Zohran Mamdani, who made history as New York City’s first Muslim mayor and the first mayor of South Asian descent, delivered his first public address after being sworn in on New Year’s Day at New York City Hall.
The ceremony was officiated by US Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, a long-time ally and fellow democratic socialist.
Speaking to a large crowd shortly after taking the oath, Mamdani paid tribute to the teams that supported his political journey, saying, “Thank you to my teams, from the Assembly, to the campaign, to the transition and now, the team I am so excited to lead from City Hall.”
He then turned to his family, acknowledging the influence of his formative years across continents, including Uganda.
“Thank you to my parents, Mama and Baba, for raising me, for teaching me how to be in this world, and for having brought me to this city. Thank you to my family, from Kampala to Delhi. And thank you to my wife, Rama, for being my best friend and for always showing me the beauty in everyday things,” he said.
Mamdani’s parents lived and worked in Kampala before relocating abroad, a period his family and associates say shaped his understanding of inequality, multicultural life, and public service—values that later informed his political career.
From Uganda, the family moved across other continents before settling in New York, a city Mamdani often describes as built by migrants and working families like his own.
He entered politics through community organising and later served in the New York State Assembly, championing housing justice, public transport, and workers’ rights.
In his address, Mamdani emphasised that his election was driven by ordinary citizens rather than political elites.
“Most of all, thank you to the people of New York,” he said. “A moment like this comes rarely. Seldom do we hold such an opportunity to transform and reinvent. Rarer still is it the people themselves whose hands are the ones upon the levers of change.”
As he begins his term, Mamdani said he intends to lead a city administration rooted in inclusion, fairness, and the shared dignity of all New Yorkers—values he traced back to his family’s journey across continents.
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