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The Hill
7 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hill
Don't get upset with Mamdani for trying to take advantage of DEI
When he was 17, Zohran Mamdani did what any teenager with a plausible claim to African identity might have done to get into Columbia: he checked both 'Asian' and 'African American' on his application. For that, Mamdani, of Indian extraction but born in Uganda, is being accused of 'pretending to be Black.' The backlash has come largely from the right. Fox jumped at the chance to bash the soon-to-be mayor, calling him a 'racist' and citing the event as evidence that he 'clearly despises America and everything that [it stands] for.' Mayor Eric Adams called Mamdani's racial identification 'deeply offensive.' Andrew Cuomo's people, who are, of course, the paragons of moral integrity, warned this might be 'the tip of the iceberg' of some deeper intellectual fraud. It's funny, because Mamdani is, in some sense, all of those things. But to suggest that this particular college application box debacle is the almighty smoking gun would be incoherent and all too hypocritical. Most of the voices now howling about Mamdani's supposed dishonesty were just two years ago fervently denouncing affirmative action, blanket preference of marginalized groups in admissions, as discriminatory. So what, exactly, is their objection to someone navigating that system strategically? If the policy itself was unjust, then exploiting its flaws has to be a rational decision. Of course, Mamdani's politically correct explanation hasn't exactly reassured anyone beyond his base. 'Most college applications don't have a box for Indian Ugandans,' he said. 'So I checked multiple boxes trying to capture the fullness of my background. Even though these boxes are constraining, I want my college application to reflect who I was.' The fullness of his background? He was 17 and trying to get into Columbia. He knew then, and he certainly knows now, even after the Supreme Court struck down affirmative action in admissions, that identifying as Black on a college application gives you an advantage. You get bonus points. It's easier to get in. Thus, setting his own implausible explanation aside, teenage Mamdani's decision makes sense. He was born in Uganda, and his family later moved to South Africa before immigrating to the U.S. That gives him a plausible de jure claim to the African American label, and he identified himself accordingly. Whether that qualifies him, in any cultural or historical sense, as 'African American' is debatable, but the college admissions process doesn't care much. And Mamdani had a practical reason: his SAT score, as reported by Christopher Rufo, was below the typical threshold for Asian admits but higher than the average for Black applicants at Columbia at the time. So he checked the box. That's not a scandal. The 17-year-old Mamdani responded rationally to a system that was openly perverse. Understandably, he can't exactly admit that he was trying to get admissions points without getting booed off the stage at his next campaign rally. But maybe the rest of us should. Because the question is: If I had been Mamdani, would I have done the same? And if I believed the policy was structurally unjust, wouldn't my actions have been a logical choice — even a moral choice? My answer to both is a resounding yes. If anything, Mamdani's Columbia application shows he wasn't always some doctrinaire radical. He was once a student capable of making normal human decisions. To judge him as if he were already a politician at that time is a ludicrous premise. And above all, if one believes that the racial preferences the government enforced for decades were unjust, why attack a teenager responding strategically to that unfair process? To subvert a discriminatory policy is itself an indictment of that policy. Conservatives should be celebrating the young Mamdani for having had the gumption to do so. Yes, Mamdani is a left-wing radical and socialist. He wants fare-free transit, government-run grocery stores, and to tax the rich until they flee the city. He has floated a rent freeze, a move that would absolutely worsen New York's housing shortage. He won't condemn terrorism, he supports race-based redistribution, and he has backed defunding the police department. There are many good reasons to oppose Mamdani touching on policy, competence, and judgment. He's an easy target. But this? This is the weakest possible attack. For this, he deserves praise. Conservatives grabbing their pitchforks and getting ready to explode over how offensive this is are being hypocrites, both morally and intellectually. If race-based admissions really are unjust, then it is unfair and dishonest to censure the people who worked the system in their own favor. Put down the sticks, grab some popcorn, and join the rest of us awaiting New York's descent into total farce.
