Salaam New York!: The rise and rise of Zohran Mamdani
As a Muslim South Asian in a city shaped by migration, Zohran represents a future where politics is inclusive, grounded, and fearless
In 1998, Zohran Kwame Mamdani, a seven-year-old boy, moved to the United States from Uganda with his family. He was the only child of his parents, two celebrated figures — filmmaker Mira Nair and scholar Mahmood Zohran.
Today, 27 years later, that little boy from Kampala has become the Democratic nominee for New York City mayor. In between, it has been a story of developing identity, perseverance, and political awakening.
But the question is: What made him so popular across the world? More importantly, how is one "Muslim immigrant" daring to reshape US politics?
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The making of a New York politician
After moving to the US, young Zohran had to learn not just a new language and culture, but how to navigate the subtle expectations of American society while carrying the imprint of his Ugandan heritage.
School became his first classroom for understanding what it meant to be American. On the playgrounds and in classrooms, he absorbed lessons far beyond textbooks: the rhythms of American childhood, the dynamics of social hierarchies, and the political pulse of his adopted country.
Zohran graduated in 2014 from Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine, with a bachelor's degree in Africana studies. In 2019, he told their student paper, the Bowdoin Orient, that his time at Bowdoin was "very formative" and it shaped his political ideology, exposing him to influential writers and thinkers.
"It's not that everything changed in college, but I went from having Facebook arguments and long back-and-forths with friends about it, never making any headway, to realising that just an active group of 10 people can totally change the discourse on a campus and realising what the power of organising is," Zohran said.
"Through organising around Palestine and Palestinian solidarity issues, I saw a very different side of the administration. That was a very formative experience in understanding how things work when you're trying to push for demands that are not popular with the people in power," he further noted.
In 2018, Zohran became a naturalised American citizen. But the struggle goes on. In America, perhaps, an immigrant can never be truly American.
In early July this year, President Donald Trump questioned his citizenship status in an attempt to intimidate him.
"A lot of people are saying he's here illegally," Trump said of the 33-year-old democratic socialist. "We're going to look at everything. And ideally, he's going to turn out to be much less than a communist, but right now, he's a communist."
Trump and officials from his administration even hinted that they might consider revoking the US citizenship of Zohran. They also threatened to arrest Zohran if he did not cooperate with ICE deportation operations in New York.
Apart from Trump's politically motivated intimidation campaign, Zohran's own Indian roots also hold him back.
Zohran's mother once described him as "not an American at all" in a 2013 interview with the Hindustan Times when she was asked about her son's upbringing.
"He was born in Uganda, raised between India and America. He is at home in many places. He thinks of himself as a Ugandan and as an Indian," she mentioned.
Anatomy of an upset: A new working-class coalition
Zohran Mamdani's victory in the Democratic primary this year, defeating established figures like former governor Andrew Cuomo, sent shockwaves through the political establishment.
His stunning win signals a seismic shift in US politics. Sean Jacobs, professor of International Affairs at The New School in New York City, sees it as the rise of a new American left.
"The victory of the Ugandan-Indian American state assemblyman confirms what has been quietly building for years: A new working-class immigrant politics, rooted in organising, solidarity, and a sharp critique of inequality, is taking hold within the Democratic Party," he wrote in an op-ed for Al Jazeera.
Zohran's politics carry a moral clarity rarely seen in big-city campaigns. He speaks against inequality, corporate greed, and corruption, and has not shied from calling out Israel's attacks on civilians in Gaza — a stance that drew both criticism and admiration.
Zohran's message resonates across backgrounds and boroughs, reflecting a deep frustration among ordinary people who feel priced out of their own city. His campaign spoke directly to the city's working-class families, promising rent freezes, universal childcare, public transit, and green infrastructure. His message resonated with people across races and neighbourhoods.
His campaign galvanised multiracial working-class coalitions across the city. Professor Sean believes that Zohran's win is a repudiation of corporate influence and local corruption. It's also a powerful endorsement of politics shaped by immigrants with deep ties to global struggles for justice.
Zohran also stands against the anti-immigrant politics of Donald Trump, who painted immigrants as a threat, blaming them for economic problems and crime. Leaders like Zohran show the opposite: immigrant communities are reshaping politics by organising, speaking out, and demanding justice.
As an African immigrant, Zohran channels the lived experience of global migrants who have helped build America but often become scapegoats for its crises-crime, slow growth, or welfare costs.
According to Professor Sean, what makes this new leadership special is how it brings people together — immigrants and native-born citizens, Muslims and non-Muslims, Black Americans and new African arrivals.
Zohran's story is one of hope: a politics built not on assimilation, but on shared struggle and solidarity. As a Muslim South Asian in a city shaped by migration, he represents a future where politics is inclusive, grounded, and fearless.
What makes Zohran so popular?
