Asad Dandia
@asadfromnyc.bsky.social
Local NYC historian, urbanist, organizer. I once sued the NYPD for spying on me, and now run a walking tour company called New York Narratives. Write to asad@newyorknarratives.com to chat!
(Trying to be more active here)
(Trying to be more active here)
Spoke to over 100 NYU students today about the history of Arab, South Asian, and Muslim NYC in a core undergrad class. Students are all excited about the future of this city, and I’m grateful to have had the chance to give them more grounding in its past and present.
Invite me to yours!
Invite me to yours!
November 17, 2025 at 9:52 PM
Spoke to over 100 NYU students today about the history of Arab, South Asian, and Muslim NYC in a core undergrad class. Students are all excited about the future of this city, and I’m grateful to have had the chance to give them more grounding in its past and present.
Invite me to yours!
Invite me to yours!
Before joining last night’s campaign party, I sat with Marshall Ganz, the social movement scholar who devised Obama’s 2008 campaign strategy. I asked him: Is this an Obama 2008 moment?
He said, “It’s different, instead of maximizing support [like Zohran], Obama kept minimizing opposition.”
He said, “It’s different, instead of maximizing support [like Zohran], Obama kept minimizing opposition.”
November 6, 2025 at 3:08 AM
Before joining last night’s campaign party, I sat with Marshall Ganz, the social movement scholar who devised Obama’s 2008 campaign strategy. I asked him: Is this an Obama 2008 moment?
He said, “It’s different, instead of maximizing support [like Zohran], Obama kept minimizing opposition.”
He said, “It’s different, instead of maximizing support [like Zohran], Obama kept minimizing opposition.”
Quote from me for Al-Jazeera on Cuomo trafficking in Islamophobia while also inciting sectarianism within the Muslim community:
“Sadly he knows he can weaponize both Islam and Islamophobia, because treating Muslims both as tools and as targets is politically profitable.”
“Sadly he knows he can weaponize both Islam and Islamophobia, because treating Muslims both as tools and as targets is politically profitable.”
November 5, 2025 at 12:48 AM
Quote from me for Al-Jazeera on Cuomo trafficking in Islamophobia while also inciting sectarianism within the Muslim community:
“Sadly he knows he can weaponize both Islam and Islamophobia, because treating Muslims both as tools and as targets is politically profitable.”
“Sadly he knows he can weaponize both Islam and Islamophobia, because treating Muslims both as tools and as targets is politically profitable.”
More people have already voted in the New York City mayoral election on an odd year than the entire populations of Boston, Miami, Detroit, San Francisco, and Philadelphia.
November 4, 2025 at 11:41 PM
More people have already voted in the New York City mayoral election on an odd year than the entire populations of Boston, Miami, Detroit, San Francisco, and Philadelphia.
I was born and raised in New York City. I’ve never left and don’t really know another “Home.” But I love it—because Home happened to be the most diverse and dynamic city ever known to humankind.
Today I voted for my brother Zohran Mamdani because I know he loves every inch of it the way do.
Today I voted for my brother Zohran Mamdani because I know he loves every inch of it the way do.
November 4, 2025 at 7:35 PM
I was born and raised in New York City. I’ve never left and don’t really know another “Home.” But I love it—because Home happened to be the most diverse and dynamic city ever known to humankind.
Today I voted for my brother Zohran Mamdani because I know he loves every inch of it the way do.
Today I voted for my brother Zohran Mamdani because I know he loves every inch of it the way do.
Got up at 5am and into a suit so I could join hundreds of people to walk with our next mayor by 6 on the Brooklyn Bridge as the sun rose to mark the start of a new day in NYC.
I wouldn’t do this for anyone else even if they paid me, so you know I’m really about it for our boy.
I wouldn’t do this for anyone else even if they paid me, so you know I’m really about it for our boy.
November 3, 2025 at 5:33 PM
Got up at 5am and into a suit so I could join hundreds of people to walk with our next mayor by 6 on the Brooklyn Bridge as the sun rose to mark the start of a new day in NYC.
I wouldn’t do this for anyone else even if they paid me, so you know I’m really about it for our boy.
I wouldn’t do this for anyone else even if they paid me, so you know I’m really about it for our boy.
My father and I were invited to a private community event earlier this afternoon to hear my friend Zohran Mamdani speak.
Remember: It isn’t *just* young people who’ve been activated by this campaign 😌❤️.
Remember: It isn’t *just* young people who’ve been activated by this campaign 😌❤️.
November 1, 2025 at 2:57 AM
My father and I were invited to a private community event earlier this afternoon to hear my friend Zohran Mamdani speak.
Remember: It isn’t *just* young people who’ve been activated by this campaign 😌❤️.
Remember: It isn’t *just* young people who’ve been activated by this campaign 😌❤️.
Happy 121st birthday to the NYC Subway, opened on this day in 1904. Like the city itself, you can’t truly love it until there are days where you hate it. But I will always be grateful for it every one of those days.