Associated Press
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
FROM MANY NATIONS, ONE MAINE – Celebrate at 23rd Annual Greater Portland Festival of Nations (FON)
PORTLAND, Maine, July 16, 2025 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Hundreds of international flags will sway in the breeze as summer heats up on Saturday, July 26, 2025, at Deering Oaks Park for the 23rd Annual Greater Portland Festival of Nations (FON). This vibrant celebration is a feast for the eyes and ears, showcasing Maine's rich cultural diversity while preserving traditions, fostering ethnic understanding, and promoting unity. This year's theme: 'FROM MANY NATIONS, ONE MAINE.' FON is thrilled to welcome back its charismatic chair, Michael O. (Michael Odokara-Okigbo), Portland's own singing sensation. Now a celebrated singer, songwriter, and actor based in Los Angeles, Lagos, and New York City, Michael O. will headline the festival in a triumphant homecoming. The electrifying Stream Reggae Band returns as the house band, alongside a lineup of talented performers ready to dazzle the crowd. Attendees will enjoy the scenic beauty of Deering Oaks Park while savoring delicious global cuisines from diverse vendors, dancing to live music, and exploring unique holiday shopping opportunities. Represented cultures include African American, Armenian, Bosnian, Cambodian, Caribbean, Congolese, French, Finnish, Greek, Hispanic, Irish, East Indian, Italian, Native American, Nigerian, Polish, Romanian, Somali, Sudanese, Thai, Ugandan, and Vietnamese. The FON is goal is to provide a fun and uplifting experience for families so this year we are proud to announce that Love Lab Studio will provide art activities for children! Love Lab Studio is a children's and community art studio located in Portland. They believe art is one of the tools for co-creating a better world. They are so excited to make art with everyone! For more information, please visit Highlights include: Admission is FREE! (Food and gifts available for purchase.) COME, EAT, SING, DANCE, AND CELEBRATE MAINE'S CULTURAL TAPESTRY! When: Saturday, July 26, 2025 | 10 AM – 6 PM Where: Deering Oaks Park, Portland, Maine More info: MULTIMEDIA: Image links for media: POSTER: LOGO: NEWS SOURCE: Greater Portland Festival of Nations ### MEDIA ONLY CONTACT: (not for publication online or in print) Shalom Odokara Coordinator/FON (207) 420-1277 ### Keywords: Entertainment, Greater Portland Festival of Nations, Stream Reggae Band, Deering Oaks Park, Michael Odokara-Okigbo, Women in Need inc, PORTLAND, Maine This press release was issued on behalf of the news source (Greater Portland Festival of Nations) who is solely responsibile for its accuracy, by Send2Press® Newswire. Information is believed accurate but not guaranteed. Story ID: S2P127749 APNF0325A To view the original version, visit: © 2025 Send2Press® Newswire, a press release distribution service, Calif., USA. RIGHTS GRANTED FOR REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART BY ANY LEGITIMATE MEDIA OUTLET - SUCH AS NEWSPAPER, BROADCAST OR TRADE PERIODICAL. MAY NOT BE USED ON ANY NON-MEDIA WEBSITE PROMOTING PR OR MARKETING SERVICES OR CONTENT DEVELOPMENT. Disclaimer: This press release content was not created by nor issued by the Associated Press (AP). Content below is unrelated to this news story.