What makes Zohran Mamdani so popular is, first and foremost, this authenticity. He doesn't speak in rehearsed political jargon; he speaks like someone who has lived the struggles of everyday people.
His campaign addresses issues that touch the daily lives of New Yorkers: rent freezes for families squeezed by soaring housing costs, universal childcare for working parents, accessible public transport, and investments in green infrastructure. These are not abstract ideas but policies that promise tangible relief. People feel he understands them because he has walked the same paths.
Another key factor is his identity as an immigrant and his ability to build coalitions across communities. Zohran's origin in India, roots in Uganda and experiences in New York give him a global perspective while remaining deeply local.
New York City has long been shaped by immigration, yet it has often neglected the voices of immigrant communities. By foregrounding immigrant experiences and struggles, Zohran has galvanised multiracial, working-class coalitions that see in him someone who genuinely represents them.
Zohran's popularity also stems from his approach to politics itself. His campaign is rooted in organising, solidarity, and a sharp critique of inequality. Unlike many politicians who rely on traditional advertising and elite endorsements, he has embraced grassroots mobilisation. People do not just vote for him; they feel part of a movement he is leading.
An anti-Zionist backed by Jews
Zohran is popular, but what comes as a surprise is that he is popular among Jewish voters, too.
According to The Guardian, nearly two-thirds of Jewish voters under 45 said they would support him in the Democratic primary. It's a remarkable figure for a politician who openly calls himself anti-Zionist. Progressive Jewish groups like 'Jews for Racial and Economic Justice' have campaigned for him.
Phylisa Wisdom directs the New York Jewish Agenda. Her group advocates for the values of "liberal Zionist" Jews who believe in Israel as a Jewish and democratic state and who, she says, represent the majority of Jewish New Yorkers.
"There are a lot of people who couldn't ever imagine voting for an anti-Zionist mayor and who also could never have imagined their own feelings about Israel and the Israeli government that they are having right now," she told The Guardian. "They agree [with Zohran], for example, that Benjamin Netanyahu should be behind bars."
Zohran is an outspoken critic of Israel's war in Gaza and a supporter of Palestinian rights. He hardly fits the image of a candidate likely to win Jewish backing. Yet his campaign has built unexpected bridges — driven by empathy, shared struggles, and a changing political landscape.
One catch is that Zohran's campaign does not revolve around foreign policy. His central message is about justice at home. These bread-and-butter issues have struck a chord even with younger, progressive Jewish voters who see their values reflected in his politics.
Many of them feel disillusioned with the old pro-Israel establishment and are more concerned about inequality and racial justice.
Zohran's approach is conversational. He has walked into synagogues, met with Jewish congregations, and spoken directly with rabbis and community leaders. He has run advertisements in Yiddish-language newspapers, and he often begins his speeches by recognising the pain that Jewish communities feel over antisemitism and violence.
Still, Zohran has not compromised on his principles. He calls Israel's actions in Gaza a genocide and refuses to describe it as a state with a right to exist on religious grounds. He believes no country should be based on ethnic or religious hierarchy.
Yet he also shows a sensitivity that distinguishes him from others on the left. For instance, he discourages the use of slogans such as "globalise the intifada," recognising how they can sound threatening to Jews.
Of course, resistance remains strong among Orthodox and older Jewish voters, many of whom view his positions as a threat to Israel's security. Over a thousand rabbis have signed an open letter warning against his candidacy. Yet, Zohran's growing coalition tells a new story — one where Jewish and Muslim New Yorkers, once divided by global politics, are finding common ground in shared hopes for justice and equality.
Becoming mayor is just the beginning
As election day on 4 November draws near, Zohran Mamdani, a 34-year-old Muslim immigrant, is standing on the verge of making history.
Zohran leads comfortably in the polls. Newsweek's latest survey shows him at 45%, ahead of independent candidate Andrew Cuomo at 28% and Republican Curtis Sliwa at 18%. His campaign slogan, "New York is Not for Sale," has struck a chord, mobilising thousands of early voters from Brooklyn to Queens. Many say they are casting ballots not just for a candidate, but for the idea that the city should remain livable — for teachers, drivers, and nurses, not just billionaires.
Yet, challenges remain. Critics question his lack of executive experience and wonder if his idealism can translate into governance. His strong stance on foreign policy issues, especially Palestine, has alienated parts of the Jewish community, while moderates worry about his ambitious spending plans.
The general election will test whether his movement can expand beyond its progressive core to include more cautious voters concerned about crime and city management. Whether he becomes New York's next mayor will depend on how effectively he balances ambition with practicality.
Still, Zohran's odds look strong. The city's political mood favours fresh faces and bold ideas, and his campaign's energy shows no sign of slowing down. If turnout among younger and working-class voters holds, he is likely to claim victory. But as seasoned observers remind us, New York politics can be unpredictable. Zohran may be the favourite, but to become mayor, he must turn enthusiasm into votes and prove that his revolution can govern in reality.
