New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is facing growing criticism after Astoria, the historic heart of the Greek American community, was left off the city’s official “Immigrant Enclaves” map, despite nearby “Little Egypt” being prominently featured.
The map, released as part of New York City’s Immigrant Heritage initiative ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, highlights dozens of ethnic neighbourhoods across the five boroughs. However, the omission of Astoria—widely recognised for decades as “Little Greece”—has drawn strong reactions from Greek American organisations and community leaders.
Criticism has not been limited to the Greek community. Italian American groups have objected to the exclusion of Manhattan’s Little Italy, while Irish and Jewish organisations have also questioned why several of New York’s most historic ethnic neighbourhoods were omitted from the map.
Astoria has long been regarded as one of the largest and most influential Greek communities outside Greece. Greek immigrants helped transform the Queens neighbourhood into a centre of Hellenic culture, establishing churches, schools, businesses and community organisations that continue to play an important role today.
Responding to the controversy, Mamdani said the map was originally created under the previous administration and was never intended to be a complete list of New York’s more than 200 ethnic communities. He added that his administration has already expanded the map and plans to continue updating it to better reflect the city’s diversity, although he stopped short of confirming whether Astoria would be added.
Backlash and Response
The controversy exploded online and drew condemnation from groups like the Italian American Civil Rights League, which labeled the omissions “clear racism.” Protests and public pressure mounted quickly.fc2249
Mayor Mamdani defended the map by noting it originated under former Mayor Eric Adams in 2023 and was never meant to be exhaustive, covering “more than 200 ethnic communities.” His administration says it added several neighborhoods upon taking office. Facing sustained outrage, Mamdani announced revisions, promising to include Little Italy and potentially others.
However, many residents remain skeptical. “This isn’t about completeness — it’s about whose story gets told,” one critic posted, reflecting broader frustration among working-class New Yorkers who feel traditional communities are being sidelined in favor of newer arrivals