New York City’s approach to public safety is undergoing a fundamental shift. Since taking office, Mayor Zohran Mamdani has proposed rethinking not just how the city polices, but who controls policing. Supporters argue this could reduce political interference in day-to-day enforcement and rebuild trust; critics warn it blurs accountability at a moment when clarity matters most. And while NYPD data show that January 2026 recorded one of the lowest January crime levels in recent memory, surveys in many Black and high-crime neighborhoods continue to report strong support for visible, consistent policing as a core component of safety.

So on Monday evening, February 23rd, we bring two incisive voices together to unpack these questions. Ankit Kapoor, former NYPD, and Dr. Donna Hylton, criminal justice reform advocate and former incarcerated person, will discuss the the trade-offs public-safety model that reduces harm, incarceration, and over-policing while still addressing violence. Expect a serious, unflinching conversation on whether Mamdani’s approach represents a smarter balance between safety and legitimacy, or a risky experiment that underestimates what many communities still want most: to feel protected. Moderated by Kiran Suryadevara.

Upcoming UNMUTED Events

Tuesday, 2/17: An UNMUTED Dialogue: Medicare for All, Who Pays? (link)

Monday, 2/23: An UNMUTED Dialogue: Crime and Punishment and Mamdani (link)

Wednesday, 3/4: An UNMUTED Dialogue: The Path Forward on Immigration (link)

Check out all our events here

The events I’ve got my eye on in the next two weeks. Check them out!

🗓 Monday, February 9
•5:30 PM – Backlash: How Central Asia is Reshaping China’s Rise
Subject: International Relations
Where: International Affairs Building, 420 West 118th Street, New York, NY 10027
Who: Weatherhead East Asian Institute & Harriman Institute  
What: Lecture on shifting geopolitical dynamics in Central Asia and how the region is influencing China’s global strategy and great-power competition. We talk about China’s effect on Western nations, but rarely do we get into the intra-Asia dynamics.

•5:30 PM – Good Jews & Philosemitism
Subject: Politics and Cultural Commentary
Where: 60 Fifth Avenue
Who: New York University
What: Book talk on Good Jews & Philosemitism with author Daniel Cohen, exploring themes of Jewish identity, sympathy, and cultural perception…Politically adjacent, but maybe interesting for Jews navigating the current political landscape.

🗓 Tuesday, February 10
•5:00 PM – Housing on the Brink: The NYC Affordability Crisis
Subject: Local and Urban Studies
Where: Museum of the City of New York, 1220 Fifth Avenue at 103rd Street, New York, NY 10029
Who: Museum of the City of New York
What: Panel discussion examining New York City’s housing affordability crisis—exploring skyrocketing rents, homelessness, barriers to affordable housing production, and the policy and development strategies shaping the city’s housing future. Featuring insights from housing developers, advocates, and policy experts… Maybe Cuomo will be there.

•6:30 PM – Hot Toddy Tuesday
Subject: Republicans, Socializng
Where: Location upon ticket purchase
Who: New York Young Republicans
What: Young republicans drinking hot toddies. On a Tuesday. Sometimes, simplicity sells itself.

🗓 Wednesday, February 11
•5:00 PM – Hegel 13/13 with Cornel West
Subject: Philosophy/ Ethics/ Contemporary thought
Where: Columbia Center for Contemporary Critical Thought
Who: Columbia Center for Contemporary Critical Thought
What: Entry in the Hegel 13/13 series featuring philosophical reflection on Hegel and his relevance to modern moral and political life… but now with Cornel West. I had a class this guy once….he’s good to listen to like once or twice before you start hearing the same shtick. So it’s worth attending if you’re new to him!

•5:30 PM – Freedom and Its Futures: Conversations on the Meaning of Futures Today
Subject: Civic Engagement
Where: Center for Brooklyn History
Who: Humanities New York
What: This session brings participants together for a small-group, judgment-free conversation on freedom, responsibility, and the common good. Focusing on “The Market Mindset and the Erosion of the Common Good,” the discussion invites reflection on how trust, meaning, and shared value might be renewed through thoughtful dialogue rather than debate… sound familiar?

🗓 Thursday, February 12
•6:00 PM – Seeing Red, Feeling Blue: A Practical Guide to Engaging MAGA Voters
Subject: Civic Engagement, Political Discourse
Where: Mi Casita Centro Cultural, Brooklyn, NY
Who: Mi Casita Centro Cultural
What: For those still struggling with thanksgiving here is a practical session focused on approaches to engaging MAGA voters. I might attend this, I am curious what the people who are running this think works with MAGA voters - text me at 978 302 5849 if you are interested in going as well.

•7:00 PM – The Next New York: The rent is too damn high!
Subject: New York Policy
Where: Greenwich Village, Manhattan, Judson Memorial Church, 55 Washington Square S
Who: New York Focus
What: A panel examining New York City’s housing crisis through Zohran Mamdani’s proposed housing agenda. Housing experts will debate the feasibility of his proposals and the broader structural reforms required to create a more stable and equitable housing system in New York. (Does anybody need a roommate?)