Al Jazeera
a day ago
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Zohran Mamdani cannot be boxed in
On July 3, The New York Times published a report scrutinising a 2009 college application submitted to Columbia University by Zohran Mamdani, the winner of the Democratic party primary for mayor of New York City. The document was leaked by a hacker and showed that in a question about race and ethnicity, the applicant identified as Asian and African American. The source of the information was later revealed to be the eugenicist Jordan Lasker. Although the journalistic ethics of the article were widely questioned, it was immediately picked up by opponents in an attempt to discredit Mamdani. Did Mamdani really try to 'exploit' an African American identity to get into college, as opponents have claimed? It's worth noting that the two boxes he checked did not assist him to get into Columbia, where his father, Professor Mahmood Mamdani, is teaching African studies. Was he wrong to tick the 'African American' box? There are several issues that should be brought up when considering the answer to this question. First, Mamdani was born in Uganda to a Ugandan father of Asian origin and an Indian American mother. He lived in Africa for seven years before moving to the United States. He had only a Ugandan passport until he was naturalised as a US citizen in 2018. On the Columbia University application form, like with many US universities, there is a section for voluntary self-identification of race and ethnicity. It asks if you are Hispanic or Latino (regardless of race) and then lists five other options to select one's 'race': 'American Indian or Alaskan Native', 'Asian', 'Black or African American', 'Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander' or 'white'. There is a further section for 'additional optional information'. These categories are arbitrary and reductionist and cannot capture the full complexity of identity that many people around the world have, including Mamdani and myself. As a British Zambian of Asian origin whose family have lived in Zambia for three generations, I feel anxiety and frustration when having to select ethnicity checkboxes. I am regularly interrogated about my identity, which cannot be squeezed into one box on a form, or even two or three. As Mamdani himself told The New York Times: 'Most college applications don't have a box for Indian Ugandans, so I checked multiple boxes trying to capture the fullness of my background.' He also explained that he wrote 'Ugandan' in the application, which allowed students to provide 'more specific information where relevant'. The second issue we need to keep in mind is that the history of Asian Africans – and how we fit into African societies – is complex. Between the 1860s and 1890s, the British Empire brought thousands of indentured labourers from its colony in the subcontinent to its colonies in Southern and East Africa. In the following decades, many other South Asians followed as merchants. And then, as the British partitioned the subcontinent along religious lines in the 1940s, thousands more fled the impending chaos to Africa. Once on the continent, the Asian population largely occupied a kind of middle position in which they were both victims and agents of colonial racism. In East Africa, many functioned as a subordinate ruling class, employed by the colonial police and administrators as part of a divide-and-rule strategy. In many countries, Asians enjoyed success in business during the colonial period and gained significant control of the economy. This, alongside a lack of integration, contributed to widespread anti-Asian sentiment in East Africa, seen most prominently by the expulsion of Ugandan Asians by Idi Amin in 1972. In apartheid South Africa, people of Indian descent, the majority of whom were descendants of indentured labourers forcibly transferred by the British, were also subjected to discrimination. Prominent members of the community, such as Ahmed Kathrada, who was jailed for life in 1964 along with Nelson Mandela, played a key role in the anti-apartheid struggle. Today, younger generations are still grappling with these complex identities and histories, including Mamdani himself. In his twenties, he was part of a rap duo – Young Cardamon & HAB – with a Ugandan of Nubian descent. They rapped in six languages, including Luganda, Hindi and Nubi, and confronted social issues such as racism and inclusion. As a mayoral candidate of one of the most diverse cities in the world, Mamdani has much to do to address persistent anti-Blackness among Asian communities. Many Asian Africans, and other Asian communities, have internalised the white supremacy of the colonial era and the belief that being closer to whiteness offers more opportunities and privilege. Mamdani's mother, Mira Nair, is the filmmaker behind Mississippi Masala, one of the first films to address this issue more than 30 years ago, with its rare depiction of an interracial relationship between a Black man and Asian African woman in the US. Her son credits this film for his existence: His mother met his father in Uganda at Makerere University while she was conducting research for the film. The third issue that needs to be considered is that this hacked information seems aimed at discrediting Mamdani, who secured fewer votes in Black neighbourhoods during the mayoral Democratic primary election. Pitting communities of colour against each other is a classic divide-and-rule tactic and a cornerstone of colonialism used to fracture alliances and weaken resistance. Its remnants can still be seen today in my country, Zambia, in areas that were historically segregated on the basis of colour. Opponents attempting to frame Mamdani as a mayor solely for South Asians – or worse, playing into and exacerbating Islamophobic sentiment – are weaponising identity to sow division and fear. Such attempts must be resisted, especially now, when the US and much of the world are facing growing authoritarianism, xenophobia and inequality. New York City is one of the places where I have some feeling of belonging; it thrives and shines in part due to its diversity and the fusion of so many cultures. In a city made up of countless stories and backgrounds, perhaps having a mayor who understands what it means to navigate multiple identities, and to live at the crossroads of belonging, might offer the kind of perspective that does not weaken leadership, but strengthens it. The story of New York has always been about reinvention. Whoever becomes mayor has the chance, and the responsibility, to redefine what progress means in one of the most diverse but unequal cities in the country. Whatever happens next, pitting communities of colour against each other serves no one. The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera's editorial stance.
