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The jingle contest’s celebrity judge, Cardi B, brings her signature style and passion for supporting working families to this innovative early childhood education initiative.Washington Heights Today
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has announced a citywide contest for residents to create 30-second jingles promoting the city’s new free 2-K childcare program for two-year-olds. Grammy-winning artist Cardi B, who has personal ties to some of the initial launch neighborhoods, will serve as the judge to select the top five finalists, with the public then voting for the winner.
Why it matters
The 2-K program is a key part of Mamdani’s platform to provide universal childcare access for New York families, regardless of income or immigration status. Engaging the public through a jingle contest is an innovative way to build excitement and awareness around the new initiative, which aims to give more children a strong educational foundation in the critical early years of development.
The details
New Yorkers can submit their 30-second jingles to a special NYC.gov webpage and share them on social media using the hashtag #NYC2KJingle. Cardi B will select five finalists, and the public will then vote to determine the winner. The initial 2-K program will launch in select neighborhoods in the Bronx, Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens that have special connections to Cardi B’s background, with plans to eventually expand the free childcare to families citywide.
The jingle contest submission period runs from April 3 to April 17, 2026.Cardi B will select the five finalists after the submission deadline on April 17.Enrollment for the initial 2-K program will run from June 2 to June 26, 2026.The 2-K school term will begin in August 2026.
The players
Zohran Mamdani
The mayor of New York City who launched the free 2-K childcare program and the accompanying jingle contest.
The Grammy-winning artist who will serve as the judge to select the top five finalists for the 2-K jingle contest.
Kamar Samuels
The chancellor of the New York City Department of Education, who praised the 2-K program as an important milestone for early childhood education in the city.
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What they’re saying
“As Cardi B says: ‘I can get ’em both. I don’t wanna choose.’ With universal childcare, New Yorkers won’t have to. For too long, families have been forced to choose between affordable care and staying in the city they love. Now, they can have both — free care in the greatest city in the world.”
— Zohran Mamdani, Mayor of New York City
“I feel like free childcare is very important. Sometimes, us women, we can’t really go forward because we don’t have nobody to help us take care of our kids.”
— Cardi B
“The launch of 2-K marks an important milestone for early childhood education in New York City. Expanding access to early care and learning for two-year-olds helps children build strong foundations for language, social development, and learning, while supporting families during an important stage of their child’s development. This is an important step as we continue building a stronger, more connected birth-to-five early childhood system for New York City families.”
— Kamar Samuels, Chancellor, New York City Department of Education
What’s next
Enrollment for the initial 2-K program will run from June 2 to June 26, 2026, with the school term beginning in August 2026.
The takeaway
The 2-K jingle contest is an innovative way for New York City to build excitement and awareness around its new universal childcare program, which aims to provide free early education to all two-year-olds in the city regardless of family income or immigration status. By engaging the public and enlisting a high-profile celebrity like Cardi B as a judge, the city is taking a creative approach to promoting this important initiative that will support working families and give more children a strong start in their educational journey.