property taxes, lowering the income tax, and lowering the corporation business tax—and establish the New Jersey Department of Government Efficiency, similar to that of Elon Musk but at the state level. Like the other Republican candidates competing in the primary, Ciattarelli has also expressed support for ending New Jersey’s sanctuary state status and implementing stricter regulations on voting. However, he holds a more moderate view on social issues such as abortion than many of the other candidates running. Ciattarelli’s lead will most likely only grow as we get closer to election day due to the endorsement he received from Donald Trump a few weeks ago—although it’s interesting to note that unlike some other Republicans running, Ciattarelli was opposed to Trump when he first rose to power, calling him a “charlatan.” As Trump has become a mainstream figure in Republican politics, however, Ciattarelli has since shifted his stance.

Bill Spadea

At a distant second behind Ciattarelli is Bill Spadea, who is polling at 18%. Spadea served in the U.S. Marine Corps and is the host of the Bill Spadea Show, a New Jersey conservative radio show. He is considered further right than Ciattarelli, and unlike the Republican frontrunner, was an early supporter of Trump—something that Spadea pointed out in the first Republican primary debate in February. Spadea’s agenda includes a fifteen-week ban on abortion (hence his endorsement from both the national and New Jersey chapters of Right to Life), cracking down on illegal immigration in the state, and lowering the corporate tax rate.

Jon Bramnick

Senator Jon Bramnick currently polls at 8%. Bramnick is a former lawyer and professor, and served as the Republican Leader until 2021 in the State Assembly. He is arguably the most moderate Republican in the primary, having been a longtime critic of Donald Trump and maintained close ties with former Governor Chris Christie. Bramnick’s proposed policies include cutting income taxes, providing property tax relief, blocking further housing development mandates, and supporting charter schools and school choice. He also supports establishing a Government Efficiency Panel, although unlike Ciattarelli’s idea of a NJDOGE, would have the panel be citizen-led. Bramnick’s campaign is certainly unique in that he is running as an anti-Trump Republican—a position that has become more and more unpopular in the party. However, Bramnick is attempting to make up for this by tacking further to the right than his opponents on immigration. Recent campaign literature he has sent out features that he authored the Laken Riley Act, opposes New Jersey’s sanctuary state policy, and would take a hardline on illegal immigration. Bramnick has also emphasized his ability to win votes. In 2023, he was elected senator by 7 points in a Biden +17 and Harris +12 legislative district.

Mario Kranjac

The last two Republicans running, Mario Kranjac and Justin Barbera, are distant last places, with both polling at 2% each. The former, Kranjac, was the mayor of Englewood Cliffs, and has been referred to by the media as a “Forever Trumper” and the “Trumpy mayor” of Englewood Cliffs. As governor, Kranjac has voiced that he would significantly cut property taxes, lower taxes for businesses, work with the Trump administration on immigration, end housing development mandates, and oppose abortion, “protecting life from conception to death.” Like Ciattarelli, Kranjac is also in support of creating a NJDOGE.

Justin Barbera

Another longshot bid for governor, Justin Barbera is a Burlington county Republican who gathered enough signatures to be on the ballot (another Republican, Hans Herberg, was not so lucky and is currently running as a write-in). Like Spadea and Kranjac, Barbera is a longtime Trump loyalist. His main priorities as governor are to protect gun rights, lower taxes, reform education and prevent schools from pushing “left-wing agendas” on children, and strengthen government accountability. Last year, Barbera ran as a third party candidate with Join the Revolution, aiming to win Andy Kim’s vacated U.S. House seat in NJ-3, but came in last with 0.3% of the vote.

Conclusion

Regardless of which way you swing, this year’s gubernatorial election will be an interesting one. Be sure to research all the candidates on your own and stay updated.

About Post Author

Grace Fu ('26)

mliddle@mlschools.org

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Why is Harvard suing the Trump Administration?

In April 2025, the Trump administration announced the suspension of billions of dollars in research funding, salaries, and financial aid at Harvard University. These funding cuts were implemented to address the poor handling of anti-semitism, DEI protests, and environments that encourage “anti-American” activism at prominent universities like Harvard and other Ivy League universities.
Ivy League Universities like Penn, Columbia, and Princeton were all on the Trump administration’s radar and also got hit by the cut. The Trump administration saw the evident radicalism and decided it was time they put their foot down, but in an extremely ineffective way. Not only did the cuts hurt Harvard itself, but the students attending the university were affected significantly. There are hundreds of cases of financial aid being repealed, and student research funding being cut almost entirely, obstructing critical research in science and many other fields.

How long have the protests been going on for?

