Zoran Mandani’s historic election As New York City’s first Muslim mayor, he sparked excitement and hope among American Muslims.
Many people feel relieved and proud anti-muslim extremists This comment directed at Mamdani during the campaign did not deter New Yorkers from voting for him.
“As a Muslim, as a Democrat, as an American, as an immigrant, for the first time in a long time, I felt hope,” Buktawar Waqas said. I literally jumped for joy and called my dad to congratulate him.
She attended Mamdani’s victory speech and said she was reassured by the diversity of New Yorkers around her, no matter what challenges lie ahead.
As a child, Waqas, a Pakistani-American internist, never dreamed that a Muslim would become mayor of New York. She said she was drawn to Mr. Mamdani’s message to the working class and felt his vision of affordability had broad resonance.
Mamdani won a majority of Muslim voters. About nine in 10 Muslim voters supported him, according to an Associated Press voter poll. They made up a very small group of voters in New York City, and about 4% of New York City voters were Muslim.
mamdaniis a democratic socialist who cast his victory as a boon to struggling blue-collar workers, campaigning on issues such as free buses, free childcare, and freezing rents on rent-stabilized apartments.
but also The city’s first Muslim mayorHe would be the first person of South Asian descent and the first person born in Africa.
Lives shaped by the legacy of 9/11
His victory will cause “Muslim New Yorkers to breathe a collective sigh of relief that will ripple across the country,” said Sylvia Chanmalik, who teaches American Islam at Rutgers University. “The legacy of 9/11 and the War on Terror has completely shaped the lives of an entire generation of Muslims in New York City and beyond.”
It also provides reassurance that “there are many non-Muslims who see through the lies and distortions about Islam,” she says.
Waqas said some of the vitriol Mamdani faced was a reminder that Islamophobia “is certainly alive and well and that’s heartbreaking.”
“New York will no longer be a city where you can traffic in Islamophobia to win elections,” Mamdani said in his speech.
Wael al-Zayat, CEO of Emgage Action, an American Muslim advocacy group that supports Mamdani, said the victory was a rebuke to those who stir up fear and spew anti-Muslim bigotry. He called it a historic moment and said “Mamdani won on issues” including affordability.
Yousef Chohoud, a political science professor at Christopher Newport University, said the symbolic weight of Mamdani’s victory cannot be overstated given 9/11 and its aftermath.
“This sends a strong message that Muslims are not only part of the social fabric of this country, but that we are helping to shape it,” Chohoud said. “For years, American Muslims have strived to show that we belong in this society. Mamdani shows that we belong in the halls of power and that we are ready to lead.”
Shift from outsider to insider
Muslims are a small but racially and ethnically diverse group of Americans. in the aftermath of 9/11 attackmany have faced hostility, mistrust, questions about their faith, and doubts about being American. In the years since, many have organized, forged alliances, and written their own nuanced stories about their identities.
“The bigger story here is how a community that was once seen primarily as an outsider or even a scapegoat has steadily built up political capital and visibility, even though some tensions remain,” Chohoud said. “Every gain comes with a backlash.”
Following Mamdani’s victory, Chohoud said, “I keep thinking that every immigrant boy and girl across New York will stand a little bit taller.”
Ibtesam Khurshid, a Bangladeshi-American living in New York City, said he was proud of Mamdani’s success “without betraying any of his identity.” She is excited for her children to “witness that a South Asian Muslim can lead our great city.”
His victory speaks to New York’s tolerance and diversity, she said, adding that she hopes the visibility of him and other Muslim politicians will further break down stereotypes.
Many Mamdani supporters and detractors will be watching to see if he fulfills his promise. Before Mamdani, 34, won a stunning upset victory over former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. In the June Democratic primary election, He was a state legislator unknown to most New Yorkers. cuomoMamdani, who also ran against him in Tuesday’s general election, claims he is too inexperienced.
“I wake up every morning with one purpose: to make this city better for you than it was the day before,” Mamdani promised in his victory speech.
Israel-Hamas war a factor in New York election
Taqiya Khan, who campaigned for Mr. Mamdani, said a candidate’s faith or ethnicity had no bearing on voting decisions, but his support for Palestinian rights and ideas for New York City was a big draw.
His stance on Israel and the war in Gaza was an issue in the race, with some of Mamdani’s detractors attacking him over his claims. harsh criticism of Israel military operations and other related positions.
Khan said Mamdani’s victory could have an impact. Also on Tuesday, Democratic Party Ghazala Hashmi He was the first Muslim and first Indian American to hold statewide office in Virginia.
“This could be a catalyst for more Muslim mayors and more Muslim politicians to run for office. We need that representation because America is a country for everyone,” she said.
Ismail Pathan, an Indian-American New York voter, was heartened by the support Mamdani received from so many people who “don’t look like him.”
“The United States is a country with different cultures. That’s what makes us great,” Pathan said. “How great would it be to be able to say, ‘Oh, a Muslim man was elected mayor of New York,’ especially when I’m about to have a child and bring him into this world?”
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Associated Press writer Lynley Sanders in Washington contributed to this report.
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Associated Press religion coverage receives support through The Associated Press collaboration Funded by Lilly Endowment Inc. and in collaboration with The Conversation US. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
