In Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral acceptance speech last year, he spoke of the cynicism that has come to define the experience of working New Yorkers who once loved the city they live in, but no longer feel that city “loves them back.” This notion of how an institution like a city can practice “love” resonated with me. A city that loves us back might look like strong, well-resourced, responsive social infrastructure: accessible transit, affordable housing, a manageable cost of living, accountable leadership.