Friday, May 15, 2026 | 8:30am to 5pm
Borough of Manhattan Community College – Fiterman Hall
245 Greenwich Street, Manhattan
The recent election of Zohran Mamdani—the city’s first Muslim and South Asian mayor—marks a historic shift in New York City’s political landscape. This victory stands not only as a milestone for AAPI and Muslim representation but as a testament to the power of grassroots, working-class organizing. While often characterized as the “Mamdani Moment,” this campaign’s trajectory from just 3% in early polling offers a profound case study in the collective “social technology” of door-to-door engagement and the merging of diverse identities.
Building from this watershed moment, AAARI’s 2026 symposium invites a deeper conversation about what such victories reveal—how they reshape understandings of Asian American identity, highlight the intersections of class and race, and chart evolving strategies for civic engagement in an increasingly polarized era.
Program
8:30am to 9am
Registration & Breakfast (Room 1306/7)
9am to 9:15am
Opening Remarks (Room 1306/7)
- John J. Chin, Dean, AAARI-CUNY
- Linta Varghese, Associate Professor of Asian American/Asian Studies, Department of Ethnic and Race Studies, Borough of Manhattan Community College/CUNY
- Liesl B. Jones, Provost, Borough of Manhattan Community College/CUNY
- Chaumtoli Huq, Professor of Law, CUNY School of Law
9:15am to 9:30am
2025 NYC Mayoral Election Overview (Room 1306/7)
The election of Zohran Mamdani as the first Muslim and Asian American mayor of New York City marked a seismic shift in the city’s political landscape. This presentation provides a comprehensive analysis of these historic election results and explores the vital lessons this turning point offers for the future of Asian American political organizing.
- Sangay Mishra, Chair/Associate Professor of Political Science & International Relations; Director of Law, Justice & Society Program, Drew University
9:30am to 9:45am
Break
9:45am to 10:45am
Concurrent Breakout Sessions
1) From Campus to Community: Strengthening Our Political Power Through Student Voter Empowerment (Room 1306/7)
This roundtable examines the essential role of young people as ‘trusted messengers’ in immigrant and BIPOC households, arguing that passing the Student Voter Empowerment Act and Vote 17 NY is critical to fostering youth leadership, overcoming barriers to civic participation, and securing political representation for the decade to come.
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- Angela Li, President, OCA-NY
- Gwen Phagnasay Le, Senior Youth Organizer, MinKwon Center for Community Action
- Rabia Ruziq, Muslim Community Network
- Helen Xiu, Workforce Readiness Coordinator/Youth Counselor, Asian Americans for Equality (AAFE)
2) Supporting A Muslim Mayor: Muslim Civic Action and Political Integration in NYC (Room 1302)
This presentation analyzes how decades of Muslim civic organizing and coalition-building culminated in the historic support for Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral campaign, reframing Muslim political identity and agency within the broader landscape of New York City’s civic engagement.
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- Nazreen S. Bacchus, Assistant Professor, Sociology, SUNY Farmingdale State College
3) DesiSoc and the Socialist Left: Centering South Asian Identity in NYC Political Organizing (Room 1304)
This panel explores the formation and mission of ‘DesiSoc,’ a new working group launched to bridge the gap between South Asian communities and the multiracial socialist left by sustaining the coalition that supported Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral victory.
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- Japneet Singh, Community Leader & Founder, Khalsa Community Patrol
- Durga Sreenivasan, Team Hands Off & Organizer of 9 Years
- Kylie Madhav, Campaign Consultant
10:45am to 11:00am
Documentary Film (excerpt): “Invisible No More” (Room 1306/7)
An inside look at the historic rise of Asian American political power in New York City, featuring firsthand accounts from the trailblazing elected officials who are shaping the city’s new legislative landscape.
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- Larry Tung, Filmmaker & Assistant Professor of Marketing Communications, SUNY Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT)
- Mehrunnisa Wani, Assistant Professor, English, York College/CUNY
11:00am to 12:00pm
Concurrent Panel Sessions
1) Beyond the Monolith: Caste, Solidarity, and the Dalit Struggle for Visibility in South Asian New York (Room 1306/7)
This panel brings together Dalit movement workers, leaders, and writers to analyze the erasure of caste identity within recent South Asian political milestones and to provide a roadmap for building authentic, inclusive solidarity across the diaspora.
