VOTE
Inside Zohran Mamdani’s Star-Studded Fundraiser for Claire Valdez
Assemblymember Claire Valdez, Aquaria, and Mayor Zohran Mamdani photographed by Kara McCurdy.
Despite the rainstorm raging outside, the Claire Valdez fundraiser on Saturday night—co-hosted by Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Alexis Bittar, and organized through Act Blue—brought out some of the city’s coolest and most notable voters. Stars like Michael Stipe, Adam Lambert, Aquaria, Jazzelle Zanaughtti and many more braved the downpour to join the Mayor in expressing their support and enthusiasm for the Assemblymember’s run for Congress. Valdez currently serves in the New York State Assembly representing the 37th District in Queens and does not accept any corporate donations. That means she relies entirely on grassroots community efforts like those led by the crowd gathered at the Weylin that night. Backed by Senator Bernie Sanders as well as Mamdani, Valdez is pro-union, pro national health care, and pro keeping corporations out of government policy. And judging from the photos of that night, she’s also pro throwing one hell of a party.
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Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Assemblymember Claire Valdez photographed by Kara McCurdy.
Assemblymember Claire Valdez and Mayor Zohran Mamdani photographed by Kara McCurdy.
Michael Stipe, Mayor Zohran Mamdani, and Jane Pratt photographed by Kara McCurdy.
Kal Penn, Shruti Ganguly, and Mayor Zohran Mamdani photographed by Kara McCurdy.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Michale Stipe photographed by Kara McCurdy.
Lynn Yaeger and Mayor Zohran Mamdani photographed by Kara McCurdy.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Lili Taylor photographed by Kara McCurdy.
Alexis Bittar and Claire Valdez photographed by Alex Chan.
Padma Lakshmi photographed by Alex Chan.
Aquaria photographed by Alex Chan.
Mickey Boardman, Claire Valdez, and Michael Musto photographed by Alex Chan.
Claire Valdez and Dascha Polanco photographed by Alex Chan.
Viva Ruiz, James Murphy, and Christina Topsoe photographed by Alex Chan.
Diane Brill and Assemblymember Claire Valdez photographed by Alex Chan.
Jeauni Cassanova and Harrison Broadbent photographed by Kara McCurdy.
Claire Valdez and Jazzelle Zanaughtti photographed by Alex Chan.
Lynn Yaeger and Małgosia Turzanska photographed by Kara McCurdy.
Photographed by Kara McCurdy.
The crowd during Assemblymember Claire Valdez’s speech photographed by Alex Chan.
Future voters photographed by Kara McCurdy.
