In the wake of Zohran Mamdani’s victory, a new generation of organizers are now stepping directly into the electoral arena. Among the candidates emerging from that moment is Darializa Avila Chevalier, a Justice Democrats recruit and New York City–Democratic Socialists of America (NYC-DSA)–endorsed challenger to Rep. Adriano Espaillat in New York’s Thirteenth Congressional District.

Avila Chevalier comes to politics from years of grassroots work on immigration, mass incarceration, and the movement for Palestinian liberation. Her campaign has featured the same organizing traditions that shaped her: door‑to‑door conversations, coalition‑building across Uptown’s racial and ethnic lines, and a focus on broad working-class demands around affordability.

This conversation between Daniel Denvir and Darializa Avila Chevalier was recorded for the Jacobin Radio podcast The Dig. You can listen to the episode here.