The pro-Palestinian movements first began in October 2023, following the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war. Harvard students immediately took action by protesting in prominent locations on their campus, like the Langdell Library, Harvard Square, and other places of high traffic. Not to mention, students at Columbia University stepped the protests up a notch in April 2024 with the establishment of the “Gaza Solidarity Encampment”.
The objective of the encampment is pretty straightforward: they are demanding that universities around the country divest from companies that encourage or benefit from the Israel-Hamas war, and to simply raise awareness. They aim to show support for Palestinians and call for international intervention in order to protect civilians in Gaza. The encampment has been extremely successful so far, with Harvard and Columbia administrators agreeing to meet student representatives and discuss their concerns regarding the university’s involvement with pro-Israeli companies. Although the school administrators agreed to peacefully discuss their concerns, it did not come without many people getting hurt in the process. Leading up to the meeting, hundreds of student protestors had been arrested and charged, with some students even being physically beaten.

How is Harvard fighting back against President Trump?

On April 21st, 2025, Harvard assembled a team of lawyers and filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, and multiple other agencies, including: the Department of Justice, the Department of Education, and the Department of Health and Human Services. Harvard president Alan Garber claims that Trump’s administration is infringing upon academic freedom, and that the move was unconstitutional, defying political law. They call it a violation of the First Amendment because of Trump’s harsh attempt to suppress free speech and academic independence, two natural rights in the US.

What happens next?

Now that Harvard has initiated legal proceedings against the Trump administration, the hearing is set for July 21st, 2025, which also means that the trial will likely stretch into 2026. Legal experts predict that the trial could last at least seven months, if not more. If Harvard were to win the case, their funding and autonomy could possibly be restored. On the other hand, an unfavorable outcome for Harvard could lead to altered policies and the search for other sources of funding.

About Post Author

Sam Bruderle ('27)

mliddle@mlschools.org

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Introduction

Every May, communities from all over the world come together to recognize Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month. This month signifies a celebration of culture, resilience, and the often overlooked contributions of AAPI individuals throughout U.S. history. But how did this month of recognition start, and why does it matter so much today?

AAPI Heritage Month first started in 1978, when Congress passed a resolution to designate the first ten days of May as “Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week.” While the choice of May might seen as random, this month marks two significant events in AAPI history: the arrival of the first Japanese immigrants to the United States on May 7, 1843, and the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869, a project made possible by the tireless and often dangerous work of thousands of Chinese laborers. In 1992, this celebration was officially expanded to the entire month of May.

AAPI Heritage Month represents a time to uplift stories that have too often been erased or ignored. It’s a chance to celebrate the cultural richness of AAPI communities from food, fashion, and traditions to literature, innovation, and activism. It’s also a time to recognize the struggles and injustices that many AAPI individuals have faced and continue to face, from exclusionary laws and harmful stereotypes to recent surges in anti-Asian hate.

This month serves as both a celebration and a call to action: to learn more, speak up, and ensure that AAPI voices are heard, honored, and included. From groundbreaking scientists and trailblazing artists to athletes, educators, and leaders, the AAPI community continues to shape the story of America in more ways than one.

How Representation Can Foster a Movement

The importance of the representation of minority groups in media is preached about, but why is it so important? When it comes to ethnic groups that are frequently stereotyped or overlooked, media representations are often notoriously inaccurate or exaggerate false narratives. Shifting away from this habit and toward an accurate representation of all people, including those of AAPI descent, can be critical in altering how the public perceives minority groups. 

Within the realm of pop culture, accurate representation of AAPI people can be accomplished in a multitude of ways: sharing culturally authentic stories, breaking away from harmful stereotypes, creating stories with the input of community members, representing a diverse community, and grounding stories in a basis of cultural truth. Inaccurate representation would be using an AAPI character purely for the “diversity card” without giving them any true depth, emphasizing stereotypes, or racist portrayals.

Authentically representing the complex and vast AAPI cultures is critical in achieving equality for these minority groups. When a group is so deeply misunderstood, including stories to reverse the narrative within mainstream media can be the key to un-internalizing inaccurate perceptions. In turn, non-AAPI people who lead their lives through a biased lens (consciously or not) can break free of that cycle. On top of that, AAPI people may be encouraged to be their authentic selves, leading to a deeper cultural appreciation.

Media that Represents AAPI 

With the importance of accurate representation in mind, here are some shows, movies, and books that have been recognized for their accurate and complex portrayals of AAPI people:

1. Never Have I Ever (show) – This comedy/drama series portrays the high school experience of a first-generation Indian-American student named Devi. The show is well respected for its decision to create a culturally specific main character who is not just “South Asian” but rather from a specific South Indian culture who comes from a Tamil-speaking family. Additionally, her Indian culture is infused in all aspects of her life, as opposed to just being acknowledged from time to time, seeping into her experiences with school, friends, and relationships. Devi’s mom is a complex immigrant mother who represents cultural and traditional tensions, a common theme in culturally centered pieces of media. The show also explores themes of mental health, which helps to break taboos, and includes not just one brown character but a range of them. It features an authentic and messy main character, making her unique and personalized. Never Have I Ever was created by a South Asian woman who infused her own cultural experiences into this relatable and entertaining show. 
   
