In the dynamic political landscape of New York City, Zohran Kwame Mamdani’s journey from his birth in Kampala, Uganda, in 1991 to becoming the Democratic nominee for mayor in the 2025 election tells a fascinating story of evolving political views and growing ambition.
His recent primary victory, a significant upset, has thrust him onto the national stage, inviting closer scrutiny of his past positions, particularly his rhetoric on policing. This examination reveals a calculated shift from the activist calls of his early career to a more nuanced stance, signaling a strategic adaptation for citywide leadership.
Mamdani’s early life, shaped by his parents—renowned filmmaker Mira Nair and postcolonialism academic Mahmood Mamdani—and his middle name Kwame, a tribute to Ghana’s first president, Kwame Nkrumah, provided a unique foundation for his worldview.
His parents, both of Indian descent, provided a diverse cultural backdrop: his mother, a Punjabi Hindu, and his father, a Gujarati Muslim who primarily grew up in Uganda. This rich heritage was complemented by a peripatetic childhood, moving from Kampala to Cape Town, South Africa, at age five, before settling in New York City when he was seven.
Raised in Morningside Heights, Mamdani described his upbringing as “privileged,” yet he was acutely aware that “that was not in any way the reality for most New Yorkers.” This early consciousness of societal disparities perhaps fueled his nascent political inclinations.
At the Bank Street School for Children, he successfully ran as an independent candidate in a middle school mock election on a platform of “equal rights, anti-war [policy] that proposed spending money on education rather than the military.” Later, he graduated from the Bronx High School of Science, where he co-founded the school’s first cricket team.
His academic pursuits led him to Bowdoin College, where he co-founded the school’s chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Africana studies in 2014, demonstrating an early engagement with issues of justice and identity that would profoundly shape his political future.
Before diving into politics, Mamdani dedicated himself to helping lower-income, nonwhite homeowners in Queens as a foreclosure prevention and housing counselor, an experience he stated was profoundly impactful and “motivated him to run for office to address the housing and affordability crisis.”
Beyond his social advocacy, Mamdani cultivated a significant hip-hop career under the monikers Young Cardamom and Mr. Cardamom. In 2016, he collaborated with Ugandan rapper HAB on the EP ‘Sidda Mukyaalo,’ a Luganda phrase meaning “No going back to the village.”
Their music, performed at Uganda’s Nyege Nyege festival, served as a “rebuttal of what Ugandan society expects of us,” showcasing a fusion of English, Luganda, Nubi, and Swahili. In 2019, he released the single “Nani,” an homage to his maternal grandmother, featuring cookbook author and actress Madhur Jaffrey in its music video.
Mamdani’s artistic talents extended to the cinematic world, where he curated and produced the soundtrack for his mother Mira Nair’s 2016 film ‘Queen of Katwe.’ His work earned him a nomination in the 2017 Guild of Music Supervisors Awards, highlighting a multifaceted background unusual for a New York City mayoral candidate.
Mamdani’s political involvement began in New York City as a volunteer for Ali Najmi’s 2015 City Council campaign. In 2017, he formally joined the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), a pivotal moment that cemented his ideological framework.
He then served in key roles for several progressive campaigns, including as campaign manager for Khader El-Yateem’s New York City Council bid and Ross Barkan’s State Senate run, and as a field organizer for Tiffany Cabán’s Queens County District Attorney campaign.
His commitment to democratic socialist principles was evident in his 2019 announcement to run for New York’s 36th State Assembly district, encompassing Astoria and Long Island City. Endorsed by the DSA, his platform emphasized housing reform, police and prison reform, and public ownership of utilities.
Mamdani’s June 2020 primary victory over four-term Democratic incumbent Aravella Simotas marked a significant win for the progressive movement, and he was subsequently reelected without opposition in 2022 and 2024. As a State Assembly member, he became part of the DSA’s nine-member “State Socialists in Office” bloc.
During June 2020, Mamdani voiced a strong opinion on policing that would later draw criticism, tweeting, “We don’t need an investigation to know that the NYPD is racist, anti-queer & a major threat to public safety. What we need is to #DefundTheNYPD.”
This statement encapsulated a widespread sentiment among certain progressive circles at the time, arguing that increased policing and incarceration did little to prevent harm. He then posited that “dignified work, economic stability, and well-resourced neighborhoods” could more effectively ensure public safety.
