A Historic Victory for New York's Immigrant Community
On 4 November 2025, Zohran Mamdani made history by becoming the first Muslim mayor of New York City. The immigrant from Uganda delivered a triumphant victory speech at the Paramount theatre in Brooklyn, declaring to an ecstatic crowd: "New York will remain a city of immigrants: a city built by immigrants, powered by immigrants and, as of tonight, led by an immigrant."
Defying Islamophobia Through Authenticity
Mamdani's campaign was marked by vicious Islamophobic attacks that sought to undermine his candidacy. Between July and October, the Center for Study of Organized Hate documented a significant surge in online Islamophobic comments targeting Mamdani, frequently labelling him as an extremist or terrorist.
Just two days before the election, a Super Pac supporting Andrew Cuomo ran a controversial advertisement depicting Mamdani in front of the collapsing Twin Towers on 9/11. Earlier, the same group had artificially altered campaign materials, thickening and enlarging Mamdani's beard to make him appear more threatening.
In late October, Mamdani addressed these attacks directly during an emotional speech in the Bronx. He made a powerful declaration: "I will no longer be in the shadows" as both an immigrant and a Muslim. This commitment to authenticity became a defining feature of his campaign.
The Personal History Shaping a Political Vision
Mamdani's complex background reflects the diverse immigrant experience he now represents. Born in Kampala to a Muslim father and Hindu mother, he was raised in Queens and identifies as a democratic socialist. His father, Mahmood Mamdani, is a renowned Columbia University scholar of colonialism who was expelled from Uganda under Idi Amin's regime targeting the Indian diaspora.
His mother, celebrated filmmaker Mira Nair, declined a Cambridge scholarship due to lingering colonial resentment and instead attended Harvard. The couple met while Nair researched her film Mississippi Masala, which explored the lives of Ugandan Indians displaced by Amin.
Zohran spent his first five years in Kampala before moving to New York, where he was educated at Manhattan's Bank Street School and later a selective public school in the Bronx. His political awakening came during the 2016 presidential campaign of Bernie Sanders, exposing him to democratic socialism and shaping the affordability platform that became central to his mayoral bid.
A New Political Dawn for Marginalised Communities
Mamdani's victory has generated significant hope among immigrant communities feeling increasingly threatened under the Trump administration's immigration crackdowns. Minhaj Khan of the Indian American Muslim Council noted that Mamdani's bold stand against anti-Muslim rhetoric resonated deeply with the community.
Alina Shen, organising director of CAAAV Voice, highlighted how Mamdani's refusal to diminish his identity distinguished his candidacy. "He's not changing who he actually is," she observed, noting this authenticity helped engage South Asian residents in his campaign.
In his victory speech, Mamdani quoted both American socialist Eugene Debs and Jawaharlal Nehru's famous independence address, signalling his commitment to pluralistic leadership. Khan praised this approach, suggesting Mamdani has demonstrated how to bring together Jews, Muslims, Hindus and Christians during highly divisive times.
The campaign's success has been interpreted as evidence that immigrant and younger voters are finding their political voice. As recent permanent resident Faidra Tzedakis noted at a Democratic Socialists of America watch party in Astoria, "We're not afraid of the money or the establishment anymore. We can create a world that is just more accepting, and, yeah, loving."
