Mamdani’s College Application Under scrutiny for Self-Identification as Black

The campaign of former Governor Andrew Cuomo has raised concerns over Zohran Mamdani, a leading candidate for mayor, regarding his college application where he identified as “Black or African American.” Mamdani, of Asian Indian descent, had marked both “Black” and “Asian” on his 2009 Columbia University application, despite publicly stating he does not personally consider himself Black.

The campaign suggests this inconsistency might be indicative of a broader issue, potentially amounting to fraud, especially since Mamdani’s background—being of Ugandan birth with Indian heritage—was not fully captured by available college options. Mamdani explained that he checked multiple boxes because available choices did not accurately reflect his identity. He described himself as “an American born in Africa,” emphasizing his desire for his application to reflect his full background.

Despite the controversy, Mamdani’s application was rejected. He added that the options for his ethnicity didn’t fully capture his identity, prompting him to check multiple categories. His campaign believes the issue warrants a thorough investigation.

Mamdani expressed that he checked multiple boxes to encompass his diverse heritage, even though these choices were limited. He views himself as “an American who was born in Africa,” highlighting his multicultural background.

In the recent primaries, Cuomo excelled in districts where at least 70% of residents were Black, securing 56% of votes, compared to Mamdani’s 26%. The final voter data is scheduled for release on July 15. Cuomo continues to run in the general election as an independent candidate.