Zohran Mamdani

Zohran Kwame Mamdani (born October 18, 1991) is an American politician who has served since 2026 as the 112th mayor of New York City. A member of the Democratic Party and the Democratic Socialists of America, Mamdani served from 2021 to 2025 as a member of the New York State Assembly for the 36th district, representing Astoria, Queens.

Mamdani was born in Kampala, Uganda, to Indian parents, academic Mahmood Mamdani and filmmaker Mira Nair. When he was seven years old, after having spent three years in Cape Town, South Africa, his family moved to the United States, settling in New York City. Mamdani graduated from the Bronx High School of Science before receiving a bachelor's degree with a major in Africana studies from Bowdoin College in 2014.

After working as a housing counselor and a musician, Mamdani entered local New York City politics as a campaign manager for Khader El-Yateem and Ross Barkan. He was first elected to the New York State Assembly in 2020, defeating five-term incumbent Aravella Simotas in the Democratic primary. Representing Astoria and Long Island City, he was reelected without opposition in 2022 and 2024.