American journalist Emily Austin discussed her experiences since October 7, interactions on social media, and her continued connection to Israel during an interview with Arutz Sheva-Israel National News at the IAC National Summit in Florida.

At the start of the interview, Austin revealed that the team of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdan, who is known to have anti-Israel views, reached out to her. She said the message came just hours before the interview, inviting her to participate in a soccer-related event.

"Speaking of people I wouldn’t speak to, Mamdani’s team messaged me this morning," Austin said, adding that while part of her wanted to believe the outreach could serve as a bridge, she was skeptical of the intent. "The smart part of me knows that this is like a psyop of some sort."

She questioned the motivation behind the outreach, noting her own public positions and past criticism. Austin said that while she believes sports can unite people, she would need to see genuine efforts to mend relations with the Jewish community before viewing the outreach as sincere. "If I saw there was a genuine olive branch… my bar is low," she said, adding that she does not yet feel such an effort is being made.

Reflecting on the past two years, Austin said the events of October 7 marked a profound turning point in her life. Before then, she said, her world revolved almost entirely around sports. "My worst day was when the Knicks lost," she said. "There was never, ‘you don’t have a right to exist.’ That was never part of my life."

Since October 7, she described feeling surrounded by hostility, pointing to hostages held in Gaza, public figures turning against Israel, and what she described as a loss of safe spaces. "My whole world kind of turned against me," she said, adding that the experience pushed her into a constant state of confrontation that has affected both her personal life and relationships.

When asked what gives her hope, Austin pointed to the resilience she sees in Israel and among those directly affected by the war. She noted that many hostages have returned home and said she has met several of them personally. "They’re incredible," she said. "They’re really a good definition of what Israel is like. Resilient, strong, powerful."

She concluded by saying that perseverance defines the Israeli spirit. "We just always persevere," Austin said.