🗓 Friday, February 13
•6:30 PM – The Struggle Continues: The Ongoing Genocide & Next Steps for Our Movement
Subject: Human Rights
Where: Riverside Church
Who: Palestinian Youth Movement
What:  Event focused on Palestinian activism in the Israel region. Unless I can be convinced otherwise, we won’t be doing events on Israel-Palestine (find me someone who’s on the fence or willing to change their mind on this issue..), but I do think it’s important to give people awareness of events like this.

•7:30 PM – Chinese Republicans
Subject: Satire and Social Commentary
Where: 111 West 46th Street, New York, NY
Who: Roundabout Theatre Company 
What:  A satirical drama about a young woman navigating the world of professional finance. This play pokes fun at our capitalist system while also reminding us of its harsh realities and its song-and-dance.

🗓 Saturday, February 14
•3:30 PM – Black History Month: Seneca Village
Subject: Black History
Where: West 81st Street and Central Park West
Who: New York City Parks  
What: Learn about the history of the Seneca Village Residents in the 1800’s. 

🗓 Sunday, February 15
•All Day - International Conference on Law and Economics 
Subject: Professional Development
Where: Multiple Locations Throughout Downtown NYC
Who: ICLE
What: Industry spanning conference featuring lectures, paper presentations, and networking opportunities for early and late career international legal and economic professionals. 

•1:00 - Camp Congress for Youth New York 2026
Subject: Youth Civic Engagement
Where: 1717 Broadway, New York, NY 10019
Who: Girls in Politics Initiative
What: Youth leadership and civics program introducing participants to the U.S. government and civic engagement. Don’t really know what this is, but if I had kids, I’d check it out.

🗓 Monday, February 16
•2:00 PM – American Presidents in New York
Subject: Federal Hall National Memorial
Where: Regional History
Who: Culture Now
What: Program examining the connections, influence, or history of American presidents as they relate to New York… its a national holiday, I know y’all got nothing going on. 

•7:30 PM – Presidents’ Day Spectacular
Subject: Political Comedy
Where: The PIT LAB, 156 W. 29th Street, Floor 2, New York, NY, 10001
Who: PIT NYC
What: A Presidents’ Day-themed comedy special… do we need a comedy night for our politics to be funny?

🗓 Tuesday, February 17
•7:00 PM – Civility Unbound: NYC Launch Event
Subject: Public Discourse
Where: NYU Wagner 105 East 17th Street, New York, NY 10003, Room: Main Event Space
Who: Brademas Center
What: Launch event for Civility Unbound in NYC, centering on conversations about civility, public dialogue, and social engagement. This will be a bunch of NYU professors waxing poetic.

•7:00 PM – Jon Meacham in Conversation with John Dickerson: American Struggle
Subject: Politics/ History
Where: 92nd Street Y, 1395 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10128
Who: 92nd Street Y
What: Pulitzer Prize–winning historian Jon Meacham discusses American political history, democratic ideals, and national identity with journalist John Dickerson…actually epic.

🗓 Wednesday, February 18
•6:00 PM – Promoting Civil Discourse: The Value of Political Pluralism in Academia
Subject: Political Theory
Where: 47-49 East 65th St. Manhattan, Roosevelt House
Who: CUNY
What: Part of an Intellectual Dialogue Series exploring the importance and value of political pluralism within academic settings and discourse. Lot of events on this topic this week! But the problem is most of them don’t bring in Republicans!!! Got to have both sides of the aisle.o

•10:00 PM – So What’s Funny Is… with Jack Bensinger
Subject: Comedy
Where: Union Hall
Who: Jack Bensinger
What: Political stand-up comedy show featuring comedian Jack Bensinger … No idea who this is, but it says politics and comedy. If you go, let me know if it was funny or Sam Hyde slop. 

🗓 Thursday, February 19
•7:00 PM – Checks and Balances: What Limits Are There on Presidential Power
Subject: Law and Politics
Where:  92nd Street Y, 1395 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10128
Who: 92nd Street Y
What: Conversation examining constitutional checks and balances and the limits on presidential authority, with legal scholars and former senior government officials discussing executive power, unilateral actions, and separation of powers in contemporary U.S. governance… I try not to put two events from the same organization for diversity's sake, but these events are very topical.

🗓 Friday, February 20
•5:00 PM – DisclosureLand: How Corporate Worlds Constrain Racial Progress
Subject: Corporate Power and Racial Studies
Where: CUNY, 6112: Sociology Student Lounge
Who: CUNY Graduate Studies Center
What: Panel examining how corporate practices, structures, and power dynamics shape and potentially constrain progress on racial equity and justice.

•6:30 PM – The History of the Future of War
Subject: International Relations and War :)
Where: Register for Event Location
Who: Lectures on Tap
What: Lecture event exploring The History of the Future of War, likely covering how warfare has evolved and how future conflicts might unfold through technological, strategic, and geopolitical lenses. I wish I could charge as much as these guys do $40 with nothing included!!! Great business model.

🗓 Saturday, February 21
•2:00 PM – Book Discussion: The Origins of Totalitarianism by Hannah Arendt
Subject: Political Theory and Literature
Where: New Amsterdam Library 
Who: New Amsterdam Library 
What: Group discussion focused on Hannah Arendt’s analysis of totalitarianism, power, ideology, and modern political systems…apparently this book changed the way my intern views the world.

🗓 Sunday, February 22

Nothing Interesting

Show up, think deeper, and as always, stay Unmuted!

The Unmuted Team