Race, religion, and the New York City mayoral race

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In an emotional speech, Zohran Mamdani defends his faith against "racist and baseless" attacks.

It was inevitable that in the 2025 New York City mayoral contest, race has become a significant and controversial factor, fueled by rhetoric from opponents of Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani, who is Indian American and a Muslim.

The controversy grew more heated after Indian American Mamdani's used the word "auntie" emerged from his emotional speech on October 25, in which he spoke out against what he described as anti-Islamic attacks on his campaign.

In his speech, Mamdani described the discrimination he faced while growing up in the shadow of 9/11, including how his name could be misconstrued and his family's fears. He recalled how one of his "aunties" was so frightened that she stopped taking the subway while wearing her hijab, "as if her existence itself was a provocation".

In Asian Indian culture, the term "auntie" is used as a broad term of respect for any older woman with whom one has a social or familial connection, not only a blood relative. The use of "auntie" can extend to neighbors, close family friends, and distant relatives, making it a culturally accepted and affectionate honorific.

His critics, hoping to catch Mamdani in a. le, criticized him for referring to his father's cousin as his "aunt," which was misinterpreted as a lie by some in the Western media and public. In his clarification, Mamdani explained that using "aunt" for a family cousin was a natural part of his South Asian upbringing. Vice President JD Vance. Vance issued a social media post mocking Mamdani for the anecdote.

Cultural norms around kinship terms vary globally. In some cultures, particularly in South Asia, terms like "auntie" and "uncle" are used more broadly than in some Western cultures. This can be a sign of respect for older individuals or reflect a sense of extended family connection.

Mamdani, who is a New York Assemblymember, described the attacks as "racist, baseless" and designed to paint him as an "other" and frighten voters.

The incident has become a focal point in the election, with Mamdani arguing that the attacks on his story are a sign of how unfamiliar right-wing media and opponents are with the realities of Islamophobia. His campaign has also garnered interest from the South Asian and Muslim communities in New York City and beyond. Backlash:
Some critics, including Republican politicians, have used Mamdani's comments to question his credibility.

Mamdani's defense

Mamdani has defended his use of the term "aunt," stating it is how he has always referred to her. He has also accused his opponents of using the issue to distract from his message and to make him appear "soft on terrorism".

A headline from the New York Post hoping
to catch Zohran Mamdani in a lie.

The incident has become a focal point in the election, with Mamdani arguing that the attacks on his story are a sign of how unfamiliar right-wing media and opponents are with the realities of Islamophobia. His campaign has also garnered interest from the South Asian and Muslim communities in New York City and beyond.

Mamdani's campaign condemned Vance's response. Mamdani described the attacks as "racist, baseless" and designed to paint him as an "other" and frighten voters. Beyond the "auntie" comment, opponents have repeatedly used divisive rhetoric centering on Mamdani's race and faith

Divisive "wedge" tactics

Andrew Cuomo, the former governor, running as an independent, made controversial remarks during an interview with a conservative radio host. When asked about a "God forbid, another 9/11" scenario with Mamdani in office, Cuomo responded with a comment that many, including Mamdani, viewed as having anti-Muslim undertones.

Eric Adams: Weeks after dropping his re-election bid, then-Mayor Eric Adams endorsed Cuomo and referred to "Islamic extremists" who were "destroying communities".

In response to the accusations of stoking Islamophobia, Cuomo accused Mamdani of using divisive political tactics, describing the situation as "the oldest, dirtiest political trick in the book".

Instead of scaring away supporters, the racist innuendoes appears to have galvanized Mamdani's base: Mamdani's campaign has rallied supporters around his identity as the city's first potential Muslim mayor, a position that resonates with younger, more progressive, and South Asian New Yorkers.

Observers note that the focus on identity-based attacks against Mamdani follows a pattern of political discourse that has become more coarse and polarized.

Some see the attacks as an attempt to leverage the unfamiliarity of Mamdani's background to sow distrust among voters.

Mamdani is of Indian/Ugandan descent, born in Uganda to an Indian Ugandan father,  author and professor Mahmood Mamdani, and an Indian American mother, filmmaker Mira Nair.

Because he was born in Africa, on his college applications he identified himself as African and Asian, which has sometimes been a point of controversy. He has stated that he does not consider himself African American in the typical US sense (descendants of enslaved Africans), but rather as an American who was born in Africa.

Asian American support

Mamdani’s success in engaging Asian communities in New York City is a key part of his winning coalition and is part of what gave him such a commanding lead over Cuomo.

It was not surprising that he did really well among South Asians but he was also able to win over a good portion of East Asians, especially among younger voters who showed up on election day during the primary.

Some credit Mamdani's extensive canvassing, multilingual mail and viral social media videos and a ground game that included volunteers who were able to speak in Asian languages for winning over Asian American electorate. “When you talk to people in the languages that they speak, literally and proverbially, about issues that they care about, they respond,” said Democratic strategist Amit Singh Bagga . “And when you don’t, they don’t.”

Despite the attacks on his faith and complicated racial heritage, as of today, Mamdani is polling ahead of Cuomo. The Assembly member who is well positioned to become New York City’s first Asian American mayor won with the support of the rapidly growing AAPI electorate. Election day is Nov. 4 but voting by mail is underway.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news, views and chismis from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X, BlueSky or at the blog Views From the Edge. 

NYC Mayoral candidate Andrew Yang battles "perpetual foreigner" stereotype

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Andrew Yang could become mayor of New York City, the financial hub of the U.S.

Andrew Yang, New York City mayoral candidate, has slipped in the polls after being the frontrunner for weeks.

Yang, who gained national attention while running an underdog campaign seeking the Democrats' nomination for President in 2020, is now third in a field of eight, according to a new poll conducted by Emerson College and PIX11 News.

During his campaign, Yang has had to contend with the "perpetual foreigner" trope even though he's lived in New York City for 25 years. The question arises: "How long does one have to live in the city to be called a New Yorker?"

An editorial cartoon in the Daily News showed Yang emerging from a subway station while a nearby storeowner says, " The tourists are back."

Yang responded to the cartoon Tuesday in a social media post, writing, “Every time you say that I’m not a real New Yorker, you’re telling another Asian American that they don’t belong.”

The cartoon, being a cartoon, did not portray Yang in a good light. Critics and Yang supporters called it racist, depicting Yang with small, slanted eyes. The cartoon drew sharp criticism from the AAPI community, already reeling for a surge of racist attacks for the past year.

"I will be the first to tell you that I’m open to different opinions and will always welcome conversations on policy. And I am a proud son of immigrants," Yang continued in his post. "But to paint me in the media as a perpetual foreigner to this city is wrong and subtly approves racism at a time when people are being beaten on the street on the basis of who they are."

The Asian American Journalists Association wrote a letter to the Daily News criticizing the cartoon.

"We want to be clear that we don't take sides in political races," said AAJA executive director Naomi Tacuyan Underwood. "We want to hold media organizations accountable in terms of the candidate coverage without feeding into or perpetuating stereotypes and historical tropes."

Evelyn Yang, the candidate's wife, was driven to tears in a press conference Tuesday denoucning the cartoon. “It’s not funny. It’s racist. It’s toxic,” she said. 

Underwood said exaggerated, mangled depictions of Asian Americans were used to fuel arguments for the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882.

In response to the critical salvos, The Daily News had the artist redrew the cartoon by adding pupils to the eyes. but retained the message.

The change in the redrawn editorial cartoon was subtle.

Following is Andrew Yang's social media post: