CNN Editorial Research

(CNN) — Here’s a look at the life of Zohran Mamdani, New York City mayor-elect.

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.

November 4, 2025 - Wins New York City’s general election for mayor.

November 21, 2025 -? Meets with President Trump at the White House.

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