Zohran Mamdani Fast Facts
CNN Editorial Research
(CNN) — Here’s a look at the life of Zohran Mamdani, New York City mayoral candidate.
Personal
Birth date: October 18, 1991
Birth place: Kampala, Uganda
Birth name: Zohran Kwame Mamdani
Father: Mahmood Mamdani, professor at Columbia University
Mother: Mira Nair, filmmaker
Marriage: Rama Duwaji (2025-present)
Education: Bowdoin College, B.A., 2014
Religion: Muslim
Other Facts
Is a democratic socialist.
Mamdani’s family moved to New York when he was 7.
Performed as a rapper under the name Mr. Cardamom.
Co-founded his high school’s first cricket team.
Founded his college’s Students for Justice in Palestine chapter.
Has run the New York City Marathon twice.
Owns four acres of land in Jinja, Uganda.
Timeline
2014 – Joins Change Corps, a year-long training program for community organizers. He resigned after six months, because he had been organizing a union within the program and believed that he was about to be fired.
2015 – Volunteers for Ali Najmi’s city council campaign.
2017 – Works on Khader el-Yateem New York City council campaign.
2018 – Campaign manager for Ross Barkan for New York state Senate.
2018 – Becomes a US citizen through naturalization.
2018 – Begins working for Chhaya, a housing advocacy group, as a foreclosure prevention counselor.
November 3, 2020 – Is elected to the New York state Assembly to represent District 36. He has been reelected twice.
October-November 2021 – Joins New York cab drivers on a 15-day hunger strike seeking relief from excessive debt owed on their medallions, official licenses that allow yellow cabs exclusivity to pick up street hails.
October 23, 2024 – Mamdani announces his candidacy for mayor of New York City.
June 24, 2025 – Wins the Democratic mayoral primary.
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