Mamdani contended that there was an over-reliance on police to fix societal problems, asserting, “Police have a critical role to play, but right now we are relying on them to deal with the failures of the social safety net of reliance that is preventing them from doing their actual jobs.” He proposed a Department of Community Safety to expand mental health outreach, signaling his vision for a redefined approach to public safety.
However, as Mamdani prepared for his mayoral campaign, a discernible shift in his rhetoric regarding policing emerged, illustrating the strategic pragmatism often required for broader electoral success. While his Assembly tenure saw him advocating for progressive reforms like a successful fare-free bus pilot program and participating in a hunger strike alongside taxi drivers, the mayoral race necessitated a more encompassing appeal.
On October 23, 2024, Mamdani announced his candidacy for mayor of New York City, presenting a comprehensive platform that included fare-free city buses, universal child care, city-owned grocery stores, a rent freeze on rent-stabilized units, and a $30 minimum wage by 2030. His platform also called for tax increases on corporations and those earning over $1 million annually.
During the 2025 mayoral race, Mamdani publicly stated that he would “work with the police rather than defund them.” This marked a distinct evolution from his earlier “defund” stance.
He further elaborated on this updated position, “emphasizing their importance in dealing with violent crime and the role of social workers and mental health professionals in addressing underlying causes and prevention.” This reframing aimed to present a balanced approach that acknowledged the necessity of law enforcement while still prioritizing social safety nets and preventative measures.
Beyond policing, Mamdani’s mayoral platform offered a wide array of proposals. In economic policy, he advocated for debt relief for taxi medallion owners, strengthened tenant protections, and the creation of a Social Housing Development Agency to build publicly owned affordable housing.
He envisioned constructing 200,000 new affordable, rent-stabilized units over the next decade and doubling spending on rehabilitating homes for the city’s 400,000 public housing tenants. His tax proposals included raising corporate taxes in New York State to 11.5% and implementing a new 2% income tax increase for city residents earning over $1 million annually.
He articulated a stark vision for wealth, stating, “I don’t think we should have billionaires.” This economic philosophy underscored his commitment to redistributive policies aimed at addressing inequality across the city’s boroughs.
Mamdani also pledged to reduce taxes on “overtaxed homeowners in the outer boroughs” while simultaneously increasing taxes on “more expensive homes in richer and whiter neighborhoods.” This policy directly targeted a 1981 property tax law that disproportionately benefited owners of high-value properties.
On environmental issues, Mamdani viewed climate action as integral to social justice. He organized volunteers in 2021 to lobby Governor Kathy Hochul against the expansion of a gas-fired peaker power plant in Astoria, citing environmental concerns for low-income nonwhite communities.
His mayoral agenda included a “Green Schools for a Healthier New York City” blueprint, proposing retrofitting 500 public school buildings with solar arrays and upgraded HVAC systems, building 500 green schoolyards, and converting 50 schools into year-round resilience hubs.
In healthcare, Mamdani supported the New York Health Act, aiming to establish single-payer healthcare statewide. He even portrayed a firefighter in a 2021 advertisement for the Campaign for New York Health, demonstrating his active participation in advocating for this reform.
His foreign policy positions have drawn significant attention, particularly his stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Mamdani has been sharply critical of Israel, condemning “Israeli apartheid” in 2023 and supporting the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement.
He introduced a state assembly bill to prohibit registered charities from donating to organizations involved in Israel’s illegal West Bank settlements, later adding organizations lending support to alleged war crimes in Gaza. Following the October 7 attacks on Israel, he called for the end of “occupation” and “apartheid” as the only path to peace, though he later condemned the Hamas attacks as a “horrific war crime.
Mamdani’s commitment to his beliefs led to his arrest during a pro-Palestinian ceasefire demonstration. In 2025, he asserted his belief that Israel was committing genocide in Gaza and pledged to abide by the International Criminal Court’s warrant, stating Benjamin Netanyahu should be arrested if he visits New York City.
His views extend to other global affairs, as he condemned US airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites during the Iran-Israel war as unconstitutional and destabilizing. He also criticized Governor Kathy Hochul in March 2022 for supporting budget cuts to refugee programs, despite the governor’s earlier statements welcoming Ukrainian refugees.
In a notable moment at a mayoral forum in May 2025, Mamdani declared he would not engage with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whom he referred to as a “war criminal” responsible for “orchestrating a mass slaughter of Muslims in Gujarat” during the 2002 riots.
