It is midnight in Astoria, the Queens neighbourhood Zohran Mamdani represents in the New York State Assembly, and hundreds of New Yorkers have poured into the streets to celebrate his historic win as New York City’s first South Asian, Indian-origin, and Muslim mayor.

People in cars honk their horns as Arab and Bollywood music blares from Moka & Co., a popular Yemeni café in Astoria — one of New York’s most diverse enclaves and a hub for growing immigrant communities from South Asia, the Middle East and Latin America. The atmosphere is electric. People are laughing, dancing and waving flags. A quick check-in with the crowd reveals a mix of joy and disbelief — many say it’s the best day of their lives and that for the first time, they feel hopeful.

At the recently concluded watch party at

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