Politics, Policy, and Advocacy by Zohran Kwame Mamdani

Zohran Mamdani is a New York State Assemblymember for Queens and a Democratic socialist who in 2025 secured the Democratic nomination for New York City’s mayoral race, positioning himself to potentially become the city’s first Muslim and Indian-American mayor. His legislative work has centered on housing justice, rent control, and transit affordability. Mamdani is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America and has pushed for policies such as public banking and universal rent stabilization.

Born in Kampala, Uganda, in 1991 to political theorist Mahmood Mamdani and filmmaker Mira Nair, he spent parts of his childhood in South Africa before moving to New York City at age seven. He attended the Bronx High School of Science and graduated from Bowdoin College with a degree in Africana Studies. Before entering politics, Mamdani worked as a foreclosure-prevention counselor in Queens, helping residents navigate the aftermath of the 2008 housing crisis. His global upbringing and grassroots activism have shaped his political vision, making him a leading figure in NYC’s progressive movement.