Content Warning: This section references xenophobia and racism, including slurs and racist violence. There are also allusions to anti-gay/anti-queer sentiment.

Jemisin’s primary focus in the Great Cities series is race and racism, including how the latter manifests in individuals and plays out in a larger political theater. It is no coincidence that only one of New York City’s seven avatars is white; Jemisin’s depiction of New York City focuses on its diverse peoples and its legacy as a home to immigrants. These aspects of the city are under threat in The World We Make due to human xenophobia and the Ur who exploit it.

Panfilo’s campaign exemplifies how those in power can wield xenophobia for political purposes. He gains traction in the political world by playing on people’s fears of those who are unlike them, calling attention to unauthorized immigrants and trans individuals in his first speech. In doing so, Panfilo creates a false representation of New York, essentially telling people what they want to hear—that anyone who does not fit their narrow framework of what an American should be is an aberration and doesn’t really belong there. In an echo of Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign slogan, Panfilo promises to “make New York City great again,” but Jemisin suggests that the past he’s alluding to never existed.