Zohran Mamdani

Last updated
Zohran Mamdani
New York State Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani.jpg
Member of the New York State Assembly
from the 36th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 1, 2021
Education Bowdoin College (BA)
Signature Zohran Mamdani Signature.png
Website Mayor campaign website
Assembly campaign website
State Assembly website

Zohran Kwame Mamdani (born October 18, 1991) [1] is a Ugandan-born American democratic socialist politician. [2] He is the representative for the 36th district of the New York State Assembly, in Queens. Mamdani was elected after defeating incumbent Democrat Aravella Simotas in the 2020 primary. [3] Mamdani is a declared candidate for the November 2025 New York City mayoral election. [4]

Contents

Early life and education

Mamdani is the son of award-winning Indian filmmaker Mira Nair and academic Mahmood Mamdani, a Columbia University professor who studies colonialism, is the director of the Makerere Institute of Social Research (MISR) in Uganda, and is the Chancellor of Kampala International University in Uganda. [5] [6]

Mamdani was born in Kampala, Uganda, and moved to New York City when he was seven, later graduating from Bronx High School of Science. [7] [8] He is a Muslim. [9]

Mamdani graduated from Bowdoin College in Maine in 2014 with a B.A. [10] [11]

Career

Mamdani worked as a prevention counselor and cricketer, before running for office. [10]

After leading student organizing campaigns, Mamdani became formally involved in politics. He volunteered for the unsuccessful campaign of New York City Council primary candidate democratic socialist Khader El-Yateem, a Palestinian Lutheran minister running in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn in 2017. Then he was the campaign manager for Ross Barkan's unsuccessful race for New York State Senate in 2018. He was then a field organizer for democratic socialist Tiffany Cabán's unsuccessful campaign for Queens District Attorney in 2019. He then ran for New York Assembly himself & successfully won. [12] [13]

On November 3, 2021 Mamdani completed his 15-day hunger strike in solidarity with the New York Taxi Workers Alliance to win hundreds of millions of dollars of debt relief for taxi drivers who own taxi medallions, a taxi permit in New York City. [14] [15] [16]

New York Assembly

Mamdani (middle) examining repairs at the 21st Street-Queensbridge station 63 St Corridor - 53624243517.jpg
Mamdani (middle) examining repairs at the 21st Street–Queensbridge station

In 2019, Mamdani announced his campaign for New York State Assembly in the 36th district, which encompasses Astoria and Long Island City in Queens. [17] During the campaign, Mamdani was endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America [18] and ran on statewide rent control, fare-free transit, ending mass incarceration, and single-payer healthcare in New York. [19] [20] Mamdani's narrow victory over four-term incumbent Aravella Simotas took almost a month to call. [3]

Mamdani is a member of Democratic Socialists of America's eight-member "Socialists in Office" bloc, and one of three Muslim lawmakers, in the New York State Legislature. [21] His Assembly district includes a section of Astoria, which has a significant population of Muslim and Arab voters and is also the center of the socialist movement in New York City. [21]

As an assembly member, Mamdani is a member of the following committees:

As of January 2025, Mamdani has been the primary sponsor of 13 bills in the Assembly. [23]

2025 mayoral race

On October 23, 2024, Mamdani announced that he would be entering the upcoming race for New York city mayor [24] following Eric Adams' federal prosecution and several investigations into his administration. Mamdani is running on freezing rent and building housing for working families, fast and fare-free buses for riders, and free childcare for all New Yorkers. [25] He is endorsed by the New York City chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America, UAW Region 9A, and Jewish Voice for Peace Action. [26]

Political and policy views

Mamdani started to consider himself a democratic socialist following the 2016 presidential campaign of Bernie Sanders. [12] He is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, the largest socialist organization in the United States. [27]

Transportation

He is in favor of permanently eliminating bus fares. [28] Mamdani advocated for an MTA bus fare-free pilot program, which was established on one MTA bus in each borough in September 2022, at a cost of $15 million. [29] [30] [31] The program saw a 30 percent increase in ridership on weekdays, which was predominantly from individuals earning less $28,000 a year. Across the five routes made free, assaults on bus operators dropped by 38.9 percent. [32] However, in April 2024 the MTA budget didn't set aside further money for a continuation of the pilot program, which Zohran denounced and said, "...the MTA was opposed to this program. And they were opposed to this program because they were saying that now is not the time to create any kind of confusion around fare collection.” [33] [34]

