In 2018, ten strangers gathered in a park in Astoria, Queens. They’d set out to do the impossible: elect a young activist to the United States congress. They faced the longest of long odds: no experience, no money, and a ten-term incumbent still in office. But they got to work anyway — climbing hundreds of staircases, knocking thousands of doors. Somehow, they’d win that race, and prove that a new model of organizing was possible. Just seven years later, that same grassroots network, now 100,000 strong, would fan out across the city. Together, they’d elect the next mayor. Climbing staircases. Knocking 3 million doors. This is the story of how regular people built a movement. And what it takes to win. Welcome to “The People’s Republic of Astoria.” Streaming now on all major platforms. 

For Show Notes, Historical Context, Merchandise & more, visit our website at peoplesrepublicpod.com. Follow on Instagram, TikTok, and BlueSky @peoplesrepublicpod. Thanks for listening!