Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

rogue emissary

(3,289 posts)
Fri Jul 4, 2025, 07:04 AM Jul 4

Mamdani Identified as Asian and African American on College Application

Posting in the African American forum.

By Benjamin RyanNicholas Fandos and Dana Rubinstein
July 3, 2025
As he runs for mayor of New York City, Zohran Mamdani has made his identity as a Muslim immigrant of South Asian descent a key part of his appeal.

But as a high school senior in 2009, Mr. Mamdani, the Democratic nominee, claimed another label when he applied to Columbia University. Asked to identify his race, he checked a box that he was “Asian” but also “Black or African American,” according to internal data derived from a hack of Columbia University that was shared with The New York Times.. . . When asked if any of his family had intermarried while in East Africa, he said in the interview on Thursday, “They’re all of Indian origin, from Gujarat.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/03/nyregion/mamdani-columbia-black-application.html


There's no complexity in a college applications asking for racial identity. Their not asking about geographic birth places. We wouldn't accept white people claiming their part of a tribe because a state they were born in was tribal land.

I'm really tired of having to take theses insults. Same as Musk calling himself African American. Mamdani needs to apologize as he's on his way to lose the black vote in the general like he lost it in the primary.

From this crap to black face. I don't see how these politicians run with this BS in their past. I'm sure it'll be excused.

21 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Mamdani Identified as Asian and African American on College Application (Original Post) rogue emissary Jul 4 OP
And what's the big deal?...................... Lovie777 Jul 4 #1
Posting in the African American forum. rogue emissary Jul 4 #5
Also, if your not insulted as a black person doesn't mean I'm not insulted. rogue emissary Jul 4 #11
It isnt about who is insulted or not. It is about whether the checking of the box has any significant, material impact SSJVegeta Jul 4 #17
Um... he IS both. SSJVegeta Jul 4 #2
Because I was born in Florida. I can claim Seminole as my race? rogue emissary Jul 4 #6
You are confusing ethnicity with race SSJVegeta Jul 4 #9
He did this on all his applications.AA and black were listed as race. rogue emissary Jul 4 #10
AA is not a race... SSJVegeta Jul 4 #12
Post removed Post removed Jul 4 #13
This message was self-deleted by its author SSJVegeta Jul 4 #15
He did not. It was "Black or African American" that he checked. Not black. Dont spread misinformation, please SSJVegeta Jul 4 #16
This is why JustAnotherGen Sunday #21
Although I do not see this as a big deal serbbral Jul 8 #19
Backwards IbogaProject Jul 5 #18
Not Much of an Attempted Scandal DarthDem Jul 4 #3
He checked the very specific box for race black or African american. rogue emissary Jul 4 #7
Mmm...the bigger story is how the NYT got this information and what it did with it. WhiskeyGrinder Jul 4 #4
Using a hack didn't stop them from publishing podesta emails. rogue emissary Jul 4 #8
Right! It's easy to see the pattern in who gets protection and who doesn't. WhiskeyGrinder Jul 4 #14
Posted in the African American Group JustAnotherGen Wednesday #20

SSJVegeta

(1,117 posts)
17. It isnt about who is insulted or not. It is about whether the checking of the box has any significant, material impact
Fri Jul 4, 2025, 06:01 PM
Jul 4

...on anything. Which it clearly doesnt.

Response to SSJVegeta (Reply #12)

Response to Post removed (Reply #13)

SSJVegeta

(1,117 posts)
16. He did not. It was "Black or African American" that he checked. Not black. Dont spread misinformation, please
Fri Jul 4, 2025, 05:18 PM
Jul 4

If they were interchangeable, both words wouldn't be a selection

JustAnotherGen

(35,625 posts)
21. This is why
Sun Jul 13, 2025, 09:15 AM
Sunday

The Black American identification is critical.

Elon Musk could claim African American and take things from us. So could Peter Thiel.

They both are garbage and need to be run out of America by Black Americans.

serbbral

(328 posts)
19. Although I do not see this as a big deal
Tue Jul 8, 2025, 05:24 PM
Jul 8

Rogue Emissary, I agree with you that it is somewhat deceptive. If I am not mistaken, the application inquired about his race or ethnicity, not his country of origin. Why would he add Black/African American? If I were Indian or Southeast Asian, that would have been the only thing I would have checked.

IbogaProject

(4,634 posts)
18. Backwards
Sat Jul 5, 2025, 04:32 PM
Jul 5

If one was born in Florida they could claim they were American, and if they were born on a Seminole reservation in Florida they could say "they were from Florida". This is a smear campaign being waged by the media who are in the pockets of big financial firms and in the print media Big landlords.

DarthDem

(5,402 posts)
3. Not Much of an Attempted Scandal
Fri Jul 4, 2025, 08:39 AM
Jul 4

His parents were each born in India and he was born in Africa. For checking an ambiguous box as a young person, it sounds like he did just fine.

WhiskeyGrinder

(25,288 posts)
4. Mmm...the bigger story is how the NYT got this information and what it did with it.
Fri Jul 4, 2025, 09:07 AM
Jul 4
While Mr. Mamdani was not a target of the hack, the information about him was included in a database of millions of student applications to Columbia going back decades. The data was shared with The Times by an intermediary who goes by the name Crémieux on Substack and X and who is an academic and an opponent of affirmative action. The Times agreed to withhold his real name.


Crémieux is Jordan Lasker, a eugenicist "race scientist" who argues that race determine IQ.

JustAnotherGen

(35,625 posts)
20. Posted in the African American Group
Wed Jul 9, 2025, 10:20 AM
Wednesday

Black is Black in America.

If I had my way - as a group host - this would be name the Black American Group.

Full Stop - It is a RACE and a CULTURE. It is an EXPERIENCE. He might very well have taken Financial Aid or a placement from the Descendants of Jim Crow and the Enslaved.

Is that fair? Nope.

Will be addressing in another post.

OP - I've removed the poster from this Group. I won't tolerate bullshit 'semantics' from folks who are not aware of this Massive Shift in Black American Consciousness. The same ones who don't understand why we are the FASTEST growing group of Gun Owners in America, and the overwhelming increase in Black Gun Clubs across the USA.

Latest Discussions»Alliance Forums»African American»Mamdani Identified as Asi...