Rapping, appearing cameo in his mother’s film amongst actions on Mamdani’s skinny work resume

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Zohran Mamdani's win over former New York governor Andrew Cuomo represents a victory for the brand new guard, progressive wing of the Democratic Get together, however his report in public service might go away a lot to be desired by Democrats who have been hoping to see somebody with substantial expertise, like Cuomo, win the Democratic main for New York Metropolis mayor.

"You must know easy methods to make authorities work, and when you've got no expertise in any way in making authorities work, when you've got by no means actually had a job, you're a two-time meeting one that has handed three payments — most meeting folks cross three payments by mistake," Cuomo mentioned of Mamdani's resume whereas chatting with reporters earlier than he misplaced Tuesday night time's main race. "You’ve missed extra days at work in two weeks than I missed in 11 years [as governor]. You’ve by no means handled the Metropolis Council; you’ve by no means handled the Congress; you’ve by no means handled Donald Trump, however now you’re going to run New York Metropolis?"

After graduating from Bowdoin School in Maine with a bachelor's diploma in Africana Studies , the place Mamdani helped launch the college's first College students for Justice in Palestine chapter, his resume, which was shared with the New York Occasions, exhibits "a patchwork of jobs" Mamdani labored for earlier than becoming a member of the state meeting.

NEW YORK DEMOCRAT SAYS MAYORAL CANDIDATE ZOHRAN MAMDANI 'TOO EXTREME TO LEAD'

Zohran Mamdani shakes palms with a employee at a pizza place whereas campaigning for mayor. (Adam Grey/Bloomberg through Getty Pictures)

In 2014, Mamdani did a four-month stint as an organizer for the left-wing advocacy group MoveOn in Seattle. He subsequently spent two months organizing with one other group out of Houston referred to as TexPIRG, whereas working an ongoing tutoring gig as effectively.

In 2015, Mamdani started his post-grad foray into political marketing campaign work, however it's unclear if these have been paid jobs or just volunteer alternatives. He first knocked on doors for Metropolis Council candidate Ali Najmi and likewise did marketing campaign discipline work for Khader El-Yateem's Metropolis Council marketing campaign. Mamdani reportedly spent a while as a discipline organizer for Tiffany Caban's District Lawyer marketing campaign round 2019 as effectively.

Whereas committing time to those campaigns, Mamdani additionally reportedly labored as a music supervisor and "third assistant director" on a Disney film about an Indian chess prodigy that was directed by his mom, Mira Nair, an Oscar-nominated filmmaker. He was additionally given an on-screen cameo position within the movie.

"I really created a playlist for Mira, who additionally occurs to be my mom—you recognize, nepotism and onerous work goes a good distance," Mamdani quipped throughout a radio interview in 2016, across the time of the film's launch.

REPUBLICANS USE MAMDANI BOMBSHELL VICTORY OVER CUOMO AS AMMUNITION TO BLAST DEMOCRATS AS EXTREMISTS

Zohran Mamdani together with his mom, director Mira Nair, on the pink carpet for her 2016 movie "Queen of Katwe." (Jeff Spicer/Getty Pictures for Disney)

At the moment, Mamdani was additionally reportedly pursuing a rap profession, going by the moniker "Mr. Cardamom" and "Younger Cardamom." Certainly one of his songs was finally featured on his mother's film.

Mamdani continued his rap aspirations till a minimum of 2017, however in response to the mayoral candidate's current tax returns that have been reviewed by the New York Submit, he nonetheless rakes in a minor quantity of royalties on his music. As a member of the New York state Meeting, Mamdani earned a wage of round $131,000, whereas his royalties amounted to round $1,200 final yr, the Submit discovered.

Mamdani's marketing campaign work received extra severe when he turned marketing campaign supervisor for Ross Barkan's dropping State Senate bid in 2018. Mamdani additionally frolicked that yr working at a foreclosures prevention neighborhood group referred to as Chhaya, the place he labored as a counselor for South Asian and Caribbean households dealing with potential foreclosures of their houses. Mamdani reportedly left after a couple of yr to run for the New York State Meeting seat in Astoria, New York.

Mamdani's expertise within the state meeting has not escaped criticism both.

FLASHBACK: NYC MAYORAL CANDIDATE ZOHRAN MAMDANI VOWED TO ARREST NETANYAHU IF HE VISITED THE CITY

Mamdani sits in a inexperienced room on this June 12, 2025, photograph. (Vincent ALBAN / POOL / AFP)

He reportedly missed 50% of the meeting's votes in 2025 whereas specializing in his mayoral marketing campaign, in response to the New York Submit. In the meantime, throughout his total three years within the New York State Meeting, Mamdani reportedly solely ushered in three payments that finally received handed into regulation, in response to the New York Occasions.

Whereas Mamdani's public service expertise could also be missing, in response to critics, he has been praised for his capability to market himself digitally throughout social media and different on-line platforms, with the New York Occasions dubbing him "a TikTok savant" throughout a profile piece they did on him in March.

Throughout a debate earlier this month amongst all of the Democratic Party candidates working to be New York Metropolis's subsequent mayor, the candidates have been requested if that they had any regrets throughout their time working in politics.

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"I remorse not working for mayor in 2021," State Sen. Jessica Ramos responded. "I assumed I wanted extra expertise. However seems you simply have to make good movies."