{"id":99259,"date":"2026-04-04T07:10:59","date_gmt":"2026-04-04T10:10:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ubirataonline.com.br\/mayor-mamdani-rapper-cardi-b-team-up-to-announce-2-k-application-start-date-jingle-competition\/"},"modified":"2026-04-04T07:11:05","modified_gmt":"2026-04-04T10:11:05","slug":"mayor-mamdani-rapper-cardi-b-team-up-to-announce-2-k-application-start-date-jingle-competition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ubirataonline.com.br\/en\/mayor-mamdani-rapper-cardi-b-team-up-to-announce-2-k-application-start-date-jingle-competition\/","title":{"rendered":"Mayor Mamdani, rapper Cardi B team up to announce 2-K application start date, jingle competition"},"content":{"rendered":"

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New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani had some help from award-winning rapper Cardi B to announce when 2-K applications<\/a><\/span> will open up.<\/p>\n

The two spoke about the new program<\/a> starting in the fall that provides\u00a02,000 free child care seats for 2-year-olds<\/a><\/span>\u00a0in a video released Friday.<\/p>\n

Cardi B, a Bronx native, emphasized how the free child care program is important.\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Sometimes us women, we can’t really go forward because we don’t have nobody to help us take care of our kids,” she said. \u00a0<\/p>\n

Families can start applying for the program on June 2. Applications will close on June 26, with offers released in August.<\/p>\n

Mamdani and\u00a0New York Gov. Kathy Hochul<\/a><\/span>\u00a0unveiled the program in March.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The state will fully fund the program for the first two years. The first round of seats cost $73 million, and the state is prepared to spend up to $425 million next year.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Citywide jingle competition announced<\/h2>\n

The mayor is launching a competition, inviting New Yorkers to submit original 15 to 30-second jingles encouraging families to apply for 2-K.<\/p>\n

A panel of judges, which will include Cardi B, will review the submissions before New Yorkers vote for a winner. The winning jingle will become the official 2-K theme for the city and be played on the radio.<\/p>\n

“As Cardi B says: ‘I can get ’em both. I don’t wanna choose.’ With universal child care, New Yorkers won’t have to,” Mamdani said in a statement. “For too long, families have been forced to choose between affordable care and staying in the city they love. Now, they can have both\u2014free care in the greatest city in the world.”\u00a0<\/p>\n

Submissions can be made online<\/a>\u00a0and must be received by April 17.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Areas eligible for free 2-K<\/h2>\n

There are five districts included in the program’s rollout.<\/p>\n