Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic candidate vying for the mayoral seat in New York City, has come under scrutiny following revelations about his 2009 college application to Columbia University.
As reported by The New York Times, Mamdani identified as "Black or African American" on his application, a designation he now disavows. This information emerged from a leaked database of Columbia applications, part of a recent cyberattack on the prestigious institution.
According to Fox News, Mamdani, who was a high school senior at the time, also marked "Asian" and added "Ugandan" to describe his background. Despite his fathers position as a professor at Columbia, Mamdani was not admitted. Now at 33, he describes himself as "an American who was born in Africa," explaining that his choice to check multiple boxes was an attempt to capture his "complex background," rather than to exploit the race-conscious admissions policies that were in place at the time. The Supreme Court has since invalidated such policies in 2023.
Mamdani remarked, "Even though these boxes are constraining, I wanted my college application to reflect who I was." He further clarified to The Times that beyond those college forms, he has never identified as Black or African American. His lineage is rooted in Indian descent, with his father, Mahmood Mamdani, having deep ties to East Africa, though without intermarriage with native African communities.
On the campaign trail, Mamdani has emphasized his South Asian and Muslim heritage. During a speech at Al Sharptons National Action Network in June, he highlighted his African origins, stating, "I was born in Kampala, Uganda... I was given my middle name, Kwame, by my father, who named me after the first Prime Minister of Ghana."
President Donald Trump addressed Mamdani during a rally, cautioning against any interference with immigration laws. "Look, we dont need a communist in this country, but if we have one, Im going to be watching over them very carefully on behalf of the nation," Trump asserted.
Mamdani, who identifies as a democratic socialist, dismissed Trump's comments, accusing him of attempting to intimidate outspoken New Yorkers. "If you speak up, they will come for you. We will not accept this intimidation," Mamdani declared.
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