Zohran Mamdani applied to Columbia University in 2009, identifying as both Asian and Black in his application. This decision raised concerns about exploitation of race-conscious admissions policies. Mayor Eric Adams condemned Mamdani's actions, arguing that claiming Black identity is offensive and trivializes its significance. Mamdani, born in Uganda of South Asian descent, expressed that he marked multiple identities to reflect his background. Despite applying with these identifications, he was not accepted to Columbia and later attended Bowdoin College instead.
Mamdani checked boxes for "Asian" and "Black or African American" on a 2009 application to Columbia, aiming to represent his complex heritage.
Mayor Eric Adams criticized Mamdani's actions, stating, "The African American identity is not a check-box of convenience... deeply offensive."
Collection
[
|
...
]