Election Lessons for Every Organization

– Wendy Schaetzel Lesko

Profound lessons emerge from Zohran Mamdani’s victory even though NYC is unlike any other city. A historic turnout and a whopping 78 percent of those under age 30 voted for Zohran Mamdani. Sure, he is young, energetic, and charismatic, but I believe there is a broader conclusion that is relevant to any organization that recognizes the irreplaceable value of the rising generations. 

“The language with which we speak to young people is truly one of condescension… If you treat young people with the respect that they deserve then they will not be a part of your movement but the heart of your movement.”

Mamdani’s insight isn’t just about politics—it’s a wake-up call to every institution, nonprofit, and company that seeks to stay relevant and innovate. His words expose a persistent gap between how adults talk about young people and how rarely they talk with them. This “Youthquake” (Oxford Dictionaries’ Word of the Year in 2017), that powered his campaign did not happen by accident; it came from genuine listening, shared power, and the conviction that young people deserve to shape—not just support—the causes they believe in.

Cities have always been laboratories for democracy. In my recent article in the National Civic League’s magazine, I outline specific strategies for local government leaders to replace token youth engagement efforts. Read full article here. These lessons are magnified by Mamdani’s example. His victory demonstrates what becomes possible when young people are seen not as a “target audience” but as co-architects of civic renewal.

The election sharpens some of these approaches:

• Demonstrate that young people are not too young to be critical thinkers
• Amend the expression “meet them where they are” and instead meet their grievances and dreams head on
• Make sure ideas emanating from “youth voice” does not continue to fall on deaf ears
• Be relentless in learning from those young people who most impacted and unheard
• Recognize the demand for urgency is not the negative stereotype of impatience that often sidelines young people
• Replace empty rhetoric and broken promises with persistent and accountable action
• Embrace “We are unstoppable, another world is possible!” 

Before the November 4 election, pollster John Della Volpe validated that people feel most campaign messages sound like scripts from a Human Resources department. Young people detect condescension in a heart beat. Yet the responses from these young NYC voters offer a poignant counterpoint and a hopeful challenge: h

“We’re hopeful — and just ready for some new love and spaces.”
“We still care. We’re just not represented.”
“We’ve been through a lot. But we’re still trying to be part of it.”
“We are the generation that will be talked about for generations.”

These are not the words of apathy or disengagement. They are an invitation—a plea—to rebuild trust through authenticity, shared purpose, and visible collaboration. Whether the context is an election, a nonprofit boardroom, a classroom, or a city hall, the message is the same: young people are paying attention. They are measuring not our slogans but our sincerity, not our outreach but our willingness to share real power.

Mamdani’s landslide is more than a political milestone; it’s a generational mirror. It reflects what happens when young people are not merely courted during campaign season but centered in year-round decision-making. Every organization, regardless of mission or size, can draw from this moment a simple yet profound truth: when young people feel truly seen, heard, and valued, they don’t just show up—they show the way forward.

Photo credit https://www.thecivicscenter.org