Zoxran Mamdani became New York's first Muslim mayor
On November 4, 2023, 34-year-old democratic socialist Zoxran Kwame Mamdani won the election for mayor of New York City. This was reported by Zamin.uz.
He made history as New York's first Muslim mayor, surpassing former governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa. Zoxran's political views and life experience have been shaped in a multicultural environment.
Born on October 18, 1991, in Kampala, the capital of Uganda, Zoxran moved with his family to South Africa at the age of 5, and later to New York. He became a U.S. citizen in 2018 and is a Muslim of the Shia sect.
Before entering politics, Zoxran worked as a social counselor in the Queens borough. He helped people at risk of losing their homes and worked to prevent evictions.
This experience motivated him to fight for social justice. Zoxran has focused on social inequality, migration, and environmental issues throughout his career.
He is also interested in music and has created works in the rap genre. Zoxran began his education at St. George's School in South Africa and continued at the Bank Street School for Children and Bronx High School of Science in New York.
In 2014, he earned a bachelor's degree in African studies from Bowdoin College. During his student years, he founded a movement advocating for Palestinian rights.
Zoxran's parents played a significant role in shaping his worldview and values. His father, Mahmud Mamdani, is a professor at Columbia University, and his mother, Mira Nair, is an internationally award-winning director.
In 2025, Zoxran married Syrian-American artist Rama Duvaji, and they currently live in the Astoria neighborhood of Queens. Zoxran began his political career in 2015 by working in local communities.
In 2020, he was elected to the New York State legislature. In 2025, he ran as the Democratic Party candidate for New York mayor and won the election.
His campaign platform mainly included initiatives such as affordable housing, support for families with children, raising wages for daycare workers, and free public transportation. During his mayoralty, Zoxran canceled $450 million of taxi drivers' debt, allocated $100 million for subway development, and achieved free bus rides.
He also opposed the construction of a gas power plant that could harm the environment. Thus, Zoxran made history as New York's first Muslim and African mayor.
