Zohran Kwame Mamdani, the 29 year old son of Indian American filmmaker, Mira Nair and Ugandan academician Mahmood Mamdani, made history as he became one of the first South Asian to win a seat in the New York state assembly.
Zohran Mamdani, a Democratic Socialist and a rapper ran unopposed to represent New York’s 36th Assembly District in Astoria( a neighbourhood in Queens).
Mamdani tweeted the news of his victory and wrote: “ It’s official: we won. I’m going to Albany to fight to tax the rich, heal the sick, house the poor and build a socialist New York. But I can’t do it alone. To win socialism, we’ll need a mass movement of the multiracial working class as well. So let’s build one. Join @nycDSA.”
Zohram Mamdani was born and raised in Kampala, Uganda, and grew up in New York City after his family moved there when he was seven years old. He graduated from Bowdoin College.
He currently works as a housing counsellor, and aids immigrant families facing eviction retain their homes.
Mamadani decided to enter into politics in October 2019, after a friend and a fellow member of the local unit of Democratic Socialist of America (DSA) suggested it and defeated incumbent Aravella Simotas by 346 votes in the Democratic primary.
Immigration is high on Mamdani’s list of issues that he would like to tackle as an elected representative. His primary goals also include guaranteeing housing and healthcare for all. Most importantly he also wants to defund the NYPD and aims to bring change to ‘the racist police system as a means of control over black and brown New Yorkers.
Many had advised Mamdani against highlighting his desi roots when began his campaign last year.
But the young politician chose otherwise and put a twist to the popular Democratic socialist slogan ‘bread and roses’ and went with ‘roti and roses’ instead.