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- Yaschica Dutt, Journalist & Author, “Coming Out as Dalit”
- Swati M. Sawant, Esq., Immigration Attorney & Caste Equity Advocate
- Pabitra Dash, Dalit Organizer & Activist
2) Digital Hate and Systemic Barriers: Navigating the Surge of Anti-South Asian Racism (Room 1302)
This presentation analyzes the recent escalation of online and systemic anti-South Asian hate to provide practitioners with trauma-informed, community-centered strategies for fostering equitable engagement and addressing structural barriers.
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- Sheikh Rubana Hossain, MPH, Board Secretary, South Asian Public Health Association (SAPHA)
3) Mapping Fascisms across the Asian American Diaspora (Room 1304)
This roundtable examines the varied manifestations and co-opted languages of right-wing ideologies within Asian American communities, utilizing a Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC)-inspired story circle to bridge theoretical analysis with personal experiences of resistance.
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- Sruti Suryanarayanan, MA Candidate, Genocide, Mass Violence, and Crimes Against Humanity, CUNY Graduate Center
12pm to 1pm
Lunch (Room 1306/7)
1pm to 2:30pm
Immigration Plenary (Room 1306/7)
Being an immigrant New Yorker is an experience of contradictions–pride in recent civic gains and resistance to an anti-immigrant and xenophobic regime. In this conversation, panelists will explore the moment through the lens of challenges and possibilities for Asian American New Yorkers–opportunities for multiracial solidarity, deeper examination of internalized racism and Islamophobia, openings for building cross-class solidarity and ongoing commitment to strengthening civic and political power.
Moderator: Sayu Bhojwani, Adjunct Professor, Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs & CUNY Graduate Center
Speakers:
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- Faiza N. Ali, Commissioner, NYC Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA)
- Murad Awadesh, President and CEO, New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC)
- Jagpreet Singh, First Deputy Commissioner, NYC Mayor’s Office of Mass Engagement (OME)
- Justin Srey, Southeast Asian Defense Project Coordinator, Mekong NYC
2:30pm to 2:45pm
Break: Coffee/Tea & Cookies (Room 1306/7)
2:45pm to 3:45pm
Concurrent Breakout Sessions
1) Heritage Language, Family, and Identity: Immigrant Parents, Children, and the Shaping of Ethnolinguistic Belonging (Room 1306/7)
This presentation examines heritage language as a ‘social technology’ within immigrant homes, exploring how families negotiate intergenerational identity, linguistic labor, and the pressures of assimilation in English-dominant society.
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- Christina Soeun Park, Senior, Political Science and Education Studies, Barnard College of Columbia University
2) From Establishment to Advocacy: Youth-Led Transformations in NYC’s Chinatown (Room 1302)
This presentation examines the evolution of NYC’s Chinatown community organizations from 1970s merchant-led systems to contemporary, youth-powered movements.
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- Ruiyu Tang, Senior, Hunter College High School & Youth Researcher, The Localized History Project @AAARI-CUNY
3) Multilingual NYC: Mapping Linguistic Diversity and Prospects for Asian American Communities in NYC (Room 1304)
Using U.S. Census data from 1960 to 2024, this presentation explores how the unprecedented linguistic diversity of Asian American communities in New York City is fundamentally reshaping the city’s political, social, and cultural future.
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- Tomonori Nagano, LaGuardia Community College/CUNY
3:45pm to 4:15pm
Panel – Arts as a Tool for Civic Engagement & Community Building (Room 1306/7)
Featuring artists from Hindus for Zohran, Pakistanis for Zohran, and the Palestinian Youth Choir, the panel will examine how the arts catalyze grassroots mobilization and fortify community bonds. Through a moderated dialogue and audience Q&A, speakers will share firsthand insights into building powerful, arts-driven coalitions.
Moderator: Diya Vij, Commissioner, NYC Department of Cultural Affairs
Speakers:
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- Sneha Jayaraj, Lover of the Divine & Musician, Law of Love, PLLC
- Armana Khan, DJ, Model & Activist
- Zeshan B, Singer-Songwriter & Filmmaker
- Alaa Qarooni, Musician
4:15pm to 4:45pm
Musical Performance (Room 1306/7)
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- Hindus for Zohran
4:45pm to 5:00pm
Closing Remarks (Room 1306/7)
- Shekar Krishnan, Member, New York City Council, District 25
Symposium Committee
John J. Chin, Payal Doctor, Chaumtoli Huq, Grace S. Lee, Sokunthary Svay & Antony Wong
Co-Sponsors
Department of Ethnic and Race Studies at BMCC
AAPI Heritage Committee, LaGuardia Community College/CUNY
