New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has named nationally known reparations advocate and inequality scholar Darrick Hamilton as co-chair of his Economic Development & Workforce Development transition team — a move that has instantly ignited political backlash, energized progressives, and set the tone for what could become the most ideologically ambitious mayoralty in modern NYC history.

Hamilton, a pioneer of “stratification economics” and founding director of the Institute on Race, Power and Political Economy at The New School, has built a national reputation arguing that racism is embedded in American economic systems. His selection signals that Mamdani plans to govern with a distinctly left-wing, structural-reform agenda — one far more radical than any of New York’s recent mayors.

The appointment also adds fuel to growing Republican attacks that Mamdani is “bringing Washington-style woke economics to New York,” while some center-left Democrats warn the mayor-elect may be setting himself up for early political bruising.

A Reparations Scholar Enters the Room

Hamilton is best known for his bold claims before Congress in 2021, where he declared:

“Since our nation’s inception, the immoral devaluation of Black lives has been ingrained in America’s political economy.”

He has argued that the racial wealth gap is not accidental but the predictable outcome of government policies — from the Homestead Act to redlining — that deliberately advantaged white Americans.

Hamilton also sits on New York State’s Community Commission on Reparations Remedies, where he advises lawmakers on “reparative justice” policies. One of his signature proposals is Baby Bonds, trust accounts seeded at birth to give low-wealth children (disproportionately Black and brown) access to capital when they reach adulthood.

Critics have blasted the idea as racially divisive or designed to expand government entanglement in private wealth-building. Hamilton says it’s the opposite: a structural fix for centuries of exclusion.

In interviews, he has rejected the idea of compromising on racial justice:

“When we think about race, the group that is typically the first to be compromised are the issues related to those who are most marginalized.”

Mamdani’s Bold Transition Team Raises Eyebrows

Mamdani’s transition announcement, which features 17 advisory committees and more than 400 advisors, includes a slate of prominent activists, economists, socialists, and nonprofit organizers — many aligned with the Democratic Socialists of America, the New Economy Project, and progressive academia.

For the Economic Development and Workforce committee alone, Mamdani enlisted:

Darrick Hamilton — reparations scholar

Gustavo Gordillo — co-chair of NYC Democratic Socialists of America

Deyanira Del Río — head of the New Economy Project, advocating “racial and gender justice” and “ecological sustainability”

Mamdani’s camp says the team represents “a new economic vision centered on justice and shared prosperity.”

Republicans say it’s a far-left wish list.

GOP strategist Colin Reed blasted the picks:

“The polls have barely closed, and already the incoming mayor is breaking his promise to shake up the status quo. New York City started a downward spiral under Bill de Blasio, and now some of the same players are returning to power.”

Reed also took aim at former FTC Chair Lina Khan, who joined Mamdani’s transition team earlier this month:

“Lina Khan became synonymous with her hostility toward businesses large and small during the Biden administration and was one of the ringleaders of Bidenomics.”

For critics on the right, the optics are clear: Mamdani — the first Muslim mayor-elect in NYC history and a self-described democratic socialist — is surrounding himself with ideological purity over practical governance.

Progressives Cheer, Moderates Nervous, Conservatives Outraged

Hamilton’s appointment has quickly become the flashpoint.

Progressives

Left-wing activists, including racial justice advocates and young urban voters, praised Mamdani’s pick as “courageous.”

One longtime DSA organizer wrote on X:

“This is what delivering on a mandate looks like. Finally, an economist who understands systemic racism is at the table.”

Moderates

Democratic insiders — especially those who worked for Eric Adams and Bill de Blasio — privately worry Mamdani’s team risks alienating business leaders and pushing the city into budgetary conflict with Gov. Kathy Hochul and Albany lawmakers.

One centrist Democrat told Fox News Digital:

“This isn’t how you build coalitions. This is how you pick fights.”

Conservatives

Right-wing commentators say Hamilton’s worldview is “deeply ideological,” “economically unserious,” and “designed to make identity politics the core of city policy.”

Several critics highlighted Hamilton’s past statements suggesting:

the U.S. economy is fundamentally racist

government should expand ownership of the means of production

one-time reparations payments are insufficient

Conservative activists also point to disputes inside the reparations movement itself — including sharp attacks from Yvette Carnell, co-founder of the ADOS movement, who called Hamilton “clueless” and accused him of “kowtowing to whichever politician is in power.”

Why Mamdani Chose Hamilton: A Vision of Redistribution

Behind closed doors, sources say Mamdani sees Hamilton’s framework — stratification economics — as essential to tackling NYC’s:

soaring inequality

housing crisis

racial wealth gap

workforce instability

Hamilton argues that government must “start doing good” and build systems that generate trust, momentum, and long-term structural equity.

That aligns with Mamdani’s own platform:

rent stabilization expansion

universal childcare

publicly funded job creation

immigrant protections

taxation on luxury real estate and financial speculation

Hamilton’s presence suggests Mamdani intends to center race, wealth, and structural reform in nearly every economic policy he pursues.

A Controversial Start — and a Sign of More Fights to Come

Mamdani promised to bring “a new day” to New York City. His transition team — especially the selection of figures like Hamilton — shows he intends to deliver on that promise, even if it sparks immediate political warfare.

The mayor-elect’s office did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment, nor did Hamilton.

But insiders say Mamdani expected the backlash — and is prepared for it.

A senior advisor put it bluntly:

“We didn’t elect Zohran to be safe. We elected him to be bold.”

The question now is whether New York City — with its fragile budget, complex political alliances, and enormous inequality — is ready for the kind of economic revolution Mamdani and Hamilton envision.

If the first week is any indication, the battles have only just begun.