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Bengali-Urdu campaigning, iftar on the subway, a different kind of Muslim mayoral candidate in New York
Not long ago, Zohraan Mamdani was an unknown member of the New York State Assembly. When he announced his candidacy for mayor last year, he was a young lawmaker with very little exposure. But within months, he had surged ahead in the Democratic mayoral race, defeating well-known and experienced candidates who had deep connections with New York City voters. Zohraan Mamdani is now the Democratic Party’s nominee for mayor.
Bengali-Urdu campaigning, iftar on the subway, a different kind of Muslim mayoral candidate in New York
From Uganda to Queens
Zohraan Mamdani was born in Kampala, Uganda. He moved to New York with his family at the age of seven. He attended the prestigious Bronx High School of Science in New York. He later earned a bachelor’s degree in Africana studies at Bowdoin College, where he founded a campus chapter of a student organization called Students for Justice in Palestine. He became a U.S. citizen in 2018.
The young progressive politician is set to become the first Muslim and South Asian mayor in New York City’s history. He has embraced the city’s diverse culture. One of his campaign videos was entirely in Urdu, with clips from Bollywood movies. In another video, he speaks in Spanish.

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Bangla-Urdu in campaign, iftar on subway, a different Muslim mayoral candidate in New York
Prothom Alo Desk
Published: 26 June 2025, 13:33
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Zohran Mamdani, Democratic mayoral candidate in New York CityPhoto: AFP
Until a few days ago, Zohran Mamdani was an unknown member of the New York State Assembly. When he announced his candidacy for mayor last year, he was a young lawmaker with very limited exposure. But within months, he had emerged as the Democratic Party’s mayoral candidate, defeating well-known and experienced candidates who had deep connections with New York City voters. Zohra Mamdani is now the Democratic Party’s nominee for mayor.
From Uganda to Queens
Zohra Mamdani was born in Kampala, Uganda. He moved to New York with his family at the age of seven. He attended the prestigious Bronx High School of Science in New York. He later earned a bachelor’s degree in Africana Studies from Bowdoin College. There, he founded a campus chapter of a student organization called Students for Justice in Palestine. He became a U.S. citizen in 2018.
This young progressive politician is set to become the first Muslim and South Asian mayor in New York City’s history. He has embraced the city’s diverse culture. One of his campaign videos was entirely in Urdu. It also included clips from Bollywood movies. In another video, he speaks in Spanish.
Mamdani’s wife, Rama Duwaji, is a 27-year-old Syrian artist. They met on the dating app Hinge.
Mamdani bills himself as a people’s candidate and an organizer. His State Assembly profile reads, “Life has taken me in many directions—sometimes to film, sometimes to rap, sometimes to writing. But organizing has led me to action instead of despair.”
Before entering politics, Zohraan worked for poor homeowners in Queens, providing legal assistance to prevent evictions. He proudly made being Muslim part of his campaign. He regularly attends mosques and has made videos in several languages, including Bengali and Urdu, about the cost of living crisis in New York City.
