2 Danceable Somatic Healing Tips from Zohran Mamdani's Music Videos
notes on embodying your vision part 1
Last night, Zohran Mamdani accepted the role of NYC’s Mayor-Elect. His mom, seminal filmmaker Mira Nair, his dad, postcolonial academic Mahmood Mamdani, and his wife, artist Rama D. joined him on stage while celebratory Bollywood hit “Dhoom Machale” played in the background. As the child of a Hindu mom and a Muslim dad who was raised in Uganda, South Africa, and NYC, and is married to a Syrian-American artist, Mamdani and his family have a lot to teach us about holding the contradictions of our times.
Here are two tips for somatic healing inspired by his win.
Dance party followed by comfort food (chapatis) followed by learning more about Uganda. Here, Zohran raps in both English and Luganda, the indigenous language of Uganda.
Feel your back while paying irreverent homage to ornery ancestors. Here is Zohran’s tribute to his grandmother, Pravin, a social worker.
What were your favorite moments in these videos? I love the focus on caregiving. Whether it’s the chapatis being spun on the record player in the first video, or the Grandma smoking a cigarette and rapping herself in the second one.
How are you celebrating? Please let me know.