"Zohran Kwame Mamdani is a Ugandan-born immigrant of Indian descent, raised Shia Muslim in an interfaith household in Morningside Heights. The novelty of his origins has broad appeal. As Zenat Begum, Brooklynite and founder of Bed-Stuy's coffeehouse and community space Playground, put it, "He is a walking concoction of every New Yorker in one person." Still, one trait is all too familiar in this city's political imagination-his Muslimness."
"On a radio show, Andrew Cuomo chuckled at the suggestion that Mamdani might cheer for another 9/11. Mayor Eric Adams warned of a surge in "Islamic extremism" if he won. On the debate stage, Curtis Sliwa accused the Democratic nominee of supporting global jihad. Beyond his fellow candidates, US Representative Andy Ogles referred to him as "Little Muhammad" and tweeted footage of the 9/11 attacks under the caption "WAKE UP NEW YORK!""
On November 4 Jackson Heights carried on with everyday life even as New York City voters considered electing Zohran Kwame Mamdani. Mamdani is a Ugandan-born, South Asian, Shia Muslim raised in an interfaith household and his diverse origins resonated with many residents. Opponents weaponized his Muslim identity in the final weeks of the mayoral race, using accusations ranging from cheering 9/11 to supporting global jihad. Political figures and media amplified anti-Muslim rhetoric, and social media saw mass Islamophobic content: Equality Labs tracked 1.15 million Islamophobic posts about Mamdani viewed over 150 billion times between January and October 2025.
Read at The Nation
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