Civic Pride and Political Engagement: Vote for Change

Today we mark a very important day for New York City—the 2025 Democratic mayoral primary. It’s a day to exercise your civic duty and be a part of the wave of change sweeping through our city. The stakes are sky high as we witness a contest between two very different visions for the future of NYC. On one side, Andrew Cuomo, who though born into a political dynasty had to resign in disgrace due to detailed accusations of sexual harassment from 11 women and his attempts to silence victims; on the other, Zohran Mamdani, a progressive leader who first rose to prominence in 2020 by defeating a four-term incumbent and has since enjoyed widespread support.

We are proudly backing Zohran Mamdani, especially in light of then Governor Cuomo’s decision to veto a bill to extend the Vanderbilt Motor Parkway. This proposed project would have created a miles-long, interconnected bike and pedestrian pathway that would connect to Eastern Queens’ green spaces—a project fervently supported by local activists and having no major opposition. Cuomo’s veto underscores the challenges our communities face when every civic project needs to come with a political donation. The children of Glen Oaks, Floral Park, and Bellerose still don’t have easy access to their park system because of Cuomo’s decision.

The pillars of our community ALL decided to not rank Cuomo, who has a poor record on street safety and would not even speak to Streetsblog about his future vision. In stark contrast Zhoran said, “I will use the mayor’s full powers to implement Vision Zero solutions. This includes implementing all the available tools in the city’s current toolkit: pedestrianizing vast swaths of the congestion relief zone, streets near existing public open space, open streets and schools; implementing protecting bike lanes; creating a plan and timeline for building a true bike network and hardened daylighting at every intersection in the city; and more. To make sure infrastructure solutions can be implemented quickly and effectively, I will greatly expand the resources available to DOT to conduct this work.”

On Friday Discover a Local Icon: The Lemon Ice King of Corona

This Friday we’re riding to the iconic The Lemon Ice King of Corona. Established in 1944 by Nicola Benfaremo from a modest garage, this historic Italian ice shop has become a neighborhood institution. Its fame skyrocketed with a feature in the opening credits of The King of Queens, enchanting locals and visitors alike with its rich history and tantalizing treats. Savor over three dozen flavors—from the ever-popular peanut butter ice to seasonal favorites like candy apples—and taste the legacy of a business that has delighted generations while crafting its dessert with small-batch, in-house passion.

We’ll be starting at Peck Park this Friday at 6:30, at a very slow pace and on the safest routes possible. The whole ride we’ll be playing music and having fun. Bring a Bluetooth enabled device to play your favorite jams on our speaker as we roll through the neighborhoods.

When: Friday, June 27th starting at 6:30PM
Where: Middle of Peck Park, at Underhill and 188th Street

Join the Movement

So, dust off your bike, rally your friends and family, and join us for an extraordinary ride that marries fun with civic engagement. Every note in the music, each burst of flavor at The Lemon Ice King of Corona, and every vote you cast during today’s mayoral primary is a powerful statement that together, we can shape a better Queens. Let’s pedal, party, and participate in creating a future that reflects the vibrant soul of our city!

See you on Friday—ride hard, vote passionately, and let your voice be heard!