22 June 2026

Mayor Mamdani (NYC) just appointed Siddhartha Sanchez to the role of Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office of Food Policy. Why is this important? Sanchez is a lifelong advocate for food justice. His most recent project was the establishment of New York City’s first edible food forest, demonstrating how public land can be used to strengthen food sovereignty and community well-being.

Sanchez also happens to be a lifelong vegan. I don’t pretend to know if this food choice was made for health, environmental or ethical reasons (or just because that’s the way he was raised), but I do think it’s a wonderful thing to have someone in leadership who understands the plausibility of a plant based diet in our existing food structure.

New York City has been a quiet revolutionary in the field of plant based eating. Whatever you may think about former Mayor Eric Adams (who reversed his diabetes with a plant based diet), his administration made great strides in improving healthy school and hospital food offerings, expanding access to plant based options.

A diet without animal foods is often ignored (even though I think it’s the most inclusive diet possible). Most omnivores don’t even think about it - it’s not even within the realm of possibility that someone would avoid meat, poultry, fish, eggs and dairy. The mention of my Building Healthy Communities Westchester group (plant based events) in mixed social situations and general social media is almost always received with zero curiosity.

Why is that? Personally, I think there’s so much to talk about…not what it’s missing, but the flavor, intrigue and creativity it introduces. As ever, I’m not a judge and certainly not the food police. I just think people have a right to education and access.

Nobody expects NYC to turn vegan. But introducing a conversation about plant based eating will likely lead to a day when everyone has the opportunity to choose it. The mission of the Mayor’s Office of Food Policy is “ to increase food security; promote access to and consumption of healthy foods; and support economic opportunity, environmental sustainability, and equity in the food system.”

With plant predominance as a goal, policies that encourage access and independence could lead to better health outcomes, reduced impacts on the planet and movement toward nutrition equity. That’s good for everyone, isn’t it?