Washington — Zohran Mamdani, fresh off securing the Democratic nomination for New York City mayor, is now at the center of a growing controversy over his racial identification on a past college application.
According to a recent New York Times report, Mamdani marked both “Asian” and “Black or African American” on his 2009 application to Columbia University. At the time, the Ivy League institution used affirmative action policies to promote racial diversity, prompting critics to accuse the now 33-year-old candidate of manipulating the system.
Mamdani, who was born in Uganda to acclaimed Indian-American filmmaker Mira Nair and Ugandan academic Mahmood Mamdani, addressed the controversy by clarifying that he does not identify as African American, but rather as “an American born in Africa.”
“Most college applications don’t have a box for Indian-Ugandans, so I checked multiple boxes trying to capture the fullness of my background,” he told The Times.
His father, Professor Mahmood Mamdani, has spent much of his academic life in Uganda and is of Gujarati descent. The Mamdani family’s complex background has sparked renewed debate around race, ethnicity, and how such identities are navigated in American society—especially within the political arena.
Political Fallout and Response
Incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, running for re-election as an independent, criticized Mamdani’s racial identification as opportunistic.
“The African American identity is not a checkbox of convenience,” Adams said. “It’s a history, a struggle, and a lived experience. To exploit that for personal advantage is offensive.”
Former Governor Andrew Cuomo, who was unseated by Mamdani in the Democratic primary, called for an investigation.
“If true, this could amount to fraud and may be just the beginning of larger issues,” said a spokesperson for the Cuomo campaign.
Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa, however, urged candidates to focus on the issues that matter to New Yorkers.
“Whether you agree with Mamdani or not, people will rally to his defense if they feel he’s being unfairly targeted,” said Sliwa, who will face Mamdani in November’s general election.
Despite Controversy, Mamdani Leads the Race
The controversy has not appeared to significantly dent Mamdani’s momentum. A new poll from American Pulse shows him leading the four-way race, with 35.2% of likely voters supporting his candidacy.
Cuomo follows with 29%, while Sliwa and Adams trail behind in third and fourth place, respectively.
As the city approaches a historic election, Mamdani remains the frontrunner—potentially on track to become New York City’s first Muslim mayor.
