NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani identified as Black, Asian on Columbia application: report
FOX NewsJUL 4
Report: Mamdani Identified as 'Asian' and 'African American' on College Application
Above: Zohran Mamdani speaks during the New York City Democratic Mayoral Primary Debate at NBC Studios on June 4, 2025. Image copyright: Yuki Iwamura-Pool/Getty Images
The Spin
Left narrative
The right is simply playing semantics with this weak supposed scandal against Mamdani in this dubiously sourced story. Mamdani was born in Uganda to parents who had roots in Africa for centuries, and considers himself African alongside his Indian heritage. That a young man was awkwardly trying to fit his complex identity into a rigid college application is no story whatsoever, especially since he was ultimately rejected.
Right narrative
African-American is a term that has been fixed by convention for decades to refer to those who are Black. Mamdani was raised in America and would know this, with his obtuse explanation making little sense — if he is African-American, so is Elon Musk. This is a clear example of a woke race-faker, like Elizabeth Warren, trying to get a leg up in the identity-obsessed world of academia by ticking boxes.
Cynical narrative
Mamdani's actions are merely the product of the outdated and illogical regime of affirmative action. Once meant to help disadvantaged groups, affirmative action has turned into a social engineering project that primarily aids the privileged who can tick the right boxes. One wonders if the supposed penalty that Asian and Indian applicants suffered to keep their numbers artificially low on campus was a factor in Zohran's decision.