Former President Obama and Mayor Mamdani Read to Bronx Pre-K Students Former President Barack Obama joined Mayor Zohran Mamdani at a Pre-K center in the Bronx on Saturday, April 18, 2026, to read to a group of young children. The event, held at the "Learning Through Play Pre-K Center," marked their first face-to-face meeting since Mamdani’s historic election last year. The two spent the afternoon engaging with students, reading children’s books, and discussing the concept of "flourishing" from the story "Alone and Together." Obama playfully asked Mamdani to explain the word, prompting the mayor to respond, "Together we flourish! What does 'flourish' mean? Mr. Mayor?" Mamdani replied, "It means that we're doing really well," before the pair continued their interaction with the children. The meeting followed a private conversation between Obama and Mamdani just before Election Day, during which Obama reportedly called the mayor "impressive to watch" and offered to serve as a sounding board for his policies. Eyewitness News reported that Obama spent 30 minutes on the phone with Mamdani, highlighting their growing rapport despite the political divide within the Democratic Party. Mamdani, who has been in office for 100 days, is currently implementing the city’s first 2K program, which provides free full-day childcare for two-year-olds. The event coincided with the mayor’s efforts to expand early childhood education initiatives, a key focus of his administration. When asked by Eyewitness News about his assessment of Mamdani’s first 100 days as mayor, Obama hesitated, stating, "Well I'll tell you—I'll do this somewhere else.#eyewitness_news #former_president_obama #mayor_mamdani #learning_through_play_pre_k_center #2k_program