October 27, 2025 at 8:23 PM
Happy 121st birthday to the NYC Subway, opened on this day in 1904. Like the city itself, you can’t truly love it until there are days where you hate it. But I will always be grateful for it every one of those days.
13,000 people attended tonight’s rally. I’m sorry to be always be that New York Exceptionalist, but this could not happen anywhere else, and no mayoral candidate in modern US history could do it except one of our own.
And what a blessing to witness it all.
And what a blessing to witness it all.
October 27, 2025 at 4:21 AM
13,000 people attended tonight’s rally. I’m sorry to be always be that New York Exceptionalist, but this could not happen anywhere else, and no mayoral candidate in modern US history could do it except one of our own.
And what a blessing to witness it all.
And what a blessing to witness it all.
May Allah bless and protect you always, my friend.
October 27, 2025 at 2:32 AM
May Allah bless and protect you always, my friend.
I had a lovely meeting today with the Brooklyn President Antonio Reynoso, where we spoke about the history of Muslim Brooklyn at Ruhani Cafe on Atlantic Avenue.
Any opportunity to enhance the cultural literacy and political education of our elected leaders is one I’ll take. Thank you Antonio.
Any opportunity to enhance the cultural literacy and political education of our elected leaders is one I’ll take. Thank you Antonio.
August 26, 2025 at 1:34 AM
I had a lovely meeting today with the Brooklyn President Antonio Reynoso, where we spoke about the history of Muslim Brooklyn at Ruhani Cafe on Atlantic Avenue.
Any opportunity to enhance the cultural literacy and political education of our elected leaders is one I’ll take. Thank you Antonio.
Any opportunity to enhance the cultural literacy and political education of our elected leaders is one I’ll take. Thank you Antonio.
Spoke to NPR’s Bronx affiliate today after a 3-hour “Muslim Harlem” tour (yeah I make you get in your steps) about today’s NYC and my forecast of the city’s future based on my work. The final audio interview should be out in a few weeks!
Email asad@newyorknarratives.com to book!
Email asad@newyorknarratives.com to book!
August 23, 2025 at 11:12 PM
Spoke to NPR’s Bronx affiliate today after a 3-hour “Muslim Harlem” tour (yeah I make you get in your steps) about today’s NYC and my forecast of the city’s future based on my work. The final audio interview should be out in a few weeks!
Email asad@newyorknarratives.com to book!
Email asad@newyorknarratives.com to book!
One year ago today, this man called to meet me to discuss a big plan of his. A long shot, we thought. One year later, his work has paid off. He won’t be able to walk like this in Greenwich Village anytime soon, but the plan was a success.
Lock in, Mr. Mayor.
Lock in, Mr. Mayor.
August 16, 2025 at 5:36 PM
One year ago today, this man called to meet me to discuss a big plan of his. A long shot, we thought. One year later, his work has paid off. He won’t be able to walk like this in Greenwich Village anytime soon, but the plan was a success.
Lock in, Mr. Mayor.
Lock in, Mr. Mayor.
“Whoever is born in New York is ill-equipped to deal with any other city: all other cities seem, at best, a mistake, and, at worst, a fraud.”
Happy 101st Birthday to my fellow Born-New Yorker James Baldwin. He was right about us.
Happy 101st Birthday to my fellow Born-New Yorker James Baldwin. He was right about us.
August 2, 2025 at 5:05 PM
“Whoever is born in New York is ill-equipped to deal with any other city: all other cities seem, at best, a mistake, and, at worst, a fraud.”
Happy 101st Birthday to my fellow Born-New Yorker James Baldwin. He was right about us.
Happy 101st Birthday to my fellow Born-New Yorker James Baldwin. He was right about us.
Small note about Brad’s mannerisms that meant a lot: We were in a progressive neighborhood so of course everyone wanted a selfie w/him. Each time, he’d say, “Listen you should know Asad. He’s doing this amazing tour for my birthday. Follow him!”
He decentered himself every time.
He decentered himself every time.
July 22, 2025 at 4:20 PM
Small note about Brad’s mannerisms that meant a lot: We were in a progressive neighborhood so of course everyone wanted a selfie w/him. Each time, he’d say, “Listen you should know Asad. He’s doing this amazing tour for my birthday. Follow him!”
He decentered himself every time.
He decentered himself every time.
All photos were taken by Queens native @joeortizny.bsky.social, a stellar photographer with a great eye for NYC and its environs. Commission him for work!
July 21, 2025 at 1:59 AM
All photos were taken by Queens native @joeortizny.bsky.social, a stellar photographer with a great eye for NYC and its environs. Commission him for work!
Today I spent 3 hours with Brad Lander and his family, giving them a private tour on Brooklyn’s Muslim, Arab, and South Asian histories. I am so grateful for their deep curiosity and desire to support my work and our communities.
Happy Birthday Mr. Comptroller. You’re fam now.
Happy Birthday Mr. Comptroller. You’re fam now.
July 21, 2025 at 1:39 AM
Today I spent 3 hours with Brad Lander and his family, giving them a private tour on Brooklyn’s Muslim, Arab, and South Asian histories. I am so grateful for their deep curiosity and desire to support my work and our communities.
