The political anthem was originally a 1911 poem by James Oppenheim inspired by the women’s suffrage and labor movements in the United States
Lucy Dacus performed an uplifting rendition of the political anthem “Bread and Roses” at New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s inauguration on Thursday.
Accompanied on stage by keyboardist Sarah Goldstone on omnichord, the singer-songwriter and boygenius member greeted the star-studded crowd — including Cynthia Nixon, John Turturro, Kal Penn and The Kid Mero — and wished them a Happy New Year before singing. Afterwards, she congratulated Mamdani, giving him and his wife Rama Duwaji a hug before jogging off the stage.
“Bread and Roses” was a fitting choice for Mamdani’s inauguration ceremony. The 34-year-old democratic socialist ran his campaign on issues that speak to the core of the song: better working and living conditions for the everyday people of New York City.
Originally a 1911 poem by James Oppenheim inspired by the women’s suffrage and labor movements in the United States, the words got a second life when singer-songwriter Mimi Fariña recorded her version of the poem in 1974. (Fariña, the younger sister of folk icon Joan Baez, died in 2001.)
Dacus has been a staunch supporter of Mamdani, bringing him out on stage during her All Things Go performance in September. “I feel such love and joy in the crowd this evening, and this is what our city should feel like,” Mamdani said. “It should be a city where trans New Yorkers are cherished, a city where our queer neighbors are celebrated, and a city where each and every New Yorker can be the fullest version of themselves,” he continued. “And it has to be a city that all of us can afford, whether you’re an artist, or a dreamer, or someone who works the night shifts. And that city, that city is within reach, if we’re willing to fight for it.”
Mamdani was elected as New York City’s 112th mayor in November, beating out incumbent Eric Adams and former New York governor Andrew Cuomo. Just after midnight on Thursday, he was sworn in by New York Attorney General Letitia James at the Old City Hall subway station.
Also performing at the inauguration was Javier Muñoz, who sang the National Anthem; Mandy Patinkin and the P.S. 22 Chorus of Staten Island; and Babbulicious.