New York Post
a day ago
- New York Post
Maryland teacher claims in lawsuit he was falsely branded ‘racist' over seating chart dispute
A Maryland high school teacher is taking legal action, claiming he was accused of being a racist after a classroom dispute over seating assignments was mishandled by the school administration. Dan Engler, a former health and English teacher and head coach of the rowing team at Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School (B-CC) in Montgomery County, filed a lawsuit against Principal Shelton L. Mooney and the Montgomery County Public School Board, accusing them of defamation and violating school policy in their handling of a February 2023 classroom incident. According to the complaint, two students in Engler's first-period health class asked to sit next to their friends instead of in their assigned seats. Engler, citing the importance of using a seating chart to learn student names and avoid confusion, asked the students — who are Black — to return to their assigned seats. The students refused and remained where they were. Later that day, the students reported the interaction to the assistant principal, alleging Engler told them he would not be able to tell them apart from other students, believing this to be a racial comment. 4 Dan Engler is a former health and English teacher and head coach of the rowing team at Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School (B-CC) in Montgomery County. Dan Engler / Facebook 'Part of the misunderstanding may have stemmed from an incident in Engler's English class the previous spring,' his attorney wrote in the opposition to the defendants' motion for summary judgment. The filing explained that Engler had read a quote from Muhammad Ali containing a racial slur, which offended some students. Engler apologized, and an investigation determined it was not a 'hate bias incident.' The students involved in the health class had reportedly heard about the English class incident and had previously asked not to be placed in Engler's class, believing him to be racist. Following the students' report, Principal Mooney was instructed by his superiors to follow the 'hate bias incident' protocol. The next day, he informed Engler that he would be placed on paid administrative leave for one day while the incident was under investigation. 4 Engler, citing the importance of using a seating chart to learn student names and avoid confusion, asked the students — who are Black — to return to their assigned seats. The students refused and remained in place. Dan Engler / Facebook Two days after the incident, Mooney sent a community-wide email to parents, teachers, staff and students reporting that a 'hate bias incident' had occurred at the school. The message said that 'several African American students' were told by a teacher that he was 'unable to distinguish them from other African American students' in the classroom and that the Montgomery County Police Department had been notified as an internal investigation was ongoing. 'Let me be clear, discrimination of any kind must not be tolerated,' Mooney wrote before citing the school policy against 'insensitivity, disrespect, bias, verbal abuse, harassment, bullying, physical violence or illegal discrimination toward any person.' Although Engler was not named in the email, he said he was quickly identified by students, parents and colleagues. He maintains that he did not make the statement attributed to him in the letter and he 'did not do anything that could reasonably be classified as a 'hate bias incident.'' 4 Engler is suing Principal Shelton L. Mooney and the Montgomery County Public School Board. Shelton Mooney / Linkedin The complaint alleges that Engler had his 'reputation destroyed by the malicious acts of B-CC's Principal, Defendant Shelton L. Mooney, who falsely accused Engler of racism in a thoughtless, half-baked community-wide email.' The lawsuit further claims that Mooney and the school board violated MCPS policies and procedures by sending the community-wide email before an investigation was completed and that they refused to issue a retraction or apology. When Engler returned to work the following week, Mooney allegedly 'refused to discuss the matter' with Engler. Upon returning to his classroom, Engler said he was 'upset' to find MCPS and B-CC staff holding a 'restorative justice' circle in his classroom that they excluded him from joining. Engler told Fox News Digital that the experience took a heavy toll on his mental health. The same day, he went on disability leave for a year and a half before resuming teaching at another school in the district. 