In December 2022, Mamdani introduced a series of bills for the 2023 session called "Fix the MTA". He proposed free bus travel over the next four years across Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and then Manhattan and Staten Island. [35] The Formula Three Act would fill the $2.5 billion dollar shortfall of the MTA with another plank freezing fares at $2.75. Another plank would have set aside further money for more frequency such as, six minute headways for trains and for the hundred most used bus-routes, then using any additional money towards increasing service by 20%. [36]

In 2023, Mamdani co-introduced a bill that would enact a weight-based vehicle-registration fee to dissuade people from owning heavier vehicles in an effort to make streets safer. [37]

Mamdani has been a vocal supporter of congestion pricing [38] and drafted a bill with New York state senator Michael Gianaris called "Get Congestion Pricing Right." The purpose of the bill was to fund more frequent and reliable buses to "show New Yorkers that congestion pricing will be met with better public transit options, instead of simply saddling them with higher costs or longer commutes." [39] [40] The campaign won $12.3 million for increased peak service on 5 express bus routes and investments in reliability on 13 bus routes. [39] He also condemned Governor Kathy Hochul for pausing her plan for congestion pricing. [41]

Housing

Mamdani would immediately freeze rent payments for all two million rent-stabilized New Yorkers as mayor of NYC by appointing new members to the city's Rent Guidelines Board. [42]

As a New York State assemblymember, he has supported capping rent increases for New Yorkers, stopping unjust evictions, [43] giving tenants the right to legal representation in housing court, [44] and creating a Social Housing Development Agency that would build publicly-owned affordable housing. [45] [46]

Childcare

Mamdani is running on creating free, universal childcare for children aged 6 weeks to 5 years old, as well as increasing the wages for childcare workers. [47] He also has proposed giving all new families in New York City "baby baskets" with baby products, such as diapers and nursing supplies. [48] [49]

Crime

Mamdani believes that to increase public safety, what is needed is "dignified work, economic stability, and well-resourced neighborhoods," rather than policing and prisons. [50] He supports defunding the police. [51] He is also in favor of completely eliminating cash bail. [52]

He is in favor of dismantling what he refers to as "mass incarceration in New York" by opposing the construction of new state prisons and jails, divesting from the New York prison system, and investing in jobs, services, and restorative justice approaches." [8] Mamdani also supports the abolition of felony disenfranchisement, allowing those with felonies to vote. [8]

Education

Mamdani introduced a bill to eliminate New York University's and Columbia University's tax exempt status and direct those funds towards underfunded public universities. [53]

Israel

Early in 2023, Mamdani introduced a bill called the "Not on our dime!: Ending New York Funding of Israeli Settler Violence Act" which would prohibit registered charities from donating to organizations that support Israeli settlers. [54] [21] In November 2023, Zohran joined Cynthia Nixon in a five day hunger strike outside of Washington DC in support of an immediate ceasefire and opposition to President Biden's involvement in support of Israel's offensive in Gaza. [55] [56] [57] In 2024, he held an iftar for a ceasefire in Gaza during Ramadan. [58]

Taxes

Mamdani supports an income tax increase on the top one percent of New York income earners to raise $20 billion to fund tuition-free CUNY and SUNY schools, statewide universal childcare, a subway fare freeze, free MTA buses, housing protections, and other social policies. [59] [60] [61]

