From Big Dreams to City Hall: Ali Najmi ’06 on Electing Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Reshaping New York’s Courts

A decade ago, Ali Najmi ’06 ran for city council in Queens and lost. But that loss forged a partnership and a political foundation that would eventually help propel Zohran Mamdani to the mayor’s office in New York City. Today, Ali sits at the center of power in the nation’s largest city as Mayor Mamdani’s election lawyer, trusted advisor, and chair of the Mayor’s Advisory Committee on the Judiciary. From organizing immigrant communities to reshaping New York’s criminal and family courts, Ali’s story is about representation, persistence, and what it takes to move from insurgent campaigns to the hard work of governing.In this episode of Running to the Noise, President Carmen Ambar speaks with Ali about identity, authenticity in politics, and the courage to dream big. They explore what it means to build coalitions across communities, to lose and learn, and to carry big ambitions into real institutional power.Ali reflects on belief as a political force. Belief in yourself. Belief in your community. Belief that what sounds unrealistic today can become institutional reality tomorrow. From a hookah bar conversation about running for mayor to reshaping the city’s judiciary, his journey is a reminder that dreaming big is only the beginning. The work that follows is what turns vision into change.What We Cover in This Episode:● Growing up in Queens as the son of immigrants and becoming the first in his family to graduate from college and law school● Leadership at Oberlin, including organizing for a permanent Muslim prayer space on campus● What he learned from running for city council and losing● The origins of his partnership with Mayor Zohran Mamdani● Lessons from insurgent campaigns and multiracial coalitions● How authenticity and affordability became winning political messages ● The transition from campaigning to governing● The work of the Mayor’s Advisory Committee on the Judiciary and why criminal and family court judges shape daily life in New York City● What it means to run to the noise in public serviceEpisode LinksMayor Mamdani Appoints Ali Najmi as Chair of Mayor’s Advisory Committee on the JudiciaryMayor Zohran Mamdani Appoints Christine Clarke to Lead the New York City Commission on Human RightsWho’s who in Zohran Mamdani’s administration?: Meet the folks who are running New York CityOffice of the Mayor of New York CityRunning to the Noise podcast archiveOberlin College and Conservatory