4 Following the students' report, Principal Mooney was instructed by his superiors to follow the 'hate bias incident' protocol. Google St View 'I love teaching. I love coaching,' he said. 'And I really care a great deal about the relationships I have with those kids and helping them learn how to become adults in the best way possible. To lose the confidence of the kids, the trust of the kids, based on what the kids' leadership had to say about me, was devastating. It was identity stealing.' According to the complaint, Engler ultimately faced no disciplinary action and the defendants' investigation allegedly failed to find sufficient evidence that the classroom incident constituted a 'hate bias incident.' 'However, the damage to Engler had already been done. Mooney's malicious email falsely branded Engler a racist, destroying his reputation in the B-CC community, causing him deep emotional distress, making it impossible to continue teaching at B-CC, and causing the loss of his position as Head Coach of the B-CC Rowing Team,' it continued. Engler criticized the school's handling of the incident as 'a tremendous opportunity for virtue signaling.' 'It really was, and I'm paying the price,' he told Fox News Digital. Engler said his reputation has been damaged, and the legal fight has cost his family over $300,000. After attempting to resolve the dispute through administrative proceedings, Engler filed a lawsuit in Montgomery County Circuit Court in August 2023. Engler's case proceeded to trial on Monday. Fox News Digital reached out multiple times to the lawyers for the defendants on the allegations and did not receive a response. The MCPS Board of Education said it was unable to comment on pending litigation. Mooney did not return a request for comment.
2 days ago
South Carolina man's family seeks answers in his death 3 days after arrest
The family of a South Carolina man who died three days after being arrested last month demanded the release of police body camera video and answers regarding his death on Tuesday. Byron Jackson, 45, died in the days after his June 22 arrest by the Irmo Police Department, following a 911 call alleging that someone had gotten into a fight, according to his family's lawyer, civil rights attorney Bakari Sellers. The lawyer said that Jackson was not involved in a fight and the cause of his death is unclear. "I can tell you that we're not going to allow the Irmo Police Department just to treat him as some other young African American kid," Sellers said at a press conference on Tuesday. "He's dead now. You guys going about your business -- that's not going to happen on our watch." Byron Jackson's mother Bettie Jackson, who was present at the news conference with other family members, was visibly distraught. "We all loved him dearly, and we talked two and three times a day, and I'm surely, surely going to miss him," Bettie Jackson said. "In fact, not 'am going to miss him' -- I'm missing him already." Irmo Police Chief Bobby Dale told ABC News in a statement on Tuesday that the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) has taken over the investigation and that he could not make any further statements to ensure the process is conducted appropriately. Also Tuesday, SLED confirmed in a statement to ABC News that Byron Jackson died on June 25 in the hospital, three days after the arrest. They said that the investigation is ongoing, and more information may be available at "a later time." The Richland County Coroner's Office did not immediately reply to ABC News' request for Byron Jackson's autopsy and cause of death. "We do know that the Irmo Police Department can release the body cam," Sellers said. "We do know that body cam footage does exist, and we're asking them to do that." Sellers requested the release of the identities of the officers involved. He also denied the police department's alleged account that a high-speed chase ensued before Byron Jackson's arrest, or that he was involved in a fight before police arrived. Sellers said he doesn't know why a 911 call was made in regard to Byron Jackson. "This started with a 911 call from a resident of Irmo. I'm not sure what she thought she saw," Sellers said. "I can't go into her head, but there was not a fight in the vehicle. There was one person -- who was Byron -- in that vehicle. That is a fact." Sellers also said that Byron Jackson was in a work utility van that had "its own issues" and that he knew from investigators that there was no high-speed chase. The attorney said that, after police arrived, there was a low-speed collision, Byron Jackson and an officer ended up at the bottom of a ravine and the South Carolina resident was handcuffed. After that, Sellers said he died and the family doesn't know how.
