Mayor Mamdani, rapper Cardi B team up to announce 2-K application start date, jingle competition

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani had some help from award-winning rapper Cardi B to announce when 2-K applications will open up.

The two spoke about the new program starting in the fall that provides 2,000 free child care seats for 2-year-olds in a video released Friday.

Cardi B, a Bronx native, emphasized how the free child care program is important. 

"Sometimes us women, we can't really go forward because we don't have nobody to help us take care of our kids," she said.  

Families can start applying for the program on June 2. Applications will close on June 26, with offers released in August.

Mamdani and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul unveiled the program in March. 

The state will fully fund the program for the first two years. The first round of seats cost $73 million, and the state is prepared to spend up to $425 million next year. 

Citywide jingle competition announced

The mayor is launching a competition, inviting New Yorkers to submit original 15 to 30-second jingles encouraging families to apply for 2-K.

A panel of judges, which will include Cardi B, will review the submissions before New Yorkers vote for a winner. The winning jingle will become the official 2-K theme for the city and be played on the radio.

"As Cardi B says: 'I can get 'em both. I don't wanna choose.' With universal child care, New Yorkers won't have to," Mamdani said in a statement. "For too long, families have been forced to choose between affordable care and staying in the city they love. Now, they can have both—free care in the greatest city in the world." 

Submissions can be made online and must be received by April 17. 

Areas eligible for free 2-K

There are five districts included in the program's rollout.

• Manhattan's School District 6: Washington Heights, Inwood, Hamilton Heights, and parts of Manhattanville
• School District 10 in the Bronx: Fordham, Belmont, Norwood, Marble Hill, Morris Heights, Riverdale, Spuyten Duyvil, Van Cortlandt Village and Kingsbridge, and parts of Kingsbridge Heights, Bedford Park, Mount Hope, Claremont-Bathgate and East Tremont
• Brooklyn's School Districts 18 and 23: Canarsie, Rugby-Remsen Village, Brownsville and Ocean Hill, and parts of East Flatbush-Farragut and Prospect Lefferts Garden-Wingate
• School District 27 in Queens: Ozone Park, South Ozone Park, Richmond Hill, Woodhaven, Howard Beach and Rockaways, and parts of Lindenwood and Springfield Gardens North