NYC Marks 25 Years Since 9/11; Mayor Mamdani Joins West Indian Day
New York City this week marked the 25th anniversary of the September 11 terror attacks — the deadliest in American history — with solemn commemorations across the five boroughs. For the city’s South Asian communities, the anniversary carries particular weight: Sikh and Muslim New Yorkers, who bore the brunt of mistaken-identity backlash in the weeks and years after 2001, are reflecting openly on two and a half decades of prejudice and perseverance. Separately, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani — who traces his heritage to South Asian roots — joined thousands at the annual West Indian Day Parade on Eastern Parkway, representing a South Asian-origin political figure at one of Brooklyn’s largest cultural celebrations.
NYC’s Sikh and Muslim Residents Speak Out on 25 Years of Post-9/11 Stigma
On the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, CBS News New York gathered testimonials from Muslim and Sikh residents across the five boroughs who have lived with the consequences of post-attack backlash for a quarter of a century. Sikh New Yorkers — frequently misidentified as Muslim in the fearful, confused days after 2001 because of their turbans and beards — describe a persistent burden of suspicion that has shaped their daily lives, their decisions about where to worship publicly, and the conversations they have with their children about safety and identity. Muslim community members recount parallel experiences of workplace discrimination, verbal confrontations, surveillance, and social exclusion that have strained relationships with neighbours and institutions. Yet the overwhelming tone of their accounts is one of resilience: many emphasise the bonds forged within their communities and with progressive allies across a city that has, they say, grown meaningfully more aware of their humanity over the past two decades. Community leaders are using the anniversary to press for sustained attention to anti-Sikh and anti-Muslim hate crime monitoring, and for school curricula that honestly reflect the experiences of South Asian and Muslim Americans in 9/11’s aftermath. For the Desi diaspora in New York, this anniversary is simultaneously a reckoning with painful history and a reaffirmation of belonging. [2]
Mayor Mamdani Brings South Asian Leadership to West Indian Day Parade
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani marched alongside Governor Kathy Hochul in the annual West Indian Day Parade on Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn — one of the largest Caribbean cultural celebrations in the United States. Mamdani, whose background traces to South Asian and East African roots, has become a symbol of New York’s diverse political leadership since his election as Mayor. His presence at the parade — alongside a noticeably beefed-up security operation that drew some grumbling from revellers — underlined his ambition to be a mayor for all communities in the city. Ahead of the event, Mamdani shared a personal playlist of his favourite dancehall and reggae tracks, a gesture that resonated warmly with Caribbean New Yorkers and highlighted his genuine cross-cultural engagement. For the South Asian diaspora, Mamdani’s political journey — from community organiser of Indo-Ugandan descent to the mayoralty of the world’s most prominent city — remains an enduring source of pride and inspiration. His enthusiastic participation in West Indian cultural life reflects a broader ethos: that South Asian-origin leaders in New York see their role as bridge-builders across communities rather than representatives of a single constituency. [3]
Sources: [2] CBS News · [3] New York Post