See also

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References

  1. ↑ "New York State Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani - Biography | LegiStorm".
  2. ↑ Emma G. Fitzsimmons (October 22, 2024). "Zohran Mamdani, a Democratic Socialist, Will Run Against Mayor Adams," The New York Times.
  3. 1 2 Kaufman, Maya (2020-07-22). "Zohran Mamdani Unseats Aravella Simotas In Astoria Assembly Race". Astoria-Long Island City, NY Patch. Retrieved 2020-07-22.
  4. ↑ "Meet Zohran Mamdani, the Socialist Running for NYC Mayor". jacobin.com. Retrieved 2025-01-13.
  5. ↑ Erum Salam (October 23, 2024). "‘Working-class New Yorkers are being pushed out of the city they built’: why Zohran Mamdani is running for mayor," The Guardian.
  6. ↑ "My son is not a firang, we are desi: Mira Nair". Hindustan Times. 2013-05-16. Retrieved 2020-07-22.
  7. ↑ "About Zohran Kwame Mamdani". Zohran For Assembly. Retrieved 2020-07-22.
  8. 1 2 3 "Candidate Answers to JOLDC: Zohran Mamdani for NY Assembly District 36," Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club.
  9. ↑ "US elections 2020: Muslim American candidates who made history". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 2021-05-06.
  10. 1 2 Tarleton, John (2020-06-19). "Home Foreclosure Specialist Aims to Take Fight For Housing & Racial Justice from Astoria to Albany". The Indypendent. Retrieved 2020-07-22.
  11. ↑ "Zohran Mamdani," Citizen's Union.
  12. 1 2 Mamdani, Zohran; Thier, Hadas (February 9, 2021). ""We Have an Obligation to Ensure That Justice Is Not Defined by the Borders of Our District"". Jacobin. Retrieved February 9, 2021.
  13. ↑ "Zohran Mamdani | New York City Campaign Finance Board".
  14. ↑ "Zohran K. Mamdani - Assembly District 36 |Assembly Member Directory | New York State Assembly". assembly.state.ny.us. Retrieved 2025-01-13.
  15. ↑ "Mayor Adams, TLC, Marblegate Asset Management, NYTWA Announce Historic Taxi Medallion Debt Relief Pr". The official website of the City of New York. 2022-08-30. Retrieved 2025-01-13.
  16. ↑ "Taxi Medallion - TLC". www.nyc.gov. Retrieved 2025-01-13.
  17. ↑ "NYC Primary Election 2020: Zohran Mamdani Vies For Simotas' Seat". Astoria-Long Island City, NY Patch. 2020-06-09. Retrieved 2020-07-22.
  18. ↑ i_beebe (2020-06-24). "Another big night for the DSA". CSNY. Retrieved 2020-07-22.
  19. ↑ "Issues". Zohran For Assembly. Retrieved 2020-07-22.
  20. ↑ "Zohran Mamdani," New York City Campaign Finance Board.
  21. 1 2 3 Peter Sterne (July 16, 2024). "DSA Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani is considering a run for NYC mayor," City & State.
  22. ↑ "Zohran K. Mamdani - Committee Membership". assembly.state.ny.us. Retrieved 2025-01-18.
  23. ↑ "Zohran K. Mamdani - Sponsored Legislation". assembly.state.ny.us. Retrieved 2025-01-18.
  24. ↑ https://x.com/ZohranKMamdani/status/1849027572006281727
  25. ↑ "Zohran for NYC". www.zohranfornyc.com. Retrieved 2024-10-24.
  26. ↑ "Zohran for NYC". www.zohranfornyc.com. Retrieved 2025-01-13.
  27. ↑ "DSA Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani is considering a run for NYC mayor". City & State NY. 2024-07-16. Retrieved 2025-01-13.
  28. ↑ Adeja Shivonne (October 23, 2024). "Zohran Mamdani, socialist Democrat, announces bid for NYC mayor," Fox 5 New York.
  29. ↑ "Queens assemblyman defends free bus program amid funding loss ," New York 1, April 23, 2024.
  30. ↑ Shkurhan, Iryna (2024-01-30). "Astoria lawyer announces run for state assembly, sparking rebuke from incumbent Mamdani on Israel stance". Astoria Post. Retrieved 2024-05-07.
  31. ↑ Brachfeld, Ben (2024-04-21). "MTA's free bus experiment will end after not being reauthorized in state budget | amNewYork". www.amny.com. Retrieved 2024-05-07.
  32. ↑ Mamdani, Zohran; Gianaris, Michael (2024-09-06). "A Year Without Fares: Lessons From New York's Free Bus Pilot". ISSN   0027-8378 . Retrieved 2025-01-13.
  33. ↑ "Queens assemblyman defends free bus program amid funding loss". ny1.com. Retrieved 2024-05-07.
  34. ↑ "Wins for MTA, mixed bag for riders in state budget". ny1.com. Retrieved 2024-05-07.
  35. ↑ "Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani pitches plan to 'Fix the MTA'". ny1.com. Retrieved 2024-05-04.
