When he was sworn in at the start of the year, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani made history as the first Asian American person to lead the nation’s largest city. And as he assembled a diverse team of advisers, he appointed fellow Asian Americans to a number of important posts. Yume Kitasei, who is Japanese American, became the first Asian American to lead the Department of Citywide Administrative Services. Richard Lee, who’s Korean American, was recruited from the New York City Council to lead Mamdani’s Finance Department. And Zara Rahim, a high-powered consultant of Bangladeshi descent, went from contributing to an upset victory to serving as an influential adviser to the mayor.
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City & State’s annual Asian Trailblazers highlights many of the high-ranking Asian Americans who are on the rise in New York. The list, researched and written in partnership with journalist Natasha Ishak, features trusted advisers to politicians such as Gov. Kathy Hochul, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer. It includes behind-the-scenes political consultants and policy strategists shaping the direction of New York. And it spotlights advocates and activists who are improving daily life in Asian American communities – and for all New Yorkers.
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