We come from two faiths often seen as opposites and have experienced two distinct immigrant journeys to this country. We are compelled to share our thoughts because New York is being fractured, not by its inhabitants, but by political forces.

Today, many confuse division with strength and outrage with leadership, exploiting our struggles not for financial gain, but for influence. They derive their power by deepening the city’s divides.

Healing a city cannot be achieved by pitting its people against one another.

We stand as evidence that Muslims and Jews do not need to be adversaries. We are neighbors, coworkers, partners, and friends. We speak up not just for our own communities, but also in support of each other. Too often, those in positions of power use our communities as pawns, claiming to represent us while distorting our beliefs and faiths to serve their political agendas.

New York thrives when every culture, faith, and perspective is allowed the freedom and safety to express itself fully. Here, differences are not threats but are your entry ticket to the city. This is what makes New York the cultural epicenter of the world: the extraordinary beauty of coexistence, not conformity.

From the aftermath of 9/11 to the devastation of Hurricane Sandy and the challenges of COVID-19, New York has faced numerous hardships and emerged stronger each time. Our most effective leaders prioritized recovery over rhetoric. They focused on mobilizing resources, not resentment, and united us in pursuit of a common objective.

Today, we face a different kind of crisis. Unlike natural disasters, this one is deliberate, sowing division and pitting New Yorkers against one another with the goal of pushing through a radical reordering of society. Promises to lower the cost-of-living ring hollow when those same leaders stoke hate, rage during rallies on our streets, and shape our children’s minds toward romanticizing and justifying violence.

New Yorkers are savvy. They know that when someone offers you something for free, it’s usually to benefit them, not you. Policies that promise free access to everything come at the cost of autonomy and accountability. Calls to defund critical institutions like the police only deepen instability and fear.

Division may make headlines, but it weakens our economy, our governance, and our shared quality of life. We don’t need leaders who promise progress by taking us backwards, or who tell us freedom means handing our lives over to them. There is nothing modern about government-run grocery stores, or streets where crime victims have nowhere to turn. That is not progress, it is regression — you don’t need an economics degree to see it.

Every living creature understands ownership. Birds build nests, beavers construct dams, even fish claim and defend their territory. Ownership is not an invention of capitalism — it’s a law of nature. The right to create, to build, and to protect what is yours is as natural as life itself. No politician and no movement can redefine that truth. When the government tells us to give up ownership, it is not leading us forward.

Politicians and social media influencers often lure you with images of Scandinavia, strong schools, generous social programs, and thriving economies. But that is social democracy, not democratic socialism. Social democracies balance robust welfare and strong unions with capitalism, private enterprise, and law enforcement. People build, own, and trade freely.

Democratic socialism, by contrast, can place basic necessities — housing, jobs, essential services — under government control, reducing individual autonomy and accountability. Limiting or removing critical institutions like the police has real consequences. When those protections are diminished or absent, the most vulnerable pay the price.

We want a city where we fight for — not against — each other. New York is the greatest city in the world because we invested in every community, culture and faith. The only thing we should unanimously divest from is division and hate.

Our warning is simple: whether in New York or any other city, beware of leaders who speak in absolutes and claim to represent “the people,” but serve only some of them.

We will not surrender our city to those who exploit fear, faith, or our children — the next generation. We are mothers and we came here to raise families, not fists. We demand a city where difference is respected, dignity is upheld, and every community can stand with pride.

Gillette and Deen are co-founders of Demonstrate Hope Not Hate national movement and education initiative.