Diana Moreno, the Ecuadorian migrant and friend of Zohran Mamdani who hopes to replace him in the New York State Assembly

"After dropping her baby off at daycare, Diana Moreno arrives at Madame Sousou, an Astoria cafe stocked with pastries, sandwiches, and cakes. She greets the staff who already know her, orders something hot, takes off her coat, and opens her laptop. From a blue tote bag that reads Zohran for NYC in yellow letters, she pulls out a makeup bag for a touch-up."

"This is how the day begins for the frontrunner in the race to succeed Zohran Mamdani as the State Assembly District 36 representative, now that the mayor has moved from his rent-controlled apartment in Queens to Gracie Mansion in Manhattan, after being elected in a landslide to govern the capital of the world. Seven years ago, when Moreno had just moved to Astoria from Florida and was beginning to get involved with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), he met a twenty-something named Zohran"

Diana Moreno drops her baby at daycare each morning, then works from Madame Sousou, an Astoria cafe, pulling a Zohran for NYC tote and doing a makeup touch-up before opening her laptop. She is the frontrunner to succeed Zohran Mamdani for State Assembly District 36 after Mamdani became mayor and moved to Gracie Mansion. Moreno became involved with the Democratic Socialists of America after moving from Florida to Astoria and met Zohran there as a fellow activist and organizer who encouraged her participation. She is a 38-year-old Ecuadorian migrant who arrived from Quito at age 11 after the 1990s crisis. Her family suffered financial losses; her mother taught social studies and her father lost his job.

Read at english.elpais.com