Zohran Mamdani’s campaign for mayor of New York City recently convened education advocates, parents, and education policy experts to gather input on policies that could better serve New York City’s diverse communities, particularly focusing on equity, affordability, and the needs of vulnerable students. AQE participated, highlighting issues of funding and access, while parents voiced priorities such as stronger community schools and greater inclusion in school governance. The article pointed out that some groups, notably Parent Leaders for Accelerated Curriculum and Education (PLACE), criticized the campaign for excluding them, viewing it as a negative sign of limited engagement with families who favor selective admissions and academic rigor – approaches that critics note often deepen preexisting racial and economic inequities.