2. Everything Everywhere All at Once (movie) – This action/sci-fi film investigates a unique perspective on the Asian-American experience by exploring multiverse scenarios. It includes themes of strained mother-daughter relationships, generational trauma in immigrant families, feeling caught between two cultures, and LGBTQ+ experiences as a Chinese American. Overall, this critically acclaimed movie uses its distinctive style to touch on the struggles and nuances of the Asian American experience. While its format is almost comical and won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, the filmmakers deserve respect for their willingness to try something different.
   
3. Crazy Rich Asians (movie) – This movie features an all asian cast made up of actors from various asian backgrounds, including Chinese, Singaporean, Malaysian, and more. The film focuses on an incredibly wealthy group of individuals to represent Asian culture as rich, but not taking it so far as to make it seem overly exotic. This stance challenges negative stereotypes about Asian people by implementing storylines of success. Crazy Rich Asians had an impact on many people of AAPI backgrounds because of the sheer amount of Asian representation it implemented, making it incredibly powerful. While it has been critiqued for not showing the struggles of Asian culture, it still is a unique and entertaining form of representation.
   
4. Moana (movie) – This heartwarming Disney movie represents a variety of Polynesian cultures, with Moana being the first main character in a Disney movie who is a Pacific Islander and the first Polynesian princess. The film portrays Moana as a strong, confident leader who is more than just a love interest and contains themes of ancient Polynesian culture through a blend of languages, chants, and other keystone characteristics. While the movie has been criticized for mixing multiple cultures together as opposed to highlighting one, this form of representation remains important because of its young audience. Teaching kids the various aspects of unique cultures at a young age can be critical in developing well-rounded and understanding future generations. 
   
5. On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous (book) – Notably one of the most authentic and important representations of AAPI people within the literature, this book portrays a first-generation Vietnamese American’s experience following his family’s migration as a result of the Vietnam War. This story represents the trauma the war caused for Vietnamese families who had to flee and utilizes the main character’s mother, who only speaks Vietnamese, as a way of portraying the emotional cost of displacement. The main character has to try to make sense of his mixed-culture upbringing, which is shown through his mixing of Vietnamese (with translations) and English within his writing. Topics of abuse, poverty, PTSD, assimilation, addiction, and struggles with queer identity represent the struggles that the narrator went through because of his upbringing. Furthermore, the author uses a nonlinear writing style to reflect the complex and tumultuous immigrant experience, resulting in an incredibly personal and culturally accurate story.
   
6. Interior Chinatown (book) – Interior Chinatown approaches the AAPI experience through the lens of a TV script. In doing so, the book acts as a testament to how AAPI individuals are often stereotyped, given side roles, etc, within the film industry. Throughout the book, themes of assimilation, family dynamics in AAPI households, cultural expectations, and general trauma are explored. Additionally, the author calls out Hollywood to show how casting culture shapes Asian American lives both on and off the screen. This form of testimony is used to capture the frustration of Asian Americans and to call out racism and systemic barriers. 

Still Work to Do

While there has clearly been progress in the extent and effectiveness of AAPI representation in media, there is still progress to be made. Like any type of representation, it’s hard to perfect; there will always be critics who feel their culture or heritage could be more accurately portrayed. At the end of the day, the fact that authors and screenwriters are taking steps toward being more inclusive and culturally aware says something about how society has grown to be more willing to embrace the beautiful and unique cultures that different parts of the world have to offer. Representation can be the catalyst to larger-scale movements. With that being said, in honor of AAPI month, you can investigate the various ways to appreciate AAPI cultures and check out some of the media recommendations we listed above. 

About Post Author

Cate Conklin '26 and Izzi Lee '26

mliddle@mlschools.org

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Introduction

New Jersey has long been a refuge for immigrants seeking opportunity in the United States. Behind only California, New Jersey has the largest share of foreign-born residents: 23.2% of the population. This demographic, along with immigrant communities across the country, are now under threat because of Trump’s crackdown on immigration; increased ICE raids and national limits on immigration protections have led many families to be afraid to leave their homes. In lieu of this widespread fear, the New Jersey Immigration Trust Act offers protections for immigrants seeking support from state and local agencies.

What does the Act do?

First and foremost, the Immigrant Trust Act opens accessibility to public services for immigrants, regardless of their immigration status. It also proposes new data privacy protections, limiting the amount of information that can be collected on those who do seek support. This, in turn, ensures that when interacting with state and local governments, the collection of personal information regarding immigration status is limited. Subsequently, local resources will be “used to support local priorities rather than fund federal immigration enforcement,” as stated by aclu-nj.org. Overall, these protections ensure that immigrants—regardless of their legal status—are not afraid to access critical public services such as emergency healthcare, shelters, and education, as well as report crimes such as domestic violence or wage theft to local law enforcement.

