Kamala Harris's stepdaughter endorses Mira Nair's son for NYC mayor. Who is Indian-origin Zohran Mamdani?

Kamala Harris's step-daughter Ella Emhoff has officially endorsed Democratic socialist candidate Zohran Mamdani for New York City mayor. “I’m passing the phone to the next mayor of New York City who’s going to make New York happier, healthier and more affordable,” she said in a “pass the phone” social media trend video before the camera turned to Mamdani.“Grateful for Ella Emhoff’s support in our fight to make New York City more affordable,” Mamdani posted.

Who is Indian-American Zohran Mamdani, son of filmmaker Mira Nair?

33-year-old Mamdani has an Indian connection like Ella Emhoff's mother Kamala Harris. Mamdani is the son of Indian filmmaker Mira Nair and Indian-born Ugandan academic Mahmood Mamdani. Mira Nair met Mahmood in 1989 in Uganda when Nair was doing the research for her 1991 film Mississipi Masala starring Denzel Washington.

Mamdani was born in Uganda and moved to Cape Town when he was five. The family moved to New York when Mamdani was seven.

He graduated in 2014 with a bachelor's degree in Africana Studies.After his various initial stints in politics as a manager, he ran for New York State Assembly and won in 2019, a year after he became a US citizen.Mamdani is the first South Asian man to serve in the New York State Assembly, as well as the first Ugandan and only the third Muslim to ever hold a seat in the body.

Mamdani was arrested at a pro-Palestinian rally outside Sen Chuck Schumer's house in October 2024, a week after Hamas invaded Israel. The 2025 New York City mayoral election will be held on November 4, 2025, to elect the mayor of New York City. Incumbent Democratic mayor Eric Adams is running for re-election to a second term in office as an independent. Primary elections are scheduled to be held on June 24, 2025, with the early voting period beginning ten days prior.