Zohran Mamdani takes oath of office in abandoned NYC subway station, becoming city's 112th mayor
Zohran Mamdani officially took the oath of office as the clock struck midnight on New Year's Eve, becoming the 112th mayor of New York City.
In a private ceremony at the abandoned Old City Hall subway station, Mamdani was sworn in by New York Attorney General Letitia James.
The 34-year-old Democratic socialist, who served in the 36th Assembly District representing the Queens neighborhood of Astoria, is now the city's first Muslim mayor and its first of South Asian descent.
"This is truly the honor and the privilege of a lifetime," Mamdani said in a brief speech.
Mamdani called old subway station a "testament to the importance of public transit to the vitality, the health and the legacy of our city." He then announced the appointment of Mike Flynn as his new Department of Transportation commissioner.
Public oath to be taken Thursday afternoon
Mamdani will publicly take the oath of office, administered by U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, on Thursday at 1 p.m. at City Hall. CBS News New York will stream the ceremony live.
The new mayor's public swearing-in will accompany a block party celebration in Lower Manhattan that runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Anyone planning to attend must RSVP online.
Dubbed the "Inauguration of a New Era," it will take place in the famed "Canyon of Heroes," from Liberty Street to Murray Street — a historical stretch along Broadway. The route is famous for ticker-tape parades that have honored athletes, astronauts, politicians and New York heroes.
The celebration will include music, performances and interfaith elements, Mamdani's transition team said.
Mamdani's inauguration is expected to draw media attention from across the country and around the world.
"I think there is really going to be a lot of energy. I think many of us who have had a chance to cover Mamdani and to photograph him have really seen the charisma up close, and I think he has really been able to like create these connections to so many different New Yorkers," photographer Amanda Briggs said.
In preparation for the transfer of power, Mamdani appointed five new high-ranking members of his administration over the last two days, including a new city schools chancellor, Kamar Samuels.