This assertion drew criticism from leaders in India who called his claim that few Muslims remained in Gujarat a “blatant lie,” citing census data. Yet, a Pakistani journalist, Rakhshinda Parveen, praised Mamdani’s “courage” in condemning Modi, highlighting the contentious nature of his outspoken foreign policy positions.
Mamdani actively champions social justice and minority rights, notably supporting Proposal 1 in 2024, an amendment to the New York Constitution that legally prohibits discrimination based on ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, sex, pregnancy, and reproductive healthcare.
Regarding immigration, Mamdani firmly supports New York’s sanctuary laws and advocates for enhanced protections, including ensuring legal representation for all immigrants facing detention proceedings, as highlighted by his public exchange with border czar Tom Homan in Albany.
He is a vocal supporter of LGBTQ+ rights, aiming to establish NYC as an LGBTQ+ sanctuary city and create an Office of LGBTQIA+ Affairs. Mamdani appeared at a February 2025 rally protesting an executive order by President Trump threatening to withhold federal funding from hospitals providing gender-affirming treatments to trans youth.
In transportation, a cornerstone of his platform, Mamdani advocates for permanently eliminating bus fares. He championed a fare-free pilot program on MTA buses, which saw a 30% increase in weekday ridership and a 38.9% drop in assaults on bus operators on those routes, predominantly benefiting low-income individuals.
Though the pilot ended, Mamdani estimated it would cost New York City $650 million annually to eliminate bus fares. He introduced a series of bills titled “Fix the MTA,” proposing free bus travel across the boroughs over four years and freezing subway fares at $2.75, along with increased service frequency.
Mamdani also co-introduced a bill to enact a weight-based vehicle-registration fee to discourage heavier vehicles and supported congestion pricing in New York City, drafting legislation with State Senator Michael Gianaris to increase bus service frequency and expand fare-free routes.
Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral campaign received substantial backing from influential progressive figures, including U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, who described Mamdani as a key part of a “grass-roots movement fueled by everyday people, committed to fighting oligarchy, authoritarianism, and kleptocracy.”
Despite this support, Mamdani faced strong criticism. The New York Times editorial board, on June 16, called his experience “too thin” and likened his agenda to “a turbocharged version of Mr. de Blasio’s dismaying mayoralty,” stating he did “not believe that Mr. Mamdani deserves a spot on New Yorkers’ ballots.”
Michael Powell of The Atlantic characterized his campaign as “magical realism,” claiming it was “exuberantly disconnected from actual government budgets and organizational charts.” After the primary, President Donald Trump launched a series of attacks, labeling Mamdani a “100% Communist lunatic.
Former President Trump notably employed Islamophobic, racist, and xenophobic rhetoric against Mamdani, linking him to 9/11 with the slur “little muhammad,” questioning his U.S. residency, threatening arrest, and vowing to cut funding to New York City or even orchestrate a federal takeover if Mamdani were elected.
Interestingly, The New York Times’ chief fashion critic, Vanessa Friedman, observed a deliberate counterpoint to these radical descriptors in Mamdani’s preferred campaign attire: a traditional suit and tie. As Friedman noted, “Dressing like an establishment guy offers a counterargument of its own,” a subtle yet powerful message.
Mamdani holds dual citizenship in Uganda and the United States, becoming a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2018, and identifies as a Shia Muslim of the Twelver branch. He married Syrian-American animator Rama Duwaji in February 2025, after a private nikah ceremony in December 2024, and they currently reside in Astoria, Queens.
A fan of New York sports teams like the Mets and Giants, and the English football club Arsenal, Mamdani has also demonstrated a remarkable ability to connect with New Yorkers across various linguistic backgrounds, showcasing different degrees of proficiency in Hindi-Urdu, Bengali, and Spanish during his campaign.
Zohran Mamdani’s political ascent is more than just a timeline of shifting rhetoric; it is a testament to the dynamic nature of progressive politics in a major metropolitan center. From his unvarnished call to “#DefundTheNYPD” in a moment of intense social reckoning to his later pledge to “work with the police” as a mayoral candidate, his journey reflects the complex balance between ideological conviction and the practicalities of governing a diverse city.
As New York City looks towards its future, Mamdani stands as a unique figure, whose deep roots in social justice, coupled with a demonstrated capacity for strategic adaptation, signal a potentially transformative, albeit controversial, leadership. His story is a vibrant illustration of how a commitment to community can evolve into a formidable drive for citywide change, promising a mayoral tenure that will undoubtedly be watched closely by all who care about the future of urban governance.