Why is it important?

As the president’s hunt for undocumented individuals persists, immigrants both legal and illegal are under more perilous conditions. Upon multiple instances, U.S. citizens have been detained or deported with little to no due process, including the cases of Juan Carlos Lopez-Gomez, Jensy Machado, and various occurrences in which children were deported with their mothers. Driven by the act itself, “immigration detainer requests do not require a warrant or any established standard of proof, such as reasonable suspicion or probable cause”; in this way, continued assistance to federal immigration enforcement has the danger of leading to more instances like the ones mentioned above. Addressing these concerns, the Immigrant Trust Act limits the reach of federal immigration enforcement, barring local law enforcement from providing assistance or resources to these initiatives unless compelled to by law. Undocumented immigrants, due to their status, are often deterred from seeking public services — “be it registering for healthcare, reporting wage theft, or contacting law enforcement” (aclu-nj.org). As a result of seeking these fundamental forms of support, individuals may face interrogation or detention at any time because of inquiries regarding their status throughout the process. In an effort to avoid sudden deportation, the Immigrant Trust Act prohibits collection of personal information unless necessary. “Government entities and healthcare facilities may collect information relating to a person’s immigration status, citizenship status, place of birth, social security number, and individual taxpayer identification number only when this information is strictly necessary to assess eligibility or to administer the requested public services, benefits, or programs that the agency, division, or facility is charged with “administering,” as stated in the third section of the Act. Moreover, in cases where information is collected, that data is protected by preventing it from being disclosed or kept as a governmental record. 

What’s the difference between the ITA and the Directive?

If the Immigrant Trust Act’s policies sound familiar to you, that’s because they aren’t new to Jersey. In fact, the Immigrant Trust Act is effectively the same immigration policy in the Immigrant Trust Directive written into legislation. The Directive was put into place by former New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal, and has guided the state’s approach to immigration enforcement for the past few years. However, the protections outlined in the Directive are not permanent—they can be repealed by the current state administration at any time. What the Immigrant Trust Act will do is permanently codify these protections into New Jersey law, ensuring that regardless of who is in the governor’s office in Trenton, immigration protections remain firmly in place. This has therefore become a major issue in the current New Jersey governor’s race, with the majority of Democratic candidates running in support of the Immigrant Trust Act, and the Republicans promising to repeal the Directive as soon as they enter office.

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Laura Blandon ('26) & Grace Fu ('26)

mliddle@mlschools.org

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Recently, there’s been this fashion trend going around TikTok. To most people, it doesn’t seem that harmless, but the way this trend has been handled is heavily detrimental. Western fashion brands have been appropriating South Asian cultural clothes without proper acknowledgement or respect. This began with brands such as Oh Polly and Reformation, which were called out by South Asian influencers and others for appropriating cultural clothes such as lehengas, shararas, and shalwar kameez. This critical response has been handled very poorly by these companies. 

Oh Polly’s Sharara Controversy

Oh Polly is a UK based brand which came under scrutiny for releasing an outfit which heavily resembled a sharara–a South Asian gown with flared pants and a tunic. Oh Polly was criticized for marketing the gown as a “convertible gown” without acknowledging its cultural roots. Critics argued that the brand was repackaging South Asian fashion and heritage for Western audiences without paying tribute to the culture and rich history behind said fashion, an action that was highly insensitive especially at a time when hatred against South Asians online was at an all time high. Oh Polly declined to comment on the backlash and was even found deleting comments about it.

The Issue of Cultural Appropriation in Fashion

Oh Polly is only one example of a brand that has taken South Asian culture and repackaged it as something Western. It’s totally acceptable to appreciate South Asian culture, especially as it is viewed as underappreciated by many; however, the way Oh Polly and other brands have been approaching this issue is appropriation, not appreciation. This attitude about South Asian culture has enabled further harmful trends, such as calling South Asian dupattas “Scandinavian scarves,” another example of rebranding and repackaging South Asian fashion as something Western. This cultural appropriation of South Asian fashion has heavily harmed South Asians online. As many have pointed out, their culture has often been mocked and undervalued, and it is ironic that it is now being repackaged as something that is not theirs. There is also a long history of colonialism in South Asia to consider, which still harms individuals today. 

It’s important to recognize the difference between cultural appropriation and appreciation, and the connection between fashion and politics. Despite the blatant disrespect that these brands have displayed, it is uplifting to see South Asian culture be popularized in the Western world. Moving forward, there must be a balance between promoting South Asian culture and recognizing its rich origins.

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Hania Shafqat '27

mliddle@mlschools.org

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