who is mamdani

Zohran Kwame Mamdani is an American politician and Democratic Socialist who has served in the New York State Assembly representing the 36th district (Astoria, Queens) since 2021. He is a member of the Democratic Party and the Democratic Socialists of America, and he became the Democratic nominee for mayor of New York City in the 2025 election. Born in Kampala, Uganda, to academic Mahmood Mamdani and filmmaker Mira Nair, his family moved to the United States when he was seven. His career prior to elected office included work as a foreclosure-prevention housing counselor and involvement in local activism, including organizing around student justice and housing issues.