Happy Birthday Mr. Comptroller. You’re fam now.
Happy Birthday Mr. Comptroller. You’re fam now.
I built an NYC-themed home library!
—Bottom shelf: Books I use to curate my tours
—Middle shelf: Books I assign in class or use as references
—Top shelf: Old or rare books, some dating to the 1800s and worth thousands
I’ll make a list of the essentials among these 150+ soon…
—Bottom shelf: Books I use to curate my tours
—Middle shelf: Books I assign in class or use as references
—Top shelf: Old or rare books, some dating to the 1800s and worth thousands
I’ll make a list of the essentials among these 150+ soon…
July 17, 2025 at 4:06 AM
I built an NYC-themed home library!
—Bottom shelf: Books I use to curate my tours
—Middle shelf: Books I assign in class or use as references
—Top shelf: Old or rare books, some dating to the 1800s and worth thousands
I’ll make a list of the essentials among these 150+ soon…
—Bottom shelf: Books I use to curate my tours
—Middle shelf: Books I assign in class or use as references
—Top shelf: Old or rare books, some dating to the 1800s and worth thousands
I’ll make a list of the essentials among these 150+ soon…
Final results are out. Mamdani beat Cuomo 56-44. 12 whole points.
This was not “close.” It was not “tight.” It was not “neck-and-neck.” Our boy totally obliterated a dynasty—and this moment will be studied a century from now.
This was not “close.” It was not “tight.” It was not “neck-and-neck.” Our boy totally obliterated a dynasty—and this moment will be studied a century from now.
July 1, 2025 at 6:22 PM
Final results are out. Mamdani beat Cuomo 56-44. 12 whole points.
This was not “close.” It was not “tight.” It was not “neck-and-neck.” Our boy totally obliterated a dynasty—and this moment will be studied a century from now.
This was not “close.” It was not “tight.” It was not “neck-and-neck.” Our boy totally obliterated a dynasty—and this moment will be studied a century from now.
This morning I was honored to lead a tour for the Chancellor of CUNY—Félix V. Matos Rodríguez—at the Museum of the City of NY. This man steers the ship of the largest public university system in the US and I loved exploring the legacy of Shirley Chisholm with he and other CUNY folks!
July 1, 2025 at 3:32 PM
This morning I was honored to lead a tour for the Chancellor of CUNY—Félix V. Matos Rodríguez—at the Museum of the City of NY. This man steers the ship of the largest public university system in the US and I loved exploring the legacy of Shirley Chisholm with he and other CUNY folks!
Michael Bloomberg has just endorsed Cuomo for mayor. I will never let you forget what he did to NYC’s Muslims when *he* was mayor. I wrote this 5 years ago when he stupidly tried to run for president.
You spied on us—and now one of our own sons is going to beat your man. Poetry.
You spied on us—and now one of our own sons is going to beat your man. Poetry.
June 10, 2025 at 8:37 PM
Michael Bloomberg has just endorsed Cuomo for mayor. I will never let you forget what he did to NYC’s Muslims when *he* was mayor. I wrote this 5 years ago when he stupidly tried to run for president.
You spied on us—and now one of our own sons is going to beat your man. Poetry.
You spied on us—and now one of our own sons is going to beat your man. Poetry.
Happy 100th birthday to the Black Shining Prince of Harlem, El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz.
May 19, 2025 at 8:33 PM
Happy 100th birthday to the Black Shining Prince of Harlem, El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz.
Spoke today at the “Rally for the Right to Learn” organized by labor unions in higher ed across NYC in defense of our students and the right to defend Palestinian rights. Grateful to be in community with students, faculty, lawyers, elected officials, and organizers fighting back.
April 17, 2025 at 11:42 PM
Spoke today at the “Rally for the Right to Learn” organized by labor unions in higher ed across NYC in defense of our students and the right to defend Palestinian rights. Grateful to be in community with students, faculty, lawyers, elected officials, and organizers fighting back.
Just acquired: An original copy of Robert Moses’s first edition autobiography, signed by Moses himself, from NYC’s oldest independent bookstore—the iconic Argosy, which is full of old material like this. It’s my priciest book purchase at $500, but priceless as a collector’s item.
April 15, 2025 at 8:56 PM
Just acquired: An original copy of Robert Moses’s first edition autobiography, signed by Moses himself, from NYC’s oldest independent bookstore—the iconic Argosy, which is full of old material like this. It’s my priciest book purchase at $500, but priceless as a collector’s item.
Successfully taught 400 years of NYC history, from 1609 when the first Dutch settler touched Manhattan, all the way up to the 2025 election, with a field trip almost every week. Hope it helped my 25 students in making sense of the world’s most diverse city. And I got reappointed to teach again!
February 25, 2025 at 4:34 PM
Successfully taught 400 years of NYC history, from 1609 when the first Dutch settler touched Manhattan, all the way up to the 2025 election, with a field trip almost every week. Hope it helped my 25 students in making sense of the world’s most diverse city. And I got reappointed to teach again!