  36. ↑ Lucas, Peter (31 December 2022). "New York City's Public Transit Is Broken. It Doesn't Have to Be". Jacobin . Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  37. ↑ Walker, Alissa (June 23, 2023). "You May Soon Have to Pay More to Drive That SUV in New York". Curbed . Retrieved April 2, 2024.
  38. ↑ Martinez, Jose (2024-02-08). "Boosts to Bus Service Must Come With Congestion Pricing, State Pols Say". THE CITY - NYC News. Retrieved 2024-06-08.
  39. 1 2 "GCPR". Fix the MTA. Retrieved 2025-01-13.
  40. ↑ "Bill Search and Legislative Information | New York State Assembly". nyassembly.gov. Retrieved 2025-01-13.
  41. ↑ Shkurhan, Iryna (2024-06-07). "'Why people don't trust politicians,' Queens pols react to Hochul's congestion pricing snafu – QNS". qns.com. Retrieved 2024-06-08.
  42. ↑ "Meet Zohran Mamdani, the Socialist Running for NYC Mayor". jacobin.com. Retrieved 2025-01-13.
  43. ↑ "Good cause eviction has momentum leading into 2022". City & State NY. 2021-12-07. Retrieved 2025-01-13.
  44. ↑ Mamdani, Zohran [@ZohranKMamdani] (February 17, 2024). "Renters across New York State should have the right to legal representation in housing court - and in NYC, the right needs to be expanded to protect more tenants. Join Queens organizers fighting for this across the state at a town hall this week with @RTCNYC!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  45. ↑ Mamdani, Zohran [@ZohranKMamdani] (February 6, 2024). "New York is in a housing crisis. To get out of it, we need to harness the power of the state to build housing driven by social benefits for NYers, not profits for developers. I'm proud to support @EmilyAssembly + @SenatorCCleare's bill for a Social Housing Development Agency" (Tweet) – via Twitter.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  46. ↑ Said, Nyc Homeowner on (2024-02-07). "Proposed State 'Social Housing' Authority Would Build Affordable Homes Outside the Private Market". City Limits. Retrieved 2025-01-13.
  47. ↑ "Zohran for NYC". www.zohranfornyc.com. Retrieved 2025-01-13.
  48. ↑ "Opinion: Who's winning the battle for the left?". City & State NY. 2025-01-08. Retrieved 2025-01-13.
  49. ↑ McDonough, Annie [@Annie_McDonough] (January 7, 2025). "On WNYC with Brian Lehrer, mayoral candidate and AM Zohran Mamdani announces new policy proposal – providing families with newborns with "baby baskets," filled with diapers, nursing supplies, books, info on resources for new parents, etc Estimates cost will be $19 million yearly" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  50. ↑ Peter Sterne (October 23, 2024). "Could this pro-Palestinian socialist really be NYC’s next mayor?," City & State.
  51. ↑ Allie Griffin (July 24, 2020). "Newcomer Zohran Mamdani Leading Incumbent Simotas in Assembly Race," Queens Post.
  52. ↑ Rafael A. Mangual (September 16, 2024). "Police Opponents Pounce", City Journal.
  53. ↑ Wexler, Sara (December 23, 2023). "Socialist Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani Wants to End Columbia and NYU's Tax-Exempt Status". Jacobin. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
  54. ↑ McGreal, Chris (2023-05-17). "New York law aims to stop funding of illegal Israeli settlements in West Bank". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 2024-04-11.
  55. ↑ Harb, Ali. "US rights advocates launch hunger strike for Israel-Hamas ceasefire". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2024-05-07.
  56. ↑ "They Went on a Hunger Strike for a Gaza Ceasefire. What's Next?". Teen Vogue. 2023-12-15. Retrieved 2024-05-07.
  57. ↑ "Unions and Elected Officials Are Joining the Movement for Palestinian Freedom". jacobin.com. Retrieved 2024-05-07.
  58. ↑ "In Astoria, Queens, an Iftar in Solidarity With Palestine". jacobin.com. Retrieved 2024-05-07.
  59. ↑ Elizabeth Kim and Jon Campbell (October 22, 2024). https://gothamist.com/news/zohran-mamdani-running-mayor-eric-adams "State Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani joins Adams' challengers for NYC mayor,"] Gothamist.
  60. ↑ ""We Have an Obligation to Ensure That Justice Is Not Defined by the Borders of Our District"". jacobin.com. Retrieved 2025-01-13.
  61. ↑ "Why Tax the Rich? - Tax the Rich". taxtherichny.com. Retrieved 2025-01-13.
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