St. Paul’s gets first woman & Asian American mayor
Former state representative Kaohly Her was sworn in Friday in St. Paul, Minnesota, becoming the first woman and the first Asian American to serve as mayor of the state capital.
The Rebel Yellow - Issue #164
Kaohly Her was sworn in as St. Paul’s 47th mayor, becoming the first woman and first Asian American to hold the office. In New York City, Zohran Mamdani was inaugurated as the city’s 112th mayor, becoming its first Muslim mayor, and announced plans to raise taxes on millionaires and corporations to fund childcare, housing, and public transit.
The issue also reports on a Department of Homeland Security social media post that used artwork by Japanese illustrator Hiroshi Nagai without his permission, according to the artist, and on a new report finding that Asian residents are leaving major Chinatowns at accelerating rates due to rising housing costs and development pressures. Additional coverage includes Amanda Nguyen’s statement that online backlash after her Blue Origin spaceflight contributed to depression, a hate crime investigation in Sydney involving anti-Asian signage at a pharmacy, a world-first surgical case in China preserving a severed ear by grafting it to a patient’s foot, and a study showing more than 20% of videos recommended to new YouTube users are AI-generated content.
Kaohly Her sworn in as St. Paul’s 1st woman and Asian American mayor
Former state representative Kaohly Her was sworn in Friday in St. Paul, Minnesota, becoming the first woman and the first Asian American to serve as mayor of the state capital. Her took office after winning last fall’s election and was formally inaugurated during public ceremonies held later in the day. She now begins her term as the city’s 47th mayor at a moment of heightened focus on representation, city finances and federal policy impacts.
Her takes oath: Her’s first day in office included a private oath ceremony with family followed by a larger public inauguration at St. Catherine University attended by elected officials, community leaders and residents. In her speech, Her addressed the broader significance of her election for women and immigrant communities across the city. “Across our city, young women, my Hmong family and refugee immigrant communities will know that no office is too high for them to dream up or reach. I may be the first in some of these categories, but I will not be the last,” she said.
Message after inauguration: After the ceremonies, Her released a written statement addressing residents and outlining her approach to governing. “It is my honor to serve as the 47th mayor of the great city of Saint Paul. We have great opportunities ahead of us to build a better Saint Paul, which is more resilient and prosperous for all,” she said. She also reiterated a pledge she made on election night to remain present in neighborhoods across the city as mayor.
Challenges facing city: Her enters office as St. Paul faces ongoing fiscal and policy pressures, including rising property taxes, a struggling downtown and an estimated $1 billion in deferred maintenance to public facilities. She has also said she plans to work with the St. Paul City Council on concerns tied to increased federal immigration enforcement activity in the city. An initial list of appointments and a staffing structure is expected to be released Monday, with a public inaugural celebration scheduled for Jan. 30 at the Saint Paul RiverCentre.
Mamdani makes history with Quran swearing-in as NYC’s 1st Muslim mayor
Zohran Mamdani, 34, became New York City’s 112th mayor on Thursday, using the Quran for his oath of office in what marks the first time the Islamic holy text has appeared at a mayoral swearing-in.
Catch up: The democratic socialist, who is also The Rebel Yellow’s 2025 Rebel of the Year, achieved multiple firsts as the city’s first South Asian, first Muslim, first African-born and youngest chief executive in more than 100 years. His midnight oath-taking occurred inside a closed subway platform below City Hall, where New York State Atty. Gen. Letitia James presided as he rested his hand on two Qurans: his grandfather’s copy and an 18th/19th century volume on loan from the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture at the New York Public Library. Later that afternoon, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders conducted the public ceremony at City Hall. There, he also used his grandmother’s Quran.
Why this matters: Mamdani’s use of Qurans carries particular weight given the racism and Islamophobia he faced throughout his campaign. After his victory over Andrew Cuomo last November, right-wing commentators launched xenophobic attacks, including Matt Walsh, who wrote that “a third-world communist won in New York because New York is a third-world city now,” and Steve Bannon, who urged authorities to “ship him back to Uganda.” Elon Musk also dismissed him as “Mumdumi or whatever his name is,” exemplifying the name-based discrimination Asian American candidates routinely face.
By selecting a simple Quran from Schomburg’s collection, Mamdani directly rebuked those who questioned his place in American democracy. Before the election, he had responded emotionally to the attacks, saying “I will not change who I am, how I eat, or the faith that I’m proud to call my own. I will no longer look for myself in the shadows. I will find myself in the light.” His choice to prominently use his faith at the inauguration also demonstrates that Asian American and Muslim officials belong in the nation’s highest offices.
What New Yorkers can look forward to: In his inaugural address, Mamdani rejected advice to moderate his message, vowing instead to govern “expansively and audaciously” while pursuing “an agenda of safety, affordability and abundance.” The former Queens assemblyman outlined plans for citywide childcare funded through taxes on the wealthy, a freeze on rents for approximately two million rent-stabilized households and free, faster bus service.
He declared before thousands at City Hall, “I was elected as a democratic socialist and I will govern as a democratic socialist. I will not abandon my principles for fear of being deemed radical.” As his administration begins implementing these proposals, it faces opposition from the Trump White House, which has threatened to cut federal funding. On Friday, Mamdani condemned President Trump’s military strikes in Venezuela, calling the capture of President Nicolás Maduro “an act of war and a violation of federal and international law.”
Mamdani pushes forward with higher taxes for the rich
Mayor Zohran Mamdani is moving ahead with higher taxes on New York City’s wealthiest residents and corporations, dismissing concerns about triggering an exodus of millionaires from the nation’s financial center.
