Zohran Mamdani’s victory bridges long-standing divisions inside the metropolis’s Muslim group

Stepping out of the shadows

All through the marketing campaign, Mamdani confronted Islamophobic assaults from political opponents. Throughout a radio interview, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo appeared to counsel Mamdani would cheer on one other 9/11. Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa accused him of supporting “international jihad,” whereas Mayor Eric Adams insinuated that Mamdani is an extremist who helps “burning church buildings.”

For Nasser and different Muslim New Yorkers, the assaults underscored that Islamophobia stays deeply entrenched. What stood out, Nasser mentioned, was Mamdani’s response: calling the assaults baseless and racist whereas staying targeted on affordability and equality.

“He navigated it with a variety of grace and persistence,” the 40-year-old mentioned. “It takes a variety of resolve and a variety of persistence to have the ability to get criticized and attacked for these Islamophobic, baseless claims and have the ability to come out the other facet, nonetheless sporting a smile.”

Shortly earlier than his election, Mamdani launched a six-minute video message to Muslim New Yorkers denouncing the racism that has pressured many to cover who they’re.

“I’ll not search for myself within the shadows. I’ll discover myself within the mild,” Mamdani mentioned within the video.

This message resonated with Raza, who mentioned she spent a lot of her life feeling pressured to remain invisible.

“I don’t wish to do this now, and I don’t assume anybody ought to have to try this now,” Raza mentioned. “Mamdani is so unapologetically himself, and he makes it appear so pure. And I feel that’s his energy.”

Mamdani says many individuals reached out to him after the video aired, together with an older man who advised him that he, too, was able to step out of the shadows.

“My dream is to guide a metropolis the place each New Yorker can dwell the fullest model of themselves and never really feel as if they’ve to cover any a part of themselves so as to be right here, so as to name themselves a New Yorker,” Mamdani mentioned.