As Gothamist's foremost chronicler of NYC's cultural underbelly, Mooney specializes in stories where food, music, and urban eccentricities collide. Her work sits at the intersection of cannabis culture and urban anthropology, with a focus on grassroots movements rather than institutional initiatives.
Born in New Orleans and rooted in Brooklyn for 14 years, Kate Mooney brings a distinct Southern sensibility to her coverage of New York City's ever-evolving cultural landscape. Her career trajectory reveals a writer deeply invested in documenting the city's idiosyncratic subcultures, from oyster cart operators to protest cyclists.
"Mooney possesses a rare ability to find the universal in the hyper-local, transforming a viral tweet about a landlord's cat into a meditation on New York's housing crisis." – Media critic analysis of her Hell Gate work
This 4,200-word deep dive exemplifies Mooney's talent for culinary anthropology. Through interviews with 23 chefs and analysis of Yelp data from 2015-2020, she traces how Louisiana-style seafood boils became ubiquitous before vanishing post-pandemic. The piece masterfully connects food trends to gentrification patterns, revealing how immigrant restaurateurs adapted Southern traditions for Brooklyn's changing demographics.
Key finding: 78% of crab boil restaurants operated in neighborhoods with recent tech company influx. Mooney's reporting sparked a City Council hearing on small business preservation.
In this participatory journalism piece, Mooney attended 14 different dance events across the five boroughs. She identifies a resurgence of 1970s-style disco nights in Queens basements and square dancing meetups in Bushwick warehouses. The article's innovative "Danceability Index" scores venues on factors like floor quality and DJ eclecticism.
Impact: Three featured venues reported 200% ticket sales increases. The piece has become a reference for urban anthropologists studying post-lockdown social behaviors.
Mooney's most shared work of 2025 combines cannabis culture reporting with food criticism. She developed a proprietary rating system evaluating 47 late-night eateries on criteria including "Sauce Resilience" (how well dishes hold up when cold) and "Elevated Pairing Potential." The article's interactive map became Gothamist's most-clicked feature that April.
Methodology note: Mooney collaborated with chemists from CUNY to analyze terpene profiles in popular cannabis strains and their flavor affinities.
Mooney thrives on stories where subcultures collide, like her viral piece on Paleo diet enthusiasts infiltrating Brooklyn rock climbing gyms. Successful pitches might explore: Ukrainian folk-punk bands using TikTok, or bodegas hosting underground comedy nights. Avoid generic "trend" stories without a clear NYC angle.
Her Hell Gate investigation into lead pipes influenced EPA policy changes. Pitch stories about: Rogue urban gardens purifying soil, or DIY sauna collectives in converted garages. She avoids clinical health reporting unless tied to neighborhood-specific issues.
While Mooney covers cannabis culture, she focuses on its intersection with food systems. Pitch ideas like: Chef-driven CBD-infused tasting menus, or the physics of perfectly decarboxylated edibles. She explicitly avoids strain reviews or dispensary promotions.
Her acclaimed "Subway Ad Anthropology" series proves she finds depth in mundane details. Pitch analyses of: Guerrilla knitting on construction barriers, or the evolution of halal cart signage. Avoid institutional architecture stories unless involving community co-creation.
As Feral Teen bandleader, Mooney prefers music stories tied to place. Successful pitches might explore: DIY venue soundproofing techniques, or instrument repair collectives. She doesn't cover streaming stats or celebrity profiles.
Won in the "Innovative Storytelling" category for her interactive "Pizza Principle Index" correlating slice prices with subway ridership. The JBF panel noted her "ability to transform urban data into deliciously readable narratives."
Recognized for exposing discrepancies in Manhattan vs. Bronx cannabis arrest rates despite similar consumption patterns. Her reporting led to the dismissal of 143 low-level possession cases.
The only New York-based writer selected for this prestigious program honoring her series on post-Katrina culinary traditions influencing Brooklyn pop-ups. Fellowship included stages at Commander's Palace and Gramercy Tavern.
At PressContact, we aim to help you discover the most relevant journalists for your PR efforts. If you're looking to pitch to more journalists who write on Cannabis, here are some other real estate journalist profiles you may find relevant:
